Their Meant-to-Be Baby

by Caroline Anderson

  ‘No, you won’t! You’ll have your own baby,’ Annie reminded her gently. ‘And you’ll be able to come and see me whenever you want.’

  ‘I’ll have to go back to work, though,’ she said. ‘I can’t expect Sam to support me. It’s only the baby he’s interested in.’

  Annie eyed her thoughtfully. ‘Are you sure about that? Maybe it’s the package—the whole deal.’

  ‘What—playing happy families? I don’t think so. There’s still plenty of chemistry between us, but that’s not enough on its own, and I’m not going to get my hopes up. If we can just share the house and the baby without killing each other, I’ll be more than happy.’

  Annie laughed softly, and rested her head back on the pillow. ‘Silly girl. You’ll be fine. You’ll see...’

  Her eyes drifted shut, and after a moment Kate slipped her hand carefully out of Annie’s and left her sleeping. She saw Ed on the way out, standing over a crib in SCBU, and he beamed at her and came to the door, his grin nearly splitting his face in two.

  ‘Congratulations, Daddy,’ she said with a smile, and he gave a choked laugh and hugged her hard.

  ‘Thank you. I never thought this would ever happen to me, Kate, and it’s just amazing.’

  ‘I’m so pleased for you,’ she said, blinking back tears and trying to find a smile. ‘So how are they?’

  ‘Incredible. Want to see them?’

  She shook her head. ‘No. Well, yes, of course I do, I’d love to, but I’d better let Annie show them to me. She’s sleeping now, so I left her. Say goodbye to her for me, and well done, both of you.’

  She kissed his cheek and left him to his new family, trying really hard not to be jealous of their obvious happiness. And at least Sam was standing by her and the baby and they seemed to be getting on OK. That, frankly, was more than she could have hoped for.

  * * *

  The agent’s valuation was neither higher nor lower than Sam had been expecting because he’d had no idea what the house would be worth, but it fell within his budget which was all that mattered, and he told James so.

  ‘So, can I bring Kate round this evening to look at it?’ he asked again, and James shrugged.

  ‘Sure. The others are coming at seven thirty. Do you want to come before or after?’

  ‘Before. I don’t want you getting all random on me and accepting their offer before you have a chance to hear mine.’

  James laughed. ‘As if. Come round as soon as you finish. Connie’ll be busy with Joseph, but I’m sure she won’t mind if you just wander round and make yourselves at home.’

  He sent Kate a text, and she rang him straight back.

  ‘Fabulous,’ she said, sounding unusually cheerful. ‘Pick me up from mine as soon as you’re done.’

  ‘Ten minutes?’

  ‘Perfect. I’ve got some news for you, too. Bye.’

  ‘News?’

  The phone went dead, and he slid it back into his pocket and frowned.

  News? News about what? Unless...

  He finished off the paperwork on his last patient, handed over to the registrar and headed straight for her flat.

  * * *

  She was sitting outside on the low garden wall, and she jumped up the moment she saw him approach and got straight into the car.

  ‘Annie’s leaving,’ she said without preamble. ‘She’s got to tell James officially, but she’s not coming back to work ever.’

  ‘Wow. Is it still under wraps?’

  She shook her head, but then pulled a face. ‘Well, sort of. She wants me to tell James, but until she’s done it officially I suppose it shouldn’t be broadcast. So it looks as though you might have a job.’

  ‘If James can rig the interview panel,’ he said, showing the first slight glimmer of doubt she’d seen from him, but she just laughed.

  ‘You’ll get it. Our ED has been notoriously difficult to find staff for, maybe because James has such high standards, maybe because they just don’t want to work in what they perceive as a provincial centre, but trust me, if James thinks you’re qualified, you’re in. Well, barring flood, fire, civil commotion and acts of God—isn’t that what they say in insurance documents as the get-out clause?’

  He laughed. ‘Something like that,’ he said, and then he leant across and kissed her, taking her breath away.

  * * *

  ‘So, what do you think of it? Is it big enough? Could you live here?’

  They’d worked their way up through the house and were standing in James and Connie’s bedroom on the top floor, looking out of the huge east-facing roof lights, and all she could see was the sea and sky.

  ‘Big enough? Are you crazy? It’s got four bedrooms, a fabulous living space, stunning sea views, a garden—it’s even got an en suite! I’ve never had any of those things in my life, Sam! Could I live here? Absolutely. Can you afford it?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Just that, no hesitation.

  She turned and stared out of the window again, watching the light playing on the surface of the waves, listening to the sound of the sea breaking on the shingle, and she wanted to cry.

  Instead she closed her eyes, counted to ten and turned back to him.

  ‘Then buy it, if you want it, if you think it’s the right thing to do. It’s not really up to me, it’s your money, and you’ll have to firm the job up with James, but I can’t tell you what to do.’

  ‘But—in principle? Does it tick all the boxes on your wish list?’

  She just laughed. ‘Sam, my wish list is a roof over my head, security, central heating and preferably no noisy neighbours partying all night. Trust me, I’m not hard to please.’

  He drew in a long, slow breath and let it out again, then gave her a wry smile. ‘Kerry had a wish list as long as your arm. She knew exactly what she wanted, how she wanted it, what colours, what materials—’

  ‘I’m not Kerry,’ she said softly, and he frowned slightly.

  ‘No. No, you’re not, are you?’ he said thoughtfully, as if he’d just discovered something new and rather interesting, and then he nodded and gestured towards the stairs.

  ‘Better go and tell them, then, hadn’t we?’ he said, and she wasn’t sure but she had a feeling she might just have earned some brownie points...

  * * *

  ‘We want it.’

  James nodded slowly. ‘OK, but timing’s crucial, Sam, and I can’t get you a definite job offer yet. Annie has to make it official, and then we have to go through all the hoops—not that that’ll be a problem unless you blot your copybook between now and then.’

  ‘I have no plans to do that,’ he said with a smile, ‘and if the job doesn’t materialise, it’ll be a sound investment anyway. And the tenants definitely want my house. They’ll move fast.’

  James nodded again. ‘OK. What about the price?’

  ‘I’m not going to make you a cheeky offer, if that’s what you mean,’ he said with a laugh. ‘We’ll give you the asking price, and if it should go to a bidding war—’

  ‘It won’t. If you’re sure you can deliver and it means we get our new house, then it’s yours.’

  His.

  ‘Wow,’ he said softly. Little more than a week ago, he’d had nothing to look forward to. Now, suddenly, everything was falling into place in the most unlikely way, and it felt like the sun had come out from behind the blackest cloud.

  He was speechless for a second, then he felt his face crack into a smile he had no hope of suppressing. ‘That’s amazing,’ he said, and shook hands with James, then hugged him just for good measure. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Don’t thank me. I want your money,’ James said with a grin, and Sam laughed and turned to Kate.

  ‘Woo-hoo! We’re going to have a house!’ he said, the smile still plaster
ed all over his face, and he picked her up in his arms and hugged her.

  ‘Put me down,’ she said with a breathless laugh, and he lowered her slowly to the floor, her body in contact with his from head to toe, and then just because he couldn’t help himself any longer, he bent his head, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

  ‘Are we celebrating something?’ Connie asked, coming into the room behind him, and he let go of Kate and hugged Connie, too.

  ‘Absolutely. You’re talking to the next owners of your house.’

  ‘Really? Are you sure? It’s not just because of the boat, is it? Because we can work round that, Sam. Or because we need a quick sale? For God’s sake don’t be noble.’

  He stared at her in disbelief, and then laughed, the joy bubbling up in him like fine champagne.

  ‘No, Connie. There’s no way I’m that noble. Not by a country mile. I want this house—we want this house—not because the boat’s a pain or you want to move, but because we love it, pure and simple, don’t we?’

  He looked at Kate, and she smiled at him. ‘Yes, we do,’ she said softly, and Connie grinned.

  ‘Right, well, in that case, James, get on the phone and cancel the viewing tonight, and then crack open the Prosecco. I think it’s time we had a party!’

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  SHE HARDLY DRANK any Prosecco, and nor did Connie, but it didn’t stop them celebrating.

  Not that the celebration was really about her, she knew that, but the spin-off was that she might, if it all worked out, end up living in the sort of house that she’d never even dared to fantasise about.

  But only if she and Sam could live together, and the worry about that was still niggling at her. Only one way to find out, though, and that was to get on with it, so when James offered Sam another glass and he hesitated, she chipped in.

  ‘I could always drive, if I’m insured?’

  Sam frowned thoughtfully at her. ‘Yes, it’s insured for anyone over twenty-five with a clean licence, but that won’t help me get back here tonight, though.’

  ‘So stay at mine,’ she said, and met his searching eyes.

  He held hers for a breathless moment, then turned to James and held his glass out.

  ‘In that case—’

  She felt her heart thud as he turned back, met her eyes again and raised the filled glass a fraction, in a silent toast.

  Or a promise?

  * * *

  She unlocked the door at the top of the stairs, pushed it open and walked into the kitchen on legs that weren’t quite steady.

  ‘Do you want coffee?’ she asked over her shoulder, only to find he was right behind her.

  ‘Not really. Shall I make up the spare bed?’

  ‘Only if you want to,’ she replied, her heart in her mouth, and held her breath for his answer.

  She felt the soft brush of air against her cheek, the touch of his hand on her shoulder turning her slowly towards him, saw the pulse beating at the base of his throat before he tilted her head up to meet his eyes.

  How could ice smoulder?

  ‘You know what I want,’ he said quietly, his eyes locked on hers, searching for her answer, ‘but I need you to be sure.’

  She swallowed, hesitating for a fraction of a second before she lifted her hand up and laid it against his jaw, feeling the slight graze of stubble against her palm, the heat of his breath as she trailed her thumb over his lips.

  His eyes held hers, the fire in them burning all the way down through her body and setting it alight with need.

  ‘I’m sure,’ she murmured, moving her hand and drawing his head down to meet her lips, and his breath hitched as his eyes closed and he eased her hard up against him, one hand cradling her head, the other cupping her bottom and lifting her closer as the fire in her raged out of control.

  She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed him gently away. ‘Not here,’ she said breathlessly. ‘My room.’

  * * *

  How could it be so good?

  He shifted to his side and trailed his free hand slowly down over her throat, across her shoulder, down her arm, across her hip, coming to rest over the gentle curve where his child lay sheltered.

  ‘Hello, baby,’ he murmured, stroking his hand lightly over it, and then he shifted his attention higher, back to Kate, studying her intently. ‘Your body’s changing,’ he said softly, his hand moving on, gliding back up to cradle the soft fullness of the breast nearest to him, the nipple darkened from rose to dusk by her hormones. He brushed his thumb over it and it peaked obligingly, making him smile.

  ‘Why did you tell me you were a glamour model?’ he asked idly, his thumb still toying with her nipple.

  She gave a tiny shrug. ‘I don’t know. I was sick of men either fantasising about me in uniform or telling me their health issues, I suppose. And it wasn’t an outright lie. I have done it.’

  His hand stilled. ‘Really? When? Why?’

  ‘For money. I was eighteen, I was about to start my nursing course and I was broke. I didn’t want a massive student loan and a friend was doing it, and she persuaded me to go with her.’

  ‘And?’ he asked, sensing that there was more, and she sighed.

  ‘And it paid well, but I hated it. I hated having to put my body on show, but I needed the money. And then this guy—well, let’s just say he wanted what he thought was on offer. So I stopped doing it and focused on my studies.’

  He sensed a world of unspoken words, and his gut tightened. ‘Did he hurt you?’

  She shook her head. ‘No. Not my body.’

  ‘Just your spirit.’

  ‘My pride? My dignity? My sense of self-worth? Not that it wasn’t already in the gutter.’ She closed her eyes, and he leant in and kissed her gently.

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  They opened again. ‘Don’t be. It was a steep but valuable learning curve.’

  ‘Sounds like the rest of your life.’ He cupped her cheek, turning her head towards him and kissing her again before rolling onto his back and drawing her gently into his arms.

  ‘Tell me about it,’ he murmured as she settled against him. ‘Your life. What happened, where you lived, who opened your post—who made you think you ruin everybody’s lives.’

  She gave a short, sad huff of laughter. ‘Have you got all night?’

  ‘If that’s what it takes.’

  So she told him, hesitantly at first, then as he felt the tension go out of her, more fluidly, moving through her mother’s desertion to the foster parents who fought about her and drove her out.

  ‘I heard them fighting, him yelling, “That bloody girl’s ruined everything!”, and so I ran away.’

  ‘How old were you then?’ he asked, appalled.

  ‘Eight? I’d been there over two years, and all I can remember is them fighting the whole time, and then he said all that and left, slamming the door so hard I thought it was going to break, so I got my things and I ran away.’

  ‘So what happened then?’

  ‘Another failed foster placement, and then social services put me into a home because it was my fault, apparently, because I was disruptive, so I was there until I was nearly eleven and hated every minute of it. And then they found me some new foster parents, a professional couple with a younger child, which was so much better. She’d been a nurse, he was a teacher, and they were wonderful people, but after a while their son started to resent me, and when the son hit puberty...’

  She broke off, pressing her lips together, and he hugged her gently, unsure of what was coming, sure he wouldn’t like it.

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘He didn’t respect my boundaries. He used to walk into my bedroom when I was dressing and sit on the bed and watch me and refuse to get out. One day I caught him in my
underwear drawer. Another day I found him reading my diary—’

  ‘Which is why you didn’t want me to open your post for you?’

  She nodded. ‘I told him to leave me alone, to keep out of my room, but he wouldn’t, and every time they heard us shouting he blamed me, so I told them what he was doing and they gave him hell and grounded him, but that just made him worse.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘Oh, you know kids. There’s no end to the subtle cruelties they can inflict when there’s nobody looking, but that wasn’t enough for him. He wanted more, and he wanted me out, so he waited until we were alone in the house one day, and then he tried to rape me.’

  Sam swore, softly and viciously, and his arms tightened reflexively around her. ‘What did you do? Did you report him?’

  ‘What was the point? He would just have lied, like he always lied, so I did the only thing I could do. I ran away, which was exactly what he wanted.’

  ‘Where did you go?’

  ‘The park. I hid from the park keepers, but there were some really dodgy people there, a lot of drugs, deals going down, and I didn’t feel safe. His parents had given me a mobile and I didn’t answer it, but in the end I was so scared I rang them and they got the police to open the gates and let me out.’

  ‘Jeez, Kate. What did the police do?’

  ‘Nothing. I told them I’d got shut in there by accident and they believed me, but my foster parents didn’t, and they were worried sick.’

  ‘I’ll bet they were. And the boy?’ he asked. ‘What happened to him?’

  He felt her shrug. ‘He wouldn’t tell them what had happened and nor would I, I just said I couldn’t stay there anymore, so social services found me a place to live while I finished my A-levels, and they kept an eye on me. My foster father gave me private tuition because he knew how important my future was to me, and my foster mother helped me with my entry for nursing, so without them I wouldn’t be where I am today, but I didn’t feel truly free of him until I was at uni.’

  She ground to a halt, and he rested his head against hers and sighed quietly. ‘Oh, Kate. I’m so sorry. No wonder you’ve got issues. And I thought my life was tough because I got sent to boarding school.’