A Family to Be (Saddle Falls)

by De Vita, Sharon

  “Yeah,” Josh said, still stunned and reeling, Em involved with another guy? Married? Someone else loving Baby Cakes? Taking care of her? He didn’t understand why the mere thought of any other man involved with Em or Baby Cakes sent a bullet of panic arcing through him. “I see what you mean.”

  “There you are,” Natalie said from the doorway, her gaze taking in her husband. “Jared, did you let the twins go outside to play before breakfast again?”

  “Guilty,” he said with a grin aimed at his wife. He held up his hands. “It was self-defense, Nat, honest. They woke up full of mischief—as usual—” he said with a sigh. “And then one of them tossed Ruth’s bone out the bedroom window.” Jared grinned, knowing he loved every moment of mischief his boys got involved with. “And then Ruth started jumping and barking. And then Ditka came chasing into the room, adding his two cents’ worth of barking as well. The boys were jumping on their beds, laughing, and I figured if I didn’t let them go out—all of them—” he specified, “mass chaos was going to rein.”

  “And you found this unusual?” Natalie asked with a laugh and a shake of her head. “Chaos seems to be the rule of the day.”

  “Morning, Josh.” She crossed the room to give her brother-in-law a kiss on the cheek. “You okay?” she asked with a frown when she saw the look on his face.

  “Yeah.” He forced a smile as he draped a free arm around her waist to give her a hug. “Just fine, Nat.” He adored his sister-in-laws. Natalie as well as Rebecca. Each of his brothers had managed to find the one woman in the world that was perfect for them. And they were, he realized with a bit of envy, totally, blissfully happy, the kind of happiness he’d always longed for.

  “Actually, Josh, I’m glad you’re here. I talked to Rebecca yesterday and we were thinking about having a baby shower for Em, but I thought we’d better run it by you first.”

  Touched, his face brightened. “A baby shower?”

  “Yeah.” Natalie went to Jared, gave him a thorough good morning kiss. “I know she’s had a hard time of it, Josh, and I don’t imagine she has much in the way of baby things.”

  “Actually, she doesn’t have anything,” he admitted, remembering how she had longingly looked at the baby furniture in the display nursery yesterday.

  “Great.” Natalie beamed at him as Jared draped his arm around her to draw her close. “I thought we might have it at the diner, if you think that would be all right. I called Agnes yesterday to sort of feel her out about it and she was thrilled.”

  “Yeah, I think the diner would work. It’s closed on Sundays, you could do it on a Sunday.”

  “Great. I figured since she’s only got—what about four or six weeks—that we’d have it in about two weeks. Is that all right?”

  Josh grinned broadly. “That’s great.” He hesitated. “Nat?”

  “Yes, Josh?”

  “Thanks,” he said, standing up. “I appreciate it and I know Em will, too.” Quickly, he closed and gathered his books. Right now he needed some time alone to think about what Jared had said. “Well, I gotta run. I’ve got to go to my apartment and shower and change before I go to work. He picked up his books and crossed the kitchen to kiss his sister-in-law goodbye. “I’ll see you all later. Tell Tommy I’ll stop by tonight to see him.”

  “Hey, Josh?” Jared called, stopping him. “See how Em would feel, about having a puppy for the baby.” He grinned at his wife. “Ditka’s about to become a father.”

  “Seems like everything is multiplying around here,” Josh said with a grin.

  “And you’ll think about what I said, bro?” Jared asked again.

  Josh nodded, then went through the door, thinking of nothing else but Jared’s words.

  “Do you think he knows yet?” Natalie asked with a contented smile.

  “That he’s in love with Emma?” Jared laughed. “Not anymore than I knew I was in love with you until I almost lost you.” He bent his head and brushed his lips against hers, feeling a warm well of gratitude that he had finally woken up. He had no idea how he would have lived without her. “But, I think I put the fear of God into him just a minute ago,” Jared admitted, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

  Natalie drew back to look at her husband, trying to look stern, but failing miserably. “And what did you do, now, Jared Ryan?”

  He laughed, then bent to nuzzle Natalie’s neck. “I just asked him if he thought about what would happen once the baby was born and he got attached, and then Em found someone else and got married…”

  “Ouch,” Natalie said with a shake of her head. “That wasn’t very nice.” She laughed. “Effective, but not nice.”

  “Yeah, I imagine Josh is going to be doing some deep thinking and soul-searching. Jake and I, well, we’ve been worried about Josh the last few years. He’s been a loner for too long. We just want him to be happy.”

  “And you think Em’s the one to make him happy?” Natalie asked.

  Jared laughed. “Nat, we’ve all known forever that Em was the only one to make him happy. Let’s hope he realizes it—before it’s too late.”

  With a grin of her saucy red lips, Agnes, Em’s waitress, planted a hand on her hip. “So that skinny little kid—”

  “His name is Sammy,” Em explained.

  “Sammy’s gonna be helping us out here in the afternoons.”

  “Yes, Agnes, I thought we could use the extra help.”

  “It’s ’bout time,” Agnes complained. “Been telling you for weeks to hire someone so you can take some time off. You shouldn’t be working these long hours now that your time is getting close.”

  “Well, let’s not go overboard,” Em said, feeling a bit defensive as she glanced around the almost empty diner. The lunch rush was over and now, all that was left was the prep work for tomorrow.

  “What? You gonna insult me by telling me you don’t think I can handle things by myself?” Agnes challenged with a toss of her head. “Why, me and Ernie can handle this joint with our hands tied behind our backs. Ain’t that right, Ernie?” Agnes called as Ernie carefully mopped under a booth where a child had spilled his milk. Ernie didn’t answer; he didn’t even bother to glance up, but Agnes was used to Ernie’s silences.

  “I’m not worried about you handling things.” Em sighed, leaning wearily against the spotless, stainless steel counter they used for food preparation. “And to tell the truth, right now, the idea of having a few hours in the afternoon to myself to just rest or do nothing sounds like heaven.”

  “Go home, then,” Agnes said, adjusting the ties of his apron. “Me and the new kid, we can handle things the rest of the day.” Agnes’s eyes glittered. “And if not, well, there’s always Ernie.” She grinned when Em rolled her eyes. “Besides,” Agnes continued. “Didn’t you say you had some plans tonight?”

  Em flushed. “I’m just having dinner at the hotel with Josh.” She shrugged, trying not to let on how delighted and anxious she was about tonight.

  Agnes grinned, pleased. “Well, take yourself off then, girl, and go buy yourself a new dress.”

  Em glanced down at her frayed jeans and T-shirt covered by her white apron. She hadn’t exactly had a lot of money for maternity clothes. She’d been making do with what she had, except for one pair of maternity jeans, which she’d practically worn out. “I don’t need a new dress.”

  “Em, Em, Em,” Agnes said with a shake of her head. “A woman never needs a new dress. For gosh sakes, what fun would that be? You should buy one just because.”

  Em laughed, unwilling to admit she’d been thinking about going shopping all day. “All right, I’ll leave, but do you promise you and Ernie will remain…civil?” Even though Ernie never spoke to Agnes in front of anyone, Em had a feeling, just from the tension between them that a lot went on between them when no one was around.

  Agnes grinned. “Don’t you worry about a thing, Em. Me and Ernie will be just fine.” She glanced over at Ernie and her face softened. “Just fine,” she added with a smile, turning back
to Em. “Promise. Now, get going. If you leave now, you’ll probably have enough time to get yourself a new dress and take a nap.”

  Em fairly swooned. The idea of having the luxury of taking a nap in the middle of the afternoon sounded almost decadent. She glanced at her watch. “Okay, I’ll go,” she said, taking her apron off. “But promise me you’ll call me if you need me.”

  “Sure, sure, sure,” Agnes said without much conviction, taking Em by the elbow to steer her out the diner. “I’ll call if anything comes up. Now just go. Have a good time tonight,” she said as hustled Em to the door before she could protest. “Make sure you get some rest.”

  Em paused to give some last-minute instructions to both Sammy and Ernie, then with a wave, she went sailing out the door, unwilling to admit how unbearably tired she really was.

  When the doorbell rang, Em sat up, shook the sleep from her head, then blinked, more than a bit disoriented. When she glanced out her bedroom window and saw the sun, she realized it was still afternoon and grinned in relief, trying to contain her excitement. She glanced at the clock just as the doorbell chimed again.

  “Oh, Lord,” she muttered, scrambling out of bed. “I’m coming, I’m coming.”

  If Josh was an hour early she was going to strangle him. She’d been so exhausted after her shopping expedition in town, she’d come home and fallen into bed.

  She’d set the alarm, certain she’d have plenty of time to shower and change before Josh picked her up. Now, the doorbell was ringing and she still wasn’t dressed yet.

  “I’m coming,” she bellowed through gritted teeth as she grabbed her robe and threw it on. Hurrying to the back door, she stopped, pressed a hand to her pounding heart and took a deep breath before yanking it open. “Josh, you’re early—”

  “I’ve got an overnight letter for Emma Bowen.” It wasn’t Josh, but an obviously hot and harassed deliveryman. “I need your signature.” He thrust a clipboard toward her, indicating where she should sign. Relieved that it wasn’t Josh, Em took the pen, quickly scribbled her name, then accepted delivery of the letter without giving it a second thought. “Thank you,” she said, before shutting the door and setting the letter on a table. She had less than an hour to shower and change before Josh got here. And if she didn’t hurry, she was going to be late.

  The letter forgotten, on her way to the shower Em stopped to look at her new dress she’d left hanging on the closet door.

  Gently, she ran her finger over the beautiful cotton fabric. She really hadn’t planned on buying anything, but she’d stopped into Ruth’s Maternity Emporium, and Ruth O’Brien, the owner whom she’d known her whole life, had insisted she try it on. The dress was casual enough to be comfortable, but dressy enough for dinner in town Ruth had assured her.

  The moment she’d tried it on, Em knew she had to have it. It was one of the most beautiful dresses she’d ever owned. Normally, she wouldn’t consider lemon yellow. It wasn’t her best color, but something about this dress and the shade of yellow did something to her skin, making it glow. With the short-capped sleeves, and empire bodice, the dress fit her perfectly, emphasizing her small breasts and her long legs. Because it was the new, longer length, it also seemed to give her petite frame added height.

  Delighted, she’d purchased it, trying not to feel guilty. While Ruth was wrapping her dress, Emma had run next door to the shoe store and found a matching pair of yellow ballerina flats. Now, she couldn’t wait to put them on. Humming to herself, Em stepped in the shower, her excitement building.

  “I’m not going to feel guilty about spending the money,” she muttered to herself as she washed her hair. She’d been taking a small salary every week, but banking all of it, except what she needed for absolute necessities. Never again would she allow herself or her baby to be at the mercy of a man. Never again would she be penniless and without resources with no one or nowhere to turn.

  Sighing, Em shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, feeling better about her situation than she had in months. She had money in the bank, the diner was going well, and she was handling things. Em grinned. Quite a change from the day she’d arrived in Saddle Falls, exhausted from worry, sick with grief and fear, and not certain how on earth she was going to do what she needed to do to provide for herself and Baby Cakes.

  “But we did it, sweetie,” Em said, plugging in her hair dryer, and glancing down at her belly. “With a little help from our friends,” she added, thinking about Josh.

  He had been so wonderful and so supportive the past few months. Once he got over his initial fear that she was some helpless, hapless female off on another wild-goose chase.

  She knew he still worried about her, and she loved him for it. Em froze with the hair dryer in midair.

  Loved him for it.

  The words reverberated in her mind over and over again. Her eyes slid closed and she laid her dryer on the countertop.

  She wasn’t in love with Josh, she told herself firmly. She simply couldn’t even entertain such a ridiculous idea. She would never be so foolish, not again.

  He was just a friend, a good friend, and of course she would have strong feelings for him, especially considering all he’d done for her the past few months. She’d come to value and depend on his companionship, his kindness, his ability to make her laugh no matter what the problem.

  But she wasn’t in love with him.

  What she was feeling was merely gratitude, gratitude because he’d been so kind, so supportive, so wonderful, she thought with a dreamy sigh.

  But he was just a friend, she repeated to herself firmly. And she was not in love with him. With determination, Em quickly dried her hair, then applied a hint of makeup before slipping into her new dress and shoes.

  Feeling like Cinderella going to the ball, Em paced the length of the living room, trying to calm her own disquieting thoughts. When the doorbell rang again, she sighed with relief, then went to open it.

  “Em.” Josh stood there with a grin on his face, letting his gaze travel over. “You look beautiful.” It was the only word to describe her. “Just…beautiful.” Nervous, and not certain why, he handed her the bouquet of roses he’d brought her.

  Touched, Em laughed suddenly, cursing her own silliness. This was Josh, there was no reason for her to be so worried. They were just…friends.

  “Roses?” she said with a lift of her brow. “Mrs. Richards is gonna have your hide, Josh.” She turned to get a vase for them.

  “Hey, I didn’t steal those, Em,” he protested, coming up behind her and slipping his arms around her waist. “I bought them.” He pressed his nose to her hair, inhaling the wonderful scent of her.

  Aware that his arms were around her, and her heart was pounding, Em struggled not to shake as she filled the vase with water and set it on the kitchen counter.

  “Thank you, Josh,” she said quietly, giving in and allowing herself to lean into him—for just a moment—she told herself. Just for a moment. “They’re beautiful.”

  “And so are you,” he whispered, his breath tickling the back of her ear, sending shivers of awareness through her. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what his brother Jared had said this morning, hadn’t been able to curb the panic that occurred every time he thought of Em and Baby Cakes with another man.

  The day seemed to drag until he could see Em, could put his arms around her, hold her, touch her, know she was safe.

  “Thank you.” Her voice as well as her body were trembling in response to Josh’s closeness, his touch.

  I am not in love with him, she insisted, repeating the phrase over and over in her mind like a mantra in spite of the fact that Josh’s presence, his touch filled her with a need and longing no one else ever had.

  I am not in love with him.

  At least she hoped not!

  Chapter Eight

  Em sighed in near contentment as she pushed her dessert plate away and glanced around the glorious, gorgeous restaurant atop the Saddle Falls Hotel, providing
a panoramic view of the entire town as well as the Charleston Mountains in the distance.

  Their white linen-topped table, adorned with beautiful crystal candles flickering softly, was set right in the corner of the restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows on each side of it. It was, quite clearly, the best table in the house.

  “I feel like I’m going to have to walk ten miles to walk off this dinner,” she said with a smile, resting a hand on her belly where Baby Cakes had been doing somersaults all evening.

  “You enjoyed it?” Josh asked, taking a sip of his wine, unable to take his eyes off of her.

  “What was not to enjoy?” she said with a laugh, closing her eyes and mentally savoring every single morsel all over again. “I think the appetizer tray was my favorite.” She frowned a bit. “No, maybe it was that salad.” She rolled her eyes. “No, actually I think it was the filet.”

  “It was a fantastic meal, Josh.” She smiled at him, reaching across the table to touch his hand. Electricity sparked, then hummed between them. “Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome.” He linked his fingers through hers, turning her hand palm up so it rested in his, giving in to the need he’d had all evening to touch her. “You look beautiful, Em.” He sipped his wine again to moisten his dry mouth. “New dress?”

  With a nod, she laughed. “I went to Ruth’s Maternity Emporium this afternoon and splurged. I had no intention of buying anything, but…” Her voice trailed off and she remembered the look on Josh’s face when she opened the door. She was absolutely certain she’d heard his jaw hit the ground.

  “Well, I’m glad you bought it.” His gaze shifted over her slowly. She’d done something different to her dark, curly hair. It was pushed off and away from her face in some sophisticated style that only emphasized her elegant face and her huge eyes, which tonight were smudged with some dark-colored makeup, making her look both sexy and mysterious.