The Baby Bargain (Men of Maine Series Book 3)

by Diana Tobin

  “No. I managed to screw up my life all on my own.” Lynn drew a deep breath and reached out for Micki’s hand. Staring through the trees she watched the sun glint off the water. “By the time I got to law school, I was struggling to keep up. There was tuition, classes, studying, a job. I was feeling overwhelmed. I met a girl, Rebecca. We had a couple of classes together, hit it off, and decided we’d share an apartment to help with expenses. We found a nice two bedroom and thought if we shared one bedroom we could take in another room mate and reduce expenses even more. Enter Donny Chyster.

  “He was a year ahead of Becky and me, but was often part of our study group. Somehow, Donny and I usually ended up alone during our study sessions, or having coffee together. We asked if he wanted the other bedroom in our apartment, and he moved in.” Lynn took a drink from her bottle and found it had gone warm.

  “I’ll get you a cold one,” Micki offered.

  Lynn tightened her hold on her hand, keeping Micki in her seat. “It can wait. Let me get this all out. Then, I may drink myself into oblivion and try to forget this whole sordid story.”

  Micki squeezed Lynn’s hand letting her know she would stay and listen.

  “Donny and I started dating, and next thing I knew, we were engaged. I moved into his room, letting Becky have our bedroom. I got a part time job at a law firm.” She glanced at Micki and gave her a small grin. “They like hiring law students. Makes them feel they’re helping.” She turned back to the lake. “I’m not even sure how it all started, but I found myself helping Donny more and more with his assignments. Basically, I was doing the work and he was getting the credit. Then, we decided I should quit school. Less tuition, for one thing, and I’d help Donny finish his classes and graduate. Once he had a job, I would go back to school and get my own degree. After all, we were a team. What did it matter who got their degree first? Together, we’d eventually have our own firm.

  “I asked for more hours at the firm where I was working. I spent all day working at the firm, helping prepare for cases, doing research, whatever was needed. At night, I was poring over Donny’s books doing the same thing for him. Pretty soon, I’m home alone doing Donny’s work while he and Becky were out with their study group.” Her lips thinned. “Or, so I believed. I came home early from work one day. Flu was going around the office and it hit me that afternoon.

  “All I wanted was a hot cup of tea and to crawl into bed and sleep. Except when I got home my bed was occupied. Donny and Becky—my fiancé and my best friend—were rolling around the sheets naked and very much together.” She glanced over at her sister. “I barely made it to the bathroom in time. In retrospect, I should’ve puked on the two of them.”

  “Oh, my gosh!” Micki tightened her grip on Lynn’s hand. “I can’t think of anything horrible enough to call those two—two weasels! Did you throw them out?”

  “I was too ill to do much of anything. Once my stomach settled a bit, I slept on the couch. This was just before your wedding, and I didn’t want to bring the flu to you and Ethan.”

  “Is that why you got here at the last minute? I thought you weren’t sure you wanted to be here with me.”

  “You were such a beautiful bride, Micki. I wanted to stay longer, but I had a job to get back to. And, I needed it since I wasn’t going to spend another night in the same apartment with Donny and Becky. I had packed most of my clothes, but wanted to get the rest of my things and was going to stay in a motel until I could find another place to live.

  “However, the day I got back I was arrested for driving a stolen car.”

  “What?” screeched Micki.

  Lynn patted Micki’s hand soothingly. “Donny reported the car stolen. We’d bought it together.” She gave her sister a wry look. “Together meaning I made all the payments. Once I showed the officer the registration with both our names and explained how I’d found Donny in bed with another woman—” she lifted her shoulders briefly, “the officer just shook his head and let me go. Of course, I was late to work and had to explain I’d had car trouble.

  “Much to my surprise, the firm I worked for had hired another employee while I was attending your wedding.”

  “Don’t tell me they hired that—that Rebecca bitch!”

  “Got it the first time, Sis. There she was, right next to my cubicle, with a big sparkly ring on her finger. A week later I was fired.”

  “Please tell me it was for scratching out her eyes on company time.”

  Lynn shook her head. “Worse than that. I spent days compiling information one of the attorneys needed. When I had it all together for him it was after hours and he was in a meeting, so I left it in his in-box where I knew he’d find it. He was diligent about checking his in-box.

  “The next day, he was about to go to court when he discovered everything I had given him was false. He called me in, asking how I could have made so many errors. When I tried to pull up my copies of what I’d worked on, they were gone. Then Rebecca walked in with the correct information. If he had gone to court with what I supposedly had given him, not only would he have lost the case, but the client could have sued the firm. They had to fire me.”

  “Did you file suit against the company?”

  “Micki, I had no proof. I had saved all my work on the computer at my desk. What was there was the wrong info.”

  “How could you tell?”

  “The wording was different from how I usually presented facts. I remembered enough from my research that I knew what was on my computer wasn’t what I had found. Again, I had no proof. My word against a partner in the firm. Who do you think they’d believe?”

  “That sucks! How could Bitch Becky get it?”

  “For all I know she slept with the firm’s IT guy. Obviously, she had no scruples.” Lynn gave her sister a small smile. “Except for disappointing all of you, they did me a favor. I don’t think I’m cut out to be a lawyer.”

  “You’d be a wonderful lawyer. You’d be good at anything you set your mind to,” Micki insisted.

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence. I’m going to try hard not to make any of you ashamed of me.”

  “Lynn Baxter, you stop that right now! We’ll never be ashamed of you. Okay, maybe if you’d done to BB what she did to you, we wouldn’t be happy with your behavior. But you’re a much better person than she’ll ever be. You’re well rid of her, and that idiot Donny, too.” Micki hugged Lynn. “Do you know what you want to do now?”

  “I’m working on it. Actually, what I want now is a cold beer and some food. I’m starved.” Lynn pulled Micki up from her chair and they slung their arms around each other as they headed for the food.

  “What about your car?” Micki asked. “That’s not the same one you drove up for my wedding.”

  “I sold it.” Lynn stopped and hung her head before meeting her sister’s gaze. “It was wrong, but I was so angry at Donny and losing my job. Angry at myself for being such a fool. I forged his signature and traded the car in for one I could afford. It wasn’t like he’d put any money into the vehicle to start with. Just his name was on the title. Now, I have a car with only my name.”

  Micki gave her a big grin. “Good girl!”

  ○◊○

  JC stayed where he was until Lynn and Micki were far enough away. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. He hadn’t been sneaking through the trees. He’d yet to decide if he would accept Micki and Ethan’s invitation to join the party when he found himself walking along the lake.

  He’d nearly stumbled over the two sisters and had been about to call out a greeting when something in Lynn’s voice made him hesitate. He knew he should back away, quietly, and pretend he’d never seen them. But, as Lynn began to talk, he found himself wanting to know how she’d spent the past few years.

  The more he heard, the more his gut churned and his anger began to boil.

  Micki had it right when she called Lynn’s former roommate Bitch Becky. JC wanted to smash his fist into that Donny’s face. He wouldn’t mind taking he
r father down a peg or two while he was at it.

  When he knew it was safe, JC headed back the way he’d come. It might be best for him to go home and stay away from the Baxter-Reigh family. Then, again, maybe he could show Lynn all men weren’t the idiots she’d dealt with in the past.

  Giving himself plenty of time to cool off, JC walked back to where he’d left his truck before driving to the party.

  CHAPTER NINE

  “You made it!” Michaela greeted Rose. “We don’t have any place to plug in your slow cooker.”

  “That’s okay. It’s just baked beans. They should stay warm for some time, but I thought they wouldn’t be too bad even when they cooled down.” Rose placed the pot she carried on the table with the rest of the food. “You don’t have to eat them. They might not be very good,” she apologized.

  Michaela lifted the lid, bending over to sniff at the dish. “They smell wonderful. Of course we’re going to eat them.”

  “I’m not much of a cook.”

  “What about that cake you brought in last week?”

  “Oh, well,” Rose fidgeted. “That’s baking. That’s different.”

  “We’ll be the judges of that,” Michaela stated. “Let me show you the house.”

  Ethan joined them, sliding a long arm around his wife’s shoulders. “You don’t have to do it, Rose. Just because she thinks she’s the boss at work doesn’t mean she is here.” He nuzzled her temple and earned an elbow in the gut. “She is the boss of me,” he said on a chuckle.

  “And, don’t you forget it.” Michaela pressed a kiss to his mouth before turning to Rose. “Let’s get you a drink.”

  “I’d like to see the house,” Rose said quietly. “If that’s all right.”

  “I’m going to get the burgers and hot dogs on the grill before Dad decides to try his hand at cooking.” Ethan patted his wife’s behind, then stepped over to Rose, leaned down and whispered, “Suck up.”

  “Oh! No, I’d really like to see your house. But I don’t want to be a bother.”

  “Rosie, lighten up.” He patted her shoulder, ignoring her flinch. “I’m only teasing. You’re welcome to explore, relax, whatever you want to do. As long as you enjoy yourself. I do have one question.”

  “Y-yes?”

  “How come I didn’t get any cake?”

  “Oh, uh—”

  While Rose sputtered, Michaela sent Ethan to the grills and took her friend’s hand leading her to the drinks. “You want a beer, wine, lemonade, iced coffee?”

  “Iced coffee, if it’s not too much trouble.”

  “Lynn brought a thermos of it.” Michaela filled a cup with ice and poured the coffee. “Are you okay? You need to do what Ethan said and relax. We want you to be comfortable.”

  “I will. I am.” Rose blew out a breath and took a sip of her drink. “Other than your wedding, and Nettie’s, I haven’t been to many parties.”

  Michaela pulled out an icy beer, twisted off the top, and took a long drink. “I think we’re going to be changing that. Let me give you the grand tour.” She wrapped an arm around Rose’s waist and led her into the framed house.

  By the time they’d reached the second floor, Rose was relaxed and asking for details. “Is the house going to be monochromatic, or are you going to let the girls choose colors for their rooms?”

  “Hey, Sis. How many people you plan on living in this room?” Michaela’s brother, Marc, stepped into the master bedroom behind the women.

  “Hey, bro,” Michaela greeted. “You’re dripping on my floor.”

  “You live on a lake. Get used to it.” He grinned and winked at his sister before turning to Rose. “Hi, I’m Marc.” He held out a hand. “I saw you at Mom’s wedding but didn’t get to introduce myself.”

  Rose had her hands wrapped around her drink cup, but finally freed one to touch his. She’d barely slipped her hand into his when she pulled it back, along with taking three steps away. “Thanks for the tour, Michaela. I’m going to go, uh…find the girls.” She dashed away before anyone could say a word.

  “I’m not that wet, am I?” Marc looked down at himself. His shorts were drooping and water puddled where he stood. “Will you let your friend know I’m not the Belgrade Monster?”

  Michaela’s brow was furrowed as she looked to where her friend had disappeared. “I’m not sure what’s up with Rose today.” Turning back to her brother she gave a pointed look to the water beneath his feet. “Why are you so wet?”

  “Dani and Charley. With some help from that kid, Billy. The one practically glued to your daughter.”

  She gave her brother a quick grin. “I admit I’m glad he lives in Vermont, but he did help Dani accept living in Webster. I think he was a big part of helping her get more involved with school and things locally. Not to mention if Coach Ethan thinks he’s getting out of line, he’d pound Billy into the ice.”

  “He’s one of Ethan’s players?” At her nod, Marc rocked back on his heels. “Guess I’ve been overdoing the big bad uncle deal.”

  Michaela slid her arm through her brother’s. “I think it’s sweet. When are you going to have kids of your own?” She led him down the stairs and outside.

  Marc didn’t resist, and murmured, “I have no idea.”

  Lynn met them when they stepped out of the house. “Sis, you got something to hold my hair back?” She lifted the thick chocolate locks off her neck. “It’s much warmer today than I expected.”

  “You hot, short stuff?” Marc pulled her into his arms dampening her clothes with his own wet ones. “Let me help cool you off.”

  Before she realized his intention, Marc slung her over his shoulder and headed for the lake. Her breath whooshed out on a squeal. “Put me down, you moron.” She had trouble sucking in air since she was laughing as much as everyone else. Then, he was in the water to his ankles, and before she knew it, she was airborne for two seconds before splashing into the water.

  When she surfaced, her brother stood near the shore, hands on his hips. “Feel better?”

  She surprised everyone when she said, “Yeah. Thanks.”

  Charley gave a whoop as she flung herself onto her uncle’s back. The unexpected move caused Marc to stumble, knocking Lynn back down into the water and following so all three went under. Untangling themselves, the three sat in the water laughing like loons.

  Web, Gusta, and Noah arrived from next door to see the antics of Lynn, Marc, and Charley. “Swim, Daddy. Me swim.”

  Web scooped up his son as he tried to make a beeline for the water. “Not today, son.” He grinned over at his wife.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Gusta warned. They’d had their own experience with water aerobics.

  JC had arrived in time to see the family plunge into the cold lake. He waited for the fireworks he felt sure Lynn would release at being thrown in the water. If he’d ever done anything like that to his ex-wife she’d have beaned him with a skillet. That was, if she’d known where to find one. Still, he couldn’t contain his laughter as Lynn waded out of the lake.

  “Think it’s funny, do ya buster?” She stopped a few feet in front of him, scowling.

  “Yeah, I do,” he chuckled.

  “Well, welcome to the party.” With that, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tight around him, pressing her wet body to his.

  Stunned, he took a step back, his foot slipping on the muddy grass, his butt smacking the hard ground. Lynn hung on. She followed him down, pushing his shoulders to the ground as she sat across his belly. Then she wrung the water out of the deep brown strands of her hair over his neck and face. “You looked hot,” she said before jumping off him.

  JC stayed where he was, staring up at her. “Um, thanks?”

  She didn’t answer. She stared at him with wide eyes before moving off to grab a quilt, which she wrapped around her wet body. Slowly, he sat up and Ethan handed him a cold beer.

  “I’m not going to greet you like my sister, but glad you could make it.”

  JC t
ore his gaze from the woman approaching the Webster family. “Sister?”

  Ethan held out a hand to help him from the ground. “Technically she’s an in-law. The label doesn’t matter. What counts is, she’s family.”

  “You watch out for family, don’t you?” JC gave him a hard look.

  Ethan returned the look. “I do.”

  “Something going on I should know about?” Marc had joined the two men.

  “I don’t know any details, yet, but Michaela and Lynn had a talk. A private talk.” Ethan flicked a glance at Marc before searching for his wife and her sister.

  “You seem to think Micki will tell you what they talked about.”

  “She will.” His shoulders relaxed when he found his wife with their daughters heading for his parents. “We don’t keep secrets from each other. We know the kind of trouble that can lead to. So, she’ll tell me what they talked about.” He gave each man a long look. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to spill my guts afterward.”

  “I know I haven’t been much of a brother—”

  “You haven’t,” agreed Ethan.

  Marc scowled at his brother-in-law. “Lynn and I agreed to give each other a fresh start. That’s why I’m going to stay a few more days. Maybe till Mom and Wil return.”

  “You including Michaela in this fresh start?”

  “Planned to.”

  “Good.” Ethan grinned. “Now, let’s get some food while the women fawn over baby Webster.”

  Marc reached out a hand to stop Ethan before he could walk away. “I just want you to know I’m glad you’re here to watch out for the women in my family. I’m going to make some changes so I can be here more often, too.”

  “Good idea,” inserted JC.

  Both men turned to face him. “What do you know that we should?”

  No way would he admit to what he’d overheard. He drank from his bottle to wet his suddenly dry throat. “Lynn told me Saturday night she’d avoided a bad marriage. I thought there might be more to the story.”

  Marc’s face went blank before he frowned at JC. “How did that come about?”

  Wishing he’d kept his mouth shut, JC huffed out a breath. “Look, I apologized to her for being such a dick that morning. I don’t like weddings, but I like Nettie, so I was willing to do what I could to help. As I told your sister, my marriage was screwed up right from the wedding day. She said she’d been engaged and it ended before she had to worry about a bad marriage. Apology accepted. Now, are we going to stand around and discuss our feelings like a bunch of girls, or get some food?”