by Sara Orwig
And then she missed a period.
* * *
Nick sat on his porch, trying to focus on the clock that he was trying to fix, but his thoughts kept wandering to the two females who were missing from his life. Talia and Hattie. He missed them constantly, especially in the evenings. Nights were hell, when he got into his big bed without Talia. And he missed Hattie’s laughter, her little arms around his neck and her happy “Wuv you” declarations. He’d run them off by his total focus on his own pain and lost them just as much as he had lost Regina and Artie. Only this time it was due to his own stubbornness. Talia had hurt over the loss of his grandmother and then he had just hurt her more. And he hated to think he had hurt Hattie.
But what could he do?
He fumbled some more with the repair, but he couldn’t reassemble the many clock pieces spread out on the table before him. It was kind of like his own life, he thought. All in pieces. Just as he probably wasn’t going to get this clock working again, more than likely he wouldn’t get his life in order, either.
He was miserable without Talia and Hattie. Really miserable. But what could he do?
He heard a motor and looked up from the repair to see Stan’s pickup approaching. In minutes Stan stepped out of his truck and walked up on the porch. “Good morning, bro. What are you doing?”
“Trying to fix this old clock,” Nick said.
“I have some things of Grandmother’s that turned up in her attic. I brought them over for you and Talia to go through and see if you want anything for Hattie. They’re in the truck.”
“All right. Thanks. Set them on the table and I’ll get them to her.” He went back to work on the clock.
“Where’s Hattie? I want to say hello. I haven’t seen her for a couple of weeks now and that’s way too long. She’ll forget who I am.”
With a long sigh, Nick pushed aside a screwdriver. “She’s not here. She’s in Dallas.”
“Oh, okay. When will she be back? I’ll come by. I’ve got a little toy for her. It’s a windup kitty and it rolls around on the floor.”
“That’s nice, Stan. You’ll have to go to Dallas to give it to her.”
“How so?”
Nick looked up and saw his brother’s eyes were narrowed. “Talia left and took Hattie with her. End of story.”
“The hell you say. What did you do?”
“Look, what I do with my wife is my business.”
“This sort of touches all of us, Nick. You had to have run them off because two days before Grandmother’s death, Talia told me how wonderful it was for Hattie to be in this family. And at that time Talia sounded happy to be part of this family, too. So tell me, what have you done?”
“You sound just like Grandmother, only I can tell you that it’s none of your dang business.”
“You ran Talia off. Why? We can find out from her, so you might as well tell me. And I will go see her.”
Nick stood up and faced his brother. “Look, I’m tired of people I love dying on me. My wife died. My baby died. Grandmother died. I just don’t want to get deeply involved with anyone right now and that includes Hattie and Talia.”
“I’ll be damned. You’re scared of life, Nick.” He took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair as he sat beside his brother. “This time your fear is going to cost you something really precious and special. When did you get this way?”
“When those I love died on me.”
“That’s part of life. Grandmother had a good life and she was eighty-seven years old. It hurts, but you pick up and go on and you don’t shut off an adorable kid like Hattie or a woman like Talia. Where is she?”
“I don’t even know. She’s in Dallas, but I don’t know where or doing what. All I know is she isn’t staying in my house.”
“I hope she isn’t already dating someone, because if she isn’t, she will be soon. In fact, I just may go see her and tell her to divorce you and marry me. I’d treat her right. In fact, when I tell them, Blake and Adam might go after her and tell her to pick one of us. We won’t even let you come see her or Hattie. It would serve you right.”
Stan stood up and rushed down the steps, taking them two at a time. “Have a nice life by yourself.”
“Where are you going?”
“To Dallas, you jerk. Get ready for a divorce.”
He glared at the back of his younger brother’s head. “You wouldn’t dare propose to her and she wouldn’t accept,” he called out.
Stan didn’t turn around. He just shot over his shoulder, “But someone else will.”
Nick glared at Stan as he jumped in his truck. The wheels spun and he left, stirring up dust and speeding away.
“Dammit.” Nick shook his head. Stan was hotheaded enough to propose to his wife, but Nick had to believe Talia had sense enough to turn him down. But his brother was right. There just might be one guy she wouldn’t turn down.
The thought of her divorcing him and marrying someone else hurt.
He looked at the pieces of clock spread all over the table and knew what he had to do. He had to get his life back together.
He’d try calling her again, but she probably wouldn’t answer, the same way she didn’t take any of his dozens of calls before. He simply had to go find her.
The more he thought about it, the more he wanted her back. She was right. Life was filled with risks, but some of them were worth taking a chance on. He had hurt a whole lot more since she left and he wanted her back. He wanted his precious little girl back in his life. Because, as much as he hated to admit it, he loved his wife and daughter.
* * *
Talia glanced at her cell phone when a call came in. Nick had called more than a dozen times and twice today, but she didn’t see any point in talking to him. She needed to make some decisions. She would have to talk to him someday, but she wasn’t ready yet.
When her phone rang again, she glanced down at the screen and her stomach tightened when she saw it was a call from Stan. Something had to have happened for Stan to be calling her.
Suddenly chilled, she was scared something had happened to Nick or one of their other brothers.
“Talia, it’s Stan,” he said when she answered. “Can I come see you? I’m in Dallas.”
“Of course. I’m in a condo. Let me give you the address. Is everything all right?”
“Oh, yeah. I have a present for Hattie.”
She let out the breath she’d been holding and smiled. She missed Stan. Just as she missed Nick and all of them. “Sure. I’ll be so glad to see you. Come on.” She gave him her address and went to get Hattie ready for company.
She changed out of the yoga pants she wore to unpack boxes, dressing in red slacks, a red cotton blouse and red high-heeled sandals. She ran a brush through her curls and then turned to pick up Hattie and get her changed into a yellow playsuit. “Your uncle Stan is coming to see you. He has a surprise for you.”
“Prize?”
“Oh, yes. Your uncles shower you with presents almost as much as your daddy did.”
“Da,” Hattie repeated as Talia’s phone chimed again. But this time she saw Nick was calling. And this time she answered.
“Hi. I’m in Dallas and would like to come talk to you.”
She closed her eyes, hurting, remembering the words that had passed between them and thinking about her pregnancy. She hadn’t figured out yet when and how she would tell him. She remembered clearly that he’d said he didn’t want any more children.
“Talia? Are you there? I really want to see you. Where are you?”
“Stan is on his way over. He’ll be here any minute. Does he know you’re coming?”
“No, he doesn’t. Give me your address.”
She did and he told her he would see her soon.
She stared into space. She couldn’t tell him yet about the pregnancy. No
t with Stan here.
It was another twenty minutes before her doorbell chimed, and she went to the door to open it and face Stan. He hugged her lightly and kissed her cheek. Hattie stood with her hand in Talia’s and Stan knelt to pick her up.
“How’s my pretty Hattie?”
She poked his chest with her finger and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Hey, she remembers me.”
Talia smiled. “Of course she does.”
“Hattie, I brought you a present,” he said, giving the little girl a pink sack with a pink silk bow with bells on it. She shook the sack, making the bells jingle, and she laughed. “Hattie, you have a present in the sack,” Stan said.
“I think you’ve brought her a very fascinating sack. It’ll take a while to get to the present.” She led him into the living room, where they sat down. “Stan, Nick called after you did. He’s on his way here. Did you know he was coming?”
“No. He didn’t know he was coming earlier when I talked to him. Talia, I know he’s hurt, but we had words. I told him I was going to come here and ask you to get a divorce and then propose to you. I’m sure my brothers will feel the same way.” Before she could say anything, Stan continued. “Nick is just hurt and not thinking. I guess I shook him up if he’s on his way to see you, so I’ll get out of here. Just don’t get out of the family too fast. We all want you back at the ranch and we miss Hattie.”
She laughed and kissed his cheek. “You’re great, Stan. I’m not leaving the family yet, but I don’t know about Nick.”
“Well, if you’re not married to him, you can take your choice of me or Blake or Adam. But I’m the most fun,” he said and she laughed again.
“That’s an almost irresistible proposal, Stan. Thank you.”
He stood up and handed Hattie to her. “I’m going to run. Show Hattie her present when she’s through playing with the sack. I don’t want to cross paths with Nick right now.”
“Ahh, she has her new toy,” Talia said, watching Hattie pull a furry toy kitten out of the sack and hug it. The child let out a squeal of delight.
“It’s a windup toy, Hattie,” Stan explained, reaching out to show her. But Hattie merely clutched it to her chest. “Looks like she’d rather hug it.”
He went to the door to see himself out. “Good luck dealing with my brother, Talia. Remember, three more Duncans love you.”
She smiled at him. “Thanks, Stan. That’s sweet.”
He smiled. “’Bye, Hattie. I love you.”
He hadn’t been gone twenty minutes when the doorbell rang, and she opened the door to face Nick.
Nine
“Come in,” she said, hating that she was breathless. He looked more handsome than ever in jeans, a long-sleeved tan Western shirt and his black boots. More than anything she just wanted to walk into his arms, but she wasn’t going back to the life they’d had when she left him. Why was he here?
He came in, and Hattie hurried to him, holding out her thin arms. “Da.”
“Hattie,” he said, picking her up to hug her. “I love you,” he said, closing his eyes, and Talia hurt for him even though she was upset with him. How could he not pour out his love to his baby girl?
Talia felt a dull ache. She wanted Nick’s arms around her. She wanted him to hold her, to kiss her. She looked at his hands as he held Hattie. She could remember his hands too well, his fingers so light, so sexy, moving over her, caressing her.
“Talia.” His voice penetrated her errant thoughts and she met his eyes.
He stood there holding Hattie, staring at her. He moved a step closer, holding Hattie with one arm, placing his other hand on her shoulder. “I want you and Hattie in my life. I love you, Talia, and I love Hattie.”
She could hardly believe her ears. He was uttering the words she had dreamed of, longed to hear, fantasized about. Yet now she couldn’t believe them.
“Nick, don’t declare love until you’re really certain. The last time we were together, you definitely were not in love. If you were, you didn’t want to be and you didn’t want to acknowledge it.” She tried not to think about those nights when they had been together and she’d been in his arms in his bed with his body over hers, with him inside her, his hands taking her out of this world into bliss.
“I think Stan pushed you into this.” She steeled herself and held her ground, ignoring the pull of his sexual magnetism. “I have two good teaching offers in colleges. I have a convenient place to live. I’m set here in Dallas and I think we need to step back and give each other some room. If next summer you still want us, we’ll consider it.”
“I didn’t come because of Stan. I came because I’ve missed you and I’ve been miserable without you. You were right, Talia. You just have to live with risks. That’s part of life. Loss is part of life, but hopefully, losses are balanced by gains. I need your love and Hattie’s. I love you both. Your love and her love make up for the hurt from losses in my life.”
“Da?” Hattie said and Nick smiled at her as she ran her fingers over his chin.
“I’m ‘Da’ to her.”
Then he looked up at Talia and she could swear his eyes were glistening. “When she calls me ‘Da,’ I don’t want to go home without both of you. I’ve missed you, Talia, and I’ve missed her more than I would have thought possible. I shouldn’t have ever let either of you go.”
Her heart drummed. She wanted to believe him, but she had to be sure before she went back and took Hattie, not only for Hattie, but for the child of Nick’s she was carrying.
“We need to talk, Nick.” Her voice echoed the seriousness she felt. “But we can’t talk freely about anything important with Hattie here. Why don’t you come in and play with her for a while. She’ll take a nap soon and then we can talk.”
She led Nick into the small living room of the condo.
“Can I take the two of you out to dinner?” he asked her as he followed.
She turned to him and shook her head. “Thank you, Nick, but no. I’m still getting settled here and I’ve got things to move around and unpack.”
“I can send some guys from the ranch to help you, but I’d prefer you come home.”
Talia didn’t react to his offer. Either of them. Instead, she handed him one of Hattie’s favorite toys. Hearing her unspoken answer, Nick sat on the floor and began to play with Hattie.
“I’ll go get us cold drinks,” she said. “What would you like?”
“A cold beer? Do you have any?”
“Sorry, I don’t.”
“I’ll drink water.”
It was an hour later, deep into the afternoon, before Hattie fell asleep. The whole time Talia sat there, watching Nick and his daughter, she felt her resolve weakening. Seeing him with Hattie was melting her. He was enraptured by the baby’s every move, every sound, as she played with her doll and her bunny. Talia didn’t want to admit it, but how could she fool herself? She was still in love with her husband.
By the time Nick carried Hattie to her crib and came back into the living room, Talia was like a firecracker with a short fuse. He went to her and reached down to take her hand and pull her to her feet. His arms went around her, and when she looked into his eyes, her heart thudded against her ribs.
Desire flashed in her, hot, insistent. She wanted his kisses, his hands on her, his body against hers. The last of her reserve and coolness vanished. One look from his green eyes and she was sizzling with longing, wanting him desperately.
“Talia, I’ve missed you. Come home,” he whispered into her ear. “I want you.”
And she wanted him. Right now every nerve ending in her body cried out for him. But it wasn’t about what she wanted anymore. It was about what Hattie needed.
She stepped back so that she could look into his eyes. “What about Hattie? Are you really ready to give her your love, attention and time? To come i
n before she falls asleep at night? You have enough money that you could sit on your porch and rock for the rest of your life and never have to work, so when you work until nine or ten and your baby is sound asleep and you leave before sunup, you send the message that she isn’t important to you. That you don’t love her. I didn’t expect love for me, but I did for your child.”
“I am so sorry, Talia. I do love her and I miss her and every day is important with her because she grows so fast. I love her and I’ll show her every day. I’ll leave after her breakfast and come home for supper with her. How’s that?
“You really mean all that you’re saying?” Talia asked, her heart beating faster.
“Yes, I do. I promise. I love Hattie and I’ll spend my days proving it to you. And to her.”
She stared at him, trying to decide if he would keep his promise.
“And I love you, Talia,” he said softly, cupping her cheeks in his palms.
She gazed into his green-gold eyes and her heart beat faster. But she had to know...
“Nick, don’t tell me that unless you’re sure,” she said.
“I’m very sure,” he replied. “I almost lost you because of feeling sorry for myself and thinking too much about myself. But I’ve changed, Talia. I love you and I miss you. If you come home, I’ll show you how much.”