Darkness surrounded her, but Mia knew she wasn’t alone. The small room was filled with loud music, a lot of voices trying to be heard. She could smell cigarette smoke. Someone was smoking.
No! It was bad for the baby. She tried to stand, but someone pulled her back down.
“You can’t leave, honey,” a man with a slurred voice said. “The party’s only getting started. Here have another drink.” He put a glass in front of her face and she nearly gagged on the stale smell of beer.
“No! Let me go.” She managed to break his hold, and get out the door. The night’s cold air caused her to shiver as she looked around, but she couldn’t recognize anything. She had no idea where she was, but knew she had to get home. But she had no home.
“Margaret!”
She turned and saw her father. She gasped and tried to run, but her legs were too heavy to move fast and Preston Saunders grabbed her arm.
“You can’t get away from me,” he threatened.
“Let me go,” she cried. “I don’t want you.”
“I don’t want you either, but my grandchild is a different matter. If you think I’ll let you raise this baby you’d better think again. It’s a Saunders.”
“No, it’s my baby. It’s mine! It’s mine!” she cried.
“Mia! Mia! Wake up.”
She felt another touch. This time it was different. Gentler. Soothing. She opened her eyes and saw Jarrett leaning over her. With a gasp she went into his arms and held on. Tight.
Jarrett felt her trembling. His arms circled her back and pulled her close and he felt her breasts pressed against his bare chest. The awareness shook him, but he worked to ease her fears.
“Ssh, you were having a bad dream. It’s okay, Mia.” He felt her tears against his shoulder. “I’m here.”
She shivered again and then pulled back but refused to look at him. “I’m sorry.”
With the moonlight coming through the French doors, he could see she wasn’t all right.
“Bad dream, huh? You want to tell me about it?”
She shook her head, but didn’t let go of his hand. “It’s just one of those where someone is chasing you.”
“Anyone you know?”
She shrugged. “Just someone from a long time ago.”
That had him wondering about a lot of things. “A bad-news ex-boyfriend?”
She didn’t answer for a long time. He suddenly became aware she was wearing one of his T-shirts, and he was only in a pair of sweatpants, all cozy together on his bed.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
He nodded. “Do you want me to get you anything?”
She shook her head. “No, thank you.”
“Should I leave?”
She finally looked at him. “Would you mind staying? For a little while?”
He had to hide his surprise. He didn’t cuddle with women, not unless it led to something. He was about say, “Not a good idea,” but instead he answered, “Not a problem.” He changed position, propping himself against the headboard and pulled her back into his arms. “This okay?”
She nodded and then lay back down, her head against her pillow next to him. She blinked up at him with those trusting eyes.
Okay, this wasn’t going to work. “Try and get some sleep.”
“I don’t want to start dreaming again.”
He covered her hand with his. “I’m here, Mia. No one will hurt you or your baby as long as I’m around.”
Somehow she’d managed to get to him, and he’d just taken on the job of her protector. It was crazy, but he didn’t mind one bit.
Mia snuggled deeper into the warmth, enjoying the comfort of the soft bed. She smiled, feeling the strong arms that were wrapped around her back, holding her close.
Slowly, memories of last night began drifting back to her. The nightmare. Her father.
She opened her eyes and was greeted by bright sunlight coming through the French doors. What was more disturbing was the feeling of the bare skin against her cheek. She raised her head to see she was in bed with Jarrett McKane.
Oh, God. What was he still doing here?
She studied the sleeping man who was making soft snoring sounds. He suddenly turned toward her, reaching for her, pulling her against him.
Oh no. His chest was hard and doing incredible things to her out-of-whack libido. But she had a more desperate urge right now. She had to use the bathroom, and quick.
Careful not to disturb him, Mia managed to untangle herself, slide to the side of the bed and escape into the connecting bath.
A few minutes later she returned to find Jarrett awake and leaning against the headboard. His chest was gloriously naked, exposing every defined muscle under his bronzed skin.
“Morning,” he murmured, raking fingers through his hair. “We seem to make a habit of this.”
She had to put a stop to it. “Well, as soon as I get back to my apartment I won’t be bothering you anymore.”
Frowning, he got up and came around to her. “First thing, you need to get back into bed,” he told her, giving her a little nudge to climb in. Once she complied, he continued, “Secondly, I wasn’t complaining, just stating a fact.”
Jarrett hadn’t had much time for female companionship the past few months. Lately it had all been about business, until Mia Saunders and her group of merry followers had appeared in his life. They might be a costly headache, but he’d found he liked the diversion.
He sat on the edge of the bed. His gaze moved over her soft brunette curls and met her pretty blue eyes. Damn, he could get used to this. “Any more dreams?” He could still hear her frightened cries.
She shook her head. “I slept fine. Thank you.”
He smiled and finally coaxed one from her. Damn, she’s pretty, he thought, suddenly realizing his body was noticing, too.
“Okay, I better get breakfast started.” He stood. “Will you eat eggs, or do I need to go on a jelly-donut run?”
Two hours later, Mia sat in the exam room with Doctor Drake, with Jarrett sitting just outside.
After the exam, the doctor pulled off her gloves. “You’re doing fine.”
“What does fine mean?” Mia asked as she sat up.
“You’re effaced fifty percent.”
“Oh, God. Am I going into labor?”
She shook her head. “You aren’t dilated yet. And you haven’t had any more contractions, right?”
“Not since last night.”
There was a knock on the door and a technician came in pushing a machine.
“I want to do an ultrasound as a precaution,” the doctor explained.
“So you are worried?” Mia asked.
“A little concerned. This baby coming early is a very real possibility.” She raised a calming hand. “You’re thirty-six weeks, Mia. All I want to do is check the baby’s weight.”
There was a knock on the door. “Yes?” the doctor called.
Jarrett poked his head in. “Is everything okay?”
The doctor glanced at Mia. “You want him in here?”
Mia looked at Jarrett and found herself nodding. “You can stay if you want,” she told him.
He looked surprised but walked right toward her as she lay back on the table. Although covered with a paper sheet, she realized that she’d be exposing her belly for Jarrett to see.
Dr. Drake nodded toward the opposite side of the exam table for Jarrett to stand, then she began to apply the clear gel on her stomach.
Mia sucked in a breath.
Jarrett took her hand. “You okay?”
She nodded. “The cream is cold.”
The doctor went to the machine and made some adjustments, then began to move the probe over her stomach.
Jarrett had no idea what he was doing here. Then he saw Mia’s fear, and knew he couldn’t leave her. He eyed the machine, watching the grainy picture, and then suddenly it came into focus. He saw a head first, then a small body.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” he mur
mured, seeing the incredible image. “That’s a baby.”
“What did you think it was?” the doctor chided.
Jarrett was embarrassed. “The way she’s craved jelly donuts, I wasn’t sure.”
The doctor laughed. “Since your weight’s okay, I’ll tell you to indulge, a little. After the baby comes, you’ll be on a stricter diet while you’re breast-feeding.” The doctor glanced at Mia, then back at the screen. “The baby’s in position. So that’s one less thing to worry about. This is a 3D machine so let’s get a better look at this little one.” The picture became a lot clearer and a tiny face appeared.
“Oh, my gosh,” Mia cried and gripped Jarrett’s hand tighter. “It’s crazy but he looks like Brad’s baby pictures.” Tears formed in her eyes and a sob came out. “I’m sorry.”
The doctor patted her arm. “It’s understandable. Are you ready to know the sex?”
Mia looked at Jarrett. He shrugged, trying to handle his own emotions. “I say it’s a boy.”
Mia gave a slight nod and the doctor scanned in for a closer look. He saw all the proof he needed. “Well, hello, BJ.”
Mia gave him a questioning look.
“I take it you’re naming this little guy after your brother,” he said. “Bradley Junior.”
During the ride home from Grand Junction, Mia had zoned out, not noticing much of the trip until Jarrett stopped in front of the apartment building.
“We’re home,” he said, but didn’t move to get out of the car. “Mia, are you all right?”
No! she wanted to scream. She hadn’t been okay since the day her brother had died. She looked at Jarrett, seeing his concern. “Seeing the baby today made it seem so real.” Her voice grew softer, more hoarse. “A boy. How can I raise a boy?” Tears filled her eyes, but she couldn’t cry any more. “A boy needs a father. Brad should be here.”
He reached across the console and took her hand. Even with the heater going, her hands were still cold. “Hey, this kid’s got the next best thing. You.”
She wasn’t the best. “You don’t know that. I’ve done things, made bad choices.”
“I can’t believe that, or your brother wouldn’t have chosen you to carry this baby.”
“But not to raise his son.” She sighed. “Besides, I’ve always had Brad to help me, to guide me in life. Now, I’m on my own. What if I make mistakes again?”
He frowned. “Everyone makes mistakes, Mia, but you can’t just give up.”
Jarrett had never been the optimistic type, but he was a good salesman. “Don’t forget, you have friends to help you. Is there any other family around?”
Mia shook her head. “No. There’s no one else.” She wiped her eyes. “God, I hate this. I never cry.”
“I hear it’s normal,” he consoled her, hating that he kept getting more and more involved in her life. Not to mention the lives of the other tenants, too.
Once he got off house arrest and they all found other places to live, this time would just be a fleeting memory. They wouldn’t be his problem then. They’d move on, and he’d move on. But could he? He thought back to being beside Mia and seeing her baby on the ultrasound.
Damn. He needed to get this apartment building in shape and get the hell out of here. “We’d better get inside and out of the cold so you can rest.”
She grumbled. “That’s all I’ve been doing.”
“From what Kira tells me you won’t get much sleep after the baby comes, so enjoy it now.” He started to climb out of the car when she stopped him with a soft touch on his arm.
She nodded in agreement. “Thank you,” she said softly. “Thank you for being there with me today.”
He caught her pretty blue eyes still glistening with tears and something tightened in his chest. Dear Lord. He was in big trouble.
Chapter Seven
BY the next week, Jarrett had accomplished several things. He’d finally gotten one of the elevators repaired and a plumber had replaced the rusted pipes in the community room. Somehow, he’d even been talked into helping put up some Christmas decorations. Joe convinced him that since this would be Mia’s baby’s first Christmas, they should celebrate it.
The major thing he’d wanted to do was keep his distance from Mia. He’d gotten too involved with the expectant mother.
Thanks to Nola, Jarrett knew how Mia was doing, whether he wanted to or not. By afternoon, he’d seen several women going into his neighbor’s apartment carrying presents for a baby shower.
Kira and Jenna stopped by his place afterward to see him and tell him all about the gifts Mia had gotten for the baby. His niece also had several things to say about the condition of his temporary home. None were good.
“Unca Jay, I like your other house better.”
“I still have my other house, sweetie. I’ll move back there soon.”
She smiled, then looked thoughtful. “But you have to take care of Mia until she has her baby. Promise you will.”
What was going on? “Okay, I promise as long as I live here I’ll watch out for Mia and the baby.”
That seemed to satisfy the three-year-old and she smiled. “Then you can come see her at the ranch. She’s going to move in with the new baby.” She turned to her mother and was practically jumping up and down. “I can’t wait. I get to hold the baby, too.”
Jarrett looked at his sister-in-law. “So, it’s definite?”
Kira nodded. “I’m pretty sure I have her convinced it’s best for her and the child.”
“Isn’t that neat, Unca Jay, she’s gonna be in our family? It’s almost going to be our baby, too.”
“That’s great,” he said.
The girl’s eyes lit up more. “Maybe if you ask, Mia will share her baby with you, too.”
Jarrett looked at Kira for help, hoping she didn’t read anything more into his relationship with his neighbor. “Where does she get this stuff?”
Kira only smiled. “Sounds like a pretty good idea to me.”
The next day Jarrett drove to his office, McKane Properties, and started two of his staff working on finding affordable apartments for some of the tenants. He needed to get this over and done with.
He needed everyone to move on, but if Mia and the baby moved out to the ranch, he’d still see her. Would that be so bad? With Kira and Trace looking out for her, at least he wouldn’t worry about her so much.
That way he could go back to business as usual and a life without Mia in it. He turned his thoughts to the day at the doctor’s office and seeing the ultrasound. He’d had no business sharing that with her. Just as he’d had no business kissing her Thanksgiving Day.
He had to stay away.
There were other things he needed to think about, like the Fulton plant project. It had been a big cause of his loss of sleep. He’d been working on some changes, changes to the factory site that might help everyone.
For him to survive financially, Jarrett knew he had to finalize this deal, or he might be living in the Mountain View Apartments permanently.
A few days later Jarrett was awakened in the middle of the night by his ringing phone. He grabbed it off the bedside table.
“Hello,” he groaned.
“Jarrett,” a familiar voice said. “I’m sorry to bother you, but could you come over?”
“Sure.” He hung up, got out of bed, pulled on jeans and shirt along with boots. He crossed the hall, but before he could knock she opened the door.
At 3:00 a.m. in the morning, she looked fresh and dressed for the day. Her dark hair lay in waves around her shoulders and she even had on makeup. “I take it the call wasn’t for a donut run?” he joked.
“I need you to take me to the hospital. My water broke.”
He froze, then his heart began to race. “You’re in labor?”
She nodded. “I’ve only had some light contractions, but Doctor Drake said I need to come in now.”
“Of course.” He pointed to his apartment. “Let me grab my car keys.” He rushed back, slipped on a
coat and hurried back to find her waiting with a small bag.
“I hated to ask you, but Nola’s daughter is sick and she’s helping with the grandkids,” Mia apologized.
He took her by the arm and they slowly made their way to the elevator. “I’m glad you asked me, I don’t want Nola to drive at night.” He gave her the once-over. “You okay?”
She smiled. “Outside of being a little scared, I feel pretty good.”
“I think it’s normal to feel scared.”
They rode down one floor and the doors opened. “Thank you for helping me out, Jarrett. I know this isn’t in your landlord duties.”
“Hey, I told you it’s not a problem.” They stepped off the elevator and walked outside. “Is there anyone you want me to call?”
Mia shook her head. “Nola was supposed to be my coach, but I can’t take her away from her grandkids.”
“Is there a backup?”
She stopped and looked at him pleadingly. “You?”
“You’re kidding?”
“Do you think I like asking you again?”
“I didn’t say I mind doing it, I just don’t know what to do.” He wasn’t making any sense.
“Join the club. This is my first time, too,” she began, then suddenly groaned.
He saw the pain etched across her face, but it was her fingernails digging into his arm that told him what was happening. Labor had begun.
“Looks like you’re getting an early Christmas present.”
Thirty minutes and five labor pains later, Jarrett pulled up at the emergency-room door. An attendant brought out a wheelchair, and Mia took the seat. Then Jarrett drove off and she was wheeled inside to get admitted.
After minimal paperwork, she was taken up to the maternity floor and into a labor/delivery room. Once dressed in a gown and in bed, she was hooked to monitors to watch her progress.
“Looks like you lose the bet for a Christmas-day baby.”
Mia looked up as Dr. Drake walked in and nodded to the other doctor leaving. “December fifteenth seems like a fine birthday to me.”
“How are you doing?” Lauren asked, checking the monitor.
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