Shaking her head she looked into his eyes—those dark and sexy eyes. “No. And like I said, you don’t have to come.”
“I’ll be here,” he reiterated through clenched teeth.
He stepped over the threshold.
“Chris,” she called and he turned back. “If you can’t always be here for them, then please don’t be. I can’t explain to them your leaving if you do this.”
His eyes narrowed. He pursed his lips and walked away.
Chapter Sixteen
It had been a week since Victoria had held that pregnancy test in her hand. A week since Scott walked out of her life and somehow Christian had walked back in.
He’d been there every night after work and, just as he’d promised, he was helping out. On Sunday night he’d walked through the door with groceries and again on Thursday. They’d taken walks around the park as a family. He’d bought that ball and two gloves and begun teaching both kids how to catch.
He wasn’t just stepping in as the playmate either. On three of those nights last week, he’d cooked dinner so Victoria could play with the kids. She’d even found him in the laundry room doing their laundry.
She hadn’t quite yet figured out his motivation, maybe it would make it easier to finally tell him about the baby since he’d begun to integrate himself into their lives.
On her day off, she’d been able to get an appointment to the doctor and her pregnancy was confirmed. Now she sat at Sonia’s kitchen table finally ready to tell her best friend—well, she’d get to it.
“You’d think these kids hadn’t seen each other in a month. Gretchen has been waiting all week to show Ali her new Barbie.”
“I’m glad they get along so well. I’d like to think they’ll stay friends as long as we have.”
Sonia nodded and took a sip of her iced tea. “Maybe Gretchen will know when Ali is hiding something from her.”
Victoria tightened her lips. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t told her yet. She should have known Sonia would know something wasn’t right with her.
“Scott and I broke up.”
Sonia turned, her mouth open. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“Probably because the next day Christian started coming around.”
Sonia blinked her eyes rapidly. “Why? Did you tell him Scott left you?”
“Not really. I told John when he came to fix the sink. He’d asked why my guy wasn’t fixing the sink and I said I had no guy. Then he asked if I was sick and I told him I had been. Then Christian showed up because he heard I was sick and that there wasn’t anyone around to help me out.”
Sonia narrowed her eyes at her. “So taking Scott to the wedding was really a good thing? I mean it woke Christian up.”
In more than one way.
Sonia covered her hand with hers. “This has nothing to do with Christian just showing up, does it?”
Victoria swallowed hard and tried to gather her nerves. She took in a cleansing breath and let it out. “I’m pregnant.”
Sonia’s eyes opened wide and then her mouth opened and closed. She covered it with her hand and then slowly dropped it. “Oh, Tori.”
“That wasn’t the reaction I thought you’d have. It was mine, but…”
“How long?”
She ran her tongue over her teeth. “Five weeks.”
Sonia covered her mouth again. “Christian’s?”
Tori nodded.
“And is that why he’s come around?”
Victoria shook her head. “The only other person that knows is Scott.”
“And that’s why he left?”
She nodded.
“Oh, honey.”
“It’s going to be okay. I don’t expect Christian to hang around much longer. And when he finds out about the baby, he’ll run. He’s been playing favorite uncle all week, but it’s only been a week. If he couldn’t be a father to the kids, he can’t be father to his baby.”
“But you can’t do this alone.”
“I don’t think I’ll have to. The baby is a Keller. They won’t let me do this alone.”
“But is that enough?”
“It’s going to have to be.”
Sonia stood up and walked around the table and pulled Victoria up out of her chair and pulled her into an embrace.
“I’m here too. Whatever you need. I’m here.”
“Thank you,” Victoria said pulling back. “But don’t say anything. Not yet. I’m not ready for the kids to know or for Chris to know.”
“You don’t have forever on this. He’ll figure this out soon you know.”
“I know.”
Victoria thought she’d see how the week went and then she could decide how she wanted to handle telling Christian.
~*~
Christian tapped his pencil against the top of his desk as he looked over the plans for the baseball stadium. In the past two weeks, he’d had a change of heart when it came to the project.
He’d been playing catch with Ali and Sam each night when he got to their house. And even at three-years-old, Sam showed the same promise his father had. Dave should have been major league. Christian would never understand why he hadn’t been picked up.
The stadium was now a personal mission to Christian, something he could honor Dave with.
He jotted down notes to take to the next meeting as his office door opened. His brother walked through.
“I have come to the conclusion that there is a no knocking rule when it comes to family entering my office,” he said without looking up from what he was doing.
“I figure it saves me the hassle of you telling me to go away.” Ed sat down in front of his desk. “How’s the stadium going?”
“I think the plans look good. I only have a few suggestions.”
“Good. I’m glad to see you are finally looking enthusiastic.”
Christian blew off his brother’s comment. He realized he hadn’t been very gracious about the job or the project.
“So what did you need?” Christian set the pencil down and leaned back in his chair.
“Rachel was asking about you. Well she asked Warner, who asked Clara, who called Darcy, who sent me.”
Christian snorted a laugh and picked up his pencil again. “And just what did Rachel want to know?”
“Why you stood her up a couple weeks ago.”
“And she’s just now sending messengers?”
“Well? Why’d you stand her up? She was trying to get your attention at the wedding and then she finally gets a date and you don’t show up?”
“Why do you care?”
“Just isn’t like you.”
Christian shook his head and dropped the pencil again. “I’ve been spending my evenings at Tori’s with her and the kids.”
“No kidding.” Ed sat forward and leaned his arms on the desk. “You’re back together? I thought that was a one night thing?”
“It was. I’m just helping her out. I promised Dave I’d help take care of those kids and I did a lousy job last year.”
“You sure did.”
“Thanks.” He sat back in his chair.
The evenings he’d been spending with them, and the weekends, had become very special to him. They’d become a family. There was only one missing piece. Tori still hadn’t told him about being pregnant.
Christian had come to believe that maybe his Uncle John had been mistaken. She’d been sick and was having a hard time getting over it, but he was sure by now she’d have said something about it. If she hadn’t said something he thought the kids would have or even Sonia might have dropped a hint. But there had been nothing.
But every night that he was there to listen to the bedtime story and tuck in the kids, he began longing to do it every night—forever. And if she was pregnant, it was a chance to be there from the beginning of a life—even if it wasn’t a life he created. How could Scott walk away from her knowing such a thing? Then again, maybe Scott didn’t know and she thought it was better to keep it from him.
His mind spun the situation around a million times. If Scott didn’t care and he was the one who stepped in and loved the baby, perhaps he’d make up for the year he’d been an ass—but this time he’d do it for love of the kids, love of the baby, and his undying love of Tori.
“So what are you going to do?” Ed stood and looked down at his brother. “Are you going to try and get her back or are you just going to help her out? You know…I need to pass back something to Rachael.”
Christian laughed. “I just now decided that I’m going to ask her to marry me again.”
Ed’s eyes opened wide. “Are you sure about that? That’s going back on everything you told her.”
“I was in pain. I was devastated. Let’s just say I don’t think I was in the right mind set. But, yeah. I’m ready to marry her and be there for the kids. I know I won’t replace their father, but I can help them learn who he was. I can bring that part of their life back.”
Ed was shaking his head, but smiling. “I think you have come back to us, little brother.”
He was ready to be back. The pain, devastation, and self-pity had turned him into someone he not only didn’t like, but that he didn’t know. It had to be over. The sun was up for another day and he’d better take the time to make the most of it.
All he had to do now was convince Tori that he wanted to be the man in her life—even if she was pregnant with the child of another man.
Chapter Seventeen
The phone had rung off the hook all day long. Victoria never thought a dental office could have so many problems, but it just must have been in the air.
The doctor already had four emergency procedures that had come in and Victoria had to reschedule his entire day. Actually what happened was the appointments just had to be tacked on at the end of the day. In other words, she would have to stay. Then, the afternoon receptionist called. Her son fell at school and she was taking him to the emergency room with a broken arm.
Victoria was stuck.
She called Sonia to beg for help, but with Craig on a business trip she had no back up either. Plus, all of her kids had doctor’s appointments. It wasn’t something she could reschedule very easy.
There was a panicked surge that ran through her body when she called Christian’s cell phone.
“Hello?” His voice was hushed when he finally answered. “Tori, is everything okay?”
“I’m fine. Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“I have a moment,” he said, but she could hear him moving as though he’d walked out of one room and into another. “What’s up?”
“I’m stuck at work until six-thirty. I can’t get to the kids and Sonia can’t help me out.”
“I’ll get them.” The offer was so quick she almost wondered who she’d really called. She’d expected some sort of argument that he’d do his best, but he couldn’t promise, and he’d see what happened in the next few hours…
“Tori, what time do I have to get them?”
“They need to be picked up by four.”
“Okay,” he drew out the word. “I’ll need to stop by your office and get your van to get them in. I’ll be to you by three. That should be enough time, right?”
“Yes,” she nearly sighed. “Chris, this means the world to me. Thank you.”
“I’m here for you and the kids, sweetheart. I’ll see you around three.” His voice had grown soft again as though someone might be there.
A jealous pang shot through her, but she brushed it away as much as she could. “I’ll see you then.”
Christian looked down at his watch. He had two hours to convince the planners of the baseball stadium that it needed some changes. If the meeting ran over he’d have to walk out on it and that was going to cause Ed quite a headache. But he wasn’t going to go back on a promise he’d made to Tori—not again.
The planners were open minded to his suggestions and the smile on his uncle and his brother’s faces were priceless. He’d stepped up to the plate, he’d nearly struck out, but it looked like maybe he’d make a home run with this project after all—and with Tori.
As the meeting wrapped up, he checked his watch for about the thousandth time.
“Do you have a hot date?” Ed said walking around the enormous table in the board room, his uncle following right behind.
“I promised Tori I’d pick the kids up. She’s stuck at work.”
He saw the exchanged look between his uncle and brother. Each of them had a cocky grin on their face.
“Christian Keller is going to the daycare to pick up the kids. Did you hear that, Zach.”
“Don’t think I’ve heard better news in years.” He gave Christian a wink and walked out of the room.
“Laugh all you want.”
Ed placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I’m not laughing. I’m very happy for you.”
Christian looked down at the stack of papers he was piling together. “I love her, man.”
“You always have. Since the moment you first saw her at that fundraiser.”
“What if she won’t marry me?”
Ed shrugged. “All you can do is ask and find out, right?”
Yes, that’s what he’d do. But he needed to remind himself if she said no, he couldn’t just walk away. He still had made a promise to Dave and he’d keep it. She wouldn’t get rid of him quickly, but he really hoped she’d say yes.
As he drove to her office, his mind was racing with everything he wanted to do to make a proposal special. He wasn’t just going to pop the question. He needed to ease into it. He needed to woo her a little, make her want him back.
It had been a few weeks since he’d been hanging around. Things were comfortable. The kids were comfortable. Maybe tonight when she looked at him with those blue eyes, he’d finally lean in and kiss her goodnight as he walked out the door. And tomorrow night the kiss would be longer.
As he pulled up to the office, he noticed the parking lot was packed. He pulled up behind her van and double parked. If this was how her day was going she’d need something special for tonight.
She had an angry older gentleman at the desk and a phone to her ear when he walked through the door.
“Mr. Peterson, he’ll be right with you. I promise it won’t be more than ten minutes.”
The man grunted and took an empty seat. Christian walked up to the desk and she held up a finger to him. “Yes, he can take you next week. Right. We will call you the night before. Thank you,” she said as she hung up the phone. She blew a loose blonde curl from her eyes. “I owe you.” She pulled her car keys from the pocket of her scrub top and handed him a twenty. “I’m out of gas too. I just realized that about a half hour ago.”
Christian took the keys only. “I got it. Do you want us to come by and pick you up or can you handle the truck?”
Her lips pursed. “I’m a native Tennessee girl. I can drive a truck, Chris.”
He winked. “I know. You called the day care. They know I’m coming?”
“Yes. You’ll need your ID.”
“I got it. And you’ll be home about six-thirty?”
“Around there. The house key is on the ring, too.”
“We’ll be there.” He reached across the desk and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Anything else I can help you with?”
Her eyes had gone soft now when she looked at him. This was a good sign. “No. I can’t thank you enough.”
“You don’t have to. I’m here for the long term.”
He didn’t give her a chance to argue. He turned around and walked out to the parking lot to maneuver the vehicles so that his truck was parked for her and he could take the aging minivan to the gas station and then pick up the kids.
A smile formed on his lips. Never in a million years did he think this would be the highlight of his life—but it was.
Victoria could smell him in his truck—feel him. It was more than just his cologne. There was a bottle of water in the cup holder and a Gatorade bottle in th
e seat next to her. A hard hat and a pair of muddy work boots were on the rubber floor mat behind her seat, no doubt something he used when he was on a site.
The thought interested her. He didn’t talk about working for Zach and Ed much. It wasn’t what he’d wanted to do with his life, but the accident had landed him there. His baseball career was only a dream now. Even the opportunity he’d once had coaching seemed to have slipped away.
But he did mention that Sam had his father’s arm. Maybe someday he could coach Sam—and Ali. Her gut twisted and she set her hand on her stomach. Or even his own son could play ball with him.
It was as if for the first time she noticed the tightness of her stomach. His child grew inside of her and she’d yet to tell him. He’d been so wonderful stepping in and they were really a family, why hadn’t she decided it was okay to tell him yet?
Another feeling washed through her as she started up the massive truck. She loved him. Well she knew she always had, but she was in love with this man that had just recently come back into her life—the man who doted on the kids and on her.
The fear that he might turn her away when he learned about the baby was suddenly diminishing.
She had another doctor’s appointment in a week and the doctor had said they’d take a peek to see how everything was going. Maybe she’d see if she could get one of those sonogram pictures to give him. If he could see what they’d created together it would be better. Yes, that’s what she would do.
Victoria backed out of the parking lot with a renewed sense of purpose. She wanted Christian back, and not just as a promise to the kids. She wanted him back in her life. She wanted him to be the father to his child that he’d want to be.
She expelled a long breath. She wanted him as her husband. Maybe she’d just ask him.
Chapter Eighteen
The house was quiet when Victoria walked through the door. But the smell that filled her nose was delightful. She set her purse on the couch and walked to the kitchen. The oven light was on and there was chicken baking, a salad in a bowl, and rolls cooling on the counter. The sound of laughter came from the back yard.
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