by Wolfe, Lacey
Thank God! I need to pee.
“Are you feeling okay? We were hoping to take you out to dinner tonight.”
She wasn’t sure she could handle much more today. As much as she wanted to catch up with Alyssa and Connor, she knew she needed to lie down and kick her feet up. After all, that’s what the doctor ordered. “That would be nice and all, but I need a nap for the time being. I’m supposed to be lying down, remember?”
Alyssa pulled up to the apartment complex. “We’re here. Connor hired a cleaning crew. And we got some of his furniture out of storage for you. Just let us know what you need and we’ll take care of it.”
Right now she needed silence. A headache was creeping up. Diane climbed out of the car and walked toward the breezeway. This place was four stories high. If by chance he lived at the top, she was going to have this baby here and now.
Alyssa came up behind her carrying one of the many suitcases. “Don’t worry, he’s on ground level.”
“Good.”
As they headed for Connor’s old home, she wondered why he still had the place. He lived with Alyssa full time now above The Reading Corner in town. The only thing she could assume was he was finishing out his lease.
The door opened and Connor greeted them with a big smile. Alyssa leaned forward, placing a peck on his lips. They grinned at one another for a long moment until Diane cleared her throat. Those two were way too in love for her. “Get a room.” She walked past Connor and into the apartment.
It was nice. Modern with an open-floor plan and completely updated to the standards she always saw people wanting on those house shows she was addicted to on HGTV.
“I stocked the cabinets and fridge for you. I figured when you got here, the last thing you’d want to do was grocery shop,” Connor said.
Diane placed her hand on her stomach. “That was nice of you. Thanks.”
“If you need anything, call us.” Connor took Alyssa’s hand and lowered his voice to a murmur. “She looks tired. Let’s leave her be to settle in.”
“She has about four more suitcases out there.” Alyssa giggled. “Let’s bring those in and then we’ll be on our way.”
Diane wandered through the apartment. This was a nice place. She liked it. If she stuck around, perhaps she could take over the lease. It would be perfect for her right now. No stairs and she could almost see every room, minus the bedrooms. So as Baby Bean got bigger and into things, she’d always have her eye on him.
“Here you go. That’s everything.” Alyssa set a suitcase down and walked toward Diane. They hugged as tightly as they could with the baby bump in the way and Alyssa placed a light kiss on her cheek. “I’ll come by and get you in the morning.”
“Sounds good. Thank you again. This means the world to me.” Diane smiled, feeling less hostile now that she was finally going to get some peace.
“Go lay down.” Alyssa walked toward the door with Connor.
“Oh, sis,” Diane called, “do me a favor. Don’t tell Matt I’m here if you see him.”
* * *
It was raining, which meant no work today. Matt sat down on the couch. With the weather forecast for the next few days, he was thankful it wasn’t winter. Otherwise they’d be in for a blizzard.
There wasn’t much to do. Maybe he’d catch up on his sleep. He’d tossed and turned all night. Diane and the baby were on his mind. He wanted to know how the doctor’s appointment went. Was everything okay? He hated being the in dark. He’d been there for too long. He never should’ve let her walk away before. But his pride had gotten in the way.
Matt picked up the remote and as he turned it on, his cell phone rang. Hopefully it was his boss and he wanted him to come in anyway and do office work.
However, he wasn’t surprised to see it was Tom.
“Hello,” he spoke into the phone, more curtly than usual.
“Matt, hi. I wanted to give you an update on Diane.”
“Okay.” He didn’t know what else to say. Having to hear about his child from another man was awkward. He should be the one there with Diane.
“She’s on a temporary bed rest. Her contractions shouldn’t be as strong as they are right now, so she needs to be off her feet.”
Matt sighed. His gut had been right. Something was off with her and it killed him that she was so far away. “Since she isn’t working, can I help out with the bills or something?”
“We’re okay. I took over her bills awhile ago. Eventually we plan to live together.”
His gut churned at the idea of them sleeping in the same bed. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ve got to go. Keep me up to date.”
“I will, but—”
Matt pressed the end button, not able to hear any more from Tom. All he could see in his head was Tom and Diane in the bed he’d once shared with her.
He pounded his fist into the couch cushion. Damn it, he didn’t want Tom having the life he was supposed to have. It was time he took control of this and quit hoping things would work themselves out. But first, he needed to learn everything he could about pregnancy. And he was sure that The Reading Corner had plenty of books. Now he just had to hope he could handle Diane’s sister Alyssa.
Thankfully his place was within walking distance of the bookstore. . The rain was really coming down, soaking him. Why hadn’t he thought to grab an umbrella? He hoped the store was open. Sometimes Alyssa closed shop on rainy days since no one was out shopping. But it was still early, so hopefully she was open.
At the glass door to the shop, he tugged on the handle to open it. But it was locked.
“Damn it!” he said a little too loudly.
He heard someone in the bookstore before Alyssa’s face appeared behind the glass. She hurried to unlock the door.
“What are you doing here?”
“I need some books.” He stepped into the store, grateful to be out of the rain.
“Okay. I have those.” She stared at him quizzically.
“I need every book you have on pregnancy.”
She giggled. “I have two books I think might be perfect for you. Follow me.”
Alyssa rubbed her fingers along the spines of the books as she looked for what he needed. She then pulled two out and handed one to him.
“This one is a week-by-week guide. Give you an idea what size the baby is, what she’s feeling, and there are some neat little father tips in here to make her life easier…” Her words trailed off.
“Thanks. And that one?” He pointed to the one she still held.
“This one is the Father’s Guide to Pregnancy and Babies. It’s humorous, but there are a lot of great tips in it.”
“Do you think this is enough?” He took the second book from her hands. “Any other books?”
She rubbed his shoulder. “These are enough. You’ve got lots of reading ahead of you.”
“I do.” He stared at the width of the books. They were huge.
He followed her to the front and set the books down at the register.
“You know you could’ve waited for it to stop raining before getting these. Or even called me. I would’ve put them aside for you.”
This was the nicest Alyssa had been to him in a long while. In fact, she hadn’t called him Jerkface once since he’d arrived. Maybe things were beginning to look up.
“That’ll be twenty-two dollars.”
“Twenty-two dollars. For two books?”
She laughed. “I gave you a discount too.”
He handed her his debit card. After he signed the receipt, she bagged his books . Thankfully the rain had let up some. “If you think of any other book I might need, let me know.”
“I will. Have a nice day. Don’t get too wet, Jerkface.”
He smirked. There was the Alyssa he knew. He grabbed the bag and began to push the glass door open.
“Alyssa.” A female voice sounded from the back of the store.
Matt released the door and turned to see Diane appear. His anger returned. What hadn’t anyone
told him she was here?
She stopped walking and her eyes widened when she saw him.
“What are you doing here, Diane?”
Chapter Four
Oh crap. Diane didn’t know if she should turn and run or face Matt head-on. She’d been back in Brookfield less than twenty-four hours and she’d hoped for at least a week here before he discovered she was in town.
“Uh, she’s staying here for a few days.” Alyssa was the first to speak as she walked over to Diane. “You’re supposed to be upstairs watching TV.”
“I heard a male voice and I thought maybe it was Connor. I was going to see if on his lunch break, he could stop by the apartment. I need something.”
Alyssa glanced at Matt. “Let me call him and see what his schedule is. Go have a seat in the back.”
Great. She’d much rather have her sister tell Matt to go away. But she couldn’t avoid him now. It looked like her only choice was to face this head-on. She went over to the chairs in the corner and sat. Matt joined her, sitting in the chair opposite. He leaned forward slightly with his hands cupped loosely between his knees.
“How long have you been in town?” he asked.
“I got in yesterday afternoon.”
“How long are you staying?”
She toyed with a strand of hair. “I don’t know. A little while.” She eyed the bag sitting by his feet and saw in big, bold red words pregnancy. “What’s in the bag?”
“Books.” His voice was laced with irritation.
She already knew what type, but she wanted to hear him say it for some odd reason. “What kind?”
He cleared his throat the way he did when he was nervous. “Books on pregnancy. I want to know everything I can. It’s not like you’re being very forthcoming.”
“Why? You aren’t pregnant.” She was egging him on and knew she should stop.
“No shit. You are. And I want to know what the hell Braxton Hicks are. How big the baby is. All that stuff. This is important to me.” He paused and stared into her eyes. “You are important to me.”
He appeared to be sincere and the way he looked at her caused her heart to race. His dark eyes bore right into her soul. She sucked in her bottom lip. She couldn’t let these feelings resurface for him. She stood and he did as well.
“You okay?” The concern in his voice nearly melted all her resolve.
“Fine. I’m gonna go back upstairs for now.”
He reached out and touched her arm. She should pull it away, but for some reason she didn’t. “Can I check on you while you’re visiting?”
No. Just go away. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea.”
His arm fell to his side. “I’m gonna head home and start reading.”
Diane didn’t stick around for any more chit-chat. She climbed the stairs that led to Alyssa’s apartment. After closing the door, she leaned against it to wrap her head around what had happened. Alyssa’s cat Zoe sauntered up to greet her. That cat must live by the door waiting on someone to enter. She picked Zoe up and headed for the couch. As she pet the cat, she slowed her breathing and attempted to get her emotions under control. If she let her guard down, she knew he’d weasel his way back in to her life in no time.
Diane sighed. Matt looked so handsome all wet. His dark hair had been flat and messy from the rain. And the way his shirt clung to his chest… Not that she should’ve noticed. She’d have to make sure she didn’t run in to him again.
“There you are,” Alyssa said from the doorway. “Connor said to give him a call and let him know what you needed and where it is and he’ll go pick it up. He’ll be in meetings most of the afternoon, so the sooner you call, the better.”
“Thanks. I better do that before my nap.”
Alyssa smiled. “I love having you here. We’ve got to start chatting about names though.”
“Go back to work.” Diane groaned.
The door to the store closed. Diane leaned her head back against the couch cushion. She shouldn’t be so tired. She’d better call Connor before she fell asleep.
* * *
Matt kicked his shoes off the second he entered his house then headed straight for his kitchen. He needed an extra jolt of caffeine after the long hours he’d been working the last few days. Once the rain let up, it was work, work, and more work. Apparently the deadline had been moved up. He just hoped the rain stayed away, or he’d be working more hours like the past few.
He picked up the pot of coffee leftover from the morning. Swirling it around, he decided there was enough for a cup. He poured it into a mug and placed it in the microwave. Once it dinged, he removed the cup and went into the living room.
The pregnancy books sat on his table. He’d been reading some each night. He now knew Braxton Hicks were normal. Though he wasn’t quite sure why Diane was on bed rest, he’d read several reasons why women were put on it and now had some ideas. Maybe if he’d listened to Tom longer, he would know for sure. It was hard for Matt to even talk to him though. But if he wanted a place in his son’s life, he was going to have to learn too.
Matt sipped his hot drink and waited for the caffeine to kick in. He wanted to get some more reading done but wasn’t sure he could hold his eyes open long enough.
Leaning forward, he set his coffee down when he heard a knock on his front door. He wasn’t in the mood for a visitor right now. But when they knocked again, it was apparent they weren’t going away.
He dragged his tired body to the front door and opened it.
“Hey.” Cody stood there, still in uniform. “Can I come in?”
He shrugged. “Sure, but I might not be the best company.”
His guest grinned as he entered. “I won’t stay long.”
Matt was sure he knew why Cody was here. While they weren’t best buds, they did get along. But they didn’t make it a point to hang out.
“Have a seat. Can I get you anything?” He motioned toward the couch.
“Nah.” Cody sat. “My sisters have been a real pain in my ass lately.”
Matt chuckled. Poor Cody. Those two had him wrapped around their fingers and went to him about everything. It was no wonder he was still single. His sisters didn’t leave him much time to date.
“Alyssa wants me to find out if you really want to be around for the baby. Or if this is what she is calling a phase.”
He wished he could just tell Alyssa to butt out. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“She also said Diane has made it crystal-clear she doesn’t want you in the kid’s life and you’ve mentioned taking her to court.”
Matt pinched the bridge of his nose. “I didn’t necessarily say I would to take her to court. I told her I wanted to be in the baby’s life, but if she continued to refuse, I would have to take other actions.”
“Women have a way of spinning words.” Cody leaned back. “Anyway, I hope it doesn’t come to that. Any plans on getting Diane to come around?”
I wish. “I’m just going to be here for her. I know she’s with Tom now and I’m not trying to steal his woman.”
Cody laughed and shook his head.
“What’s so funny?” Matt asked.
“If only you knew. Anyway, so you aren’t trying to get back with her but be friends, I take it?”
If I only knew what? He was confused. “Friends. Yes.”
Cody shrugged. “That should be doable.”
Easy for him to say. Diane was stubborn and not easily persuaded. That’s how they ended up in the mess they did. She wanted another man in their relationship and would’ve done it regardless. She was a tough woman. If anyone ever messed with their son, she’d have their head on a stick.
“I know you’re tired, man. If we can convince Diane to stick around, that would be a good thing. I still can’t imagine her being a mom. But I’m sure she’ll be great at it.”
“Yeah, I think she will. And if I have my way, she won’t be going anywhere.”
Cody stood. “I’ll be seeing you around, maybe. I’m
thinking of finding a hole to hide in until things settle down.”
Matt chuckled. “Don’t blame you.”
Cody nodded and left. Matt picked up the coffee and finished it off. He turned the TV on, hoping to entertain himself for a few. But before he even made it through one thirty-minute sitcom, he was asleep.
* * *
Diane stared at the ceiling, the phone resting on her big bump, as Tom spoke through the speaker. He was filling the air with some lame excuse as to why he wasn’t coming this weekend.
“I’m gonna try to come during the week. It isn’t like I planned this unexpected business trip,” he explained.
Sure, she understood that. Things happened. But she was disappointed. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all week. My sister has been wonderful, but I’m sure she needs a break from me. We all know how demanding I can be.”
He chuckled. “Yes, we do. But at least you two are finally getting along and bonding.”
He was right. She’d be lost without her sister. Alyssa’d been waiting on her hand and foot, never once complaining. When this was over, Diane would do something nice for her. Maybe a spa day. “At least I have her kitty keeping me company all day on the couch.” She scratched Zoe behind her ears.
“I get back from my trip on Tuesday. So maybe I can come out that way for the day on Wednesday or Thursday.”
“And then back that weekend?” A girl could be hopeful.
“I will do whatever it is you want me to.”
She sighed. Sometimes she wanted Tom to just tell her what he wanted and not make it about her all the time. “Do what you want. Quit worrying about me all the time.”
“You’re not a burden.”
It sure was hard not to feel that way. The man had dedicated his life to her and helping her raise another man’s child. That other man who now wanted to be a part.
“I know you need to pack. Call me soon,” she said.
“As always, you’ll be my last call of the night.”
She smiled. Tom was such a sweet man. She was entirely too lucky to have him. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
She placed the phone down next to her. Zoe stared at her from her chest, her green eyes bright. Diane really wanted a cat. She’d always loved Zoe. Maybe after the baby was born, she’d look at getting a kitten. Her son and it could bond and be lifelong friends.