Captivated by Love (Grangers Book 1)

by Brenda Jackson

  Dr. Fisher went back to the stool. “I’m a general practitioner and not a female specialist, but the results are conclusive. I suggest you seek out an obstetrician immediately. There’s one connected to this practice. I can see if she’s available to verify what I’ve told you and answer any questions you might have.”

  Carson’s head was spinning. “Yes. Please. I need to talk to someone about what’s obviously a mistake.”

  “Okay. If you don’t mind waiting for a few minutes, I’ll see if Dr. Givens can see you.”

  “Thanks.”

  Dr. Fisher left her alone and Carson’s mind whirled. How could she be pregnant? She was forty-three? She had lost a baby before. Still, according to her obstetrician at the time, over twenty-percent of pregnancies ended in miscarriages and it had no bearing on her ability to conceive again.

  But it was almost twenty years later…

  She shook her head. Personally, she’d welcome the news, since she always wanted a baby. But her thoughts went to Sheppard. His youngest son would be turning thirty in a year or so. Why would he want to start all over again? Right now, he joked that they were too old for all the lovemaking they did. There was no doubt in her mind that he would also think they were too old to have a baby.

  It seemed like forever before she heard a knock at the door. “Come in.”

  Another doctor walked in, a woman Carson guessed to be close to her own age. “Mrs. Granger? I’m Dr. Givens,” she said, offering Carson her hand for a handshake. “Dr. Fisher asked that I talk to you.”

  “Yes. I believe he read the test wrong. He thinks I’m pregnant.”

  The woman smiled. “I went over the test results again and he’s right. You are pregnant. That’s why you’ve had a queasy stomach lately.”

  Carson’s head began spinning. “B-but I was going through menopause.”

  “Dr. Fisher mentioned that’s what you believed, which I assume is the reason you stopped using birth control.”

  “Yes.”

  Dr. Givens nodded. “The absence of a menstrual cycle can be attributed to a number of things. You’ve indicated you’ve never experienced pain in your lower extremities, so I would probably rule out any serious medical condition like amenorrhea. In your case, the three year delay was probably due to some sort of hormonal imbalance. But the bottom line is that you are definitely pregnant.”

  Carson’s hand immediately went to her stomach. She had a baby in there? Sheppard’s baby. She looked back at Dr. Givens who was watching her intently. “But I’m forty-three,” she implored again.

  A smile touched the doctor’s lip. “Halle Berry had a baby at forty-seven, Janet Jackson at fifty and Marcia Cross had twins at forty-four. Older women giving birth is not uncommon now.”

  “But isn’t there a risk? Especially since I’ve miscarried before?”

  “In some cases but not all. I would suggest you consult your personal obstetrician for an appointment.”

  She didn’t have a personal obstetrician. “Why didn’t I have morning sickness instead of a queasy stomach?”

  “Every woman’s body is different.”

  Carson nodded. “How far along am I?”

  “According to your blood test, you’re already two months along. I take it there have been no physical signs yet?”

  She shook her head. “Two months? You’re sure?”

  The woman nodded. “Yes. I didn’t detect any issues in your blood work, but again I would suggest you consult your obstetrician for further tests.”

  An hour later, Carson was still reeling. Instead of going back to her office, she took the highway to Sutton Hills, needing time to fully absorb her new reality. She was pregnant.

  She couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks. She needed this moment of happiness for herself right now. Later, when the shock of what the doctor had told her wore off, she would tell Sheppard. She only hoped and prayed that unlike Pence, Sheppard would want their baby.

  #

  “You have to tell him, Carson.”

  Carson drew in a deep breath. When she’d gotten home, the first person she called was Roddran. When her best friend had started screaming, she’d had to move the phone away from her ear. It had taken a good ten minutes to get Roddran to calm down enough that Carson could let her in on the whole story.

  “And I will tell him once the shock wears off. I can’t believe it. I honestly can’t believe it. I never allowed myself to even think something like this could happen.”

  “Only because you had convinced yourself you couldn’t get pregnant. If you recall, I told you to go to the doctor to be sure.”

  Yes, Roddran had done that. But she really hadn’t thought it necessary. “Sheppard’s youngest son is almost thirty. My husband is a grandfather to one and has another grandchild on the way. Starting over in fatherhood is probably the last thing he wants. What if--?”

  “Stop it, Carson Boyett Granger. I bet any amount of money that Sheppard will be just as happy as you are. He’s nothing like your ex, so get that out your mind.”

  “I know he’s nothing like Pence but still, a baby is something we hadn’t counted on. We’ve never even discussed the possibility.”

  “That’s all the more reason to tell him.”

  “I will. But right now, he’s working on a plan to counteract Pence’s foolishness.”

  “Your husband is a smart man. I’m sure he’ll come up with something.”

  Yes, Sheppard was brilliant. She would never forget the day he and Roddran had finally met. Carson had gotten a special permit for Roddran to accompany her to Delvers. Roddran had liked Sheppard on the spot. “But what if Pence starts spreading lies about me marrying Sheppard for his money? Now that I’m pregnant, there are bound to be people who will think the worst and speculate that the only reason I got pregnant was to make sure that I at least got a Granger heir out of my marriage.”

  “Don’t worry about what people think, Carson. And for you to be doing so makes me think that you are still in shock.”

  “That’s why I need some extra time before telling Sheppard. I have to know this issue with Pence is over. Then I’ll feel better about breaking the news.”

  “Fine, but don’t wait too long. A new baby is good news. Besides, if you’re already two months along, he might start noticing changes in your body.”

  Carson drew in a deep breath. “I know. But I’m not ready to tell him yet.”

  #

  Carson pulled herself up in the bed when she heard Sheppard take the stairs at what sounded like two at a time. She’d seen his text message to call him. However, after leaving the doctor’s office, she’d needed time to pull herself together.

  “Hey, you okay?”

  She glanced up and Sheppard stood there, lingering in the doorway with concern etched on his face. Carson couldn’t help but appreciate the view. His tie was undone and his suit jacket was thrown over his shoulder. He looked totally sexy and oh-so masculine. More than once Pence had referred to Sheppard as an “old man”. In her opinion, Sheppard was in a lot better shape than Pence, physically and mentally. And he was definitely better looking.

  She nodded. “Yes, I’m okay.”

  He moved from the doorway and walked into the room, tossing his jacket across the loveseat. “When you didn’t respond to my text, I assumed you’d gotten detained in court,” he said, coming to sit beside her on the huge bed.

  She shook her head. “No, I had a doctor’s appointment.”

  “That’s right. How did it go?”

  That was the perfect opening to tell him about her pregnancy. But as much as she wanted to share her happiness with him, she needed to deal with it on her own first. “It went okay.” Then she quickly changed the subject. “I read your text. You said you had something to tell me?”

  “Yes, I do. I wanted to give you a heads-up that Denmark is still in town.”

  That was the last thing she wanted to hear. “I guess it was too much to hope he would go back t
o Tampa.”

  Reaching over, he placed his arms around her and brought her closer to him. “Yes, I guess it was.”

  She didn’t say anything for a minute. Instead she sat there inhaling his sensual scent. It felt good to have his arms wrapped around her. She felt safe, loved and protected. Should she tell him about her pregnancy now? While he was sitting here, holding her so tenderly.

  “Sheppard?”

  “Umm?”

  “I--”

  At that moment his cell phone went off. When he just sat there, waiting for her to continue, she lost her nerve. “I think you need to get that.”

  “It’s Ben. I can call him back.”

  Ben was father to Shana and Jules and was married to Mona, who was a professor at the University of Virginia. Carson was looking forward to this weekend, when she and Sheppard would be going to a Christmas party at the university with the couple. Carson liked Ben and Mona. The four of them often did things together, and Ben and Sheppard enjoyed sharing the role of grandfather to baby Rylan.

  “Go ahead and take it. I need to use the bathroom anyway.”

  He leaned down and brushed a kiss across her lips. “Okay. I’ll still be here when you come back.”

  #

  Later that night, after his wife had drifted off to sleep, Sheppard slid from the bed and went downstairs to the study to make a call. For the second night straight, he called Drew.

  “Hello?”

  “Drew, this is Sheppard. I want to know where Denmark is staying while he’s in town.”

  “I figured you would, so I already got the information. He’s staying at the Libertine Hotel.”

  Sheppard raised a brow. “That hotel is within walking distance of Carson’s office.”

  “I know. I guess he wanted to be close by.”

  “Another mistake.”

  “So, what do you plan to do?”

  Sheppard then outlined to Drew the plan he’d come up with.

  “Hmm, I hope it works, Shep.”

  Shep drew in a deep breath. “I hope so too.”

  #

  After ending his call to Sheppard, Andrew Logan paced his living room a few times before finally making a decision. He quickly picked up his phone and punched in a number he knew by heart.

  “What’s up, Drew?”

  “Hey Striker. There’s something going on with Shep that I think you all ought to know about…just in case.” He then told Striker everything he knew.

  “Damn,” Striker said, his mouth tightening in a frown. “Shep should have let us handle it. Sounds like the guy needs a good ass whipping.”

  Andrew chuckled. “And that’s probably why he didn’t let the three of you handle anything. The only reason I’m giving you a heads-up is to protect Shep. The guy threatened Carson and for that, Shep might be pulling off the kid gloves.

  A sparkle shone in Striker’s eyes. “You think so?”

  “Not really,” he said, immediately deflating Striker’s excitement. Sheppard Granger was the most unflappable person they knew. It took a lot to get him riled. They should know, since they had all tried his patience more times than not.

  “Thanks for letting me know what’s going on. I’ll tell the others. I bet Shep’s sons don’t even know.”

  “Probably not. If Shep thought he could keep everyone out of things, he would.”

  “Tough,” Striker said frowning. “It won’t be happening.”

  20

  Pence nervously took a sip of coffee as he checked the clock on the nightstand by the bed. It had been almost twenty-four hours since he’d paid Carson a visit. Her time was up. If she thought he’d been joking about causing problems for her and her new husband, she was definitely mistaken.

  He glanced up when he heard the knock on the door. The “Do not disturb” sign should have signaled housekeeping that he didn’t want his room cleaned. But he did need clean towels, so he might as well grab a few off the cart.

  He went to the door and opened it, then wished he’d glanced through the eyepiece first. Instead of housekeeping, he came face to face with some older dude standing there in a suit. “What do you want?” he asked, annoyed at being disturbed.

  “Pence Denmark?”

  Pence lifted a brow. Who was this guy who wanted to know? “Why?”

  “I’m Sheppard Granger and we need to talk.”

  Understanding lit up Pence’s brain. “Are you thinking you can talk me out of going to the media about your wife and how she took advantage of my mother?” he asked grinning, moving aside to let the guy inside the room. He looked harmless enough. The dude was too well-dressed to think about getting his suit dirty.

  “Something like that,” the man said, coming inside and glancing around.

  “Well, it won’t work. That money’s mine. If Carson had given it to me when I asked her, there wouldn’t be a problem. My mother should not have left her anything in her will.”

  Sheppard turned around to face the man. “But she did and I’d think you would want to honor your mother’s wishes.”

  “Well, I don’t intend to.”

  “Why? Because of your debts? I know about your gambling tendencies, Denmark.”

  Pence lifted a brow. Evidently Mr. Rich Guy here had checked up on him. “So you know. Nothing wrong with playing the odds every now and then. You win some and then you lose some. No problem.”

  “It is a problem if you can’t pay back your loan.”

  This guy was really starting to annoy him. “Maybe you ought to mind your own business.”

  “And maybe you ought to seek help. Gambling addiction is a mental health disorder. I can refer you to--”

  “Are you calling me crazy?”

  Sheppard casually shrugged his shoulders. “Not really. But you have to admit, showing up at Carson’s office and threatening to involve her in a scandal that has no merit is kind of crazy. Nobody forced your mother to set up those scholarships for Carson.”

  “You don’t know that. I saw with my own eyes how she worked her way into my parents’ good books. There was nothing they wouldn’t do for her. After Dad died, Mom lived on a tight income. Carson had no right to take advantage of her.”

  “The way you did, you mean?” Sheppard said, getting sick and tired of the man’s whining.

  “She was my mother. I was entitled to anything she wanted to give me. But look, you’re here because you undoubtedly want to protect Carson’s reputation. I get that. I understand you got a lot of money. So I figure, if you want to reimburse me for all the money my mother paid toward Carson’s education, the money she left her in the will, and a few extra thousand for good measure, I’ll go away and not come back. So write me a check for a million and I’ll leave town.”

  Sheppard lifted a brow. “A million?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why? So you can pay off your loan shark? I know all about him, too.”

  Anger flashed in Pence’s eyes. “How do you know so damn much about my business?”

  “I investigated you. I know quite a lot about you, in fact.”

  “Good. Then I guess you know I don’t make threats lightly.”

  “Neither do I. Get your loan shark on the phone.”

  Pence looked dumbfounded. “Why would I want to do that?”

  “Who knows? I might be able to help you out. You never know.”

  Pence rolled his eyes. “I do know. So unless you’re ready to drop a million, this conversation is over.”

  “I don’t think so.” Sheppard pulled his cell phone out of the pocket of his suit jacket and punched in three numbers. He placed the call on speaker so Pence could hear.

  “This is directory assistance. What city and state?” an automated voice asked.

  “Tampa, Florida.”

  “What listing?”

  “Karl Halifax.”

  “What the hell!” Pence shouted. “Are you crazy?” How did this man know of his connection to Halifax?

  Sheppard ignored the man’s outburst.
“No, I’m not crazy. However, I am on the verge of allowing my anger to take control, which is something you don’t want to see.”

  Directory assistance came on the line again. “You have been texted the number, and if you hold on, we will go ahead and connect you.”

  “Disconnect that call man.”

  “No. Like I said, I know a lot about you, Denmark. Maybe I ought to tell your loan shark that you’re trying to shake me and my wife down for money just to pay off your loan.”

  Pence threw his head back and laughed. “You think Halifax gives a fuck? All he wants is his money, paid back with interest. He doesn’t give a damn how I get it.”

  “We’ll see.”

  A rough male voice came on the line. “Hello.”

  Sheppard turned up the speaker volume of his mobile phone so Pence could clearly hear every word. From the look on Pence’s face, it was obvious he was rather nervous. “Karl Halifax?” Sheppard asked.

  There was a pause, and then as if operating on the side of caution, the man asked, “Who wants to know?”

  “I do. Not sure if you remember me but we served time together at Glenworth some years ago.”

  “And?” Halifax said, as if he hadn’t wanted to be reminded of that time.

  “And I’m hoping I can ask a favor of you.”

  There was a chuckle. “I don’t do favors.”

  “I’m hoping you’ll do one for me.”

  Halifax’s chuckle was a little louder than the last. “And just who the hell are you?”

  “Sheppard Granger.”

  There was a pause. “Sheppard Granger?”

  “Yes.”

  There was another pause. And then… “Shep?”

  “Yes, Karl, it’s me.” Sheppard kept his eyes trained on Pence the entire time and saw the look of total surprise on his face.

  “What the hell! Damn man, it’s been years. At least twelve.”

  “Yes, it’s been a long time.”

  “I heard they found you innocent, after all.”

  “Yes. But I was in jail for fifteen years.”

  “Well, I’m glad you’re out. Glenworth was a shithole.”