“I don’t do that.”
“I asked around about her,” Liam admitted. “I learned she lived with that cardiologist at the hospital before she moved in with Tessa Rossi. A friend of mine saw him for heart palpitations. He said he’s a cold SOB. He smiles, but there’s nothing behind it, unless another doctor is around. So if that’s what she was dealing with before—can you imagine how hard it was for her to move in with you?”
Snow pinged against the windows. The howl of the cold front moving in told them its force was getting stronger.
Liam was right about Francesca. She was one gutsy lady. How much courage had it taken her to tell him about the pregnancy? How much courage had it taken her the day of her accident to call him again? He knew why she’d done it. She’d done it for the sake of their child. What had she said? She’d said she wanted their son to have another parent to rely on if need be. When she’d moved in with him, he’d insisted he was doing that for their child, too. But was he? Maybe his reasons had been more selfish than he wanted to admit.
The storm raged outside. Snow swirled and veiled whatever was on the other side of it. Francesca and Joshua should not be at the ranch alone in weather like this. She probably didn’t even know he had a backup generator if the electricity went out. If the electricity went out—
Grady shot up from the sofa.
“Where are you going?” Liam demanded to know.
“Back to the ranch. Francesca shouldn’t be there alone.”
“Wait until this blows through.”
“That’s the point, Liam. I don’t want it to blow through with her there and me here. I need to be with her and Joshua.”
“Maybe you should admit what that means,” Liam suggested.
“I’m older than you. You shouldn’t be giving me advice.”
“Isn’t that why you came?”
“Hell, no. I just came to…to sort things out.”
“Are they sorted?” Liam asked with a wry smile.
Grady thought about Francesca at that ranch with snow building up, the wind blowing against the shutters, cold drafts swirling through the house. Oh, yeah, he’d sorted it out. He’d been a damn fool not to have done it before now.
The sound of the wind moaned louder than Francesca had ever heard it. Snow cascaded down, frosting tree limbs, fence lines and ground cover. Where was Grady? That truck could handle almost anything, but still—
Joshua lay at her breast, nursing. As he did and she touched his little cheek, tears ran down hers.
What had she done?
Thinking about the past few months, Francesca knew she’d fallen irrevocably in love with Grady. Fear had kept her from telling him her feelings.
Suddenly she remembered what Vince had told her. He’d said, “Watch what Grady does, rather than thinking about what he doesn’t say.”
At the time she’d thought he’d given her a riddle. But now she realized what Vince had meant. Everything Grady had done since he’d arrived at her hospital room had shown her how much he cared. He’d made her breakfast and lunches and dinners. He’d driven her to the hospital because she needed to be there. She’d thought all of it had been about the baby. But had it?
Could he possibly have deep feelings for her, too? Could he possibly love her?
Joshua had fallen asleep now. She wanted just to hold him in her arms and never put him down. Yet she had to prepare herself for Grady’s return.
A small, scared voice inside her head asked, What if he doesn’t come back tonight? Wasn’t that what she was most afraid of? Hadn’t she given him plenty of reason not to want to come back?
As she laid Joshua in his crib, she realized her fear of loving Grady and expressing that love to him had muddled her thinking. He was a confident man, a man who was used to getting what he wanted most of the time. Yet he never used force, never used manipulation. He might be firm sometimes, but he was also tender and gentle and kind. She’d never had a man want to protect her before. Maybe that’s why it had felt so strange. Maybe that’s why she’d thought protectiveness was the same thing as control. But it wasn’t. There was a difference. He wanted to protect her because he cared about her. At least she hoped that was true.
After she had adjusted the monitor in Joshua’s room, she started his mobile. It played a soft tune and the moaning of the wind wasn’t quite as invasive.
In the living room, she started a fire in the fireplace. When the logs caught, she closed the fire screen. If Grady was out in this storm, he’d be wet and cold when he returned. She could try to call him. But did she want to tell him her innermost feelings over a crackling phone? She doubted a cell phone signal would hold in this storm.
In the cupboard she found the thermos Grady sometimes used when he went to the barn. She heated milk on the stove, stirring in hot chocolate mix. While that was warming, she made a pot of coffee in case he’d prefer that. While the coffee brewed, she poured the hot chocolate into the thermos and capped it. Not knowing what else to do, she went to the front window and stared out into the storm, hoping the man she loved was safe…hoping he’d return soon.
Grady skidded around the last curve, warning himself to slow down. He wouldn’t be any good to Francesca or Joshua if he rammed his truck into a tree. The white coating of snow seemed more than the windshield wipers could handle, or the defroster. But he didn’t have far to go. Another right turn and down the lane. His hands gripped the wheel tightly and he realized he was more nervous now than he’d ever been. What if Francesca had her bags packed? What if she’d already left? That thought panicked him.
Until he saw the smoke puffing out of the chimney. Until he realized a light glowed in the living room. He didn’t head for the garage, but parked at the front walk. After he switched off the ignition and lights, he jumped out of the truck. Then he ran up the walk and threw open the door.
Francesca was standing in the dining room at the window. When she turned to him, he could see she’d been crying. Damn, he was an idiot! An absolute idiot.
She started toward him. “Grady, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t,” he said, tossing his hat onto the table. “Don’t apologize. I was wrong to do what I did, especially without discussing the situation with you first. I was trying to control what happened. I didn’t want Whitcomb doing any favors for you, or making your life any more difficult. I didn’t want you to have to look for another job. I wanted you to depend on me to take care of Joshua while you worked part-time. What I did was all about what I wanted. That was wrong. I should have stopped to consider how you would see what I was doing.”
She looked as if she wanted to touch him, but she didn’t. She looked shy and vulnerable as she shook her head. “You weren’t wrong. I was wrong for reacting so strongly when you and your dad were just trying to help. Grady, I’ve been holding something back for a while now.”
His heart practically stopped. Was she going to tell him she was moving back to the Victorian?
“I love you, Grady. I’ve been afraid to think it, let alone say it.”
It took a few moments for her words to register. But they did, and downright joy filled him.
He folded her into his arms and pulled her close. “You took the words right out of my mouth. I went to Liam for some sympathy. Instead, he told me things I needed to hear. And when he did, I realized I was jealous of Whitcomb. I didn’t want him anywhere near you. Every time I’m in the same room with you, all I can think about is kissing you. I thought I was just fighting physical attraction, but I was fighting caring about you more. I love you, Francesca Talbot. I’m going to love you until my dying day.”
“You love me? You really do?”
She sounded so surprised, so in awe of the idea. He knew he had to make her believe him. He dropped down on one knee in front of her, took her hand and brought her fingertips to his lips. She was crying again, but he could see this time they were happy tears.
He was feeling a little choked up himself, but somehow he had to get the words out. “I don�
�t have a ring yet. I guess the two of us will just have to go shopping. But with or without the ring, I’m going to ask you the question. Frannie, will you marry me?”
Surprising him, she dropped down on the floor with him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Kneeling in front of him, she assured him quite solemnly, “I’ll marry you, Grady Fitzgerald, whenever, wherever and however.”
He laughed, covered her mouth with his and lit their passion with a never-ending fire he knew would last a lifetime.
Epilogue
April
“Where’s Joshua?” Francesca asked, swinging away from the mirror, her satin-and-lace ivory gown twirling around her.
“Tell me when you’re going to move!” Tessa scolded her.
Grady’s mother adjusted the tulle and lace that spilled from the hat on Francesca’s head. “Laurie has Joshua now. He’s fine. You’ve got to let him out of your sight sometimes so he grows up big and strong,” Maureen kidded.
Francesca laughed and relaxed. This was her wedding day and there was so much to think about. She was protective of her son, and Grady was, too. Grady. She’d be his wife soon. His wife. Reflexively, her eyes dropped to the ring on her finger, an antique setting in white gold with a princess-cut diamond. Soon there would be a wedding band below it.
“Don’t get teary-eyed on us,” Emily advised her, “or we’ll all start crying.”
Gina, dressed in teal chiffon like the other bridesmaids, handed Francesca her bouquet of pink and yellow roses. “Are you ready?”
She was more than ready. She’d never been this happy before. She could feel her love for Grady and his for her growing stronger every day. They understood where they’d both come from and where they were going. They both knew what a gift their son was and how their love for him, as well as each other, bound them together.
Francesca hugged Tessa, then Emily and Gina and Maureen. Grady’s mom was fast becoming the mother she’d never had, Patrick Fitzgerald a surrogate father. Laurie and Jenna were like sisters now, and John and Liam brothers.
There was a knock on the door and Jenna poked her head inside. She was handling the guest book and making sure everything in the social hall went smoothly for the reception. “The music’s about to begin. Mom, John’s ready to escort you to your pew.” Then Jenna disappeared and Maureen slipped out the door.
Francesca took a deep breath, looked at her bridesmaids and then said, “Let’s do this.”
The music began playing as Grady’s mother was escorted by John to the front of the church.
Patrick was waiting for Francesca and offered her his arm. “I’m honored that you asked me to walk you down the aisle. You know that, don’t you?”
She nodded and tucked her hand around his elbow.
Emily began the procession and Gina followed. Tessa, Francesca’s matron of honor, went last.
And then it was Francesca’s turn.
Patrick guided her with an easy stride that enabled her to see the smiles on their guests’ faces. There was Vince, with Natalie and Sean, Jared with his and Emily’s twin daughters, Amy and Courtney. Liam, who had been one of the groomsmen, gave her a quick salute with a grin. He visited her and Grady at the ranch often and they were becoming friends. He’d kept his promise and given her a few riding lessons. John and Jenna, along with Laurie and Mark, sat with their children.
For a moment Francesca panicked. Where was Joshua?
But then she heard her name and she looked straight ahead. Grady was standing at the altar, their baby in his arms.
“That’s my boy,” Patrick said proudly.
“That’s my husband-to-be,” Francesca murmured back.
When they reached the altar, Grady handed Joshua to his father. Patrick kissed Francesca on the cheek, and then went to the first pew to stand beside his wife.
Grady, in a black Western-cut tuxedo and without his Stetson, took her hand in his. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered back. “I’m afraid if I blink, you’ll disappear.”
“Go ahead and blink. I’m not going anywhere.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-3919-1
BABY BY SURPRISE
Copyright © 2009 by Karen Rose Smith
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~Logan’s Legacy
†Montana Mavericks: Gold Rush Grooms
*Baby Bonds
*Baby Bonds
*Baby Bonds
††Talk of the Neighborhood
‡‡Logan’s Legacy Revisited
**Dads in Progress
°The Wilder Family
**Dads in Progress
**Dads in Progress
§The Baby Experts
§The Baby Experts
¤The Foleys and the McCords
§The Baby Experts
Baby by Surprise Page 17