Cricket Cove

by Haddix, T. L.

  “Sawyer.” Rick greeted him from up the table. Burke also nodded, and Sawyer nodded back. The fact that he was out of uniform gave her hope.

  “I apologize for disturbing you folks.” He blinked when he saw Logan’s hat, and Amelia thought she saw his lips twitch, but he conquered his amusement quickly.

  Sarah waved the words away. “Don’t apologize. Please tell us you have good news.”

  “I do. He won’t be pressing any charges, and there won’t be a grand jury. You are free and clear,” he told Amelia. “He’s considering it justified self-defense and closing the case.”

  The wave of relief that swept through her made her weak, and she leaned against Logan. “Oh, thank God.”

  Similar expressions were being made all around the table, and the mood in the room went from tense to exuberant. Even Sawyer relented enough to smile a little.

  “I’ll head out. I won’t intrude any further. I just know you’ve been worried, and I wanted to tell you as soon as I could.”

  Owen shook his hand. “You should stay, have some food.”

  Sawyer hesitated. “No, this is a family gathering. I appreciate the offer, though.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud. You’re going to pass up a home-cooked meal and go home and nuke a TV dinner, if I know you,” Rick said.

  “Then you definitely need to stay, young man,” Sarah said as she stood. “I’ll get a plate and some silverware. Rachel, scoot down and make room.”

  Everyone along the opposite side of the table scooted, and even Rachel didn’t look too unhappy about having him join them. Amelia was too overwhelmed to say much, but she smiled at him across the table.

  Sarah made sure he had a full plate, and from the way she was mothering him, Amelia wondered if Sarah was thinking about what Rick had told them about the young trooper. His story reminded her of Archer’s—bad divorce, no close family, relocation to a strange town where he didn’t know many people. Though he’d been in Perry County for a couple of years now, Rick said he didn’t seem to socialize much.

  Now that the possibility of charges had been done away with, she’d have to see about adding him to the family at least for significant events. Especially if she was right about his chemistry with Rachel.

  “I have to say this is the best birthday I believe I’ve ever had,” Logan said a little while later. He sent Amelia a private look, and she felt her cheeks heat. It was so far beyond her expectations, being loved. And she knew the look didn’t necessarily mean he wanted to get his hands on her, but that he was looking forward to being alone with her. It was an intimacy she’d only ever dreamed about having, and something she’d never expected to find.

  Dusk had fallen when they walked back down the mountain to her trailer. Logan stopped her in the tree line, wrapping his arms around her waist and putting his back against a wide poplar tree.

  “I’m relieved that we won’t have to worry about conjugal visits,” he confessed. “Though I would have done it if that’s what it took.”

  Amelia ran her hands up under his shirt, letting her palms rest against the skin of his abdomen. “I’m also relieved. I’m still afraid I’m going to wake up and all this will have been a dream.”

  “No. It isn’t a dream. It’s better than a dream.” He touched her cheek. “I can’t promise you things will always be smooth. I’ve got some rough spots I need to work on.”

  She traced the rim of his belly button, making his stomach jump. “So do I, but there’s no one else I’d like to go through the rough spots with.” She laughed. “How romantic is that?”

  “Honestly? It’s reassuring. And as wonderful as flowers and chocolates are, it’s nice to know we’re going into this with our eyes as wide open as possible. I watched my parents struggle with the illusion they both seemed to have about marriage, and I don’t want that. I’d rather go in practical and sprinkle it with romance, if that makes any sense. Not that I have anything against romance.”

  Amelia shook her head. “I know exactly what you mean. And I’ve not spent the last few weeks in your presence because you’re practical all the time. There’s plenty romance in your soul, Logan Gibson. I think I bring it out in you.”

  He smiled. “Your mom said something a few weeks ago about how we balance each other out.”

  “She’s right. We do.” Amelia stepped closer, letting him tuck her into his arms more securely. She let out a long sigh. “I love you.”

  “I know. And I love you. Do you know, it doesn’t scare me in the least to say that anymore?” he whispered.

  She accepted his passionate kiss. “Do you know, it doesn’t scare me, either?”

  As they went inside, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders. The path to the present hadn’t been an easy one, but it most certainly had been worth it.

  Chapter Fifty

  As she sat across from her doctor, Amelia knew her mouth was hanging open. But she couldn’t get her head around what he’d just told her.

  “What did you say?” she asked in a whisper, her heart sinking.

  “I said you’re pregnant. About six weeks, according to the blood work. Amelia, I’m so sorry.”

  She sank back into her chair, needing its support. This couldn’t be happening. At one o’clock tomorrow afternoon, she was slated to say her vows to Logan, to promise to spend the rest of her life loving him and being loved by him. But this changed everything, she was afraid.

  “How?”

  Her doctor’s mouth grew pinched. “One of our former nurses… Several months back, she ‘got religion,’ and unfortunately, she took it upon herself to decide which of our patients were entitled to birth control and which were not. She saw by your chart that you were unmarried, and so when you came in for your shot in December, instead of administering your birth control, she gave you a placebo. We just learned about this and we’ve put new rules in place to ensure this doesn’t happen in the future. And the practice will be making reparation to any affected patient.”

  “That doesn’t help me now, does it?” Amelia was struggling to hold on to her anger, her fear, but both were quickly rising and she knew they’d erupt if she wasn’t very, very careful.

  “You do have some options. There’s adoption, termination—”

  She shot up from her chair. “No. No, that’s not an option. Don’t even suggest it. I have to go.” She grabbed her coat and purse from the adjacent chair and hurried from his office, ignoring his pleas for her to return. She’d heard enough.

  In the parking lot, she sat in her car for several minutes. She gripped the steering wheel so tightly her hands hurt. All she could think about was how upset Logan would be. He wasn’t ready for fatherhood. Even though they had discussed the subject at length, she knew he needed some time to get his head around the idea. Time that had just been ripped away from them by a self-righteous nurse with a God complex.

  A sob made its way out of her throat, and Amelia started her car. She had to get somewhere safe where she could fall apart. She had to get to Emma. Emma would know what to do.

  As it turned out, Emma wasn’t available.

  “She’s out on a shoot, honey. Come in here and tell me what’s wrong,” Zanny urged.

  Amelia had gotten there just as her sister-in-law was turning the sign to Closed.

  “I don’t want to bother you. Were you getting ready to have lunch?” Amelia hedged.

  Zanny just looked at her. “Sweetie, get in here. I have a sandwich upstairs.” Molly cooed, her voice sounding over the baby monitor on Zanny’s desk.

  When she heard the baby, Amelia broke down, sobbing into her hands. Somehow Zanny managed to get her upstairs and seated on the couch in the small nursery Emma had set up years earlier when Sydney had been a baby. After checking on Molly, Zanny took a seat beside her, handing her a box of tissues. She didn�
��t speak, just waited for Amelia to calm down.

  “I’m pregnant,” she confessed, her voice husky from the tears. “What in the world am I going to do, Zanny?”

  From the sympathetic look on her face, Amelia knew Zanny had immediately understood her concern. She pushed Amelia’s hair back off her face and hugged her. “Well, this does present a hurdle, doesn’t it? What do you want to do?”

  “Y…yes. And I d…don’t know.”

  “Did you just find out?”

  Amelia nodded. “The doctor’s office called me this morning. I had an appointment to go in next week to get my next s…shot. They said they needed to get me in sooner, so I went. I didn’t think much of it when they did the blood test. He always does, just to be safe. But th…then he told me that th…they’d had problems with a nurse.” She told Zanny what he’d said. “How could she do that?” she whispered.

  Zanny was horrified. “Oh, my God. I don’t know. Oh, Amelia. So you aren’t the only one?”

  “I don’t think so, not if what he said is any indication.” Her breath shuddered out of her chest. “How in the world am I going to tell Logan? I can’t expect him to marry me now. He isn’t ready for kids. This is so unfair.”

  Zanny sighed. “Pip, I could say that life isn’t fair, but I think you already know that. I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

  Amelia looked at her, seeing a sadness in Zanny’s eyes that reminded her of just how Zanny had come to marry John. She’d gotten pregnant with Noah, and they’d had to move their schedule up several months. John hadn’t even proposed at the time. That had led to some rough times, even though they’d loved each other deeply.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t want to go through what you and Johnny went through. I need to know he’s choosing to marry me because of me, not because I’m pregnant. And I can’t not tell him. I have to let him know before the wedding. It wouldn’t be fair to go in without disclosing this…” Her voice trailed off as she rested her hands on her belly. “Oh, God.”

  “Your situation is a bit different. You’re getting married tomorrow. That decision has already been made. He wants to marry you because of you. And I’m not offended,” Zanny reassured her. “I understand completely. I just wish I could tell you Logan will be okay with this. He might need some time to adjust, but the man does love you. That is something I have no doubts about whatsoever.”

  Amelia smiled sadly. “I know he does, too. But does he love me enough to become a father before he’s ready?” She let her head fall back to the couch with a sigh as Zanny stood and went to get Molly, who was starting to fuss. “And God help me, I don’t know how I’m going to tell Mom and Daddy. You know Daddy’s sworn since Emma came home that if another of his daughters got pregnant before she was married, he’d escort the father to the church at the end of a barrel and with two black eyes.”

  Zanny changed the baby’s diaper, then handed her to Amelia to hold while she washed her hands and got a bottle ready. “At least your dad won’t need to get the shotgun out,” she teased gently, “what with the preacher already on standby.”

  “Won’t he? Logan could turn tail and run when I tell him. Which I guess I’ll have to do this evening.” Amelia’s bridal shower was scheduled for that evening at the farmhouse, and Logan’s bachelor party was to take place that evening, as well. She didn’t know what Archer and her brothers had planned, but he’d been grinning and rubbing his hands together every time she’d seen him for the past week and a half.

  Molly was almost able to push herself up now, and Amelia touched her curls as she babbled happily. Before long, she would have a child of her own to care for, to love, to protect. The thought was daunting. The realization hit her then, that she was pregnant with Logan’s child. Not that she was pregnant and unmarried, not that the father wasn’t ready, but that she was pregnant with the child of the man she loved.

  When Zanny came back in the small room, bottle in hand, Amelia was crying. This time, her tears were slow, and they were mostly happy. She looked up at Zanny, who was a bit blurry, and grinned. “I’m pregnant. Oh, my.”

  “Oh my, indeed. It will work out, Pip. You just have to believe that.”

  She nodded. “I know. But I’m scared. After everything we’ve been through, I just wanted to have one thing happen that wasn’t complicated, wasn’t stressful.” She held her niece as Molly took the bottle, pressing kisses to her soft curls from time to time. “I guess you get what you get, though.”

  “To some degree, yes. And it will all work out however it’s meant to work out. Hopefully, that’s with you and Logan and a beautiful, healthy baby in a few months. Whatever you need, Pip, you just let me know. I’ll be there, and I know the rest of the family will, too.”

  They would. They’d proven that time and again.

  “I guess we’ll find out soon. Zanny, if you don’t mind, don’t mention this to Emma?”

  “Sure.”

  “I just want to tell everyone after I tell Logan. He needs to hear this first.”

  Zanny smiled. “He does. And I think he’ll surprise you. He might not immediately be excited, but I think he’ll come around.”

  “I sure hope you’re right.”

  Chapter Fifty-One

  When Archer had told him to meet at the farmhouse at six on Friday night, Logan had just raised an eyebrow.

  “You want me to come to my intended’s parents’ house so we can meet to go my bachelor party?” he’d teased.

  Archer had shrugged and grinned. “I’m perverse like that. What can I say?”

  Logan hid his amusement behind a scowl. “Dangerous is what you are.” He had no worries, though. While other men might set up a wild and raucous stag night, Archer had too much respect for Amelia to even entertain the idea of something bawdy. Logan fully expected they would all gather somewhere, eat junk food, smoke cigars, and play poker. And he was fine with that.

  He arrived at the farmhouse a little before six, eager to see Amelia. Her bridal shower was scheduled to start at six thirty, and he wanted to see her for a few minutes before they were separated. He knew he wouldn’t get another chance until he saw her tomorrow when she walked down the aisle to say her vows. Walking into the house, he felt the hum of energy as Rachel and Emma hurried through the hall, prettily wrapped presents in hand.

  Emma smiled at him. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see my bride before you two corrupt her,” he teased.

  “I do not know what you’re talking about,” she said with a wink. “But I’m glad you’re here. She’s nervous tonight, for some reason.”

  Something about her tone cued him in. “Normal nervous or uh-oh nervous?”

  She handed her packages off to Rachel and came to stand beside him. “I don’t know. You two didn’t have a fight, did you?”

  “No. Far from it. You don’t think she’s getting cold feet, do you?”

  When they’d decided to get married less than a month after she’d accepted his proposal, it had raised a few eyebrows. But neither he nor Amelia wanted to wait. They’d both seen how quickly life could change, and they wanted to spend however much time together as they could. She wanted a simple wedding, and he’d happily gone along. It hadn’t taken long to pull a plan together, and Logan was grateful. He was ready to be married.

  Amelia came in just then, followed by Archer and Owen. Archer was teasing her.

  “Now, you’re sure you’re okay with the stripper, Pip? Because I can cancel her. It isn’t too late.”

  She didn’t even crack a smile, her face going carefully blank when she saw Logan standing in the hallway.

  “He’s teasing, sweetheart. You know that, right?” Logan hurried over to her, scowling at his brother. “There won’t be a stripper.”

  Amelia shook her head. “I’m sorry… I can�
�t do this.” Pushing around Logan, she bolted for the door, her face pale, and ran.

  The foyer was so quiet, a pin could have fallen and been heard. If he hadn’t been so concerned about Amelia, Logan would have flattened Archer. From the grimace on his brother’s face, Archer knew that.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  “Stuff it.” Logan didn’t waste time, just followed Amelia. In the fading evening light, he saw her disappearing into the barn. He hurried in that direction, cursing the hip that still protested too-rapid movement. He got there just in time to hear her empty her stomach, and he rushed to the door of the small bathroom Owen had installed.

  “Amelia?”

  “I’m fine,” she told him, her voice rough. “Give me a minute.”

  Logan paced the aisle outside the bathroom, his heart hammering in his chest as he waited for her to come out. When he heard the water running in the sink, he went to the door and tried it. To hell with her privacy, he was terrified.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as he opened the door.

  She paused in the act of splashing her face. “I don’t know. Hand me a washcloth?”

  He went around her and grabbed a clean cloth from the rack over the back of the toilet, then handed it to her without a word. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but she clearly had a “hands off” sign up. So he waited.

  Finally, she straightened. Her cheeks were still pale, and there was a look on her face that reminded Logan of the days following the shooting. She wrung the washcloth out and folded it on the sink, then slowly raised her gaze to meet his in the mirror.

  “Please talk to me.”

  She dropped her eyes. “I don’t know if I can.”

  Her voice was so tight it hurt him to hear it. She looked so scared, so alone, Logan’s heart broke. Moving carefully, he turned her so that she was facing him.