by Liz Isaacson
The shower connected to the bedroom was already running, which meant Skyler couldn’t sleep. Mal knew how he felt, and it wasn’t even her brother going in for surgery. She wondered what her brothers were doing, and she determined to call them later to find out what was going on south of the border.
She got up at the same time the shower turned off, and her heartbeat accelerated. She and Skyler had consummated their marriage on Saturday—and yesterday morning, and last night, though she’d been worried about Marcy and Wyatt now being home. She wasn’t sure why that had bothered her; she’d never heard a peep from downstairs once they’d come up to their bedroom.
She waited until Skyler stood in front of the mirror, a towel around his waist, and started shaving before she went into the bathroom. Their eyes met, and he paused to smile at her. “Morning, peaches.”
She shook her head though a smile crept across her face too. He’d started calling her peaches after returning from the bakery with Heidi Ackerman’s phone number. “And I gave her your number too,” he said, absolutely giddy. “She loved the empanadas, baby.”
Mal was glad he’d taken the initiative, because she knew she never would have. And she did want the job at the bakery. Heidi hadn’t called on Saturday or Sunday, and Mal had already decided that she’d find a time to talk to Heidi that day, hopefully after they got Wyatt back into surgery.
By the time she came out of the bathroom, Skyler was in the bedroom. “I’m gonna go start breakfast,” he said, leaning back into the bathroom to kiss her. Though he was on his way out, he still took the time to tell her he loved her without words, and Mal sure did like that.
“We leave in an hour,” he said when he pulled back, and Mal nodded. He left, and Mal finished getting ready, finally going downstairs to discover she was the last one to arrive. The tension in the house was palpable, though both Marcy and Wyatt smiled at her and said good morning.
Wyatt was very good at making coffee, and Skyler said, “Wyatt made the coffee, baby. We heated up your cinnamon rolls from yesterday.”
“I see that,” she said. “I’m glad. They’re not too stale?”
“Wyatt has a trick where he puts a whole stick of butter on them and puts them in the microwave.” Skyler grinned at his brother, and Wyatt chuckled as he shook his head.
“It’s not a whole stick of butter.”
“Marcy?” Skyler asked.
“It was a whole stick,” she said. “Sorry, sugar, but it was.”
“And it’s good,” Skyler said.
“Wish I could have some,” Wyatt said.
“I’ll make you whatever you want after the surgery,” Mal said. “We’re doing meatloaf the first night you’re home, right?”
“Yes, please,” Wyatt said.
“He won’t make it on hospital food,” Marcy said.
“We’ll sneak him something in,” Skyler said.
“No,” Marcy said. “Not if we want him to heal right.”
“Marce, a hamburger instead of a disgusting muffuletta sandwich isn’t going to matter,” Wyatt said, exchanging a glance with Skyler. The brothers would definitely sneak whatever they had to sneak, and Mal poured herself a cup of coffee and added cream and sugar to it. She too ate a buttery cinnamon roll, and it was good with all that extra fat.
Soon enough, they arrived at the hospital—and they weren’t the first ones there. Rhett, Liam, and Tripp all stood the moment Wyatt went through the door, and a major hugging and well-wishing episode ensued. Before that had finished, Jeremiah and his family arrived, with Penny and Gideon.
Penny had a pan of breakfast casserole with her, and Mal was impressed as she started serving it to everyone in the waiting room in paper cups with plastic forks in them. Mal glanced around as if someone would come over and tell her she couldn’t host a family breakfast in the waiting room at the hospital. No one did, but Mal really wanted to see what Penny Walker would do if they did.
She accepted her cup of eggs and sausage, with a layer of cheese and breadcrumbs on top, the scent of it making her stomach roar as if she hadn’t eaten in days. The food was hot, surprisingly, and Mal took a bite.
“This is good,” she said.
“It’s my grandmother’s recipe,” Skyler said. “Momma made it on Christmas morning growing up.” He finished his cup and went to get more. Micah arrived alone, and he hugged Wyatt and got his breakfast all within a few minutes.
Wyatt was unusually quiet, but that didn’t mean the rest of the Walker family was. Mal thrived on their energy, and she missed her big, loud family so keenly when she was with Skyler’s. She realized as she watched Penny get around to talk with every person that she loved this family.
She reached for Skyler’s hand and squeezed his fingers. He looked at her with questions in her eyes, but she just smiled at him.
“Wyatt Walker?” a nurse asked, arriving in the waiting area with a clipboard.
The whole family stood, including Wyatt, and the nurse looked like someone had thrown ice water in her face. Mal knew the feeling, because she’d experienced the same stunned, incredulous feeling the first time she’d met the whole Walker clan.
“I’m Wyatt,” he said, moving through the crowd.
“We’re ready for you,” she said, still glancing around at the others. “You’ll be able to bring one person back with you who can stay while you change and the doctor goes over a few things. You’ll have to go into the operating room with just me, I’m afraid.” She smiled at Wyatt, who gave her a mega-watt smile in return.
“Oh,” she said. “You’re the Wyatt Walker.”
“That’s right, ma’am,” he said instead of denying it. “You’re my date for the operating room today?”
“That’s right.” She beamed at him like they really would be going on a date. “I’m Stacey, and you’ll be in great hands with me. Who’s coming back with you?”
Marcy stepped to Wyatt’s side, and they locked hands.
“Give everyone another hug,” Stacey said. “And we’ll head back.”
That got everyone moving again, and all the in-laws and the Walkers hugged both Marcy and Wyatt. When it was Mal’s turn, she held Marcy tight and said, “You’re awesome, Marcy. You’ve got this.”
Their eyes met, and Mal felt a connection to the blonde that made her feel like a genuine part of the family. She hugged Wyatt quickly, all the embracing finished, and he and Marcy followed Stacey through the doors.
The group seemed to take a visible breath, and then Gideon turned toward everyone. “I’d like to have a family prayer for Wyatt.”
Everyone stepped in together automatically, as if they’d practiced the move in the past. Skyler made room for Mal in front of him, and everyone joined hands and bowed their heads. Gideon acted as voice, and he prayed with all the tenderness and heartfelt love a father could have for his son.
“Bless him, Dear Lord,” he said, his voice tight. “Bless Marcy that she’ll be strong, and bless Skyler and Mal as they assist with Wyatt’s recovery that they’ll have the patience and kindness needed to deal with him.”
He continued to ask for health and safety for everyone else, and the prayer ended. Mal lifted her head and started to step back, but everyone stayed in the tighter circle, just breathing together. Rhett finally said, “All right, guys. We don’t all need to stay here.”
“I’m staying until Marcy comes out,” Penny said. “And probably for a while with her.”
“I have a shift paper here,” Evelyn said, stepping into the middle of the circle. “Everyone can take a turn until Wyatt’s out of surgery.”
Mal didn’t know she’d need to abide by a schedule, but no one said anything as they took the half-sheet with the schedule on it. Mal found her and Skyler near the end of the rotation, because they’d be staying after that to see how the surgery went, get instructions for after-care, and move with Wyatt to his recovery room.
In fact, next to Skyler’s name, instructions detailed that he should text everyone what ro
om Wyatt was in and a complete update. He said nothing as he looked at the paper, and the group finally broke up.
Penny and Gideon sat back down, and Jeremiah took the casserole pan and his family and left. Rhett and Evelyn wandered out too, as did Liam, Callie, and their girls. Tripp stuck around for a bit, and Skyler sat next to one of the twins.
Marcy came out about a half an hour later, and she hugged Penny tightly as tears streamed down her face.
“Now don’t you worry so,” Penny said, stroking her hair. “He’s done this before, and he’s going to be fine. I just know it.”
Marcy nodded, stepped back, and wiped her face. “I broke up with him before last time,” she said. “I didn’t know what it would be like, watching them take him back. He looked so small in that bed.”
“Wyatt is not small,” Penny said. “Are you sure?” She gave a light laugh, but she did not let go of Marcy’s hand. “Now, what do you need?”
“I’m thirsty,” Marcy admitted, and Gideon got to his feet.
“Diet Coke?”
“Just water, please,” she said. “The baby doesn’t like cola.”
“Okay,” Gideon said, taking one step away.
“Baby?” Penny said, her voice mostly made of air.
Marcy sucked in a breath, and Mal suddenly knew what she and Wyatt were hiding in that first bedroom at the top of the steps.
“Oh, no,” Marcy said. “Wyatt’s going to be so mad at me.” She put one hand on her stomach, which wasn’t showing a baby bump at all.
“You’re having a baby?” Penny took Marcy’s face in both of her hands and wept. Marcy did too, and it was clear these two women had a special relationship Mal couldn’t even begin to understand. A relationship between a mother and daughter, though they weren’t blood relatives. A relationship Mal wanted with every fiber of her whole soul.
In fact, she found her own tears filling her eyes as she watched and listened to Marcy swear them all to secrecy and say she was due at the end of July or beginning of August. “Wyatt will still want to do a big announcement,” she said. “I promised him we could do it after the surgery at our place.” She looked around at Skyler and Mal, Tripp and Ivory, and Gideon and Penny. “So act surprised when he invites you, okay?”
“I’ll be so surprised,” Skyler said, grinning. He got up and hugged Marcy, said something to her, and added, “I’m going for drinks. Who else wants something?”
“I’ll walk with you,” Mal said.
“Ollie will want chocolate milk,” Ivory said, glancing over to where her son played with a toy several years too young for him. But his baby brother seemed to be enjoying it, and Mal liked watching the two of them. The rest of the drink orders were put in, and Skyler and Mal left with Gideon to go find something to drink.
Before they reached a vending machine or the cafeteria, Mal’s phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, but it had a Texas area code, so she answered it.
“Is this Mallery Walker?” a woman asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” she said, the last name still a bit foreign to her.
“It’s Heidi Ackerman, dear. I met your husband on Saturday, and your peach empanadas were a huge hit. I’m wondering when you’d like to come into the bakery and talk.”
She glanced at Skyler. “I think tomorrow would be best, ma’am. We’re kind of tied up at the hospital today.”
“Of course,” Heidi said. “I’ll bring dinner up to your place for y’all tonight.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” Mal said.
“It sure isn’t. You’re staying with Wyatt and Marcy up at Church Ranches, right?”
“That’s right,” Mal said, realizing there was no denying Heidi Ackerman. And she liked that.
“Great. I’ll just bring something you can heat up easily. You’ll be able to keep all the containers and all that.”
“Okay,” Mal said. “Thank you, Heidi. What time should I come by tomorrow?”
“Oh, whenever works for you,” she said. “I’ll be there in the morning, and I usually leave for a few hours in the middle of the day and come back in the afternoon.”
“Okay,” Mal said, trying to decide what time would be best. “Mornings seem like they’d be busier, so I’ll come in the afternoon.”
“Okay, see you then.” Heidi ended the call, and Mal smiled as she stuck her phone in her back pocket. “That was Heidi,” she told Skyler. “She’s bringing us dinner tonight, and I’m going to go see her tomorrow afternoon.”
“That’s great,” he said.
“What are you doing with Heidi?” Gideon asked.
“I think I’m going to work at the bakery,” Mal said, and she couldn’t believe it. Joy chased the disbelief, making her heart light and her soul rejoice. She’d spoken true when she’d said her life was completely different than it had been only three months ago. So different she didn’t even recognize it.
She let Skyler buy her a soda, and she carried it and Marcy’s water and Oliver’s chocolate milk back to the waiting room. After all the drinks had been handed out, she said, “I’m going to go call my sister,” and she excused herself to make the call.
She ducked around the corner and pressed her back into the brick, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Things with Skyler had evened out, though she’d been shocked to find out he owned the building where they’d been living. She wasn’t sure what else she’d learn about him, but she didn’t believe he deliberately kept secrets from her.
He just didn’t even think to tell her. The things in his life were second-nature to him, and Mal realized the man didn’t have a deceptive bone in his body. He had some trust issues, yes. He’d gone to a counselor to get some help with his irritation.
“But he only went that one time,” she whispered to herself. He hadn’t said much about it either. Mal hadn’t wanted to pry, but she wondered if, as his wife, she had prying privileges.
Sighing, she took out her phone and dialed her sister. It was time to tell her family she was married, and she hoped she’d be able to get the words out without too much backlash from Julia.
Chapter Eighteen
Skyler waited in the truck for fifteen minutes before Mal came hustling around the back of the house and got in the passenger seat.
“Sorry,” she said. “Your mother asks a lot of questions.”
He chuckled and put the truck in reverse. “She sure does.” Momma had come up to Wyatt’s house for the morning, claiming she missed seeing Wyatt recover last time, and she wanted to help as much as she could.
A month had passed since Wyatt’s surgery, and those first few days home from the hospital had nearly sent Skyler back to Amarillo. Daddy’s prayer about treating Wyatt with kindness had come in handy, as Skyler had uttered it a few times himself.
Wyatt was a good man, and he was generally jovial and fun-loving and kind. But he’d been in terrible pain for a few days there, and he hadn’t left his bed for more than the walks Skyler forced on him for five solid days.
He’d been getting better with every passing day now, and he walked around the neighborhood with Skyler and Mal in the morning, and they left him to make breakfast and soak in the hot tub while they ran.
At least on days Mal wasn’t working at the bakery. She worked four mornings a week now, going into work while the sun was still asleep, and coming home by ten or eleven in the morning. She wore a smile almost all the time now, and Skyler loved kissing her curved lips, watching TV with her in the upstairs loft after Marcy and Wyatt went to bed, and making love to her in the bedroom down the hall.
Micah had been working on the blueprints for the second homestead at Seven Sons, but Skyler was still waiting for a date for the groundbreaking.
“What was Momma wanting to know?” Skyler asked.
“Oh, you know.” Mal grinned and shook her head. “Stuff that’s impossible for me to answer.”
Over the past few weeks, Mal had been spending more time with Marcy and Momma, and Skyler liked that she’d found
some friends in Three Rivers, even if they were family members.
“Like what?” Skyler pressed.
“If we’re going to have kids,” Mal said, looking over at him.
“Oh, well, yeah.” Skyler shifted in his seat. “I guess we’ve never really talked about that.”
“It’s not like we’re preventing it,” Mal said, matter-of-factly. “So I told her I could be pregnant at any time.”
Shock moved through Skyler. “You told her that?”
“She seemed delighted,” Mal said.
“Would you be?” he asked. “Delighted if you got pregnant?”
Mal’s gaze on the side of his face was plenty heavy, but Skyler focused on the winding road that went down toward town. Even when it straightened, he kept watching the dark grey rope of cement in front of him.
“Would you be delighted?” Mal asked instead of answering the question.
Skyler felt like he’d just walked out onto thin ice. He was sleeping with his wife, and he sure did like that. He loved Mal. And he’d always wanted kids. So what was he afraid of?
“Yes,” he said. “I think I’d be delighted to find out you were pregnant.” He looked at her. “Are you?”
“No,” she said, looking out her window. “I think we should start with this puppy and see how we do.”
“You don’t think you’ll be a good mom?”
“I think…I’ve taken care of myself—and only myself—for a long time,” she said. “It was a little hard to let you into my personal routines.”
Relief flooded Skyler. “Me too,” he said. “But you’re happy, right?”
“Yeah,” she said. “I’m happy. I don’t want to be your wanna-be wife. I want to be your real wife.” She coughed, and Skyler’s heartbeat leaped.
He pulled to the side of the road and stopped, reaching for Mal in the next moment. He kissed her, letting some of his unbridled passion come through in the kiss. Mal didn’t seem to mind, and he pulled away once he’d gotten control of himself. “I want that, too.”
“All right,” Mal said. “Let’s go get this dog and see how we do.”