Bewitched (Coronado Series Book 6)

by Lea Hart

  “Slim is still a chance, and sometimes that’s all it takes,” Mark responded quietly.

  Laird made his way over, sat down next to Blake, and grinned. “I worked on that information you were interested in, and I got lucky.”

  Chris snorted. “There’s no such thing as luck when it comes to your skills.”

  Travis leaned forward. “Did you know that he had a box full of intel on Lexi before they even had a date?”

  Laird flipped him off. “Why do you always bring that up?”

  “Go ahead. Tell the group what grade Lexi got in her algebra class freshman year,” Travis responded.

  Lexi stood, rocked Bella back and forth in her arms, and gave the group a disapproving look. “You leave my husband alone. I think it’s sweet that he was so interested in me.”

  “In a total stalker kind of way,” Mark said under his breath.

  “If you all are done, I have some intel for Blake,” Laird said loudly.

  “Go ahead, man. Ignore the animals,” Blake replied.

  “Paige is living in Dallas and has been there since December. The Foreign Service directory has her listed as nonactive, which means she probably took a leave of absence or quit. I’ll send the intel file I put together when we get home tonight. I looked up her current address and she lives not far from her parents’ house. It seems that her family all live within a twenty-mile radius. Did you know that she has four sisters?”

  “Had no idea,” he mumbled. Before he could say more, the owner announced the start of the fight.

  Laird stood and slapped him on the back. “Call me after you read it and let me know if you have any questions.”

  The lights went down, and music started blaring in the gym as the fighters were announced. Blake could only think of one question: Why hadn’t she called him? Well, it seemed his stop in Dallas was going to answer that. One way or another, he would know if they had anything.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Saturday, March 8

  Dallas

  Paige sat in the front seat of her sister Patricia’s car and looked out the window as she listened to her other sisters, Penny and Peyton, discuss the merits of Phoebe attending law school. They were on their way to Burlson to have lunch at Babe’s Chicken Dinner House and discuss Paige’s plan for impending motherhood. It had been a tradition for the sisters to get out of town when discussing anything of significance. Somehow escaping the city limits gave them the illusion that their mama wasn’t breathing down their necks.

  Not that Faye Bennett was a meddlesome mom; she was just opinionated. And when Paige broke the news that she was pregnant, her mama was going to have a lot of opinions. The first was that she had to let the father know, which, of course, was the right thing to do. It just wasn’t something she wanted to do anytime soon. After the baby was born seemed like a good time. After all, there wasn’t anything he could do while she was pregnant. Also, she had no way of getting ahold of him. It wasn’t like there was some 1-800-Find-A-SEAL number she could call.

  She was only twelve weeks pregnant, so there was nothing but time. And if she was being completely honest, she didn’t really want to talk to him. What would she say? Hi, you rescued me from terrorists in Jordan and then we slept together and then you left in the middle of the night without so much as “thanks”? Not that she was mad or anything. But still…it was going to be awkward. The chances of him remembering her were slim, and she had no desire to refresh his memory. He probably saved several people a week and God knows how many he slept with. As far as she could tell, she was just one of many.

  Patricia put her hand on her arm and gave her a smile. “How you doing?”

  “Good. The nausea comes and goes, but the desire to sleep is constant.”

  Patricia laughed as she pulled off the highway into Burlson. “You know this is the easy part, right?” Flicking her blinker on, she turned onto the main road that would lead them to some of the best fried chicken in all of Texas. “I love all three of my children with every fiber of my being, but looking back, I realize being pregnant was the easiest part of motherhood.”

  “Thanks for the pep talk, sis. You’re a real ray of sunshine,” Paige said as her sister pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant.

  “I do what I can.” She pulled down the mirror and checked her lipstick. “Let’s go feed that baby of yours and show her what good fried chicken tastes like.”

  Paige swept her hair over her shoulder and laughed. “I haven’t found out if it’s a boy or a girl, so don’t jinx me.”

  “The Bennett women seem to find men who will give them only girls, so I’m placing my bet on your sweet baby adding to the tribe.”

  The sisters piled out of the car and walked toward the restaurant. Paige appreciated that she had the support of her sisters. Her mama and daddy would be pleased, too. It just might take them a while. It wasn’t being unmarried that would bother them. It would be the fact that she was doing it alone. They wanted their girls to be happy, and they probably couldn’t imagine that raising a baby alone would make Paige a lot happier than being in a relationship with someone she didn’t love.

  ***

  The table groaned with food, and Paige was as delighted as could be. There was a large platter of fried chicken, another plate of fried catfish, and bowls brimming with sides. Paige filled her plate with some of almost everything and then decided to add a biscuit. Looking up, she caught her sisters staring at her. “What? I’m eating for two, so I figure the next twenty-eight weeks are all about eating double.”

  Patricia and Penny glanced at one another and grinned. They were the two who had kids, so it seemed they had something to say. “Spit it out, you two.”

  Penny, the sassiest of all the sisters, shook her head. “Just remember, whatever weight you gain, you’re going to have to lose. The baby will weigh around eight or ten pounds, so don’t fool yourself.”

  Lifting a biscuit, Paige poured honey on it and took a big bite. When she was done, she smiled at the group. “Doesn’t bother me a bit. I plan on enjoying this, so if you value your life, don’t get between me and my plate.” The group erupted into laughter and Paige didn’t pay them any mind. There was a plate of fried chicken in front of her and she was going to enjoy it. Waving her fork at the group, she added, “Better be careful. I might not leave any for you all.”

  An hour later the women leaned back in their chairs and looked at the empty plates. Peyton took her phone out and snapped a quick picture. “This is something we should remember. We ordered enough food for ten people, and the five of us practically licked the plates clean.”

  “Pie,” Paige said as she rubbed her stomach. “We haven’t had dessert.”

  Phoebe, the youngest of them all, leaned over in her chair and rested her head on Paige’s lap. “I’ll grab a quick nap. Then I’ll be ready for pie.”

  Paige swept the hair off her sister’s face and patted her gently. “Go ahead, Phoebs.”

  Peyton tapped her spoon on the table and waited until everyone looked her way. “Let’s start the Bennett sister meeting before any more of us fall into a fried chicken coma.”

  “I have decided to tell Mama and Daddy next Sunday at dinner,” Paige said. “I figure if I hold out for very much longer, then it will just blow up in my face.”

  “What are you going to do about the baby daddy?” Penny asked.

  “I’ll try to find him after the baby is born. I Googled him after my appointment the other day, and there is no information listed for Blake Carmichael in San Diego or Virginia. Those are the two places that SEALs are stationed.”

  “How hard did you look?” Peyton asked.

  “I entered his name into Google and found nothing.”

  “We can use Daddy’s contacts and find him,” Patricia added.

  “No, thank you,” Paige replied quickly.

  “Hey, what about your friend Ivy from college? You said she’s engaged to a SEAL. He could get you some contact information.”

>   “I thought of that, but I’m going to wait until the baby is born. He’s probably deployed and there’s nothing he can do.”

  “This is a problem that can be solved with one telephone call,” Patricia said.

  “And I will solve it when the time is right,” Paige said. “Right now, I just want to relax and grow this baby without stressing over Blake and his reaction. I’m sure he doesn’t even remember me.”

  “But you said the sex was super-amazing and mind-blowing. Don’t you think he would remember that?” Phoebe asked as she lay in her sister’s lap.

  “It was for me because I hadn’t had sex in a long time. It was probably just regular, boring sex for him. I’m sure it didn’t even show up as a blip on his radar.”

  “Super-amazing, mind-blowing sex only happens when both people are enjoying it equally,” Penny added. “Maybe you rocked his world.”

  “Which was why he left in the middle of the night without saying a word,” Paige responded. “The man saved my life and I can’t be more grateful. He also gave me one night of amazing pleasure as a bonus. The fact that we made a baby is the cherry on the sundae. It’s not how I would’ve planned it, but God did. So, I’m accepting this blessing and moving forward.”

  Peyton pointed her spoon at the necklace Paige wore. “He also gave you a necklace with a heart on it and said you would always have a part of him no matter where you were. Seems he was right.”

  Rubbing her stomach, she felt a twinge. “Words don’t mean a thing if actions don’t support them.”

  “So, what kind of job are you going to look for after the baby’s born?” Penny asked.

  “I may take the first year off. I’ve saved a ton of money over the last five years. I had a good salary, and I also received a hazardous duty bonus for three of my postings.”

  “How long have you known you were pregnant?” Patricia asked.

  “Officially, a couple of days. But I’ve suspected it for a month. I guess I was just mentally getting myself ready. I’m still shocked, but I’m starting to wrap my head around it. You all know I love to plan, so once I have one, I’ll feel a lot better. Grammy said she wanted to move in and take care of me, which is sweet. Impossible, but sweet.”

  “I’ll come stay with you,” Phoebe added. “I can babysit when I’m not in class.”

  Leaning down, she kissed her sister’s cheek. “Thank you.” Looking around the table, she gave each one of her sisters a smile. “I’m going to count on all of you to guide me through this.”

  Peyton stood and then grabbed her wallet. “I’ll start by getting us some pie. Once we have that, we can start to plan.”

  Paige looked at her sister Penny and wondered what she was thinking. “Just ask already.”

  “Is Blake good-looking?”

  “Devastatingly so. He’s around six-three or six-four with a body that would make Adonis jealous. He had a full beard, but I could tell he had a good jaw, and his nose was probably broken a couple of times. His eyes are a delicious chocolate brown and his smile should be illegal. Other than that, he’s okay.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to give him a call? If nothing else, you can have some great sex for the next couple of months,” Penny said.

  “Yeah, that’s a good idea. That conversation should go real well. I’m sure a man like him would love to come to Texas and have relations with a pregnant woman. I mean…that’s a damn good offer.”

  Before Peyton left to get pie, she laughed. “He’s the one that knocked you up. The least he can do is make sure you have some orgasms.”

  The table erupted in laughter and Paige wiped her eyes. What her sister said had some merit, but it wasn’t going to happen. At the rate she was going, she was going to keep her perfect record of sex every two years. Looking down at her stomach, she realized that might be optimistic. Oh, well, they were bigger fish to fry, and worrying about her sex life didn’t even merit a second thought. The baby she was growing was all that mattered.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Saturday, April 8

  Dallas

  Blake sat in his rental car and looked at the small house Paige lived in. It was a well-kept ranch house that looked like it had been built in the sixties. The yard was neat, and flowers bordered a walkway that led to a bright red door. The battle of whether he should call or not had been raging in his head for the last month. Once Laird had given him her details, he had no excuse not to make contact. Except the twenty or so excuses that he’d been feeding himself daily. Truth be told, he didn’t want to face rejection. She had his telephone number and never once used it, so the possibility of her not being interested was strong.

  Then why was he sitting here in front of her house like a creeper? Because he couldn’t let it go. One face-to-face conversation and he would have his answer. It was ten on a Saturday morning and there was a blue Prius parked in the driveway, so he was about to know one way or another.

  Unfolding himself from the car, he ran his hand through his hair and squared his shoulders. He was a lieutenant commander in the US Navy. He could handle one small woman. Striding quickly, he was at her front door and pressing the doorbell before thirty seconds passed. Inhaling the warm scent of grass and flowers, he told himself it was all going to work out.

  The door opened and Paige stood before him in pink pajamas with braids in her hair. Her mouth opened and no sound came out.

  “Hi, Paige. I was in town, so I thought I’d stop by and catch up.”

  Nothing. No response.

  Until her hand flew to her mouth and she screamed and slammed the front door.

  “Not exactly what I was expecting,” he muttered to himself. He knocked on the door gently and called out, “Paige, is everything all right?” Several moments passed and then the door opened. “Hi,” he said.

  “How did you find me? What are you doing here? Did Ryan call you and tell you to come, or maybe it was my daddy? How did you find out?”

  Putting his hand on her shoulder, he gave her a small smile. “Breathe, honey.”

  “Oh, my goodness, why are you here?”

  “If you let me in, I’m sure I can answer all your questions.” Waiting a beat, he watched her step back and open the door wider. He walked into the house and waited. “It’s good to see you.” Stepping forward, he opened his arms and enveloped her in a hug. “I’ve thought about…” When her body was pressed against his, he felt something that stopped his heart. What the hell? Releasing her, he bent over, lifted her pajama top, and saw a small baby bump. Or what he assumed was a baby bump. It sure as shit wasn’t from cake.

  For a second, he was outside his body. Lifting his hand, he placed it on her warm skin and noticed it felt as tight as a drum. “We made this?”

  “Seems so.” Shrugging, she smiled faintly. “I thought you somehow found out and that’s why you’re here.”

  “I just wanted to see you and you never called me, so I figured an in-person visit was the only answer.”

  She stepped away and dropped her top. “What do you mean, call you? How would I do that if I didn’t have your number?” Sliding her hands over her stomach, she looked at the ground. “You left in the middle of the night without saying anything.”

  A red-hot streak of anger slid down his spine as he scrubbed his face. “I wrote you a note and gave you my phone number. I got a call for wheels up, so I had to leave immediately.”

  “There was no note. Maybe you’re confusing me with someone else. Someone you wanted to keep in touch with.” Spinning around, she walked out of the room.

  Counting to ten, he tried to get his brain to function. In the last ninety seconds, he’d found out he was going to be a father and the woman who’d been on his mind almost constantly was accusing him of lying.

  After he felt like he was reasonably under control, he followed Paige and discovered her in the kitchen. “I am not confused. I wrote a note and left it next to the bed.”

  Leveling him with a less than friendly glare, she snorted
. “There was no note. If you really wanted to stay in touch, you would’ve made sure you had my number.”

  “Maybe the wind blew it under the bed or something. As I remember, your windows were open, so it’s possible.”

  “Maybe, but I doubt it.” Flipping her hand in dismissal, she frowned. “How can you remember that? It was months ago.” Narrowing her eyes, she frowned. “Sixteen weeks, to be exact.”

  Moving around the island, he lifted her chin so she would look at him. “I remember every detail of that night.” Slowly, he bent over and pressed his mouth to hers. The moment their lips touched, he knew he’d been right all along. They had something…sparks, electricity, chemistry…and a BABY! Holy shit.

  Releasing her mouth, he grinned. “Seems we have some catching up to do.”

  She straightened her top and shrugged. “I guess so. How about if I go change, and then I’ll make us something to eat.”

  “Perfect,” he responded.

  “Help yourself to coffee. There should be plenty left. I’m only allowed one cup, so I always have some left over. The cups are in the cupboard above the coffee maker.”

  “Thanks, honey.” He watched her walk out of the kitchen and realized her figure had blossomed. Was it weird to find a pregnant woman sexy? Probably not if you were the one who knocked her up. Leaning back, he took a deep breath as desire raged through his body. God damn, he wanted to take her clothes off and see what they had made. Perv, that’s what he was.

  Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he glanced around the room and saw a stack of books on the small table next to the window. He sat down on a bench against one wall and glanced through the stack. There were two about pregnancy and three about children’s development.

  Resting his hand on the stack, he began to process the fact he was going to be a daddy. His brain felt like it was tripping over itself trying to figure out what it all meant. The first thing it came up with was that he and Paige were going to be in one another’s lives forever.