The Anderson Brothers Complete Series

by Kristin Coley

  “I’m talking about your dreams too,” Ford said flatly, finally looking back at me. “Colt is the optimist, always with the rose colored glasses on. But you and I both know that life doesn’t always hand you lemons with the intention of making lemonade.”

  I gave him a nod, glancing over at Colt in the pool. I knew exactly what Ford was saying.

  Ford

  Chapter Thirteen

  It was two weeks before Christmas, and we were slammed with orders. Joe and I worked late every night trying to get them completed in time. It seemed like everyone wanted a new dining room table for their holiday dinner or a new bedroom set as a gift for their wife.

  I glanced over at the clock on the wall and said, “Shit.” Joe looked over at me in question.

  “Hannah has a doctor’s appointment in twenty minutes. I’m supposed to meet her,” I replied, looking down at myself. I had sawdust covering me, and I sniffed my shirt. My head reared back at the stench.

  “Run up to the house, and get a new shirt. Dust your jeans off and go. Your woman would rather you be there, even if you do reek,” Joe told me wisely. I nodded at him and took off for the house.

  I slid into the waiting room with a minute to spare. I glanced around the room trying not to make eye contact with any of the pregnant women in there, except for mine. I saw her wave out of the corner of my eye, and I settled into the seat next to her.

  She wrinkled her nose at me slightly when I sat down. “Sorry, I didn’t have time to shower,” I apologized, grateful we were in the corner.

  “It’s okay. You smell like sweat and sawdust. It’s not bad actually,” she told me with a cute smile.

  “Good to know,” I murmured, giving her a quick once over. “You look flushed. You alright?”

  “Yeah, I feel puffy. My feet and legs are swollen. I’ve been dizzy too.” I was concerned, because that didn’t sound good. We hadn’t talked much with me working late every night, and I hadn’t realized any of this.

  “How long has this been going on?” I questioned her, reaching over to take her hand.

  “A couple days,” she admitted reluctantly. “I was going to ask the doctor about it today. I’m glad you’re here.”

  “I’ll always be here. You should have told me, though,” I scolded gently, unaccountably worried.

  They called her back to weigh her, take her blood pressure, and have her pee in a cup. They did it every time she came in, and I could go back with her once she was in the room.

  I fidgeted, anxious to hear what the doctor would say. Her appointments were every two weeks by that time, so I knew they’d catch anything. The pregnancy had been smooth the whole way. Even when they’d made her drink the awful stuff to test her glucose, she’d passed with flying colors.

  The nurse peeked into the waiting room and gestured me back. When I got into the room, Hannah looked worried. The nurse closed the door behind me, and I walked over and gathered Hannah into my arms.

  “My blood pressure is high,” she whispered against me. I felt a jolt in my gut. I knew that wasn’t good, but I couldn’t remember what it meant exactly.

  “Elevated blood pressure is bad, especially if it stays high,” Hannah continued. “The nurse seemed worried about the numbers, but said the doctor would talk to us.”

  “Ok, we’ll talk to the doctor and find out what we need to do,” I said reassuringly. I couldn’t help the fear snaking through me, but I stayed calm for her. It seemed like forever before the doctor came in, but it probably was only a few minutes.

  “Hey, Hannah, Ford. Looks like your blood pressure is a bit elevated today. How are you feeling?” Dr. Brady asked Hannah kindly.

  I wanted to jump in and tell the doctor what Hannah told me, but I knew that wouldn’t be helpful. I sat in the corner, feeling helpless. Hannah looked at me, and I smiled at her encouragingly.

  “I’ve been feeling dizzy the past couple days … a little woozy when I get up and down. I’m swollen and puffy. But I don’t know if that’s just because I’m so far along,” she told her hesitantly.

  “It sounds like your blood pressure has been elevated a few days. We want to keep an eye on this. Elevated blood pressure in pregnant women can be dangerous. It’s referred to as preeclampsia and can cause premature birth. There are also risks to the mother. We’re going to test your urine and check the protein levels.” She paused for a minute before she said, “I don’t want you to be worried. Blood pressure can spike, but we want to keep an eye on it. Prop your legs up. Make sure you rest on your left side. Try and avoid stress triggers. I’m going to have you come in every week from here on. If you feel dizzy, have any swelling in your hands, arms, or legs come in. If it gets worse, we may need to put you on bed rest. That’s not my first choice with a pregnant woman, but it can help keep your blood pressure down.”

  My heart was thumping like crazy. My fear spiked when she said it could be dangerous. I knew Hannah must be terrified. Her hand was cold and clammy in mine.

  “Is there anything we can do?” I asked, wanting to do something, anything to make this better.

  “Other than resting, and trying to avoid stress, there’s not much. It’s something we need to keep an eye on, but the only cure is delivery,” the doctor told us. “Next week when you come in we’ll schedule another ultrasound. It’ll be the last one before delivery so long as everything looked good.”

  The doctor left, and Hannah gave me a wild look.

  “It’s okay. Remember, don’t stress,” I said, pulling her into a hug.

  “Don’t stress! That’s not possible. What if something happens to the baby?” Hannah cried, frightened. I squeezed her tighter, not admitting my own fears. I couldn’t handle it if anything happened to Hannah or the baby.

  “It’s going to be fine.” I tilted her chin up. “We have to have faith. The pregnancy has been smooth and this is a little bump. We’re going to do what the doctor said. We’re going home, and you are putting your feet up.”

  “I have finals, and Christmas is right around the corner,” Hannah said worriedly, chewing on her bottom lip. I brushed my thumb over her lip to get her to stop chewing it.

  “You’re going to ace your finals and be done. We’re going to Martha and Joe’s for Christmas. Everything is good,” I reassured her, my hand cupping her face. I placed a light kiss on her lips. “Let’s go home and binge-watch Grimm.”

  The next week flew by. As soon as Martha found out about Hannah’s blood pressure, she went to work making meals for us. Every night I came home to a home cooked meal.

  Joe told me no more working late every night. The orders would get taken care of. Hannah was more important. I couldn’t have agreed more, but it was a relief to hear him say it.

  Hannah agreed to reduce her hours at work and was usually on the couch studying when I got home. She took it to heart, and made sure she rested and propped her feet up.

  Olivia came over on Saturday to sort out baby clothes and help Hannah get the baby stuff organized. Our piecemeal family rallied around us and it felt good.

  On Monday night, I pulled a load of clothes out of the dryer and dumped them on the bed to fold. Hannah put her notebook aside and helped fold.

  “You don’t need to,” I protested, gesturing to her notebook. “Study, the worst is almost over.”

  “I know. One week left and this semester is done. I’ll practically be a high school graduate,” she said giddily. “I need a break though. And folding clothes fresh from the dryer is as good a break as any.” She sniffed a towel, as she told me this.

  “Are you trying to get high on the scent of a mountain spring?” I inquired, tossing her underwear to her. She giggled, as she grabbed her maternity briefs. “You know I love the smell of clean laundry.”

  I pushed the clothes to the side, as I reached over and started tickling her. She shrieked with laughter, as I ran my fingers down her sides and squeezed her thigh. She was ridiculously ticklish. I tried to steal a kiss on her neck and she covered her
neck, laughing helplessly.

  “Stop, stop, stop, please. Stop,” she begged me, gasping for breath.

  “Say uncle,” I told her devilishly, my fingers running over her ribs.

  “Uncle!” she shrieked. I immediately stopped, plopping down on the bed next to her. She lay gasping next to me, giggling every so often.

  “What time is your appointment tomorrow?” I asked, wanting to make sure I was there on time.

  “Three thirty. I scheduled it after school. I have two finals tomorrow.”

  “Alright, I’ll be there,” I promised her. “Did you schedule your classes for next semester?”

  “Yep, I have English and Art History. I needed an elective. Both of those I can easily do with homeschooling,” She told me, her fingers playing with the sleeve of my shirt.

  I reached over to the nightstand. I’d checked the mail earlier and there was a rather large envelope from Baylor University addressed to Hannah Brignac. I’d hidden it in the nightstand, until I had a chance to watch her open it. I pulled it out and handed it to her.

  I saw her take a deep breath, and she said, “Big envelope is a good sign, right?”

  “Yes, it is” I whispered to her. Her fingers stroked over the envelope till she got to the seam. She ripped into it and pulled out the packet. She began reading aloud.

  Miss Brignac,

  Congratulations on your early acceptance to Baylor University. It is our honor to inform you that you’ve been granted a full scholarship from our Alumni group.

  The letter slipped from her hands, as she burst into tears and pushed her head into my shoulder. I gathered her to me, rocking gently. My chest rumbled against her, as I gave a relieved laugh. I knew she’d get in, but to get a full scholarship was incredible. She’d earned it, and knowing she’d achieved it, while pregnant, was icing on the cake.

  I was grateful she’d found out before the baby came and overwhelmed us both. I saw one of my handkerchiefs buried under a towel, so I grabbed it and gave it to Hannah. She took it and wiped her face. When she peeked out at me, I smiled. A huge smile spread across her face, as she looked at me. “I did it!” She shouted excitedly, laughing.

  “You did,” I agreed. “I think that means we should celebrate.”

  “Chocolate chip pizza?” she asked hopefully, giving me a quick look.

  “Whatever you want,” I replied, grinning like a loon. “You want to eat there, or me to go pick it up?” She glanced down at her notebook and back at me. “I need to study if I want to keep my scholarship!” she ended with an excited shout.

  “Alright, I’ll go get the pizza,” I told her, hopping off the bed and sliding shoes on.

  “I’ll finish folding and putting up the laundry,” Hannah said, with a knowing smirk.

  “Really?” I asked hopefully. I hated folding laundry. I grasped the necessity, but it seemed too much to ask to wash, dry, fold and put it away.

  “Yes. Now go get my pizza!” She shooed me away, making a stack of folded towels. I took the out she gave me and headed to the pizza place.

  At the appointment, Hannah’s blood pressure stayed in the normal range and the doctor was pleased. We went to the last ultrasound and saw the baby. Hannah told them she didn’t want to know the gender, and I was relieved. I wanted to be surprised in the delivery room.

  We got printouts from the ultrasound and I pinned one to the wall in the workshop. On the black and white relief, I could see the curve of her head and stomach and an arm. Joe took a peek at it and asked me, “You still think you’re having a girl?”

  “Yep. I don’t know why I think it, but I do. Hopefully, I’m right, because we only agree on a girl’s name,” I told him with a grin.

  “Son, she was gonna win that fight,” Joe told me knowingly.

  “I’m starting to learn she’s gonna win every fight,” I admitted, moving over to the side table we’d finished. We were on track to get everything done, but I needed to get this piece delivered today. As Joe and I loaded it up, he told me, “Head home after you drop this off. You deserve an early afternoon.”

  “Thanks,” I told him gratefully. I wanted to get Hannah’s gift wrapped before she got home from school. She adored surprises and I thought I had this one in the bag.

  “You’re coming for Christmas, right?” Joe said, with a tone that brooked no argument.

  “Absolutely. Hannah’s making a cake. We’ll be here at one for dinner,” I confirmed. “We appreciate you asking us to join you.”

  We’d had a good Thanksgiving, but Olivia was flying out the next day to spend the holidays in the Caribbean with her dad. My parents had booked a cabin in Colorado for the holidays, according to Colt. He was going out there with them to ski and celebrate his SEC championship. I knew we’d talk, but it was the first Christmas I wouldn’t celebrate with my family.

  I was grateful Joe and Martha wanted us to join them. All of their kids were coming, and since we’d met most of them, it should be a fun day. We were even part of their White Elephant gift exchange. Thankfully, Hannah knew what that was when I’d told her a couple weeks before.

  “You’re always welcome. You’re family,” Joe declared, matter-of-factly. I felt warmth bloom in my chest at his easy acceptance of us as family.

  Hannah coped pretty well with the absence of her family, because they’d always been cold, but we both struggled with my parent’s rejection. They’d become family to Hannah over the years, and as difficult as it was for me to accept their rejection, it infuriated me that they’d hurt Hannah. She’d lost two families and felt responsible for both. I knew she was upset that my family wouldn’t have anything to do with me, because she felt it was her fault.

  I could accept my parent’s issue with me quitting law school, but I found it impossible to forgive them the hurt they caused Hannah.

  After I delivered the table, I stopped by the Christmas tree stand. I picked up a small tree about four feet tall and then swung by the home improvement store. I grabbed a couple strings of lights and a pack of ornaments. I checked the time and saw I was doing pretty good. I texted Olivia, to see if she’d distract Hannah for an hour or so after school.

  I immediately got a text back. “Why?”

  I laughed and texted back, “Setting up a surprise for Hannah. Don’t want to spoil it.”

  “Good man,” she replied. I shook my head and tossed the phone in the cup holder before pulling out of the parking lot. When I got, home I grabbed my bags and the tree and hauled it to the apartment. I wasn’t coming back down for a second load. The weather had finally turned cold, and the wind was freezing my bones.

  I set up the tree with water and strung the lights. I hung the ornaments haphazardly. I had a feeling Hannah was going to fix them once she saw them. I hurried up and wrapped her gifts, placing them under the tree. I pulled one out for her to unwrap when she got home and left it on the bar.

  A few minutes after I’d finished, I heard the key in the lock. I realized the living room lights were on and you couldn’t see the tree, so I flipped the switch off, as she opened the door.

  “Ford?” She called hesitantly, shutting the door behind her.

  “I’m here,” I told her. “Come in the living room.” I kept my eyes on her, as she walked in and saw the tree for the first time. She gasped and tears welled in her eyes.

  “It’s beautiful,” She told me, reaching for my hand. I walked to her and held her gently, feeling her tears dampen my shirt. “You did this for me?”

  “Yes, we didn’t have any decorations, and you told me how much you always enjoyed the ones at our house, since your parents never decorated. I didn’t want our first Christmas to not have a tree,” I told her, slightly embarrassed. I figured she’d like it, but the way she was sniffling into my shirt, I wasn’t sure anymore.

  “It’s perfect. It’s the most perfect gift anyone’s ever given me,” she finally whispered, her arms tightening around my waist. She looked up at me, her eyes glistening with tears, a flush on her
cheeks, and she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.

  I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers, heat flashing down my spine. I deepened the kiss, as her mouth opened for me. I ran my tongue over her lips, catching the vibration of her moan. Our tongues dueled, the quick gliding motions causing my body to tighten. I pulled back slightly, and we were both panting, our warm breath mixing. I touched my nose to her cheek, inhaling her spicy scent. I felt the baby push between us, her belly tightening. I smiled softly at her, “Do you want to open your present?”

  Her eyes lit up. “There’s more? Yes, I do,” she said excitedly, moving to the tree and touching the needles softly. She leaned close and took a deep breath. “It smells like Christmas!”