Autumn Wish

by Netzel, Stacey Joy

  Autumn Wish

  by

  Stacey Joy Netzel

  Autumn Wish

  Romancing Wisconsin #4

  Nikki Rowen desires a family of her own—but first comes love, then comes marriage. She thought she had the former, until the moment she mentioned the latter and her boyfriend left her with nothing but a broken heart. Just as she’s beginning to doubt she’ll ever have a ’til death do us part Happily Ever After, she meets her new neighbor in the most unexpected way.

  In Sam Mallin’s experience, the word family is synonymous with abandonment; he’s more than content on his own. Yet, in less than a week, he finds himself caring for an infant dropped on his doorstep, and playing house with his beautiful next-door-neighbor. When his feelings for Nikki deepen, he fears he’s nothing more than the ready-made family she so desperately wishes for. How can a self-proclaimed loner hold onto the two females most important to him without history repeating itself in a world of heartbreak?

  Dedication

  Like Nikki in Autumn Wish, I’m blessed with a wonderful family.

  This one goes to my Aunt Reesa, a beautiful lady who’s quick with a joke and to light up your smoke—wait, no, that’s a song. (Sheesh, I don’t even know if she plays the piano.)

  I am serious about the joke part, plus she’s got a heart of gold and a smile that lights up a room. No matter what life throws at her, she faces it with courage and a positive attitude that inspires everyone she knows.

  Thank you, Aunt Reesa, for all your love and support. Love you!

  Chapter 1

  “Have you met that hunky new neighbor yet?”

  It wasn’t the first subject Nikki Rowen would’ve chosen to keep her mind from dwelling on the tension between her bosses at the daycare, but she’d take what she could get after a long Monday from hell.

  “No, I haven’t met him,” she answered her sister, pulling her cell phone from between her ear and shoulder as she closed the mailbox with a metallic clang. The cool September wind snuck under her jacket, hurrying her up the driveway toward the old fixer-upper she’d nabbed at a bargain two years ago. “It’s not like I’m going to just march over there and introduce myself.”

  “Why not?” Marissa’s question was full of challenge. “Remember what Grandma Jean always used to say?”

  “Oh, God.” Nikki laughed at the memory of their great-grandma kneading dough as she said, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” while smiling at their great-grandpa in the living room. “That’s such a cliché.”

  “So? I say go for it.”

  Much as she wished for a love like her grandparents had for forty-seven years, like what her sister had recently found, she wasn’t about to start depending on her cooking to get there.

  “Three other women on my block must’ve had grandmas and sisters who said the same thing because the guy now has enough pies to last him through the weekend. They circle like vultures the moment he gets home.”

  “Then make him a cake.”

  “Funny.”

  “I’m not completely joking. Stake a claim on that man before those other women set their hooks in too deep. Bake a cake, make a casserole, just take something over there.”

  She pictured Marissa leaning forward in her chair to slap the table for emphasis. Nikki shook her head while rolling her eyes. She didn’t bother to tell her sister she knew two of the women were already married, so she wasn’t too worried. It would just encourage her encouragement, and she couldn’t imagine jumping into another relationship so soon.

  “We’ll meet when we meet. I’m good right where I am.”

  “A hot new man is exactly what you need right now.”

  “Mar.”

  “It’s not like you have to marry him, just have some fun. Joe took you for granted for most of the year you two were together, and you deserve so much better. He’s moved on, you should, too.”

  “I will,” she assured her, even as her chest tightened at the reminder of seeing her ex with his new girlfriend last week. “I just want a little time by myself, that’s all.”

  Not exactly true, but far better than if she said she wanted Joe back. Telling Marissa she needed time was an explanation her sister should understand, considering she’d said the same thing after her divorce. A year later, she’d been lucky enough to meet the love of her life and his daughter at the zoo.

  “Besides,” Nikki added, “At twenty-six, it’s not like my biological clock is ticking too loud.”

  “Okay, fine. I’ll shut up. I’m not trying to be a pain, you know. I just want you to be as happy as I am with Eric.”

  “I know.” She singled out her front door key on the ring and gave a dramatic sigh. “If only he and Mark had another brother.”

  “They’ve got cousins—”

  “I’m kidding! Don’t you dare even go there.”

  “But Nash and Alex are—”

  “Marissa, I’m serious. Don’t.”

  As she inserted the key in the lock, the wind whistled around the corner of the porch, carrying the faint sound of a crying baby. Nikki stilled, tilting her head to figure out where it was coming from, but heard nothing more. Frowning, she lowered the phone and turned around to listen as she surveyed her surroundings. Other than the raucous rustle of the autumn-colored leaves on the trees, all else was quiet on the residential street.

  I’m hearing things.

  Her subconscious mind was probably still preoccupied with work and the babies in her daycare room. Raising the phone to her ear once more, she turned back to unlock the door and caught her sister’s words mid-sentence.

  “—after work to help decorate Friday night?”

  Savannah’s first birthday party. She stepped inside, then closed and locked the door behind her. “I’m off on Friday, so I can come over whenever you want.”

  “How about one?”

  “Sounds good.” A ding sounded in the background on Marissa’s end of the line. “Sorry, that’s dinner, and Eric just got home, so I’ll see you Friday.”

  Nikki said goodbye and slipped her phone back into her purse. She deposited it on the island counter with the stack of mail, and tossed her jacket onto the stool. A glance in the refrigerator made her slam it shut again and reach into the freezer for a single-serve pizza. Cooking was easier when she’d been doing it for two, not to mention, more enjoyable. Now, it didn’t seem worth the effort for just herself.

  While the oven preheated, she went back to thumb through her mail.

  Bill.

  Junk.

  Junk.

  Bill.

  Bi—

  Her gaze snagged on the address field. Samuel Mallin. Not her mail. She checked the street number, realized it was one house over, and gave a short laugh.

  Marissa would say it was fate. Her hunky new neighbor’s mail in her box gave her a perfect excuse to head on over to his house. A glance out the living room window confirmed the front porch light combating the growing twilight, but no other illumination inside the house.

  He’s late getting home tonight.

  Not that she’d been purposely keeping track, but the second day he moved in he’d carried a tool belt, and his biceps had flexed quite impressively as he lifted a five gallon bucket of tools from the back of his pickup. It was near impossible not to notice a tall, muscled guy like him. Especially when the women in her neighborhood kept sauntering up his sidewalk with pies in their hands.

  Her gaze returned to his name. Samuel. Picturing his snug T-shirts, and faded jeans that hugged lean hips and a nice ass, she decided Sam was a better fit for his rugged, casual style.

  She imagined herself walking up to his door with his mail in her hand. Only slightly more original than the pies, yet sure to look premedita
ted.

  No thanks.

  Figuring she had a few more minutes before the pizza could go in the oven, she hurried outside. Another quick glance reconfirmed he wasn’t home, and no red truck cruised down the street, so she slipped across the lawn toward his mailbox. After a late spring and summer, fall had taken it upon itself to arrive way too early in northeast Wisconsin. Without her jacket, the bite of the wind went right through her sweater.

  As she reached the mailbox, she once again heard the plaintive wail of a baby crying, only this time it sounded much closer.

  Nikki lifted her head and searched for the source as she shivered. Her gaze went no further than her neighbor’s front porch before skidding to an abrupt halt. A baby carrier sat off to the side of his door, and as she stared in disbelief, a little bare hand flailed in the air before dropping back out of sight.

  Another cry pierced the chilled air.

  Oh my God, he had a baby? That he left out on his front porch?!

  With a gasp of horrified outrage, Nikki crammed the envelope in her pocket and ran for the porch. She took the stairs in two strides, and the infant startled as she appeared in its line of vision. Its face scrunched up and the wailing began in earnest.

  “Shhh.” Nikki knelt down, speaking quietly to try to calm the baby. A pink blanket and lace-edged hat indicated a girl, and she appeared to be about three or four months old. Further off to the side sat a diaper bag stuffed so full, zipping it wasn’t an option.

  How long had the baby been sitting out here? Had he left her that morning, or had he come home and then left her? Nikki had been late getting home from work herself, so the second scenario wasn’t out of the question.

  What was out of the question was forgetting one’s child and then not coming back for her.

  Nikki grasped the baby’s fingers to see how cold they were. Not too bad, so she couldn’t have been out here long, thank God. But she certainly couldn’t remain out here until her daddy decided to remember her and amble on home. Poor little girl.

  The touch of her warm hand seemed to lessen the intensity of the baby’s cries, so she unfastened the safety harness and lifted her into her arms. Using the voice she spoke with to sooth the infants at work, she crooned, “There you go, you sweet little angel. It’s going to be okay. Your daddy will be home soon.”

  The irresponsible, dumbass jerk.

  Her rocking motion added to the comforting effect, and the baby quieted to hiccupping sniffles. Nikki met a pair of blue eyes still swimming in tears, surrounded by dark, spiked lashes. She gently wiped the moisture off the baby’s rosy cheeks and tiny hands came up to clutch at her fingers. She might as well have reached in and fisted those tiny fingers around Nikki’s heart, because in the time it took to blink away the sudden sting in her own eyes, she fell head over heels in love.

  Anger boiled up inside that anyone could forget the helpless little baby—until another thought occurred to her. Had something happened to him? Was the guy lying inside dying, or perhaps already dead?

  The thought seemed a little dramatic, but so was finding a baby all alone on his porch. Her stomach knotted and concern superseded anger as she stepped forward to ring the doorbell. While hoping for him to answer, she rewrapped the blanket tighter to keep the little angel warm.

  The doorbell summons went unanswered, as did a knock. Nikki tried the door and found it locked, and a peek through the curtain-less window revealed nothing more than sparse furnishings and a few boxes on top of a table in what she assumed was the dining room. No motionless body on the floor that she could see, thank heavens.

  Hugging the baby close to keep her warm, she did a circuit of the house to check the garage and the back door. Everything was sealed up tight; no truck tucked away in the garage either. Back on the porch, she rocked the baby while figuring out what to do next. Instead of waiting out in the cold, she decided to keep the infant at her house until the jerk got home.

  She’d give him an hour. If he wasn’t back then, she was calling the cops on his negligent ass.

  While putting the baby back in the carrier, her fingers brushed something wedged against the padding. She pulled out a piece of wrinkled, folded paper, but before she could open it, the little girl began to cry again.

  “Oh, honey, I know. I’ll get you out of there in just a minute.”

  She tucked the paper in her pocket alongside Samuel Mallin’s mail before hurrying to gather the diaper bag so she could return to her house. Once inside, she lifted the baby out and silence quickly fell. A muted, electrical tick from the kitchen reminded her she’d been preheating her oven, but she ignored it as she pulled the paper from her pocket and unfolded it.

  Sam,

  Please don’t hate me. Her name is Ella, and she was born June 5th. I am so sorry to spring this on you out of the blue, but I didn’t know what else to do. Though we’ve had our differences, I trust you will love her and take better care of her than I can.

  Rae

  Nikki stared at the paper in amazed disbelief. Oh, boy. This changed everything. She refolded the paper and slid it back in her pocket as her gaze fixed on Ella’s face. Marissa had suggested she bring something over to meet the guy.

  Pie? Cliche.

  Mail? Totally transparent.

  Delivering the baby he didn’t know he’d fathered? Now that was original.

  Chapter 2

  Sam Mallin parked his truck outside the garage and leaned his head back against the seat. He should clear the boxes from inside, but it’d been a long day of roofing after he’d stayed up way too late unpacking last night. At least they’d finished the job before the forecasted rain tomorrow, and once again, Carter was pleased with his work.

  A long time ago, he’d learned the hard way job security depended on staying out of trouble, impressing the boss, and keeping him happy. Carter Hansen was one of the nicer men he’d worked for over the years, so he didn’t mind putting in extra effort. Completing the roof meant they could work inside if the weatherman was right about the rain for tomorrow.

  Rubbing his hand over the stubble on his jaw as he thought about the next day, he decided the hell with the boxes in his garage and on his dining room table. Tonight, he was going to have a beer, watch Monday Night Football, and go to bed early.

  After grabbing the sandwich he’d picked up at Figaro’s in Pulaski, he went inside and flipped on a few lights and the TV. He tossed his sandwich onto the coffee table before heading into the kitchen.

  He’d just reached into the refrigerator for a beer when the doorbell chimed. The cheery summons grated across his nerves, making him cringe. Could he ignore this unwanted visitor who appeared to have practically been waiting in the bushes for him?

  A glance over his shoulder gave him the answer. Nope. His bare windows, glaring lights, and the volume of the TV made it impossible to pretend he wasn’t home. Curtains and blinds seemed a great investment right about now.

  Kicking the fridge shut, he twisted the cap from the bottle. The doorbell went off again, twice as long as before, as if the person on the other side held it down. Damn it. If this was another married woman bringing him pie, he was going to—

  Smile, and say, “Thank you.” That’s what neighbors did, right?

  He took a long, fortifying pull off his beer, then thumped it on the counter on his way to answer the door. Too bad his neighbor right next door hadn’t been one of those pie-wielding visitors. He’d have invited her inside.

  Then he got a glimpse through the window...of her standing on his front porch.

  “Well, whadda ya know,” he murmured with a sudden grin of anticipation. Maybe she’d come in and watch the game with him. Hell, he wouldn’t even care if she held a pie in her hands.

  He swung the door open and smiled his welcome at the pretty blond. His gaze dropped, then froze. Where he would’ve preferred a pie, she held a baby carrier—complete with baby.

  Damn, she had a kid. After what his mother put him and his sister through, he didn’t do
women with kids.

  “Samuel Mallin?”

  He lifted his gaze up from all that pink to a pair of guarded blue eyes. Forcing his lips to maintain their upward curve, he answered, “I prefer Sam. And you’re Nicole, right?”

  “Nikki.” She frowned. “How’d you—”

  “I had some of your mail in my box yesterday,” he admitted.

  “Ah.”

  Her wry smile was appealing enough to make him forget about the baby. But it faded fast as she took a breath, shifted her stance, then extended her arms, carrier and all.

  “Sam, this is yours.”

  There was a crumpled envelope clutched between the fingers of her right hand. Tilting his head, he read his name in the crinkled address field and removed it from her grasp with a laugh. He liked that she’d chosen to bring his mail over personally. If he’d been thinking, he’d have done it first—and found out about the kid.

  “Thanks,” he said as her baby began to fuss. “I just put your stuff in your mailbox.”

  Nikki lifted the carrier higher with an exasperated huff. “You don’t understand. She is yours.”

  In the middle of stuffing the folded envelope into his back pocket, his gaze dropped to the baby. Blue eyes, just like her momma. It took his brain a moment to make the connection, and then his pulse jumped as his eyebrows shot skyward. “Uh...I don’t think so.”

  The baby sucked hard on a pacifier, her eyes shifting back and forth as she squirmed in the confined seat. Oh, hell no. He lifted his gaze once more, taking note of the woman’s curves on the way up. Yeah, she was pretty, but not worth this level of crazy. He’d have much preferred another pie.

  “May I come in?”

  “No,” he stated. “She’s not mine.”

  He fumbled for the edge of the door. The woman stepped forward as he began to shut her out.

  Her chin lifted and those blue eyes of hers glittered with determination. “Her name is Ella. She’s three and a half months old.”