by Mia Ross
His compliment echoed Brian’s earlier one, and for a brief, insane moment, she felt herself smiling in response. Alarmed by how quickly he’d skirted her well-honed defenses, she called up a more appropriate scowl. “What do you want, Jeff?”
“To visit you and Taylor,” he said in a wounded tone, as if he was surprised at being forced to explain his presence. “Why else would I hang around this hospital all day long? Did you know it’s almost eight o’clock?”
That explained why she was so famished, Lindsay thought as her stomach rumbled impatiently. The doctor had commented on her “quick” labor, but it had actually taken nine hours. If that was a short labor, she hoped she never had to endure a long one.
“So,” he went on in a tentative voice that was very unlike him. “How are you feeling, besides tired?”
“Fine.”
“Good, because I have to discuss something with you.”
“I’m not making any decisions about anything right now,” she informed him curtly. “And for the record, I’ve done my research on parental rights. Since we’re not married, you don’t have a claim to anything where Taylor’s concerned unless I agree to it.”
“I’m well aware of that,” he replied stiffly. Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, he gave her a softer, almost wistful look. “I’m also hoping that you’ll give me the chance to make things right between us.”
Before she could cut him down, he slid a velvet box out of the pocket of his coat. It opened with a little creak, revealing a lovely engagement ring that sparkled even in the dim lighting of her hospital room.
Taking it from the box, he fixed her with the adoring gaze she vaguely remembered from their earlier days together. “Lindsay, I know that in the past I made some horrible mistakes that ended up hurting you. I sincerely regret that, and I’d love nothing more than to make a family with you and Taylor. Will you marry me?”
Her jaw fell open in astonishment, and she honestly couldn’t come up with anything to say. In her mind, she recognized that he’d pushed her most sensitive button, offering her the family she’d always longed for. Taylor began to stir, and as she looked down at her daughter, Lindsay’s heart swelled with more love than she’d ever thought it was possible to experience.
Taylor deserved two parents, working together, nurturing her into the kind of strong, confident young woman who’d be able to succeed no matter what life threw at her. Having never known her own father, Lindsay yearned to give this child a more stable home life, so that she’d always know she was cherished, even if she messed up on occasion.
But was marrying Jeff the way to get that? Lindsay wondered. He seemed to be sincere about the changes he’d made, and from what she could see, he was making the most of his new career opportunity. Maybe once he had a family to support, he’d leave his irresponsible past behind for good and be the man they needed him to be.
And what if he didn’t?
And what about Brian? The man who’d taken them both to his big, generous heart, and promised never to let them down?
Too worn-out to think clearly, she recognized that she was in no condition to decide something this important. For herself, Lindsay wouldn’t have worried. She’d been through a few failed relationships, and when things didn’t work out, she scolded herself for being stupid and moved on.
But things were different now. It wasn’t just about her anymore.
“I’m not sure,” she hedged, feeling more drained by the second. “Can I think about it?”
“Absolutely,” he agreed without hesitation, as if that was the response he’d been anticipating. Standing, he smiled down at her. “Take all the time you need. I’ll be staying at the Waterford Inn, and here’s my contact info.”
He slipped a business card beneath the ring box, which he’d artfully left open so she could clearly see the beautiful ring. Then he leaned in to kiss Taylor’s cheek but had the good sense not to do the same with Lindsay.
And with another smile, he was gone.
* * *
“Whoa,” Brian commented when he poked his head into Lindsay’s room the following afternoon. “Is that bear life-size?”
“Pretty much,” she replied with a laugh. “But she’s very friendly. Come on in.”
The gigantic bouquet of pink roses sitting on the windowsill dwarfed his handful of wildflowers, and he felt awkward putting his simple ceramic vase next to the crystal one. He’d never been one to compare himself to other guys, but for some reason, this time he felt as if he didn’t quite measure up. It didn’t help that he’d never liked Jeff Mortensen. But he didn’t want to risk making a comment that would come across as petty to her, so he decided to just pretend the flowers weren’t there.
Sitting in the only chair, he grinned over at the mother and daughter cuddled together. “So, how’re you girls doing today?”
“Just fine. The nurse took Taylor to the nursery for part of the night so I could get some sleep. I feel like a brand-new person.”
She looked happier than he’d seen her since she first arrived in town, but Brian didn’t know how to say that without making it sound like an insult, so he kept the observation to himself. Glancing over at the other flowers and balloon bouquets that occupied the rolling table, he was pleased to see how many people had sent the new mother something to celebrate Taylor’s arrival. Among the vases and baby-themed trinkets, he noticed something nestled in among the others that was unmistakable.
Picking up the velvet box, he admired the glittering diamonds set around the ring. He felt a pang of regret that he wasn’t in a position to make a grand gesture like that for her. “Something you wanna tell me, Holland?”
“Jeff was here,” she said simply, looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms in an obvious attempt to avoid his eyes.
“And?”
Lindsay gave him a “give me a break” kind of look. “What do you think?”
“I think he asked you to marry him. You said ‘maybe’ and he left the ring to tempt you into making it a yes.”
“That’s pretty much how it happened,” she allowed, sighing at the beautiful enticement he’d left behind for her. “I’m just not sure what to do.”
“Seriously?” Floored by her revelation, Brian didn’t even bother trying to hold back his opinion. “After what he did to you? To Taylor? He left you with no car, no money and started a new life somewhere else.”
“When he found out about Taylor, he came back,” she pointed out in a meek tone that sounded nothing like the woman he’d been getting to know. “He returned all the money, and he says he wants to take care of us.”
“For how long?” Brian demanded, his temper quickly reaching the boiling point. “When things get tough, the guy has a nasty habit of taking off and letting someone else clean up after him. How long do you think he’ll last when it dawns on him that he’s responsible for two other people?”
“He’s Taylor’s father,” Lindsay reminded him sternly. “I want her to at least have a chance at the kind of family I never had.”
Now it made sense, Brian realized. Having missed out on the love and stability of a supportive family, more than once Lindsay had told him how much she appreciated being included in the Calhouns’ circle. That sense of belonging was something he’d always taken for granted, but he could understand how important it would be to someone who’d never had that in their life.
So rather than browbeat Lindsay with facts, he opted for a more personal approach. “Do you really believe Jeff can give her that?”
“I’m not sure,” she admitted, resting her head back against the pile of pillows. Giving him a wistful look, she sent him a half-hearted smile. “That’s why I didn’t say yes. But part of me thinks I should give him the opportunity to prove that he’s changed.”
In her hesitation, Brian heard a sliver of an opening. “What about the other part?”
<
br /> She shrugged as if it didn’t matter all that much, and his heart plunged to the floor. Lindsay was a practical woman, and if her brain was telling her that marrying Jeff was a good idea, it wasn’t likely that anyone—not even him—could talk her out of it.
Even though he feared that it would be the biggest mistake of her life, he recognized that the decision was hers to make. So, he stood and set the ring back in its spot. Forcing a smile he didn’t really feel, he said, “I’ll let you two get some sleep. If you need anything, you know how to reach me.”
“Thanks, Brian. I really am grateful for everything you’ve done for us.”
To his ears, that sounded a lot like an emotional farewell, and he kept his smile frozen in place until he left her room. Out in the hallway, he finally let it drop as he walked through the cheery maternity wing to the elevator. A few of the people he saw on his way out gave him long, curious looks, but he didn’t care. His day had taken a real nosedive, and as he racked his brain for a solution, he realized that there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.
Back at the forge, he found a note on the door from Sam.
Riley and I went to the hardware store. Back soon.
That was actually a good thing, Brian thought as he unlocked the door and went inside. He wasn’t in the mood for conversation right now. Stopping in the open lobby, he looked to his left at the project that he’d been working on for days.
The formerly shoe-box-sized office area was much bigger now, enclosed by half walls with a Dutch door that could be closed and still allow visitors to see inside. The makeshift workspace had tripled in size, complete with a lightly used suite of oak furniture and the burgundy leather executive’s desk chair that Lindsay had admired and bookmarked on her laptop weeks ago. Off to the side was a brightly painted half bath, and on the other was another Dutch door that led to a small room outfitted with a crib, changing table and padded rocking chair. An interior designer, Holly had helped him plan and stock the nursery, and even a bachelor like him could appreciate the bright, cheerful space.
Once he and Sam had finished the major structural improvements to the building, Brian had been working every evening on the new area, motivated by the idea of surprising Lindsay with it when she came back to work after her maternity leave. Intended as a gift to her and Taylor, now it seemed like a colossal waste of time. Reality hit him like a truck, and he sank into the rocking chair, wishing he’d never started this nonsense in the first place.
“Whatcha doin’?” Sam asked as he strolled in, a box of nails under one arm and Riley trotting at his heels.
“Nothing.” His big brother came back with a doubtful look, and when Riley sat beside him, wrinkling his forehead in canine agreement, Brian had to laugh. “Okay, I’m feeling like an idiot for jumping the gun on this. I should’ve asked Lindsay first.”
“She doesn’t like it?”
“She doesn’t even know about it.”
“You just lost me,” Sam said, leaning against the doorjamb with a confused expression. “Everything was fine when you left for Waterford. Why don’t you back up and start at the beginning?”
So Brian told him the whole maddening story. When he was finished, he gave his levelheaded older brother a grim look. “Whatta you think?”
“I don’t know Lindsay that well, so I couldn’t say what’s going through her head. It sounds to me like you think she’s gonna say yes to this guy.”
“And leave Liberty Creek,” Brian added glumly, motioning around the cozy room. “Meaning this was all for nothing.”
“So we’ll repaint it and make it into a storage room. The real problem is how you’d feel about losing Lindsay.” Sam gave him a knowing look. “Judging by your attitude, you’d miss her.”
“Sure I would. She keeps this place running, and without her I would’ve gone out of business by now.”
“And?”
Brian had an idea where this was headed, and he glared back. “And what?”
“I get that you like working with her, but anyone who has eyes can see there’s more to it than that.”
“You’re outta your mind,” Brian scoffed. “The woman drives me to the edge of my sanity on a regular basis, and we fight constantly. But she keeps the office and finances on track, and we make a good team. It’s not like I can run an ad in the paper or online and replace her, y’know. I tried that before and got nowhere.”
Sam assessed him with a pensive look, and Brian braced himself for more personal questions he didn’t want to answer. Instead, Sam said, “Then I guess you’ll have to wait and see what she does. She might surprise you.”
She’d done that constantly since the day he met her at seventeen, so it was conceivable that she’d do it again. “You really think so?”
“This is a big decision for her to make, and it affects her daughter, too. I think your best approach is to hang back and be patient, let her make up her mind without pressuring her. And have a little faith. Things will work out the way they’re meant to.”
Coming from his towering older brother, the philosophical comment made Brian grin. “They did for you, didn’t they?”
“Better than I ever could’ve hoped for. God brought Lindsay here for a reason, and whether she leaves or stays, it’s because that’s what He intended from the start.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Brian agreed, sighing as he got to his feet. “I just wish I could skip to the end and see how this all turns out.”
“Life would be pretty boring if we could do that. For now, let’s get back to work and finish off this project. Maybe things will fall your way and you’ll end up needing it, after all.”
* * *
Lindsay had never been so happy to be anywhere.
Pulling into Ellie’s driveway felt more like coming home than she’d imagined it would, with the large house nestled in its snowy yard and smoke lazily drifting from the chimney. Every paved surface had been shoveled clear, and the slight haze on top made it obvious someone had spread enough salt to keep them from slushing over again.
When she mentioned all the work someone had done, her adoptive grandmother smiled. “Brian was here earlier, making sure everything was safe for you and Taylor.”
Lindsay couldn’t help noticing that he wasn’t here now, though. Or that he hadn’t offered to drive her home from the hospital. In fact, since his last awkward visit to her hospital room, she hadn’t heard a word from him. After spending so much time with him recently, his absence was aggravating, to say the least. “So, I’m guessing he’s pretty busy.”
“And then some. Now, do you want me to help with the car seat, or have you got it figured out?”
“I’ve got it.”
That was a stretch, but Lindsay knew that she’d have to get the hang of it sooner or later. Then again, until she actually bought a car, the plush safety seat wouldn’t get much use. That was the old, negative Lindsay talking, she scolded herself, pushing the grumbling away while she focused on releasing the seat from its base. To her relief, it came free, and she followed Ellie into the house.
Taylor’s eyes slitted open, and she squinted at the unfamiliar surroundings. She couldn’t see very far yet, but she obviously recognized that she’d been moved, and Lindsay wondered what the infant thought of the change. Apparently, not much, because her eyes drifted closed again without her making so much as a peep. Lindsay hated to ruin that, but she knew that leaving the baby in her little winter cocoon wasn’t the right thing to do, either.
So she braced herself for some fussing and slipped Taylor out of her layers as gently as possible. Fortunately, the protest was brief, and she snuggled against Lindsay, resting her cheek on her shoulder with a contented sigh.
“Such a precious little thing,” Ellie murmured, running a practiced hand over Taylor’s silky hair. “I hope you’re planning to stay here awhile, because I’d rea
lly love having a baby in the house again.”
Lindsay wasn’t sure what her long-term plans were, but she wasn’t in a hurry to change anything right now. She couldn’t imagine too many people who’d be eager to open their home to an inexperienced single mom and a possibly noisy infant, and her heart filled with gratitude for this generous woman who’d done just that. “That’s very gracious of you, and I really appreciate it. You have no idea how much your support means to me. The whole family has been awesome.”
“The family?” Ellie echoed with a knowing look. “Why do I get the feeling you’re doing your best not to refer to anyone in particular?”
“That’s not true.” That got her a raised eyebrow, and she couldn’t help laughing. “Okay, you got me. I was talking about Brian. He’s been so great through all this, I was kind of expecting him to drive us home, or at least be here to greet us.”
“I think he wanted to.”
Lindsay sensed that there was something weird going on, and she nudged. “But?”
Ellie hesitated, as if she was debating whether or not she should get involved in her very stubborn grandson’s personal business. Finally, she said, “I’m not sure he knows where the two of you stand. With each other,” she added in an obvious attempt to clarify things.
“We’re friends,” Lindsay answered immediately, baffled by the need to discuss the matter at all. “And in spite of our differences, we work well together. I didn’t realize anyone was confused about that.”
Ellie didn’t say anything, and the mellow knock of the grandfather clock’s pendulum echoed in the silence. Given time to reflect, it dawned on Lindsay what Ellie was trying very hard not to tell her. “Do you think Brian’s confused about what we are?”
“Possibly,” she admitted with a delicate shrug. “I’ve never seen him go to this much trouble for the women he dates.”
“But we’re not dating,” Lindsay protested. That got her a gentle smile, and because she was holding a sleeping Taylor, she did a mental forehead slap. “Which is your point, that he’s been putting in all that time and effort to impress me. Why didn’t you just say so?”