Daddy with a Deadline

by Marilyn Shank

  She went to the window and gazed at the shiny Volkswagen. Another gift from the capable hands of Trent Madison. Annie sighed. She wanted to manage her own life, but loneliness, debt, and an ailing car stood in her way.

  The phone rang. “Hi, Annie. It’s Trent.”

  Just four words and the man sent her heart racing. “Hello, Trent.”

  “Did Wes drop off a car last night?”

  “Yes, he did. A bright-green Volkswagen.”

  “Do you like it?”

  “I like looking at it. But I can’t drive it.”

  “Why not?”

  “It’s a stick shift and I’m out of practice.”

  “Then I’ll give you a lesson. Are you free?”

  Annie felt torn. As she remembered the thrill of Trent’s kiss, she knew she should refuse. But her fickle heart wanted to say yes.

  “Yes or no, Annie. Do you want a driving lesson or not?”

  “I suppose so.”

  “OK, then. I’ll be right over.”

  Just as Annie finished changing into a pink shirt and a pair of jeans the doorbell rang. When she opened the door and saw Trent, her heart raced like a hot rod on a Saturday night. His T-shirt outlined a rock-solid chest and muscular biceps. And the snug jeans showed off a lean yet powerful frame. She should have turned down the driving lesson.

  “Are you ready?” he asked.

  “Sure you want to tackle this? I haven’t driven a stick since I was sixteen.”

  Trent shoved back his Stetson. “Hey lady, I train wild horses for a living. I can handle a driving lesson with a kindergarten teacher.”

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Annie’s stomach lurched. “Ouch,” she said. “One of the twins has been kickboxing all afternoon.”

  Trent’s eyes deepened as he studied her. “What does it feel like, Annie? Does it hurt?”

  “Not exactly. But it sure gets my attention. Some nights the two of them wiggle so much they keep me awake.”

  The guilty twin persisted. “Here. Give me your hand.”

  Trent reached out and Annie positioned his hand on her stomach. It felt warm and strong as she held it in place. As if on cue, the guilty twin gave a powerful kick.

  Trent eyes widened. “Wow! That one’s definitely a boy.”

  “I may prove you wrong. Both twins might be girls.”

  Annie saw the wonder in Trent’s gaze. “It’s amazing to feel a baby move. A first for me.”

  She sighed. “Not for me. These two use their mom for a punching bag.”

  When Trent withdrew his hand, Annie felt uncomfortable. Why did she take the liberty of placing his hand on her stomach? She hadn’t yet recovered from the intensity of the man’s kiss. Letting him feel the baby move was a very private gesture. What was she thinking?

  Then Trent cleared his throat. “Have you picked names for the twins?”

  “I bought a book of names but can’t decide. Would you look at it later? I’d like a man’s opinion.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Annie stuck the book into her purse. “But no horse names allowed. Nothing like Dusty, Star, or Ranger. Just names suitable for children.”

  “I’m hurt. While I’ve never named any children, I’d probably be good at it.”

  That wouldn’t surprise Annie. The man was good at everything he did. Especially kissing. Not that she’d experience that again.

  “Ready to go?”

  She nodded. “Better fasten your seat belt extra tight.”

  CHAPTER 7

  TRENT OPENED THE car door and helped Annie wriggle into the driver’s seat. “Are you comfortable?” he asked.

  She sighed. “I don’t even remember comfortable. I only hope I can reach the pedals.”

  Trent climbed into the passenger seat, hoping this lesson would go smoothly. Annie started the engine, went a short distance, and the car died.

  “Try it again,” Trent said.

  She did. Again and again and again. “See? I wasn’t kidding about being rusty.”

  “Give the car more gas as you let up on the clutch.”

  She took a deep breath. “OK.”

  Annie gave it too much gas and killed the engine again. Finally she maneuvered the VW out of her driveway and into the street. Whew! This was a bigger challenge than Trent had bargained for.

  Fortunately traffic was light. Annie shifted into first but released the clutch too quickly and the car shot forward like a discharged bullet. Good thing no one was in front of them or they’d have been rear-ended!

  Trent felt beads of perspiration erupt on his forehead. “Let the clutch out slowly, Annie,” he said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. “And take it easy.”

  “I’m trying. I’m trying.”

  They inched along. Each car behind them eventually passed, giving Annie a wide berth. Trent figured that was a wise decision. He tugged at his seat belt to make sure it was secure. He might require its services today.

  They made erratic progress, and Trent reached for his hanky to mop his brow. He hadn’t perspired this much since the last time he pitched hay!

  “I saw you wipe your forehead. Am I making you nervous?”

  “Of course not,” he lied.

  “Well, I’m making me nervous. And the babies are unusually quiet. They’re probably scared.”

  “Let the clutch out slowly and give the gas smoothly.”

  “I can do both of those things,” Annie assured. “Just not at the same time.”

  Trent could have kicked himself for ordering a car with a stick shift. He’d wanted to provide Annie with a small, dependable vehicle, but he hadn’t stopped to think she might prefer an automatic transmission. “Can you turn left at the next corner?” he asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

  “Of course.”

  Annie managed a shaky left turn onto a street with even less traffic. Good move. Maybe they’d live through this lesson.

  “I’m doing terrible, aren’t I?”

  “Not terrible, exactly. But you’re more unpredictable than Wildfire.”

  Annie glared in his direction. “Hey, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  A driver pulled out in front of them and Annie hit the brakes. “Don’t take your eyes off the road,” Trent shouted. “You’ll get us both killed.”

  “Sorry,” she snapped.

  Annie clutched the steering wheel in a death grip. Her knuckles were white as chalk and her face matched her knuckles. She bit her lip as if willing the car into submission.

  After they drove another mile or so, Annie pulled the car to the curb and turned off the engine. She leaned her head against the back of the seat and took a deep breath. “I’ll make a deal with you. If you trade me places, I’ll treat you to ice cream on the way home.”

  “It takes patience to drive a stick. If you quit now...”

  “I have plenty of patience. But with you sitting beside me, judging every move I make, I can’t do this.”

  Annie tucked a curl behind her ear. Every movement she made was feminine and appealing. She infuriated him and attracted him all at the same time. And if he didn’t get this car moving, he might pull her into his arms and break his promise.

  “OK, I’ll drive,” he said. “But I’m holding you to the ice cream.”

  “Fair enough.”

  As Trent drove to Tasty Cream he realized they were just a mile from Babyland. With a little luck he might lure Annie into the store.

  OK, a lot of luck. And serious coercion as well.

  As he drove along, Annie eyed him with admiration. “You’re totally amazing.”

  When she said those words, Trent’s pulse picked up speed. “You think I’m amazing?”

  “I do. You can shift without jerking or killing the engine.”

  Shoot. The woman was admiring his driving skills, not him. “I’ve had lots of practice. I left home at sixteen and started working at the Circle J Ranch. Sam Harrison’s old rattletrap truck was a stick shift, and cantanker
ous to boot. But I was determined, so I conquered.”

  “I’m very impressed.” Annie looked far more relaxed than she had during her driving lesson.

  As they entered Tasty Cream, the bell over the door jingled and a jukebox blasted out a Beatles song. “You find us a table and I’ll get the cones. Chocolate or vanilla?”

  “Chocolate.”

  She brought two chocolate cones to the table and joined him. “Sixteen seems young to leave home.”

  “My parents hoped I’d leave much sooner.”

  Annie’s eyes filled with compassion. “I know you had it tough growing up. Have you ever seen them again?”

  Trent felt a surge of anger as he remembered his childhood. “Never. They moved out of state as soon as they were rid of me.”

  Annie sighed. “Some people don’t realize what a gift a child is.”

  Trent squirmed. Discussing his childhood revived painful memories. But Annie’s childhood had been painful too. “How long was your mother ill?” he asked.

  “Mama got sick when I was ten and died two years later. After her death, I moved in with Aunt Julia, who had five kids of her own. I pretty much raised myself.”

  He shook his head. “And I thought my life was difficult.”

  “No more war stories,” Annie said. “I’m celebrating the fact that we came through the driving lesson unscathed. And so did everyone else on the road.”

  “Did you bring that book of names?” Trent asked, trying to forget the trauma of the lesson.

  Annie dug it from her purse. “Here it is.”

  He thumbed through the pages. “Personally I like Murga-troyd. For a boy, of course. And Mortimor if they’re both boys.”

  Trent loved making Annie laugh. The woman’s laughter made the hairs on his neck stand at attention. And she stirred feelings in him he didn’t know he possessed.

  “You flunked the boy-names quiz. I won’t even ask your suggestions for girls.”

  “Can I keep the book overnight? And do some serious research?”

  “Of course. It’s my friend Sara’s book. But she’s picked her names and doesn’t need it anymore.”

  Annie had just paved the way for his next assignment. “Did you say you teach with Sara?”

  “Yes. I’m kindergarten and she’s first grade. I don’t know how I’d manage without her.”

  “What’s Sara’s last name? I might know her.”

  “Miller. She and her husband, Alex, live on Meadow Lane in Country Gardens.”

  Bingo, Trent thought. He needed Sara’s help to pull off the shower. He still couldn’t believe he’d agreed to that. A party for babies was light-years out of his comfort zone.

  Trent bit his lip. Time to drop another bomb. “Can I ask a favor before I take you home?”

  Annie eyed him suspiciously. “What kind of favor?”

  “Will you make one stop with me? No questions asked?”

  She drummed her fingers on the table. “Hmm. How long will this favor take?”

  “Half an hour or so.”

  She pursed her lips and cocked her head. The gesture, like everything else about Annie, was feminine and appealing. Trent thought again about kissing her. Right here at Tasty Cream. All he’d have to do is lean across the table, cup her chin in his hand, and...

  Don’t be an idiot, he told himself.

  After more finger drumming, Annie said, “I suppose you’re entitled to thirty minutes with no questions asked. Will I suffer much?”

  “Hardly at all. You might even enjoy yourself.”

  “The jury’s still out on that. I’ll let you know later.”

  What is the man up to now? Annie wondered as she and Trent left the ice cream shop. While the driving lesson had been a nightmare, she owed the cowboy for all his help. So she didn’t probe when he asked for a favor.

  “Is it far? This mysterious place?”

  “Super close. And not mysterious at all.”

  When he swung the VW into the Babyland parking lot, Annie punched him in the arm. Hard. “I’m not going into that store,” she declared. “So forget it.”

  Trent’s blood pressure shot up. “Why are you so obstinate? We’re just browsing. What’s wrong with browsing?”

  Lots of things, Annie thought. She didn’t want Trent wrenching any more decisions from her hands. And crib shopping seemed too intimate an activity to share with someone who wasn’t her husband.

  “I can’t afford the cribs yet,” she snapped. “Not for a couple more months.” She twisted the strap on her purse and glared at him. “You tricked me, Trent Madison. I expect fair play from you. Always.”

  “How else could I get you here? Other than in a hostage situation?”

  He had a point. And she had agreed to his terms. “Thirty minutes. Starting now.”

  “Let’s go. At the rate you move it’ll take that long to get to the front door.” The man’s grin was positively wicked.

  Annie considered punching him again. Harder this time. “I’ll get you for this.”

  “I expect you will.”

  Trent opened the door to Babyland, and they stepped into a children’s paradise. Annie had never been inside the store. At first her grief had kept her away. And as the grief eased, her limited budget took over.

  She gazed around the showroom with a sense of wonder. “Have we stumbled into Oz?”

  “Rosa said it was fantastic. And Rosa’s never wrong.”

  They strolled up and down the aisles till they reached the crib department. “What style do you like?”

  “I want cribs made of oak. But I’ll buy mine secondhand.”

  “Let’s see if anything’s on sale.”

  As Annie watched Trent stride through the aisles, she thought he looked out of place in the sea of baby furniture. Cowboy to the core, the man should be shopping for saddles or bridles or hay.

  Certainly not baby beds.

  But Trent’s loyalty to Brad was unquestionable. He would do anything to honor his friend’s request. Including driving lessons and crib shopping.

  “Over here, Annie. These are oak. How about this one?”

  She joined him and felt a rush of delight. “It’s perfect. Just the style I want.” She glanced at the tag and gasped. “Did you see the price? I didn’t pay this much for Eloise!”

  “They’re on sale. Thirty percent off.”

  Annie suddenly felt faint. The tension of the driving lesson and the unexpected trip to Babyland had overwhelmed her. She swayed to one side, and Trent noticed. “Are you OK?”

  “I feel dizzy.”

  “Here. Sit down.” He guided Annie to a rocking chair and she dropped into it. She closed her eyes to stop the room from spinning.

  Trent knelt beside her and grasped her hand. Annie tried not to think about how good his fingers felt wrapped around hers. She couldn’t afford to think about it.

  “Should I take you to the hospital?”

  Annie shook her head. “I need to go home and put my feet up. I’ve had a few dizzy spells, but Doc Newsome’s not concerned.”

  “Maybe she ought to be.” Tension edged Trent’s voice.

  “Just give me a minute. Would you get me a water bottle? A drink sounds good.”

  Trent seemed torn on whether to leave her but finally headed for customer service. While he was far too pushy and controlling, Annie felt more for the man than annoyance. She felt attraction. An attraction that was both inappropriate and out of control.

  Don’t see him as a stand-in husband, her conscience warned. While Trent took his assignment seriously, he’d only be around long enough to fulfill his obligation. If Annie let these feelings grow, she’d set herself up for more sadness.

  Tears welled in her eyes and several brimmed over. She swiped at them with the back of her hand. Great. She was having a breakdown at Babyland! She pulled a tissue from her purse, blew her nose, and watched Trent approach with water and a concerned expression.

  There it was again. Another stab of attraction. Tr
ent knelt beside her, unscrewed the cap, and handed her the bottle. “Here, Annie. Take a drink.”

  The deep resonance of his voice and his kind tone touched her heart. “Thank you.”

  “How do you feel?”

  “Better. The world stopped spinning.”

  “Shall I take you home?”

  “Please.”

  Trent gripped Annie’s arm and helped her stand. She liked to think he was showing compassion, but maybe he figured she couldn’t get up on her own. Maybe he was right. If she got any bigger, they’d have to lift her out of the crib department with a crane.

  As they drove along, the stress of the afternoon hit hard. And Annie’s burgeoning feelings for Trent made everything worse. Surely this wasn’t love, was it? She shivered at the possibility.

  “Are you cold?”

  “Just tired.” She patted her stomach. “One day soon I won’t be carrying all this extra weight.”

  “You’ll be carrying it, all right. But in your arms.”

  “Yeah. I’m ready for that.”

  “I wonder what they’ll look like? The babies?”

  “I think about them a lot. But I can’t imagine.”

  As Trent pulled into Annie’s driveway, she moaned. “I should have told you to park in the street. My backing-up skills need help.”

  “Shall I move it?”

  “Nope. I’ll figure it out myself.”

  To Annie’s shock, Trent leaned toward her and kissed the tip of her nose. Even that small gesture set her heart thumping. And for one crazy moment she wished he would really kiss her. That he’d pull her close and kiss her till her head spun.

  Another inappropriate thought. They came more frequently these days. “Don’t bother walking me to the door,” she said, wanting only to escape the man’s presence. “I can manage alone.”

  “Whatever you say.”

  Annie walked, or more correctly waddled, down the sidewalk. She turned to see Trent wave, and she waved back.

  She’d better watch herself. Falling in love with Trent Madison was a possibility. A definite possibility. One she shouldn’t entertain for a moment. He was here under coercion, and once the babies came, he’d be history. If she fell head over heels for the cowboy, she’d face still more heartbreak. And she’d had enough for a lifetime.