It's Only Love

by Marie Force

  “Not yet. You?”

  “Nothing. What time are you heading over there?”

  “I’m shooting for noon.”

  “Could I hitch a ride with you? My car needs oil, and I haven’t gotten around to getting it into Nolan’s.”

  “Sure. Then we can go over all these notes I’ve made for you so you can cover for me next week.”

  “You are going to owe me so big for that it’s not even funny.”

  “So you’ve said, at least a dozen times now.”

  “Just making sure you heard me,” Charley said with a grin. “When are you telling him about the trip?”

  “Tomorrow night.”

  “That doesn’t give him much time to get his shit together.”

  “It also doesn’t give him much time to come up with a thousand reasons why he shouldn’t go.” She’d given careful thought to the timing and decided the less time he had to think about it, the better off he’d be. Or so she hoped.

  “You really think he’ll do that?”

  “I’m not sure what to expect, to be honest. He’s got some sort of issue where the Sultans are concerned. I’m not sure if it’s a big issue or a small one. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow night.”

  “What’ll you do—and I’m just playing devil’s advocate here, so don’t shoot me—if he says he won’t go?”

  “I don’t know. I’m trying not to think about that possibility.”

  “For the record, I think he’d be crazy not to go after you went to so much trouble to arrange the trip and everything.”

  “Thanks. I’m hoping for the best.”

  “Me, too, Ella. It’s a really nice thing for you to do. I hope he sees that.”

  “I hope so, too.”

  “I’ll be ready to go at noon,” Charley said. “Maybe we can grab lunch at the diner before we leave?”

  “I’d be up for that.”

  “Okay, see you then.”

  Alone in her office, Ella printed out a brochure for the resort, their plane tickets and some pictures of the romantic settings in Turks and Caicos. She couldn’t wait to see those sites with Gavin by her side, and the thought of it not happening . . . Well, she couldn’t entertain that possibility. She just couldn’t.

  At noon, she and Charley crossed Elm Street to the newly renamed Green Mountain Diner, run by their future sister-in-law Megan. They ducked into a booth and Megan came over to them.

  “Hi there,” she said with a friendly smile. “Do you guys need menus?”

  “I don’t,” Charley said.

  “Turkey club and a Diet Coke?” Megan asked.

  “You got it.”

  “Ella? You want your usual?”

  Normally, she went for a salad, but she was absolutely famished today. “I’ll have the same as Charley.”

  “Coming right up. Any news from Burlington?”

  “Nothing,” Charley said. “I’m dying to know what’s going on. We’re heading over there from here.”

  “Hunter should be there any time now. I’m so bummed that I can’t get away with the big Thanksgiving dinner here tomorrow.”

  “What’s Hunter going to do about Thanksgiving?” Ella asked.

  “He’s coming back tonight to give me a hand here,” Megan said, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly. “I told him he doesn’t have to, but he insisted.”

  “He wants to be where you are,” Ella said with a smile for the woman who’d made her oldest brother so happy.

  “That’s what he said, too. I’ll get your order in and grab your drinks.”

  “Thanks, Megan,” Charley said. When they were alone, she added in a whisper, “I never expected to like her as much as I do.”

  “She’s really great when you take the time to get to know her.”

  “I can’t believe Hunter is getting married next month!”

  “When it’s right, it’s right,” Ella said with a sigh.

  “Why the sigh?”

  “I guess I’m envious of him and Will and Hannah and Colton. They’ve got it all figured out, and I want that, too. I want to know that Gavin and I are together forever and nothing will ever come between us.” The thought of something coming between them filled her with fear, which was slightly irrational in light of what had transpired between them only that morning.

  “Earth to Ella. Where’d you go off to?”

  “I was just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “If I tell you, you won’t tell anyone else, will you?”

  “Jeez, I didn’t earn any points by keeping the big Gavin secret for as long as I did?”

  “True.” Though she’d prefer not to tell anyone her private business, she was dying to tell someone, and Charley had proven herself trustworthy in recent months. “This morning, when we were . . . together . . . It was just . . . I don’t know how to describe it.”

  “We’re talking about sex, right?”

  Ella gave her a withering look.

  “What? I’m just making sure we’re on the same wavelength. Are we?”

  “Yes,” Ella said, exasperated.

  “I bet it’s really good with him. He’s got the whole studly, brawny, sexy thing going on like Caleb did, too.”

  “It is amazing with him, but this morning it was . . . I don’t have the words.”

  Charley fanned her face. “Wow. I’ve never seen you speechless before.”

  “I was after that. I was speechless. There’s like this connection between us that defies description.”

  “You’re lucky. That’s hard to find.”

  “You’re going to find it, Charley. I know you are.”

  “I’m not holding my breath, and I’m perfectly happy just the way I am.”

  Megan returned with their drinks. “Hunter called from the hospital. They’re saying it could be another couple of hours until your new niece or nephew arrives.”

  “Oh, good for us but bad for Chloe,” Ella said. “I hope she’s doing okay.”

  “I hope she’s not a dick to Max after the baby’s born,” Charley said bluntly.

  “That, too,” Ella said.

  “She’ll have the Abbott army to contend with if she is,” Megan said.

  “Indeed she will,” Charley said. She perked up and waved someone over to their table, sliding in to make room for Elmer. “Hey, Gramps.”

  “This is a nice surprise,” Elmer said. “Three of my favorite ladies all in one place.”

  “Coffee?” Megan asked him with a warm smile that was full of affection. Elmer had that effect on people.

  “Would love some, honey. Thank you.”

  “Are you going to Burlington, Gramps?” Ella asked.

  “I’m leaving shortly with Wade. He offered to give me a lift.”

  “You can come with us if you’d rather get there alive,” Charley said.

  “Your brother is a very good driver, and I already said I’d go with him, but thanks for the invite.”

  “Ready to be a great-grandpa?” Ella asked.

  “I can’t wait. Have you heard any more?”

  They told him what Hunter had reported through Megan.

  “This is so exciting,” Elmer said. “It’s been a while since we had a baby in the family.”

  “It’s funny that Max was the last baby, and now he’s having one of his own,” Ella said. “I vividly remember the day he was born.”

  “I do, too,” Charley said with a smile for her sister. They were eight and nine years older than Max. “And here he is beating us to parenthood.”

  “He always was an overachiever,” Elmer said. “And he’s going to be a great dad to that little one.”

  “Yes,” Ella said, “he is.” A fierce pang of yearning overtook her. She wanted to be a mom. For so long, when it seemed lik
e it wasn’t going to happen with Gavin, she’d managed to contain the yearning. But now . . . Now the yearning was like a live wire burning inside her.

  After a delightful lunch full of laughs with their grandfather, Ella and Charley set out for Burlington to meet their new niece or nephew. They arrived at the hospital shortly after three to hear that Chloe and Max were in the delivery room, and the baby was coming soon.

  The waiting room was full of Abbotts, eager to meet their new family member.

  “Where’s her family?” Charley asked Ella.

  “I don’t know that she has much family. Does she?”

  “No idea.”

  Molly, who’d been pacing from one end of the small room to the other, dropped into the chair on the other side of Ella’s. “I hope he’s holding up all right in there.”

  “I’m sure he’s doing great, Mom,” Ella said. “Charley was just wondering where Chloe’s family is.”

  “I’ve had no success whatsoever in getting your brother to tell me what the deal is with her family. Apparently, they were less than thrilled to hear about the baby and haven’t had much to do with her since she got pregnant.”

  “Can you imagine being that shitty to your own kid?” Charley asked. “It’s a baby, not a drug bust, for crying out loud.”

  “That’s how Dad and I feel, too. Would we have chosen this for him at this point in his life? Probably not, but it’s his life, not ours. It wouldn’t occur to us not to support him.”

  “That’s because you’re great parents,” Ella said.

  “Don’t make me cry, sweetheart. I’m already a hot mess waiting to meet my grandbaby.”

  Ella put her arm around her mother, who laid her head on Ella’s shoulder. “That’s going to be one lucky grandbaby.”

  “You’re making me cry.”

  Hannah and Nolan arrived a short time later, followed by Wade and Elmer. And with their arrival, the entire family was there when Max came bursting through the double doors an hour later wearing light blue scrubs, a cap on his head and a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

  “It’s a boy,” he said with tears streaming down his face. “I have a son!”

  Molly and Lincoln rushed to hug him while everyone else waited their turn to congratulate him.

  “How’s Chloe?” Molly asked.

  “She’s kind of out of it, but she did great. He’s a big boy. Almost nine pounds.”

  Ella winced at that news. Ouch!

  “What’s his name?” Colton asked.

  “Caden,” Max said. “Caden Lincoln Abbott.”

  “Oh hell,” Lincoln said, swiping at his tears. “Thank you, son.”

  “Thank you. All of you. I can’t believe you’re all here.”

  “Where else would we be?” Hannah asked, wrapping her arms around Max when he broke down again.

  “I don’t know what’s going to happen now,” Max said between sobs. “It’s all so screwed up.”

  “You’ll go back in there and be with your son,” Lincoln said, rubbing Max’s back. “Just be there and you’ll figure out the rest.”

  “Dad’s right,” Molly said. “Your place right now, today, is with him. You’ll work things out with Chloe as you go.”

  Max nodded and rubbed his eyes with the sleeve of the gown he’d worn in the delivery room. “I’ll bring him out as soon as I can.”

  “We’ll be right here waiting to meet him.” Molly went up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “We’ll be right here for as long as you need us.”

  “Okay.” He smiled weakly at the gathered group before returning to his son.

  “Lord,” Molly said when he was gone. “The poor guy. He’s so excited and so terrified at the same time.”

  “Like any new parent,” Lincoln said, his arm around his wife.

  What her father said was true, Ella thought, but they all knew this situation wasn’t typical, and she had a bad feeling it could get a whole lot worse before it got better for Max.

  * * *

  His heart pumping with adrenaline and joy and a healthy dose of anxiety over what lay ahead, Max returned to Chloe’s room. As usual, he had no idea whether he’d be welcome there, but bolstered by the support of his family, he didn’t really care if she wanted him around. The baby was his son, too, and he planned to be there for him in every way possible.

  He took a fortifying deep breath and pushed open the door, surprised to find Chloe asleep and Caden crying pitifully. Rushing to the bassinet next to Chloe’s bed, Max bent over his son, trying to decide what he should do. He’d taken the class offered by the hospital on his own when Chloe had refused to go with him, so he knew the baby wanted one of three things—food, a diaper change or someone to hold him.

  Since he could help with two of those three things, he first checked the baby’s diaper and found it was dry, so he carefully picked him up, making sure he was tightly swaddled. Patting his little back, Max moved around the room with him, putting a bounce in his step as he went, which seemed to settle the little guy.

  “Yeah,” he whispered, “that’s it. I’m your dad. I’ve got you.” The tsunami of emotions that came with seeing his son born were upon him once again as the tears flowed freely down his face. Watching him enter the world had been the most amazing moment of his entire life, and Max would never forget it.

  Chloe let out a groan before her eyes opened. Her blond hair was matted, and her face was still bright red from the strain of pushing out the baby. She’d spent most of the hours in labor begging for something more for the pain. “What’s wrong with him?”

  “Nothing. He’s fine. Are you okay?”

  “I’m great,” she said sarcastically. “I’ve got a hundred stitches between my legs, but other than that . . .”

  “You want me to get the nurse?”

  “They said no more pain meds for an hour. I just want to sleep.”

  “I’m going to take him to see my parents, if that’s okay.”

  “I don’t care.”

  There was so much Max could say to that, but today wasn’t the day. Today was Caden’s day, and it would be for the rest of his life. Max held the baby close to his chest as he left the room and walked to the waiting area, eager to show off his son to his family.

  When Max stepped through the double doors with the baby in his arms, his entire family rushed them.

  “Oh my God, he’s so cute!”

  “And so tiny!”

  “That face, look at that little face!”

  “He looks like you, Max.”

  “Can we hold him?”

  Reluctant to be parted with him for even a minute, Max eased the baby into his mother’s arms.

  “Well hello there, little man,” she whispered through her tears. “Oh, Max, he’s beautiful.”

  His dad stood behind his mom, looking down at his new grandson with tears in his eyes, too. “You done good, son. He’s a fine-looking boy.”

  Ella put her arms around him.

  Max leaned into his sister’s embrace, grateful for the unwavering support of his family.

  “How ya holding up?” Ella asked.

  “I’m great. Best day of my life.”

  “How’s Chloe?”

  “In pain and grumpy, but I suppose I would be, too, if I were her.”

  “Where’s her family?” Ella asked softly.

  “Not here. Not coming.”

  “That’s just so wrong.”

  “I know. I agree. I feel bad for her. It’s just another thing she blames me for.”

  “Max . . .”

  He made an effort to shake off his worries about Chloe. “Not today. Today is Caden’s day.”

  “Yes, it is. Congratulations again, Max.”

  “Thanks.”

  CHAPTER 21

  Hope is faith holding out its hand
in the dark.

  —George Iles

  With most of the family staying in Burlington through Thanksgiving, Ella and Charley left after seeing the baby to stake out a room at the lake house.

  “Max seems good,” Charley said after they’d put their stuff in the room they usually shared.

  “I hate that he’s so worried about what’s going to happen with Chloe now that the baby is here.”

  “I wish she didn’t have to act like he got her pregnant all on his own. I mean look at him . . . She was probably a more than willing participant.”

  “I’m sure she was. No one ever thinks it’s going to happen to them.”

  “I just hope it doesn’t get ugly.”

  “I hope so, too.” Ella put her long hair up in a ponytail. “Mom said she brought everything she’d bought for Thanksgiving. Want to make the pies with me?”

  “Sure.”

  They were rolling out piecrust when the others began to arrive. Will built up the fire in the huge stone fireplace while Colton carried in more wood. Lucy and Cameron joined Ella and Charley in the kitchen while Nolan insisted Hannah take a nap.

  “Only if you come with me,” she said to her husband, who followed behind her with a dopey smile on his face.

  “I want a nap,” Charley said.

  “Keep rolling,” Ella retorted.

  By the time their parents got to the house a couple of hours later, they had four pies cooling on the counter, twenty pounds of potatoes had been peeled by Will and Colton, who’d protested the entire time, stuffing had been made and the turkey prepared for baking.

  “Oh my goodness, girls,” Molly said. “You did everything!”

  “Will and I peeled the potatoes,” Colton said. “Don’t let them tell you otherwise.”

  “Thank you, Colton.”

  “And Will,” Will called from the living room, where he had found a football game to watch on TV.

  “And Will.”

  “How’s the baby?” Charley asked.

  “He’s beautiful,” Molly said. “I got to give him a bottle before I left.”

  “She’s not breastfeeding?” Hannah asked.

  “She said the baby wasn’t interested in breastfeeding, so the nurses set him up with a bottle.”