The Chef's Surprise Baby

by Brenda Harlen

  “I’m sure you’re right,” he agreed, so that she’d have one less concern weighing on her.

  “Tell me what’s new in Haven,” she said, apparently eager to change the topic of conversation.

  “I ran into Frieda Zimmerman at the market last weekend. She asked me to pass on her best wishes to you.”

  “Tell her I said hi when you see her again,” she said, no doubt aware that he crossed paths with the elderly woman every week at the market.

  “She also asked when you were coming home,” he said.

  It was what Kyle wanted to know, too, but he didn’t want to admit that he missed her. Not only because he wasn’t entirely comfortable with the realization, but also because he didn’t want to put any additional pressure on her.

  “I wish I knew,” Erin finally said in answer to his question. “You have no idea how much I miss everyone in Haven.”

  “You mean you miss the food at The Home Station,” he said, teasing to lighten the mood.

  “And Jo’s pizza,” she acknowledged. “Although, your sister did send me a care package last week.”

  “So I heard,” he said, not revealing that it had been his idea to send a box of frozen pizzas by overnight courier. “But pizza holds up better in transit than peppercorn-crusted New York striploin with garlic mashed potatoes and buttery green beans.”

  “I wouldn’t know,” she said. “No one has ever sent me peppercorn-crusted steak with potatoes and beans.”

  “Should I assume you’ve been living on Mini Wheats and PB and J sandwiches then?”

  “No. My mom’s a pretty good cook, and she’s been making all my dad’s favorite meals. Not that he has much of an appetite these days, but because she goes to the effort to cook, he forces himself to eat, which is important because he needs to keep up his strength.”

  “It’s important for you, too,” he said. “You won’t be able to help take care of your dad if you don’t take care of yourself.”

  “I’m taking care of myself,” she promised. “But right now, I need to take care of the last cabin.”

  And with that, she signed off and he walked into the restaurant, still missing her.

  * * *

  Erin nearly jumped out of her skin when she walked into her bedroom after her shower the following Saturday night and found her brother Owen lounging on top of her bed. “What are you doing here?”

  “I was looking for something to read,” he told her.

  She snatched the book out of his hand. “This is my bedroom, not a public library.”

  “But I knew you’d have an advanced copy of the newest Quinn Ellison book, and five pages in, I’m already hooked.”

  “Quinn will be happy to hear it. And I’ll be happy to pass the book on to you after I’ve finished reading it,” she promised. “Now get out so I can get to work.”

  He frowned at that as he rose to his feet. “It’s almost ten o’clock.”

  “Okay, get out so I can go to sleep,” she said.

  “But you won’t go to sleep, will you?”

  She exhaled a weary sigh. “What do you want me to say, Owen?”

  “I want you to say that you’re taking care of yourself.”

  “I’m taking care of myself,” she dutifully intoned.

  He folded his arms over his chest. “Roger wasn’t lying about the dark circles under your eyes—and they’ve only gotten worse over the past few weeks.”

  “The resort’s been fully booked since Memorial Day weekend,” she pointed out.

  “You don’t work at the resort,” he reminded her.

  “In case you haven’t noticed, the family is a little short-staffed these days.”

  “Ian assured me that, between him and Nick, all of Dad’s jobs are covered.”

  “They are,” she confirmed.

  “Which means that you’re running yourself ragged covering for Anna,” her brother guessed.

  “Her pregnancy is really taking a toll,” she said.

  “Is that why she spent all day yesterday in town, lunching and shopping with Lisa Bodine?”

  Erin frowned. “She went into town for a doctor’s appointment.”

  “After which she had lunch and went shopping with Lisa.”

  She didn’t question the truth of what he was saying—news traveled as far and fast in Silver Hook as it did in Haven. And though Owen had moved away a few years before she did, he still had friends in town who would be only too happy to share the latest gossip.

  “What do you want me to say?” she asked instead.

  “I don’t want you to say anything—I want you to be pissed that she’s taking advantage of you. And then tell Anna that you’re not going to put up with it anymore.”

  Maybe she should be annoyed, but honestly, she was too tired to get worked up over the fact that her sister had played hooky for an afternoon—or even the past several weeks.

  “Maybe it’s time for you to go back to Haven,” Owen said gently, when she failed to respond to his remark.

  “What?” She was stunned by this suggestion. “Why?”

  “Because Mom and Anna expect way too much of you.”

  “Marissa does more than I do,” she pointed out. “And she’s only part of the family through marriage.”

  “She also has a vested interested in this place, because she knows that it will belong to her and Ian someday.”

  “You mean when Dad decides to retire,” she said, refusing to consider any other scenario in which her brother and sister-in-law would take over running the resort.

  “When Dad retires,” he confirmed.

  But she saw the worry in his eyes—the same worry that weighed on her heart—and she knew that he didn’t really believe the reassurance he’d offered her.

  “In the meantime, I need to be here, Owen. Just for a little while longer.”

  He nodded slowly. “Okay.”

  She knew he understood, because Owen and Roger had been making the long trip from Portland every other weekend since their father’s diagnosis, wanting to spend as much time as possible with Brian.

  Just in case.

  “Now get out of my room before I tell Mom,” she said, teasing him with the threat she’d often used when they were kids.

  “I’m going,” he promised.

  But first he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight.

  She hugged him back, grateful for his love and support and offering him the same.

  When he’d gone, Erin pushed aside her irritation with her sister and settled down to work.

  But the following Saturday, when she was cleaning cabins again, she found herself wishing that she’d found a way to ask Anna to help. Even if her sister couldn’t get down on her hands and knees to scrub the bathroom floor, she could at least wield a broom or a dusting cloth. Instead, Erin was tackling the chores on her own.

  Again.

  As she dragged the housekeeping cart toward Cabin Seven, she hesitated when she saw that the door was wide open.

  Sometimes guests didn’t bother to lock up when they checked out, but they usually at least closed the door.

  Erin left her cart on the porch and cautiously peeked inside, aware that the local wildlife had been known to venture through any opening. The raccoons and chipmunks usually scurried out again quickly enough, but there had been an incident—back when she was in high school—when Cabin Four had been out of commission for a few weeks because a skunk had wandered in and was “surprised” by the return of the occupants.

  Not a skunk, but a sloth, Erin noted—and immediately chastised herself for the uncharitable thought that popped into her head.

  “Anna, what are you doing?”

  “Earning my keep,” her sister said, as she continued to sweep the kitchen area. “You always start at Cabin One, so I started at
Twelve, knowing we’d meet in the middle.”

  Erin should be grateful for the help and leave it at that, but she was also a little concerned. “Are you sure you’re not overdoing it?”

  “It’s my job,” Anna reminded her. “And one I’ve been slacking off from for too long.”

  “But the doctor—”

  “Assured me that moderate physical activity isn’t just acceptable but recommended. He’s also said that I’m getting fat.”

  “You’re not getting fat,” Erin denied, immediately rushing to her sister’s defense. “And if he said that, maybe you should find another doctor.”

  “I’ve put on twelve pounds already,” Anna confided. “And the doctor didn’t actually use that word, but he did express concerned about the weight gain. And Owen expressed concern about you.”

  “Owen needs to mind his own business.”

  “Usually I wouldn’t argue with that, but this time, he’s right—you really do look like hell.”

  “Thanks for noticing,” Erin said dryly.

  “I should have noticed without my annoying brother pointing it out to me.”

  “And I always thought Ian was the annoying brother.”

  Anna smiled at that, then her expression turned serious again. “Since I found out I was pregnant, I’ve been so caught up in myself I haven’t paid enough attention to what’s going on around me, and I’m sorry for that. Sincerely.”

  “You don’t need to be sorry. And you should be focused on your baby—this is an exciting time for you and Nick.”

  “Exciting...and more than a little terrifying,” her sister confided. “But we’ve got family around to help us navigate the rough spots, and I’m grateful for that. I’m grateful for you.”

  “I hate that I had to come home, but I’m glad to be here with you,” she said, more than a little surprised to realize it was true.

  “We’ll see if you still think so in a few months when the baby hormones are making me completely crazy,” Anna said.

  “You mean that hasn’t happened yet?” Erin teased.

  And jumped back, laughing, as her sister took a swing at her with the broom.

  Chapter Eight

  Ten months later

  “Have you heard from Erin?” Lucy asked from the doorway of Kyle’s tiny office at The Home Station.

  It was the tone of his sister’s voice more than the words that set off his radar, tearing his attention away from the menu he was working on. “Not today,” he said. “Did something happen with her dad?”

  Lucy nodded. “He passed away early this morning.”

  He swore. “Did you talk to her?”

  “Briefly.”

  “How’s she doing?” he asked.

  Lucy rubbed a hand over the swell of her belly. After more than two years of trying to get pregnant, his sister and brother-in-law were finally going to add to their family, their first baby being due in a little less than two months.

  “She sounded okay, all things considered,” she said in answer to his question.

  Kyle pulled his phone out of his pocket and peeked at the call log, breathing a quiet sigh of relief to see that there was a missed call from Erin at 7:20 a.m., when he’d still been at the market. He was sorry to have missed her call, but he was also relieved to know that she’d reached out to him, as their communications had been growing more sporadic over the past several months.

  In the beginning, they’d talked frequently and texted daily—sometimes several times a day. But as the weeks turned into months and her father’s condition continued to deteriorate, their exchanges had become fewer and farther between. He understood that she was preoccupied, but recently she’d seemed even farther away than the geographical distance that separated them. Which made him wonder if she’d grown to regret the night they’d spent together—or maybe completely forgotten about it.

  He wished he could forget, because more than eleven months later, he shouldn’t still be dreaming about the one night they’d spent together. But dreaming about her was preferable to waking up alone and realizing how much he missed her.

  Maybe part of the problem was that he hadn’t slept with another woman since that night. He’d been out on a few dates, but he honestly hadn’t wanted anything more. The idea of being with another woman—or even kissing another woman—held less than zero appeal to him.

  But why?

  That was the question that nagged at him.

  If he was a more romantic type, he might suspect that he’d fallen in love with Erin. But any illusions he’d had about romance had been destroyed along with his parents’ marriage, so he knew he couldn’t be in love with Erin and felt ridiculous for even contemplating the possibility.

  Sure, what they’d shared was special—or at least more significant than a one-night stand. There had been an extra layer of intimacy to their lovemaking because of their friendship, and he’d decided that he was no longer willing to settle for anything less.

  He also wished they’d had a chance to talk about what had happened between them—to clarify what it meant and didn’t mean and to reestablish the boundaries of their relationship. Because they were friends. He genuinely enjoyed hanging out with her, talking about everything from books and movies to current events and political issues. And he loved cooking for her, because she was always so appreciative of the simplest things.

  She’d once said that his Belgian waffles were like a taste of heaven. And when he’d let her sample a savory quiche recipe that he’d been experimenting with, she’d actually closed her eyes and moaned in a way that had his thoughts taking a quick detour from the kitchen to the bedroom.

  “Kyle!”

  He jolted. “What?”

  Lucy shook her head. “Have you heard a single word I’ve said?”

  “Sorry, I got so used to tuning you out when we were kids that it’s become my default mode when you start rambling on,” he said, because teasing her was preferable to admitting that his thoughts had wandered down a dangerous path.

  “I wasn’t rambling,” she denied hotly.

  “Then what were you saying?”

  “I was saying, I know it’s a lot to ask, but is there any chance that you’d be able to go to the funeral?”

  “I’d already planned on it,” he told her.

  “You did?” She was obviously taken aback by his ready response.

  “I mean, obviously I was hoping that there wouldn’t need to be a funeral, but under the circumstances, yes, I figured I’d go. Especially since you’re not in any condition to travel.”

  “I wish I could,” Lucy said, sincerely regretful. “But you’re right. Because of my sciatica, the doctor has advised against long road trips, and most airlines don’t let pregnant women fly in their last trimester.”

  “Which is why I’m going,” he said again, eager to reassure her.

  “You don’t think your boss will freak out about you being away from the restaurant for more than a day?” she asked.

  Because she believed that Liam Gilmore was a taskmaster, not realizing that it was Kyle’s choice to spend a hundred hours a week at the restaurant. And why not? He had nothing else to do with his time, and even less since Erin had been gone.

  “We’ve had a few chats recently about work-life balance,” Kyle told her now. “At Liam’s initiative.”

  “Did he have to explain to you what that is?” she asked, only half teasing.

  “I’m sure he won’t mind if I take a few days off,” he continued, ignoring her question. “Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t be on the phone with the kitchen, but Giselle has proven that she’s more than capable of taking the reins here.”

  “I have another request,” Lucy said.

  “You want bow ties with cheese sauce?” he guessed, naming the pasta she’d frequently asked him to make for her when they wer
e younger and which had become a favorite again during her pregnancy.

  She laughed. “No. Well, yes, if you’re offering,” she amended. “But I was thinking about your trip to Silver Hook.”

  “You want me to bring you back a T-shirt?”

  “I want you to bring back Erin.”

  “I’m not sure that she’ll want to leave her family the day after they bury her father,” he pointed out.

  “She might not want to leave at all,” Lucy warned. “At least, that’s my fear. She’ll feel as if she needs to stay, to help out at the resort until her mom is steadier on her feet.”

  “That doesn’t sound unreasonable.”

  “Except that every day she’s there—and it’s been almost a year now—she gets sucked deeper and deeper into a life she never wanted and tangled up in the demands of a family that doesn’t appreciate her.”

  He wasn’t going to argue with his sister about Erin’s family or her relationship with them, but he was still uneasy about Lucy’s request.

  “I’ll tell her that you want her to come home, but I’m not going to force the issue if it isn’t what she wants.”

  “I thought you might say that,” Lucy admitted. “That’s why I’m sending backup.”

  “Backup?” he echoed curiously.

  She nodded. “Quinn’s going to Silver Hook with you.”

  * * *

  Over the past few months, as her father’s condition had continued to deteriorate, Erin had gotten through by focusing on one day at a time. When he finally took his last labored breath, she’d been overwhelmed by the sense of loss, but there had also been an inexplicable sense of relief. He’d fought hard, but the battle was finally over, and though she knew that she’d miss him forever, she also knew that he was in a better place, no longer in pain, finally at peace.

  But when she went back to the house, where everyone had gathered after the final arrangements had been made, she realized that even in the midst of her family, she felt alone. Because while they were all dealing with the same loss, going through the same stages of grief, her mom had the support of all her children and Erin’s siblings had their spouses, but she was on her own.