“She’s right,” Vivian explained. “After all, you didn’t even know about the baby until you showed up here. We feel as if this little one is as much ours as yours.”
That was when Cori knew she had been accepted.
The afternoon passed quickly as Vivian set up the games, such as coming up with odd names for babies. Regina handed the gaily wrapped gifts to Cori who found herself the recipient of blankets, toys, a musical mobile, tiny clothing and a beautiful baby afghan from Denise.
“I left one corner blank so I can work in the baby’s name, birth date, time of birth, weight and inches,” Denise explained as Cori ran her hand over the soft blanket.
“It’s so beautiful,” she murmured, noting the intricate work and knew this had to have taken many hours of Denise’s time and was obviously a labor of love. She raised tear-bright eyes. “I’ll hate to use it.”
“But that’s exactly what it’s for.” Denise looked pleased by Cori’s reaction. “To cover the baby up.”
“The way he’s been kicking lately I don’t think he’s going to want any kind of covering.”
“Just wait another month!” several called out on a wave of laughter.
By the time the party was over, Cori felt overloaded with emotion and dazed by the gifts surrounding her, many of them made with obvious affection.
She raised her eyes to study Denise.
“I usually hate surprises,” she confessed.
Denise laughed. “You handled this one well.” She began gathering up boxes.
Cori waited a beat. “Then I guess you won’t believe me if I tell you I hope your next one is another boy.”
*
BEN WAS BARELY ABLE to walk inside the cottage before he was assaulted by a jubilant Cori.
“Hi!” She jumped up, throwing her arms around him. “Look at what I got!”
Ben stared at the pile of baby clothing, toys and even a bassinet in one corner.
“Denise said I could borrow it.” Cori walked over to run her hand over the lace trim on the bassinet. “And she made a beautiful afghan.” Wonder colored her voice. “Ben, they gave me a surprise baby shower.”
“Hey, that’s great.” He wrapped his arms around her and drew her back to him. He looked down at her. “You’re not going to turn on the waterworks, are you? ‘Cause if so, I’ll need to get a couple of bath towels for mopping up.”
“No.” She blinked rapidly and sniffed. “It’s just that no one has ever done so much for me.” She absently ran her hand over her rounded tummy.
“Maybe they like you,” he whispered, kissing the curve of her ear. “That’s understandable.”
She turned in his arms and stood as close as her belly would allow.
“I know I’m terrible for saying this, but I look and feel like the Goodyear blimp. Do you think I might be farther along than we thought?”
“You’re right on the target weight since you gave up the Ding Dongs,” he assured her. “I wouldn’t worry. It just means we’ve had to get more inventive,” he teased her.
Cori butted the top of her head against his chest. “You love to embarrass me, don’t you?”
“No. I just love you.” There, he’d said it. And it felt good.
Cori just looked at him, stunned. Then she broke into a big smile. “You do?” she asked in a sweet voice.
Ben nodded. “Yeah, I do.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms. “Know what else I love?”
She shook her head.
“I love watching you on top of me,” he murmured, trailing his hands up and down her back in a slow caress. “Admit it, you do, too. It makes you feel in charge.” He dropped a kiss on top of head, and before she could even reply he swooped her up into his arms and carried her into her bedroom.
As he lay her down, Cori looked up at Ben and in that instant realized how much she needed him. Not just physically, but emotionally, too. She needed Ben in her life—today and forever. With her body, she’d tell him that. She reached out to unbutton his shirt, and within seconds they’d both shucked their clothes.
As their mouths fused with hungry intent, Ben raised his hips, thrusting deep inside her. She was already moist and receptive for him, moving her hips in quick countermovements. Their breathing quickened with each thrust. Cori stared into Ben’s eyes and saw the love shining from the deep brown depths. She tightened her inner self as she felt the ripples begin deep down and move outward.
As those ripples turned into a tidal wave that engulfed them both, she said, “I love you, too.”
*
BEN WRAPPED HIS ARMS around Cori, holding her spoon-fashion.
“You know,” he said once he caught his breath. “You should be given a baby shower more often.”
Cori’s shoulders shook with laughter. “You have such a romantic nature at times.”
“I do when it counts. Who brought you flowers yesterday?”
“Zeke.”
“Oh.” He thought for a moment. “All right, who took you out to the lake again?”
“You did and Andy showed up ten minutes later.” She reached over the side of the bed and retrieved his shirt, pulling it on. She fastened three buttons. “I am never leaving town with you again unless we are going to your mother’s or the Williamses. No more dark corners. No going off to look at the moon over the lake.”
“Is that why you refused to go swimming with me?”
“We didn’t have any suits with us!”
“So?”
“So the last thing I want is for Andy to catch me naked in the lake. That might be the one time he’ll talk!” Cori grimaced and covered her tummy with her hands. “Major kicking.” She gave a sigh. “I can’t sleep on my back anymore. And there’s certainly no way I can sleep on my stomach. I just know this baby is getting even with me.”
“Probably wants revenge for those chili fries you ate when we went out last night.” He drew her back to him.
Cori snuggled even closer and rested her palm against his abdomen. She looked sadly at the flat plane, then looked at the bulge below her breasts that had increased to what she considered an alarming size. She wondered if she would ever be able to regain her previously flat tummy.
“I’m always going to look like this, aren’t I?” she said sadly. “I just know the baby has taken up permanent residence in there and will refuse to leave.”
“You keep up with the chili fries and the kid will be out of there tomorrow,” he teased.
Cori widened her eyes to saucer shape. “What an incredible insight,” she drawled. “I am so impressed. Did you learn that in medical school?”
“Bet your boots, I did.” He started tickling her side.
“No!” she shrieked. “You know I hate you tickling me.”
“You cast aspersions on my medical training and you pay the price.”
Cori stilled his hand. “Stop it, Ben. I need to talk to you, seriously.”
The gravity in her voice made Ben stop and look down at her. “What is it?”
“Today brought a few points home to me. Number one is I have to settle with my dad.”
“Before or after you hit him up for financing the Diner?” he asked on a smile.
Cori looked sheepish. “Definitely before. I told you I wanted to invite him to Thanksgiving dinner.”
“Why not Halloween since it’s coming up?”
She knew he was teasing. “You don’t invite someone to Halloween dinner, you fool. Besides, by Thanksgiving, the baby will be here. Maybe seeing the baby will soften him up.”
“There’s one thing seeing the baby will do,” Ben countered.
“What’s that?”
“Make him want to shoot Rufus.” Ben ducked just in time to soften the blow of the pillow Cori threw at him.
*
“I CAN’T GO.“
Ben looked up at the figure standing in the bedroom doorway. He swallowed and tightened his facial muscles so he wouldn’t laugh. He sensed if he did he wouldn’t have long to liv
e.
“You look…cute,” he said finally.
“I look like a round orange ball!” Cori wailed.
“Pumpkins are round and orange,” Ben said carefully, picking his way through the mine field as best he could. “But I must say the legs are spectacular.”
Cori adjusted her hat made up to resemble green leaves. Thanks to Denise’s help, she wore a puffy orange costume and orange tights. To complete the look, she had drawn tiny green vines along her cheeks and wore a bright pumpkin orange lipstick.
“I didn’t even need any stuffing.” She carefully made her way to a chair and debated whether struggling to get down into it was worth all the trouble.
“I can understand that,” Ben mumbled behind the cover of the evening newspaper. His body shook with restrained laughter.
Cori held up her legs to study her black flats. “I don’t even see my feet anymore,” she mourned. “Are you sure the baby isn’t due real soon? Such as tomorrow?”
“Sorry. You’ve got a few more weeks.”
“It’s not fair. I can’t even blame you for this.” She gave a deep sigh. “Do we have to go to the party?”
“We could stay here for our own trick-or-treat party, but then everyone would figure out what’s going on.”
Cori glared at him. Ben, wearing jeans and a white T-shirt, black leather jacket and black boots was devastating.
“That is not a costume.”
“Sure is.”
“As what?”
He shot her his you-should-know-the-answer-to-that look. “I’m going as James Dean.” He glanced at his watch. “Are you ready?”
She seriously thought about sulking. “Yes.”
Ben got up and walked over, holding out his hands. With a soft grunt, he pulled Cori to her feet.
“If you hadn’t let me eat all that junk food the past few months, I wouldn’t have gained so much weight.” She looked as if she was ready to stamp her foot.
“Cori, I hate to bust your balloon—” he paused as he looked at her rounded shape “—but some of that weight is the baby.”
“If you try to tell me I’m going to give birth to a twenty-five-pound baby I will personally shoot you.” Cori walked over to the small coat closet and pulled out her parka. Thanks to Dina, she was able to arrange to have some warmer clothing sent to her. Her friend had been filled with questions and anxious for answers that Cori promised to fulfill soon. She didn’t want to tell Dina about the baby until she could talk to her father. Except in phoning her father’s office, she learned it was closed for three weeks and calling him at home only netted her the answering service. She left her name and telephone number, asking that he call her.
Ben assisted her with her parka, then wrapped it around her middle, but it refused to meet. He shook his head.
“I have a sweater on under my costume,” she explained.
“As long as you’re warm.”
The town hall was filled with the residents dressed in everything from the usual Halloween witches wearing black dresses and holding old-fashioned brooms to more elaborate costumes such as one man sporting long sideburns and wearing a sequined suit.
“You look good as a pumpkin,” Dan teased. “Just hope no one decides to turn you into a pie next month.”
“You should talk.” She eyed his faded coveralls and plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He carried a pitchfork. “What are you?”
He looked insulted she didn’t recognize his costume. “I’m that painting with that farmer and his wife. ‘Cept my wife refused to go as the old crone in the picture, so she’s dressed up as Mother Goose. At least she didn’t bring any of the geese with her. They tend to snap at people.” He turned and smiled at Ben. “Hey, Doc. James Dean, right?”
Ben nodded. “I’m glad to see some people recognize an icon.” He turned to Cori and grabbed her hand. “C’mon, let’s dance.”
“This should prove interesting,” she drawled, following behind him. “We’ll be fine as long as we don’t have to get any closer than five feet.”
After that, Cori didn’t think she sat more than ten minutes. She was positive she danced with everyone, and when a large green lizard walked up and held out his foot, she dug up a bit more energy and walked back out on the dance floor.
“So, Godzilla, eat any good cities lately?” she asked brightly as she vainly tried to twist and found it next to impossible.
“Just the usual.” His voice was muffled but unmistakable.
Cori leaned forward to get a better look, but could only see a pair of eyes blinking behind the eyeholes.
“Andy?” she asked in a hushed voice.
He nodded.
“You really should try this costume when you’re ousting the teenagers,” she advised. “After one look at you, they’d never try anything again.”
“It only works on Halloween.”
She started laughing when he swung her to the side and around his green scaly body. The next time he spun her, she whirled right into Ben’s arms. He nodded to Godzilla and danced her into the middle of the crowd.
“That’s Andy,” she told him.
“Yeah, he likes to show his humorous side during the holidays,” he replied. “Having fun?”
“Yes!” She suddenly laughed when Ben bent her backward in a dip worthy of Fred Astaire.
“How many pumpkins can claim they can dance to Chubby Checker?” he asked after the music stopped.
When Cori later walked out of the ladies’ room she noticed Dan and Zeke talking to Ben. Ben’s face creased in a smile and he slapped both men on the back. She couldn’t stop watching him and only hoped she didn’t look lovestruck.
What would marriage to him be like? she wondered. Would he care for the baby she was carrying? It was easy enough for him to act that way now because he had no claim. But they spent all their time together, she reasoned. That had to mean something. He told her how much he loved her and she knew he didn’t want her to leave Farrington. Which wasn’t a problem since she didn’t want to, either.
Was he waiting for the baby to be born first? She rested her hand on her tummy, feeling the rolls and kicks from the baby. Obviously, the baby had decided to dance right along with mom.
“Ready to go?” Ben walked up. He looked at her quizzically. “Are you all right?”
She mustered up a smile. “Just a little tired. I haven’t danced so much in quite a while.”
“I’ll get your jacket.”
Ben later settled her in the warmth of the truck cab and climbed in beside her.
It took a moment for her to realize he was taking a different direction home.
“Where are we going?” she roused herself to ask.
“Just a little side trip,” he said mysteriously. “Just do me a favor and close your eyes until I tell you you can open them.”
“This better not have anything to do with the lake.” But she obediently covered her eyes with her hands.
“Far from it.”
Cori felt the truck soon slow to a stop.
“Keep them closed.” Ben instructed as he climbed out of the truck and helped her out. He guided her to a spot, then stopped. “Okay, now you can open them.”
Cori took her hands away and stared at the sight before her. A long silver building glowed dully in the night while a hand-lettered sign off to the side could be read courtesy of a nearby streetlight.
“Oh, Ben,” she whispered, staring at the sign, which read The Diner—Open This Spring. “They did it. They did it!” She hopped up and hugged him tightly.
“Dan said they didn’t want you to know in case it didn’t work out,” he explained.
Cori hung on to Ben and chuckled when he handed her a handkerchief.
“You know, something tells me you’ll still be putting out the tears twenty years from now,” he teased gently.
Cori knew it wasn’t a proposal, but for the moment it was good enough.
*
IT SEEMED THEY HAD barely r
eturned to the cottage when the phone rang. Cori picked it up and was surprised to hear a familiar voice.
“So what exactly have you been doing all these months?” Sean Peyton roared over the phone.
Chapter Fifteen
Lucia Cooper’s House
“I can’t believe I’m still pregnant!” Cori grumbled, using the electric mixer to whip the heavy cream under Lucia’s direction.
“My darling, all first babies are late,” the older woman told her.
“Mine wasn’t supposed to be.” Cori looked down at her dress. She was positive she was all tummy. “When Daddy called me back and I invited him out here, I was positive I could greet him at the door with the baby and he’d forget about our past differences. Instead, he’s going to see me like this!” She absently rubbed at her lower back. “I hurt all over, I almost live in the bathroom and I look as if I’m ready to burst at any second.”
“You look lovely.” Lucia stopped to hug her before she checked on the turkey. “The two of you spoke on the phone and patched up your differences and I think he will be so happy to see you it won’t matter how you look.”
“But this isn’t right. Today was supposed to be dinner with all your family,” Cori protested.
“And I told them we would be up later for dessert,” she replied. “It is important you and your father have time to talk. I am only too happy to do this. And I will tell your father what wonderful things you have done for so many of us.”
“That should prove interesting.” She grimaced. “I’ll be back.” She walked out of the kitchen with that waddle all heavily pregnant women have. She stopped and looked out the window. “Does that look like snow?”
“We never have snow this time of year.” Lucia looked over her shoulder. “But then, it appears we will this year. I hope Bennie and your father get back soon. The airport said your father’s plane will be on time.” She cast Cori a curious look. “Are you all right?”
Mommy Heiress (Accidental Dads #2) Page 20