The Best Bride

by Susan Mallery

  Except maybe Travis, Hannah thought. “I’m glad Louise finally got in touch with me. The family is a little overwhelming, but I’m getting used to everyone.”

  “Your brothers all look alike,” Nick said. “It took me a couple of days to get everyone straight.”

  “It’s true,” Hannah agreed. “At least the wives are easier. We females look different.”

  “Jill and Holly said the same thing,” Sandy said. “I guess I was lucky. I’d met the infamous Haynes brothers when I was in high school. When Elizabeth moved to town, she met them a couple at a time. The same for Rebecca. And Holly and Jill had already met one of the brothers before meeting any of the others. But you got everyone at once. At least Jill’s easy to remember, what with being so pregnant and all.”

  “Any word on that?” Hannah asked.

  “None. She’s due any day. The poor kid. Louise wants her to hold out for her birthday, but Jill wants it over. She’s so tiny, too. Within a week, she’ll probably weigh the same as she did before she got pregnant. I hate that.”

  Kyle squeezed her hand. “Jill is a nice enough person, but so small I’m sure Craig loses her regularly in the house. I’d much rather have you exactly the way you are.”

  Nick raised his eyebrows. “That was great, Kyle. You think of that just now?”

  “Sure. It’s a gift. All the brothers have it.” His mouth twisted as his good humor faded. “Not that it did us any good growing up.” He stared into the distance. “We could have any girl we wanted, but that didn’t make it any easier to go home. I remember thinking nothing could be worse than the screaming between my parents or my dad hitting me. Then, one day, my mother walked out. She didn’t leave a note or anything. And I found out it could get a whole lot worse.”

  Hannah remembered hearing that story. “She left because your father wanted to marry Louise?”

  “Yeah. After all those years of screwing around, the old man was finally ready to settle down. Unfortunately, it wasn’t with his wife.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault. I don’t blame Louise, either. My parents are both at fault. My father, of course, but I blame Mom some. She could have stayed in touch with her children. At least left a note.” His voice was bitter.

  Hannah pushed away her unfinished ice cream. “I look at you and your brothers and assume you had a perfect life, but I guess no one does. I was adopted when I was only a few days old. My parents were great. At least, that’s how I remember them. They died when I was four.” She briefly described growing up in foster homes.

  Kyle leaned across the small table and took her hand. “If we’d known about you, we would have come and rescued you.”

  Her throat tightened with emotion. “I believe you. Thanks.”

  He released her and she leaned back. Her shoulder bumped Nick’s. He put his arm around her and she snuggled close. Less than an hour before, they’d been about to make love. Now here she was spilling secrets about her past. She never talked about her childhood. What was happening to her? Everything was changing so quickly, she was having trouble keeping up.

  She was wildly attracted to Nick, even though she knew it was a mistake. She had no regrets about what they’d done, only what they hadn’t done. How was that possible? They’d only been together a few days. The intensity of her feelings frightened her. She didn’t want to identify them, even though she knew what they were.

  Nick played fast and loose with the law—and was virtually a stranger. Yet she trusted him. Perhaps foolishly. How had someone so gentle and kind, so caring and honorable, ended up on the wrong side of the law?

  She remembered the stories he’d told her about his past. About his father. Was that the reason?

  “I think it’s great that you’re a cop like your brothers,” Sandy said.

  Hannah smiled. “I think it’s a little odd. As if my destiny was chosen for me.”

  Sandy turned to Nick. “I know you’re in real estate. Did you go to college?”

  “Yes. I have a degree in economics.”

  They continued to talk. Hannah wondered if Nick really had a degree. Lies woven through truth. She wasn’t sure what was real anymore. He wasn’t her husband, or even her lover. They had nothing in common. She didn’t want him to go but knew he had to leave. She had to make sure he was out of her life before she risked it all. Before she gave him her heart only to have him return it shattered forever.

  Chapter Twelve

  The phone rang and woke Nick from a sound sleep. As he reached for it on the end table, he instinctively glanced at his watch. Four-fifteen. He could only think of one person who would call at this time. Rodriguez. Either there had been a break in the case, or it had been blown wide open.

  “Archer.”

  “Nick, it’s Craig.” The other man laughed. “I guess I woke you two up, right?”

  Nick pushed the covers on the sofa aside and sat up. He rubbed his face. “Craig? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I’m calling from the hospital. Jill had her baby. It’s a girl, not that anyone is surprised by that.”

  The fog in his head cleared. “Congratulations. Everything okay?”

  “Everything’s great. The baby’s perfect. Jill’s doing fine. She didn’t like the labor very much but swears the results were worth it.” He paused. “I wasn’t sure if I should phone you guys, but you’re family now, so you got the call just like everyone else.”

  “I appreciate your letting us know. We’ll be there as soon as we can. Tell me where the hospital is.”

  Craig gave him directions. Nick offered congratulations again, then placed the receiver back in the cradle. He glanced up and saw Hannah standing in the doorway.

  If he hadn’t been completely awake before, he sure as hell was now. She wore an oversize T-shirt that fell to the tops of her thighs and nothing else. Long hair tumbled over her shoulders. Her face was devoid of makeup, her eyes wide with questions. Desire slammed into him with all the subtlety of a tractor negotiating a china shop.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “That was Craig. Jill had her baby. A girl.” He realized he was sitting on the sofa completely naked and aroused. Casually, he pulled the sheet over his lap.

  Hannah pressed her hands together and grinned. “I want to go see them.”

  He glanced at his watch. “It’s not quite four-thirty.”

  “I know, but I won’t be able to get back to sleep, will you?”

  He might have after the phone call, but not after staring at her legs. He shook his head.

  “Then let’s go. It will only take me a few minutes to get ready.” Her sensuous mouth curved up in a smile. “I have a niece. Sort of. What would she be? A half niece?”

  “Way too complicated a question for me to answer this early in the morning. You’ll have to figure out the relationship on your own.”

  She laughed. “Nick, a baby. Isn’t that great?”

  “It’s pretty cool.” He thought for a second. “I doubt five in the morning is the best time to go visiting. The hospital might not let us in.”

  She tossed her head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m a cop. I know how to act like I have a right to be somewhere. Besides, with all the children being born in this family, I’m sure we get a discount. I’m going to get dressed.”

  Forty minutes later, they walked into the hospital and followed the sign to the maternity ward. As they pushed open double swinging doors, a nurse stopped them.

  “Visiting hours aren’t until later in the morning.”

  “I know,” Hannah said. “My brother and his wife just had a baby. We wanted to stop by briefly and congratulate them.”

  The nurse eyed her for a second, then shook her head. “I should have known. You’re with the Haynes family.” She laughed. “I suppose it will be your turn soon. Go on ahead. You can’t miss them. The herd is in the maternity waiting room.”

  “Thanks.” Hannah glanced up at him. “See?”

 
; He had a box of doughnuts in one hand. He placed the other at the small of her back. “Which of your law enforcement skills did you use? I couldn’t tell.”

  “I didn’t have to use any.”

  “Too bad. I was looking forward to seeing you in action.”

  They rounded the corner and saw the open doorway of the maternity waiting room. Despite the early hour, conversation and laughter spilled out into the hallway.

  “They amaze me,” Hannah whispered. “So many people are here. You think they’ve done this for every birth?”

  “Probably. It’s just their way.”

  “Wow.”

  She stopped walking and stared into the room. Nick had a feeling she was a little overwhelmed. He couldn’t blame her. Like her, he’d been a loner for a long time. Years ago, he’d stopped wishing for what he could never have. If someone had asked, he would have sworn families like this only existed on television.

  But here they were, in the flesh. A living, breathing, loving family.

  “I think I’m very lucky,” Hannah said.

  “You’re right.” He squeezed her waist. “Scared?”

  “A little. At least I really like babies.” She glanced at him. “Thanks for being here, Nick. I appreciate it.”

  “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

  “I bet I can think of a couple of places. How about Hawaii?”

  “Nope.”

  “Tahiti?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  She frowned, trying to think of other exotic locations. He wanted to tell her the only place he would rather be was in her bed, loving her. That wasn’t an option.

  “How about—”

  He dropped a kiss on her mouth to silence her.

  “Is that all you two ever do?” a voice asked. Nick looked up and saw Kyle approach. The other man grinned. “It’s five in the morning. Give it a rest.”

  Hannah laughed. “Nick can’t help himself. He finds me irresistible.”

  “Why not?” Kyle asked. “You’re a Haynes. The opposite sex always finds us irresistible.”

  “Gee, I could have used a little of this confidence during my gawky teenage years.”

  They entered the room. Nick fell into step beside them. “I’m sure you were stunning,” he said.

  “Oh, yeah. Stunningly awkward.”

  Kyle sniffed. “Do I smell fresh doughnuts?”

  “Here.” Nick handed over the box.

  “Look,” Kyle called. “Hannah, Nick and doughnuts.”

  Everyone turned toward them. There was a flurry of greetings. The family made quite a crowd. Three brothers and their wives, Austin and Rebecca, Louise and Richard—Nick wondered where the professor had been that he’d known about the early-morning birth—Hannah and himself.

  He glanced at Travis, but there was nothing unusual in the other man’s expression. Whatever Travis might think about Nick and his relationship with Hannah, he obviously wasn’t going to discuss it here.

  “We’ve got bagels, too,” Elizabeth said and motioned to the white paper bags sitting on the coffee table in front of the sofa. “There’s coffee, fruit, juice. We could open a restaurant.”

  Louise came over and gave Hannah a hug, then squeezed Nick’s hand. “A beautiful little girl. Jill’s doing well. She’s sore, but happy.”

  “I’m so glad,” Hannah said.

  Elizabeth handed them coffee. Kyle circled the room with the box of doughnuts. Hannah was pulled aside to hear the details of the delivery.

  “Does everyone have something to drink?” Jordan asked. There were murmurings of assent. He raised his plastic coffee cup. “To Craig and Jill. To the new baby. And to the Haynes legend.”

  Nick took a sip of coffee and studied the people in the room. From all that he’d heard, the brothers hadn’t had a happy childhood. Their friend, Austin, had had it worse when he was growing up. They’d all managed to mess up relationships. Travis had been divorced before he’d met and married Elizabeth. Craig’s first wife had left him, even though they had three children together. Three boys. If the legend was true, there had never been any love in that relationship.

  So much pain and tragedy. An unfaithful father. A mother who simply disappeared. Yet through it all, they hadn’t lost hope. Somehow, somewhere, they’d discovered the secret. They’d learned how to love and be loved in return.

  Nick frowned. He’d never been in love. He’d wanted women, had enjoyed their company, but he’d never met anyone he couldn’t leave behind. He’d never been willing to risk being hurt.

  He often told himself that some kinds of fear were healthy. Better to respect an oncoming truck than to step in front of it. He knew his limitations. He knew the price of being wrong. So he hadn’t taken a chance—not even once. And he hadn’t regretted that until now. Until he’d seen what real happiness looked like. Until he’d watched this family and realized the emotional self-sufficiency he’d prided himself on meant spending the rest of his life alone.

  What would it be like to stay in one place? To put down roots? To belong? What would it be like to commit to another person forever?

  His gaze strayed to Hannah. She was laughing. She hadn’t bothered to pull her hair back in a braid, and the soft waves framed her face. What would it be like to be married to Hannah for real?

  * * *

  “She’s perfect,” Hannah breathed as she pressed her fingers against the glass protecting the nursery from the outside world.

  A nurse stood holding the tightly wrapped infant. The baby slept on, unaware of the adults watching over her. Hannah ached to hold her close and inhale the sweet baby scent of her.

  “Six pounds, nine ounces,” Elizabeth said. “Jill is so tiny herself. I know she was terrified of having a ten-pound baby.”

  Sandy shuddered. “I know the feeling. It’s this pesky gene pool. The guys are so big.”

  “But we give good babies,” Kyle said, slipping his arm around his wife’s shoulders.

  “That you do.” Sandy smiled at him.

  Louise moved closer. “I think she looks a little like her mother.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “That will be a pleasant change. Uhoh, Nick, you’re in trouble. Look.”

  Hannah glanced up and saw everyone staring at her. “What?”

  “I recognize that expression,” Elizabeth teased. “Be careful, Nick, or soon you’ll be a daddy.”

  Hannah felt herself start to flush. She hadn’t thought her feelings were that obvious. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Nick. She didn’t want him to think she was trying to trap him into anything. But Elizabeth was right—she did want a child of her own. A family. Did she have a chance of making that real?

  “If what everyone says is true, I guess it wouldn’t be a boy,” Hannah said.

  She risked glancing at him. He didn’t look angry or even upset. She couldn’t read the expression on his face, but some of her tension eased away.

  “I’m so glad you’re here to experience this with us,” Louise said and pulled her close for a hug. “You, too, Nick.” She drew him into the circle.

  One by one, the brothers and their wives joined in.

  “Group hug,” Kyle joked. “Just like in the movies.”

  Hannah felt as if she was in a movie, or maybe a dream. Her heart swelled with emotions she didn’t dare identify. It was as if the protective shell she’d built around herself had started to crumble. She would have thought that would frighten her, but instead of fear, she felt renewed.

  They separated and began talking. She saw Nick in conversation with Richard, Louise’s beau. Her pretend husband was as tall and good-looking as any of her brothers. Feelings continued to burn hot inside of her. Was it love?

  How could that be? she asked herself. Love Nick Archer? Had she handed over her heart? He was nothing she wanted in a man. She drew in a deep breath. He was everything she wanted in a man. Kind, gentle, smart, funny, sexy. He made her heart race and her knees buckle. He made her believe in possibiliti
es.

  Her gaze shifted and she saw Travis watching her. Her happiness faded slightly. She’d lied to her family. Not just once, when she’d first shown up, but every day. Even now, in this hospital waiting room, she lived a lie. She wanted to say it was because of Nick. She wanted to be able to blame him, but she couldn’t. She was the one at fault. She had chosen to keep the truth from Travis and everyone else. She and Nick had no future together. But reality didn’t stop her from wanting one.

  Craig appeared in the doorway. He spotted Hannah and walked over. “You guys came.”

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t we?” She smiled. “How’s Jill doing?”

  “Great. Why don’t you come and say hi?” He motioned for Nick to join them, then led the way down the hall.

  Jill was sitting up in her bed. She was pale, her short hair framing her pixie face. She waved as they came in the door. “Thanks for coming. Have you seen the baby?”

  Hannah walked over to the bed and took her hand. “Yes. She’s amazing. So perfect and pretty.”

  Nick moved to the other side of the bed, leaned over and kissed Jill’s cheek. “Thank God she looks like you and not her father.”

  “Hey.” Craig grinned. “We’re a good-looking bunch. I know you believe that. You married a Haynes.”

  Nick glanced at Hannah. “I didn’t have a choice. She stole my heart when I wasn’t looking.”

  “Oh, don’t,” Jill said and reached for the box of tissues on the table beside her bed. “I’m still fighting my hormones. It won’t take much to get me to cry.”

  Hannah pulled up a chair. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tender, but happy.” Jill sniffed, then smiled. “Labor is the pits. Craig was with me. He kept promising it hurt him just as much to watch me as it did for me to go through the whole process.”

  “I doubt that,” Hannah said.

  “That’s what I told him at the time.” She sighed. “It’s worth it, though. She’s wonderful. And a girl. Just like Jordan said.”

  Craig moved to the foot of the bed. “I wonder how it will apply to you, Hannah. You’re a Haynes, but female. What do you think?” he asked his wife.