The Best Man's Baby

by Victoria James

  “Same thing.”

  Before Claire could blast him with what was sure to be retaliation, a thin, gray-haired woman wearing hospital scrubs called them in. Claire hopped out of her seat, not bothering to wait for him. It was easy to catch up to her since she was almost a foot shorter than him. He grabbed her hand as they walked down the hall. He felt the jolt he was beginning to recognize as the one he always felt when his body came into contact with hers. After he’d left her house last night, he’d taken a ride to the rectory and sat in the church parking lot, thinking about all the times he’d gone to see her dad, all the talks he’d had with him. It was because of him that Jake felt the power to be anything he wanted. He’d gone to bed last night determined to make everything work. For her father, for Claire, and for their baby.

  …

  “So Claire, your next prenatal appointment will be with an ob-gyn and she’ll be taking care of you for the rest of your pregnancy and the delivery,” Dr. Elise Hopkins said with a smile as she turned in her chair to look at Claire half an hour later.

  Claire smiled back at her. She felt very comfortable with the woman who had been her general practitioner for the last twenty years. She heard, rather than felt, Jake shift in the chair beside her, reminding her of the only complication in her checkup. The appointment had gone well, all of her blood work had returned normal, but now Claire was anxious to leave. It had felt odd having Jake here with her, but he was right, he deserved to be a part of their child’s life, and prenatal appointments and ultrasounds were probably something he should be involved in.

  Last night, after she agreed to this, they had eaten dinner together. The mood had been altered, and walls had come up. Claire was shaken up and yet oddly reassured by his vehement vow to make sure their child was loved. And while the intensity of his emotion made it easy to believe he was telling the truth, it also held with it an undercurrent of anger and hostility in it. It was nothing she could openly ask him about, and she wasn’t entirely sure she wasn’t just being overly dramatic. Claire felt sad that the only possible solution for them was just a civil sort of arrangement in the best interest of their baby. Didn’t every child deserve a mother and a father? This was the man she had adored her entire life, and it would have been wonderful to think this pregnancy would have brought them together. But that ship had sailed when he had sailed out of town.

  “So as soon as the appointment is made one of the receptionists will give you a call, okay?” Dr. Hopkins said. Claire nodded. The appointment would have gone much faster had Jake not intervened every two minutes with a question, including whether or not she could continue jogging. And despite her irritation, she was impressed by his knowledge, because all of his questions were based on fact and not ignorance. That also meant Jake had done a crash course in mommy-to-be 101.

  “So we see the OBG person when Claire is twenty weeks, right?” Jake said while Claire watched him type the date into his iPhone calendar. She resisted the urge to scoff at him when he punched in five different alarm reminders for the date. He was more of a control freak than she was.

  “Yes, that’s right,” Dr. Hopkins said with an amused smile. Claire knew Jake had won the doctor over. Who could resist what appeared to be a doting, loving, and overly excited father-to-be? Especially one with the charm and looks of Jake Manning?

  “So the only other thing I wanted to address, Claire, is the whole body image and pregnancy issue.”

  Claire felt all the blood drain from her face and she fought the urge to look over at Jake. At the beginning of the appointment Dr. Hopkins had asked if it was okay to speak freely in front of Jake, and Claire had agreed, considering she had had a pretty mundane life, no great sexual history or concerns that could embarrass her. But this. She hadn’t expected her to bring this up. Claire opened her mouth to speak as Dr. Hopkins flipped through her thick file. What was she supposed to say? If she said she didn’t want to speak about it, Jake would jump on this faster than a jackrabbit as soon as they left the office. On the other hand, getting into what was a disturbing part of her adolescence and early adulthood in front of Jake wasn’t exactly a comforting thought either. Her only option was to try to blow this off as if it was no big deal.

  Claire waved a hand and tried to laugh, even though she felt like she was choking. “Oh that’s totally fine. No issues here,” she said, again not looking Jake’s way.

  “By body issues and pregnancy are you referring to the mother-to-be’s insecurity over her changing body and perceived attractiveness?” Jake asked in a deep, concerned voice that sounded as though he’d just finished reading that chapter in a pregnancy book.

  “Exactly. And for someone who has had an eating disorder it may be very disconcerting and may trigger those insecurities again. You’ll be weighed at every appointment, you’ll have cravings you might find difficult to ignore, and I’m concerned you’ll have feelings of guilt when you indulge.”

  No. No. She didn’t just say eating disorder, did she? Maybe you’re imagining things. Maybe Jake wasn’t listening.

  Claire stared straight ahead, focusing on the letters on the eye exam chart. Her mouth was dry and her entire body felt as though it had just burst into flames. She knew Jake was staring at her. Her doctor was staring at her. Everyone wanted an answer. And as soon as they walked out of here Jake would demand the entire story. Claire blinked rapidly, avoiding Jake’s gaze and trying to come up with something to say that could end the discussion.

  She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Suddenly she was sixteen with braces and sitting in Dr. Hopkins’s chair waiting for a referral to a teen psychologist for eating disorders. And it wasn’t Jake sitting beside her, it was her mother. Her mother was going on and on about how she had no idea Claire had been purposely not eating—and of course it wasn’t healthy—but didn’t she look good with all the weight lost? Claire felt sweat begin to pool and trickle down her spine. Could she just run out of the room?

  Then Jake’s hand appeared on her thigh. She looked down at the strong hand, felt the gentle squeeze. It was large and warm, and in one touch offered her so much more than her mother ever had. She felt the heat from his hand, felt it permeate the fabric of her jeans, pulling her gently out of the abyss she was slowly sinking into. She stole a glance because she couldn’t ignore him anymore, and the concern she read in his eyes was nearly her undoing. With one look of genuine compassion, he almost got Claire to let her defenses tumble. Because Jake laughing, or angry, or silent, was nothing compared to Jake right now. Because right now, with one look, one single touch, Jake looked as though he was ready to walk through fire for her.

  “I’m completely fine with everything, and I’m looking forward to all the changes coming my way,” Claire whispered in a voice so shaky she wanted to kick herself for sounding so vulnerable. She wasn’t lying. She really felt like she had put her self-esteem issues and eating disorder behind her. She really wasn’t nervous about what would happen to her body, because she wasn’t the same girl she was years ago. She was older, wiser, and a hell of a lot more self-confident. Claire looked at her doctor squarely in the eye, hoping she believed her. After a moment, her doctor nodded and gave her a smile.

  “Good to hear. I guess that’s it for today. You take good care of yourself, Claire, and congratulations to both of you.”

  Claire stood up and gave her a shaky smile before walking out of the room. She could still hear Jake talking with the doctor, his voice fading as she all but ran out of her doctor’s office to the elevator. She was being childish, she knew, but maybe she could just make it outside without talking to him. She felt the walls of the corridor start to close in on her, the odd sensation making her feel panicked, overheated. She tugged at the buttons on her collar, tearing the top two open, hoping for relief.

  When she arrived at the elevators she jabbed at the down button incessantly even though it had already lit up a bright orange at her first touch. She glanced over her shoulder; still no sign of Jake. Rea
lly, what was she thinking, that she could escape the questions? The doors opened and Claire burst through them, ready to press the door close button, when Jake appeared and dove into the closing elevator.

  She shut her eyes and shook her head. Why couldn’t she catch a break?

  “Claire,” Jake said as soon as the elevator doors swooshed shut. She stared at the numbers on the elevator panel as though she just couldn’t figure out where the ground floor button could be. Jake’s hand swooped down and pressed the large button marked with a G and she heard him sigh. She turned to look at him, knowing full well she hadn’t fooled him.

  Luckily they reached the lobby seconds later and she burst through the elevator doors before they were completely open. She felt Jake easily fall into stride beside her. Of course she wasn’t going to be able to outpace him in her heels.

  “Okay, thanks for coming to my appointment with me. See you later,” Claire said with a wave in the air. He grabbed her waving hand and grasped her palm, the heat in his grasp out-scorching the burn of impending humiliation.

  “I don’t think so,” he said.

  She pursed her lips and yanked her hand out of his.

  “You can try to blow me off,” Jake said, leaning close to her face, close enough that she could see the various shades of blue that made his eyes so spectacular. “You can deny all you want, but I will follow you around all damn day until you talk to me.”

  Claire glanced over her shoulders. No one was within earshot, but it didn’t really matter because she wasn’t about to tell him. And there was no way Jake could ever possibly understand. He stared at her, his long legs braced wide apart, his gaze unrelenting.

  “Don’t you have to go to work or something?”

  He shrugged. “This is far more important.”

  She ignored the jolt she felt when she heard the concern in his voice. She stared into his blue eyes and knew he was serious. But where did she start? She never spoke of her issues to anyone. Only Holly really knew how far her eating disorder had gotten. And Claire had recovered. But trying to explain to a man who had always been attractive, always been society’s image of the perfect male specimen… it would be impossible for him to understand. He would never be able to relate to her.

  Jake cleared his throat loudly. “As the future father of our child—”

  She looked for her keys in her purse, not looking up. “Future. We still have quite a few months to go.”

  “No way, baby.”

  Claire snapped her head up, narrowing her eyes. “That’s probably something you should know about me—I really don’t like being referred to as an infant.”

  “Infant? What? Fine,” Jake said with a groan, holding up his hands as though he’d just been arrested. She folded her arms across her chest, grateful for the chilly spring morning temperature to cool her down.

  The sound of Jake’s phone beeping gave her the out she needed. He cursed under his breath as he glanced down at his screen. “I’ve got to answer this.”

  “You go ahead.”

  “Can you wait—?”

  “No, really, I need to take care of a few things at the shop. Listen, you answer that,” Claire said with a wave of her hand at the incessant ringing. She started to back away on the sidewalk as she spoke, leaving Jake looking helplessly frustrated. “We can chat later,” she called out over her shoulder and walked as fast as her legs would take her. It was just two short blocks down Red River’s main street to get to her shop. With each step a new snippet of the doctor’s appointment would jump into her head. Things were seriously getting way ahead of her. What was happening? Jake was turning into a caring, concerned partner, and it was becoming more and more impossible to relegate him to the sidelines.

  She unlocked the front door of her shop, fumbling with the key a few times before it finally opened. She threw her keys, purse, and coat on the empty counter and walked to her small office in the back of the store. Her heart hadn’t returned to a normal beat yet as she plunked herself into her swivel chair. She stared despondently at her closed laptop screen. It was all a mess, she thought, placing her head in her hands.

  Hadn’t she always wanted Jake’s attention? So what was wrong? What was wrong was the undeniable knowledge that he was just doing this out of duty and nothing more. He wasn’t in her life because he wanted to be. Just three days ago no one knew she was pregnant. Now, because of her renegade spectacle, the entire town knew…except her mother. Her mother. Claire glanced down at her watch.

  In approximately one hour, Lucinda Holbrook would find out she was about to become a grandmother.

  Chapter Six

  “This is garbage,” Jake muttered as he crouched down and looked at the uneven subfloor. He scowled up at Quinn. “This isn’t going to pass code,” he said, rising and wiping his hands on the front of his jeans.

  Quinn walked around the room shaking his head. “This is brutal. And this is the model suite. We don’t get this done, we can’t launch on time.”

  Jake nodded, walking across the small town house unit. His six weeks away from Red River had put him behind. He was head builder for Manning Construction, and with the growth they’d had, building was the last thing he’d been doing. Going to their various sites had taken up most of his time, and now they were in jeopardy of making some huge mistakes that would cost them their reputation and a hell of a lot of money. “We can’t keep using subcontractors. Ella could have done a better job than this. I’m telling you, you need to hire more full-time guys. You have way too many projects going on.”

  Quinn was nodding and looking around the small living room. “You’re right. Do what you gotta do. We can’t afford delays on this.”

  Jake nodded and looked away. He was going to have to tell Quinn about William. The problem was that he didn’t have everything figured out yet, and he couldn’t exactly ditch his brother without notice.

  “We’ve always had trouble finding quality guys out here. I was thinking about seeing if any of William’s guys are looking for extra hours. Maybe weekends. At least to get us back on track.”

  Jake’s gut twisted. Now he was going to be outright lying to his brother. “None of his guys are part-time.” He knew that for a fact because he’d spent hours poring over payroll, work orders, time sheets, and employee contracts.

  “Suggestions?”

  He shrugged and looked out the window. The parking lot below was filled with cars and Manning Construction trucks. In a few weeks, he’d have no ownership over this business. The days he spent working with his brother would be over. But he’d have his own company, one that wouldn’t be associated with their father. “I was thinking we should take on some guys in college. Do an apprenticeship program with the government. Something to get qualified workers. You’re better off training people yourself and having quality trades over random contractors.”

  “Okay. I should have listened to you earlier. You were right.” Reasonable, levelheaded Quinn. That made all of this harder. “You’ll be doing all this anyway. So go ahead.You should do the hiring. You have good instincts about people,” Jake said, pulling his iPhone out of his pocket. He glanced down at the screen to avoid Quinn’s stare.

  “Really? You’re the one who works with the crew. I’d rather you handled it.”

  Jake kept his head down. “Well, I’ll talk to someone in the office about getting in touch with local trade colleges and we’ll see the response. Maybe for now I can pull a crew from the condo project to fill in here to get things back up to speed.”

  Quinn nodded. “That sounds good. So, uh, everything okay?”

  Jake looked up. “Yeah. Just thought of something. Amanda isn’t still answering phones, is she?”

  Quinn laughed. “Nope. You’re safe. How’s Claire?”

  He groaned out loud and then picked up a hammer. He needed to get some of his nervous energy out. He’d take out this entire damn floor by himself if it meant not thinking about Claire and Walters construction.

  “That
bad?”

  “Worse,” Jake answered, picking up a pry bar in his other hand. He crouched down, hitting the end of the pry bar with his hammer harder than necessary. “I swear, whenever I think I’m getting through to her, she shuts me out. And I’m the one everyone says runs. Well, she’s running around all over the place. I had to jump into an elevator just to get her to speak to me.” He paused to give his brother time to laugh. “You have any Holly insider info for me?”

  “Actually I do. Not that I like gossiping or anything,” Quinn said, looking uncomfortable.

  “No, no, of course not. Me neither.” He forced down the pry bar to lift the edge of the plywood up off the joist as far as possible. He tried to concentrate on what he was doing, and told himself that he wasn’t dying to know whatever Quinn knew.

  “Apparently Claire had a huge crush on you in high school.”

  Jake lost his grip. He cursed and then managed to get the tool back into position and scowled up at Quinn. “That’s all you have for me? I knew that.”

  “Look, that’s all I got. I don’t spend my evenings with my wife gossiping about you and your latest woman.”

  “She’s not my latest woman. She’s it. Remember? I asked her to marry me?”

  Quinn nodded. “Oh, right. So she finally said yes?”

  Jake exhaled roughly. “No. But I’m not done yet.”

  Quinn rolled back on his heels. “Ah, so you going to use a little of the Manning charm on her?”

  He gave him a level look. “Jake charm. Not Manning charm. It’s not a shared asset.”

  “Pfft. Good luck with that. So you have feelings for her?”

  Jake squeezed his eyes shut. He needed to end this torture, and he didn’t even know what to say because he didn’t have it figured out for himself. He thought most of his feelings were about wanting Claire. Then he spent more time with her and other feelings happened. Like at the doctor’s office today. He looked over at his brother, who was standing there with his eyebrows lifted and a smug smirk on his face. “I don’t want to be part of this gossip circle, so don’t go running home to Holly talking about me. But, yeah, of course I have feelings.”