by Pamela Bauer
She smiled at him. “You’re a good man, Dylan Donovan. Not many men would go out past midnight to satisfy a wife’s cravings.”
“Not many men have a wife like Maddie.”
“I’m glad to hear that marriage agrees with you.”
He grinned. “Garret tells me I’m like a smoker who’s quit the habit. Now that I’m smoke free, I want everybody else to be.”
“You think everyone should get married?”
“Not everyone, but my brother could use a good woman.”
“And does he agree with you?” She couldn’t resist asking.
“Net yet, but I still have a few days left to work on him,” he said with a wink. “You know Garret. Work always has been his number-one priority and with this Doctors Without Borders assignment he’s accepted, he isn’t making it any easier.”
They were interrupted by the appearance of Leonie. “I came to see what was keeping you,” she said to Dylan as she entered the kitchen.
“I take it Maddie’s looking for her snack,” he said, holding up the yogurt carton.
“Yes, and I need one more cup of coffee. I’ll be with you in a minute,” she told her son before he left. Then she turned to Krystal. “Couldn’t sleep?” she asked as she refilled her coffee mug.
“I was a bit restless,” Krystal admitted.
“You’re worried about Carly, aren’t you?” She unwrapped a sugar substitute and poured it into her coffee. “I’m sorry we haven’t had much time to talk lately. There’s been so much activity going on around here.”
“I’ve been really busy, too. I haven’t even had much time to spend with Maddie.”
“She and Dylan are so happy.” She sighed. “It does a mother’s heart good…you know what I mean?”
Krystal nodded. “They’re a good match.”
“I’ve been lucky. My two elder sons have married lovely women. Now if I could get Garret married, I’d have only Jason to worry about.”
“I thought Garret was going overseas.”
She took a sip of coffee, then said, “He is. That’s why he needs someone who understands his dedication to his profession. Someone who’d be willing to wait for him while he’s gone.”
Krystal swallowed with difficulty. She knew by the tone of Leonie’s voice that she had someone in mind. Samantha.
“You sound like you’re taking a professional interest in his personal life,” she remarked.
Leonie raised one hand. “I plead guilty. I know I said I would never interfere in my sons’ personal lives, but Garret is the one of the four I think needs a little nudge.”
“And in which direction do you want to nudge him?” she asked.
“Samantha’s perfect for him. She’s smart. She’s independent. She has a good sense of humor.” She used her fingers to enumerate her many good qualities. “And most importantly, she understands his world.”
Leonie wasn’t saying anything Krystal hadn’t already said to herself. As much as she hated to admit it, Samantha Penrose was a much better match for Garret than she would ever be. It was not something she wanted to tell her landlady, however.
Unfortunately, Leonie asked her opinion. “You’ve had some time to get to know her. Don’t you think she’s a good match for Garret?”
She took a lick of her Popsicle to get rid of her dry mouth. “It doesn’t really matter what I think, does it? I mean, isn’t Garret the one who should be deciding?”
Leonie reached over to give her a hug. “You are absolutely right, but you can’t blame a mom for trying, can you?” she said with an endearing grin. “Besides, I have a feeling he may not need a push when it comes to settling down and having a family.”
Krystal didn’t want to ask the question, but it refused to stay unanswered. “What makes you say that?”
“Dylan told me he and Garret had a man-to-man talk the other day about marriage and children. One thing I have been pretty accurate on is recognizing when a man is looking for someone to spend his life with and I do believe Garret is ready.”
And there was Samantha, just waiting to pounce, Krystal thought. She didn’t want to think about Garret…or Samantha. She looked at the clock and said, “Oh! I didn’t realize how late it is. I’d better get to bed.” She forced a smile, mumbled something about wishing Garret all the best and then said good-night.
“Good night, dear,” Leonie said in her usual sweet voice. “And try not to worry. Carly will get through the bad times.”
Maybe Carly would, but the question was, would she? Until now she’d been thinking about the baby in terms of it belonging exclusively to her and Garret. Her conversation with Leonie had reminded her of the possibility that he could marry and bring another woman into the equation. And Samantha could be that woman. She could become a stepmother to her child.
Krystal couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t let it happen. Unfortunately, it wasn’t her call to make. It was up to Garret. And he hadn’t told her anything about what he’d been thinking.
Was it any wonder she couldn’t sleep?
CHAPTER EIGHT
KRYSTAL ENDED UP getting very little sleep that night. The following morning she felt tired and blue. Her mood worsened when she discovered she had nothing left in her closet that fit her pregnant body. She borrowed a pair of slacks from her sister, who wore a larger size than she did, and headed for the salon.
The first thing she did when she arrived was find her friend Shannon. “Did you mean it when you said I could borrow some of your maternity clothes?”
“Of course I meant it, but I’m not sure they’re going to fit you. You’re welcome to come over and try them on though.”
“I’d better do it soon. Look.” She lifted her shirt to reveal two large safety pins holding her slacks closed.
“I’m surprised you made it this long. I was in maternity clothes by the end of my third month. Why don’t we go shopping after work? There’s a new place over on Grand Avenue that specializes in clothing for the expectant mother.”
Krystal grimaced. “I suppose I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
Shannon gave her a sympathetic shake of her head. “I’ll call the sitter and tell her I’m going to be a little late.”
“Thanks. I could use some time with a friend.”
“Are things getting you down?”
She told her about her conversation with Leonie the night before and her worry that Garret might marry someone like Samantha.
“Are they dating exclusively?”
She honestly didn’t know. “I’m not sure, but it doesn’t really matter, does it? I mean, if Samantha isn’t the one, there will probably be another woman like her who captures his heart.”
“That doesn’t mean he’ll ignore his obligation to his son or daughter.”
“That’s not what’s worrying me. What if he gets married and decides that he and his wife should be the baby’s full-time parents?”
“What you need to do is to talk about this with Garret. Tell him your concerns,” Shannon urged her.
They were concerns that kept her on edge all day long. When she met Shannon after work the first thing her friend said to her was, “Don’t frown. It causes wrinkles.”
“In that case by the time this baby arrives I’ll be a prune.”
Shannon squeezed her arm. “Oh, it’s not that bad.”
Krystal didn’t see how it could get much worse. Shannon attempted to cheer her up on the short walk to the clothing store, but her efforts were wasted.
When Krystal stepped inside the shop full of maternity clothes and accessories, she groaned. “I don’t want to be doing this.” She attempted to turn around and leave, but Shannon wouldn’t let her.
She put her hands on Krystal’s shoulders and pushed her toward the rack of matching tops and slacks. “You don’t have a choice in the matter. You need clothes for work.” Shannon dove into the rack, pushing aside hangers, critically eyeing the garments before pulling out a dark green pantsuit. “This is cut
e. You can’t even tell it’s maternity.”
Krystal pulled open the jacket and grimaced at the sight of the elastic insert in the front of the slacks. “What do you call this?”
“Comfortable,” Shannon answered. She pulled out several more items, then said, “Go try them on.”
Krystal hesitated until Shannon gave her a gentle shove. “Go.”
“Here. Hold my purse for me,” she said, then went into the curtained dressing room. When she had the first of the outfits in place, she stepped back out into the store to get Shannon’s opinion.
“I’m never going to fill this out,” she said, tugging on the elastic insert in the pants.
“Trust me, you will. That jacket would be a good choice because it will go with practically anything. Green’s always been a great color on you because of your hair.”
She glanced at the price tag. “It’s affordable, too. It’s a possibility.” She went back into the dressing room, pulling the curtain shut behind her, stripped off the clothes and tried on several more outfits. Shannon suggested she give them all to the salesclerk and decide when she was finished which ones she could afford.
It was while she was in the middle of changing that she heard the electronic Mexican hat dance song ringing on her phone.
“That’s your cell, Krys,” Shannon called out from the other side of the curtain.
“It’s in my purse. Will you get it for me?” she asked, poking her arm through a slit in the curtain. Shannon placed the phone in her palm and Krystal pulled it into the dressing room and flipped it open. When she saw it was Garret calling, her heart began to race.
“Hello.”
“It’s Garret. I’m at the salon,” he told her. “Mom thought you worked until six today but they said you’d already gone home for the day. I noticed your car’s still in the parking lot.”
“Yeah. I’m with Shannon. We’re shopping.”
“We really need to talk and I don’t have much time. How far away are you?”
“Not far. I’m in a clothing shop over on Grand.”
“I’ll come there then, unless you want to come back here.”
Neither option sounded particularly exciting at the moment. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Dressed in only her bra and underpants, she could see the changes pregnancy had caused. Her body was getting wider, more rounded. Although she was alone in the changing room, she felt exposed and vulnerable.
“Krystal, which would be better? Should I come to you or do you want to come to me? We need to talk,” he said for the second time, his voice urgent.
“You can come here, but I’ll need about fifteen minutes.”
“All right. I’ll wait for you outside. Just tell me the name of the store.”
“It’s Motherhood Fashions,” she told him. “Just go over to Grand Avenue and take a right. You can’t miss it.”
He said, “I’ll be there shortly” and hung up.
She stuck her head outside the dressing-room curtain. “That was Garret. I guess I’m going to find out what he plans to do.”
“Maybe Leonie’s wrong about him and Samantha.”
“She’s a romance coach. She’s seldom wrong about these things.”
“Yes, but it’s different when it’s your own kids. You lose your objectivity.”
“Maybe.” As she struggled to get back into Carly’s slacks. Shannon’s arm shot through the curtain. Dangling from her fingers were bras and underpants.
“I don’t need underwear,” Krystal told her.
“Trust me, in a few weeks’ time, you will.”
“But those are huge. You have the wrong size.”
“No, I don’t.” She wiggled them in front of her. “Do you want them or not?”
She sighed. “I guess.” When she couldn’t get the pin closed to hook Carly’s slacks, she called out, “Bring me a pair of jeans from out there, will you?”
Shannon did as she was requested. Krystal was in the middle of pulling them on when her friend announced, “Garret’s out front.”
Krystal fumbled with the buttons on her blouse as her heart skipped a beat. “Will you do me a favor and tell him I’ll be out as soon as I’ve paid for this stuff? And tell the clerk I’m going to wear this pair of jeans home.” She ripped off the tag and handed it to Shannon.
Krystal finished buttoning her shirt, then pulled on the coat-length sweater she had worn to work, appreciating that it covered the elastic insert on the maternity jeans. She took a brush from her purse and ran it through her hair, then powdered her cheeks and applied a lip gloss.
When she stepped outside the dressing room, Shannon asked, “Do you want me to wait for you?” Her eyes went to the sales counter where Garret stood staring in her direction.
She shook her head. “No, you go home to Josh. I’ll call you later, okay?”
Shannon nodded and slung a “see ya, Garret” in his direction as she left. Krystal walked over to the sales counter and handed the clerk her charge card.
“It’s already taken care of,” she told her, smiling in Garret’s direction.
Krystal’s mouth dropped open. “You paid for my clothes?”
“Yes, he did.” The clerk handed him the bundle of clothes wrapped in plastic, then gave a smaller bag to Krystal. A look passed between the very attractive salesclerk and Garret. For a brief moment, Garret’s smile reminded Krystal of the way Dylan grinned at women. Dylan the flirt. Had Garret been flirting with the salesclerk?
As he walked away she realized that he wasn’t even aware of the effect his smile had on women. The salesclerk said, “Have a nice day now,” in a tone Krystal was certain she never used on women.
“Why did you pay for my things?” Krystal asked him as they left the store.
“Because I wanted to,” he answered simply, then paused to hold the door open for her.
“I wish you wouldn’t have. It makes me feel obligated.”
“Why? I’m the reason you need these clothes,” he pointed out. He walked over to the car and opened the rear door. He laid the bundle on the back seat then slammed the door shut again. “I’m on my dinner break. You don’t mind if we go someplace where I can grab a quick bite to eat, do you?”
She shook her head. “There’s a Chinese place on the next block that has a buffet.”
“It’ll do,” he told her. “Should we walk or drive?”
“We’d better walk. Parking’s limited.”
As they started up the street, he asked her if she was hungry.
“A little,” she answered, which was quite an understatement. She was starving. Her appetite had definitely picked up the past couple of days.
“How are you feeling today?”
She shrugged. “Okay.”
They walked the rest of the way in near silence, with the exception of small talk about the weather. It wasn’t until they were seated in the restaurant that he brought up the reason for them being together.
“I’m sorry this had to be so last-minute, but my schedule’s been impossible lately. I’m glad you were able to meet with me because the sooner we get this taken care of, the better.”
She assumed this meant what they were going to do about the baby. The arrival of a waiter postponed their discussion. They each ordered tea and were told they could visit the buffet whenever they were ready. It was obvious he was ready. He stood and held her chair for her. If there was one thing Leonie had done, it was to teach her sons manners. Garret’s were impeccable.
They made their selections at the buffet, then returned to the table. He looked at her plate, which was barely half-full. “You should be eating more than that.”
“I’m trying to eat more often and have smaller meals. It’s supposed to help with the morning sickness.”
“You’re still bothered by it?”
“Not as often, but it hasn’t disappeared completely.”
“It should just about have run its course.”
“So everyone tells me. I’ve also hea
rd that some women have it their entire pregnancy.”
“Some do.”
He ate his dinner as he did most things in life—very deliberately. As his hands moved from his utensils to his napkin to his teacup, she noticed how beautiful they were. Most of the guys she dated had rough, callused hands with thick fingers. His hands were large but they were smooth and graceful. She remembered what they’d felt like on her skin and a warmth spread through her.
She looked down at her food, wishing she was anywhere but here in this restaurant waiting for the man across from her to tell her what his plans were for their unborn child. She knew he had to have given it considerable thought, otherwise he wouldn’t be here with her. She also knew that when he was ready, he’d tell her what was on his mind.
She remembered when she moved into 14 Valentine Place, and attended her first house party given by her landlady. Maddie had told her about spending a summer with the Donovans when she’d been a teen and how it was Garret who’d made her feel welcome.
At the time Krystal couldn’t understand why Maddie regarded him as her favorite among the brothers. He didn’t say more than two sentences to her the entire evening. Actually, she didn’t think he’d said more than two sentences to anybody except Maddie.
Later that night, when Krystal had remarked on how different he was from the rest of the family, Maddie had said, “Don’t let his quietness fool you. He’s brilliant and he’s a great guy once you get to know him.” At the time Krystal wasn’t looking for brainy men who seldom spoke. But as she’d gotten to know him, she’d realized that what Maddie had said was true. Although he seldom told you what was on his mind, you knew it was always churning with thought.
Right now she wished she knew what thoughts were running through his head. With each minute of silence that passed, she became more anxious. Maybe he thought it was more important to eat first and talk later, but she was tired of waiting for him to find the right moment to speak. She needed to know what his plans were and she needed to know now.
“You said you don’t have much time,” she reminded him.