Rick could badger you to death when he wanted to get you to give in on something, but he wasn’t the type to play practical jokes. Nate sensed that his brother was serious about this.
When he thought about it, he remembered how Rick had engaged Laurel in conversation at dinner. Before that, they’d talked on the phone out of Nate’s hearing.
Suddenly the adrenaline surged through his veins, propelling him into his brother’s room unannounced.
“Put your phone away.”
Rick’s head swung around. “What?”
“You can’t call Laurel.”
“A little while ago you said you were okay with it.”
“I’m not anymore. She’s off-limits.”
“To you maybe. Not to me. She’s a beautiful, charming woman I’d like to know better.”
“Spade was my friend, Rick.”
“Why would that preclude me from having a relationship with Laurel if she decides she’d like to go out with me?”
“It’s a question of honor!” he blurted.
“Whose?” His brother’s searching question demanded an answer.
“I know things about Laurel. Intimate things Spade shared with me over the years. You’re my brother. The thought of you with her…”
Rick studied him for a moment. “I had no idea your feelings for her went so deep.”
“Did I say that?”
“You didn’t have to.”
Lord.
“Thanks for stopping me before I did something that could’ve hurt you. Here.” He got up from the side of the bed and handed Nate the tickets.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m not the one in the family who enjoys basketball.”
Nate gave him a puzzled look. “But we had plans.”
“By now it should be obvious to you that I’m in the mood for female companionship. I might get lucky and meet a snow bunny night-skiing in Breckenridge. Of course, I couldn’t say that to Chip and hurt his feelings.”
Before Nate could make much sense of anything, Rick tossed him his cell phone.
“While I get cleaned up, why don’t you call Brent Marsden and ask him to go to the game with you tonight? I learned he’s a big Nuggets fan. It’ll be a nice way to repay their family for dinner. He might even forget you ever gave Laurel a bad time on the dance floor.”
It wasn’t until Nate dialed the number he’d memorized that he realized his brother had just pulled off the one and only con of their lives. Nate hadn’t seen it coming, but it was too late to do anything about it now.
A woman had picked up on the other end and already said hello. Just hearing that slightly breathless quality held him spellbound.
“Laurel? It’s Nate.”
There was a brief pause and then she said, “I’m so glad you called, Nate. When you left today, I had the impression I’d offended you. It was the last thing I wanted to do. If I did, please accept my apology.”
“You didn’t do anything of the kind.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I figured if I left, you’d be able to get your proper rest.”
“That was very thoughtful of you, but you don’t have to worry about me. All I do is lie around the house.”
“It’s all you should be doing until the baby’s born.” He glanced at his watch. Ten to four. “I’m calling to see if I can patch things up with your brother-in-law.”
Silence. Then she said, “Brent’s not upset with you.”
“Maybe not. But to be on the safe side, I was hoping he’d let me take him to the Nuggets game tonight. That is, if he’s free and it’s all right with Julie. I happen to have two tickets front row, center.”
“He’d kill for seats like that. Even if he has other plans, he’ll change them. I’ll tell Julie and she’ll get hold of him at work.”
“Sounds good. If he can go, he doesn’t need to call me back. Tell him we’ll grab some dinner on the way to the game.”
“This is going to make his day.”
“I hope so.”
“Nate, did he say something to you I don’t know about?”
“No. But let’s agree my behavior at the lodge was reprehensible. I’d like to replace that image if I can.”
“You already have, but if it’ll make you feel better…”
“It will. Trust me.”
“Then I’ll hurry and get off the phone so Julie can call him.”
“Thanks, Laurel. Talk to you soon.”
CHURNING WITH CONFLICTING emotions, Laurel hung up the phone. She didn’t have time to analyze her feelings. There were voices coming from the foyer. That meant Julie had returned from picking up the boys at school.
Before Laurel’s in-laws arrived, she needed to tell her sister about Nate’s phone call. Dressed in the purple and black outfit she’d worn to the pancake house, minus the sweater coat, she left her bedroom. The boys were just coming upstairs.
“Hi, you guys!”
“Hi!”
“How was school?”
“It was okay,” Mike muttered before rushing past her.
Joey slowed down. “Good.”
Laurel could always count on a positive response from Julie’s youngest.
“Did your mom tell you we’re going to have company in a few minutes?”
He nodded. “Uncle Scott’s parents. Was his dad a pilot, too?”
“No.”
“How come?”
“Bad eyes.”
“Hawk told me you can’t be a pilot if you wear glasses.” Those bright hazel eyes shone up at her. “Mine won’t go bad!”
He was so cute she reached out to hug him. “Of course they won’t.” She let him go and continued down the stairs. “Julie?”
“In the living room!”
Laurel found her straightening cushions on the love seat. “I’m glad you’re back. I just got off the phone with Nate.”
That piece of news brought Julie’s head up. She sent Laurel a knowing smile, then glanced at her watch. “It’s only been three hours since he left. And you were so worried,” she teased.
“It’s not what you think.” I don’t know what to make of it. “He called to invite Brent to the NBA game tonight.”
Julie’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding! It’s the Nuggets’ first playoff game. Brent tried to get tickets, but it was sold out. He’s going to be ecstatic!”
That went without saying. “You’re supposed to call him and tell him Nate will pick him up at six. They’ll stop for a bite to eat on the way to the game.”
“Mom?” Mike interrupted them. “Uncle Scott’s family just drove up. What are Joey and I supposed to do again?”
“Go outside and see if they need help bringing things into the house.”
“Where shall we put their stuff?”
“In here.”
“Okay.”
“Call Brent,” Laurel urged her sister before turning to her nephew. “Come on, you guys,” she said as Joey dashed up to him. “Let’s go say hello to my in-laws. Do you remember them?”
Mike nodded. “She cried all the way through Uncle Scott’s funeral.”
“Dad told us she couldn’t help it because Uncle Scott was her baby.”
Laurel nodded wordlessly and squeezed Joey’s shoulders.
When they walked outside, Wendell was just opening the trunk. Scott had resembled his father in build, a wiry man of medium height now losing his brown hair. Reba, blond and slender, had bequeathed her vivacious brown eyes and attractive facial features to her last-born.
The sight of them was at once dear and familiar, bringing a pang to Laurel’s heart. There couldn’t be two nicer people in the world. They looked wonderful. However, Laurel knew that in their case, appearances were deceiving. Scott’s parents weren’t even close to conquering their grief. At times, Laurel wasn’t sure they even wanted to try—especially Reba.
As the boys approached them, Reba glanced up. “Oh, Laurel—” she cried and hurried toward her. The next few minutes passed in a blu
r of tears, prolonged hugs and kisses.
Wendell would have pulled her into a crushing embrace if it hadn’t been for the baby. “Lori Lou, you don’t know how good it is to see you.” Scott’s parents stood there staring at her protruding belly, tears running down their cheeks.
“I feel the same way,” Laurel assured them.
In all honesty, it was a relief to see them and not fall apart. Since the funeral she’d dreaded a reunion for fear the pain would start all over again. But that hadn’t happened. Not at all…
She couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment, but somewhere along the way she’d said goodbye to Scott. He’d gone to a special place in her heart where he would always dwell. If anything, seeing his parents now brought a blessing of peace to her soul.
They would be grandparents to her baby. It was the natural progression of things, and she knew her child would adore them.
No longer afraid, she put her arms around both of them. “Come into the house with me. The boys will bring everything in.”
Julie greeted them lovingly at the door. While she ushered them into the living room, her expressive eyes sent Laurel a private message that said Brent had been informed. Laurel felt a fluttery sensation in her chest. In less than two hours Nate would be coming by the house.
Scott’s parents insisted Laurel open her gifts right away. They’d brought presents from both sides of the family. By the time she’d finished, not only had she caught up on all the latest news from back home, she’d acquired enough adorable outfits, booties and receiving blankets to outfit Julie’s baby, too.
“Everyone’s been so generous I can’t believe it. Thank you for coming and bringing all these beautiful gifts. I wish the baby was here right now to enjoy them.”
Wendell nodded. “So do we. Another little Scotty.”
“It might be a girl,” Joey inserted.
Laurel couldn’t help smiling as she recalled a certain conversation….
“It isn’t fair that he didn’t live to see their first child,” her mother-in-law said in a tearful voice. From that point on, conversation focused on Scott. Laurel understood their need to talk about him and joined in as they reminisced.
“Going through this pregnancy alone must be so hard on you, dear.”
“She hasn’t been alone,” Mike spoke up. “We’re with her every day.”
“That’s the truth. I’m the luckiest person in the world.” Laurel got to her feet and hugged him. “Let’s take everything upstairs, shall we?”
“Where are you putting my grandson?” Wendell wanted to know.
“Come with us and you’ll see.”
Soon they’d all congregated in Laurel’s bedroom, the room that had once been Joey’s nursery and had become a partial nursery again. The boys helped Laurel put all her new things in the drawers.
“Oh, good! You have a baby book.” Reba reached for it. “I was going to buy you one if you hadn’t thought of it.”
Joey lifted his head. “Mike and I gave it to Aunt Laurel for her birthday last month.”
“What a wonderful present. Every baby should have a book. You should see Scotty’s.”
“Mom made baby books for me and Mike, too.”
“Did she?” But Reba’s voice sounded far away. Laurel noticed she’d opened it to see what was inside.
Other than a family tree showing pictures of Scott and Laurel and both sides of their families going back to the baby’s great-grandparents, nothing else had been done yet. She was waiting for her baby. Then it would start to fill.
Laurel watched Reba glance at the empty pages, then stop. She pulled a tiny card out of its envelope and turned toward Laurel. “Nate? As in Nate Hawkins?”
A strange little tremor passed through Laurel’s body. She’d forgotten about putting his card inside.
“Yes,” Joey answered before Laurel could. “Hawk was Uncle Scott’s best friend in the Air Force.”
“I know. When they were stationed in Nevada, Scotty sent us pictures of the two of them. In fact we have videos of them talking and laughing together.”
“He brought Aunt Laurel some presents the other night. His brother gave Mom a bottle of wine, but she can’t drink it until after her baby’s born.”
“The major was here at the house?” Reba asked. Laurel doubted her mother-in-law heard the rest of Joey’s running commentary.
“Yes. He’s from Colorado and came home to attend a family wedding.”
“We all had dinner together,” Mike informed her. “His brother’s a Formula I race car driver. Have you ever heard of Lucky Hawkins? He’s so cool you can’t believe it!”
“Do you want to see what Hawk gave the baby?” Joey opened the drawer and lifted out the sleeper and blanket.
At that moment Brent appeared in the doorway. “I might’ve known I’d find all of you in here.” He sounded and looked more exuberant than usual as he hugged Scott’s parents. They chatted for a few minutes.
Wendell cleared his throat. “We hear you had Scotty’s old friend over for dinner the other night.”
“That’s right. He and his brother, Rick.”
“If he’s still in town, we’d like a chance to meet him. Of all Scott’s friends, he was the one we most looked forward to seeing at the funeral, but he didn’t make it.”
“His mother died around the same time as your son, Wendell,” Julie explained. “That’s why he didn’t know about it until later. Brent is going to an NBA game with him tonight.” She turned to her husband. “You’ll tell him Scott’s parents are here, won’t you, honey? Find out what his plans are?”
“Of course.” Brent clapped a hand on Wendell’s shoulder. “I wish I’d known you were coming to Denver. But Nate has front-row seats. I’m afraid I’d offend him if I canceled this late.”
“No, no,” Wendell said. “You go with him. Maybe we’ll be able to see him tomorrow.”
“How long are you and Reba going to be here?” Brent asked.
“We’re flying back on Sunday.”
“Then we’ll get together tomorrow.”
“That’ll be fine.”
“See you in the morning. Come on, boys. Let’s allow your Aunt Laurel some time alone with Scott’s parents.” Brent ushered his family out and shut the door behind him.
The clock on the dresser said five fifty-seven. Laurel had a hunch Nate would be right on time, and the whole issue could be avoided, at least for today.
Reba studied her a moment. “You’ve cut your hair. I’ve never seen it short before. You look so different this way.”
“Since I’ve been pregnant, I always seem to be hot. It felt good to cut it.”
“She looks beautiful. Radiant,” her father-in-law declared.
“Thanks, Wendell.”
“I didn’t mean you don’t look lovely this way, Laurel.”
“I know. And, after wearing my hair long, it’s a big change for me, too.”
“I can remember Scotty making you promise you’d never cut it.”
Any change was difficult for Reba.
“As you would know after five children, having a baby transforms your life. I also remember promising him I’d never get fat. But as you can see…”
Laurel had hoped to bring a smile to their faces, but didn’t succeed. She decided to introduce a different subject.
“Are you two hungry, or would you like to eat later?”
“I could use a bite,” Wendell said. “How about you, Reba?”
Her mother-in-law shrugged her shoulders. “What do you want to do, Laurel? We’re here for you.”
“I know, and it’s wonderful.” She hugged both of them again. “I thought it would be nice to drive over to the Mesquite Steak and Grill. It’s not far from here. Since I’ve been living with Julie and Brent, I’ve become addicted to Mexican food. Fajitas are the Mesquite’s specialty. I know you’ll love them.”
She would order a green salad and a yogurt.
“That sounds fine.”
“Sit
down for a minute while I phone. I don’t think we need a reservation this early, but I’d better make sure.” She reached for the directory on the shelf of her nightstand to find the number.
The window above it overlooked the street. Nate’s Blazer was just backing out of the driveway. She felt a surge of guilt as she reflected that Scott’s parents had flown to Colorado to talk about their son with her, yet all she could think about was the next time she’d see Nate again.
What’s wrong with me?
BRENT MARSDEN WAS a terrific guy. Nate couldn’t remember when he’d enjoyed anyone’s company more. If he’d experienced a certain dissatisfaction during the game, it had nothing to do with the man seated next to him.
The truth was, he’d expected to see Laurel when he went to the door to pick up Brent. Instead he’d found her brother-in-law locking his car, which he’d parked in front of the house. Another car, a rental stood in the driveway; apparently they had out-of-town visitors. Nate would never know if it was simply perfect timing, or if Laurel had something to do with the reason Brent had been outside waiting.
As Nate slowed down and pulled into the driveway, the car he’d seen behind the Cavalier earlier was no longer there. It was twenty after ten. By now Laurel would be in bed. Tomorrow Nate’s father would be returning from his honeymoon.
An emptiness stole through him because he didn’t know when another opportunity would arise to see her again. With the tickets Rick had given him, he’d run out of his last legitimate excuse to hang around the Marsden family.
Brent turned to him. “Are you in a hurry to get home?”
Nate’s heart began pumping the way it did in the cockpit at takeoff. “No.”
“Then let’s go inside and give the girls a bad time. They’re huge 76er fans. Little do they know that the NBA championship is going to come out of the Western Conference. After the Nuggets’ close win tonight, I’m in the mood to celebrate.”
Nate grinned. “Aren’t you from Philadelphia, too?”
“Yes, but I’ve converted since my transfer to Denver.”
“What happens when you’re sent someplace else?”
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