Wanted--Texas Daddy

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

Dr. Johnson walked in. “Ready?”

  Feeling unbearably excited and incredibly sad to be experiencing this moment without Nick at her side, Sage nodded. She turned her head toward the black-and-white monitor while the gel was smeared over her midriff.

  “Here we go,” the obstetrician said, picking up the transducer wand and moving it over her belly. And suddenly, there, on screen, were lots of wavy, fluid lines. And through the shifting movement, the poignantly beautiful image of their baby’s head.

  She stared at the screen in wonder and relief. It was all just so incredible...

  “Here’s the baby’s heart.”

  She could actually see it beating, steady and strong.

  “And legs and arms...” Which were indeed, Sage noted, moving, even if she couldn’t yet feel the motion inside her.

  “Everything is looking good,” Dr. Johnson said with satisfaction as the last of the measurements were taken and recorded. He turned to her, kind as ever. “Do you want to know the sex?”

  Bad enough Nick was missing this. To miss that, too...? Sage felt a burst of generosity that far surpassed her anger and disappointment with her baby’s daddy. “No,” she said firmly. “We’ll wait until the baby is born to find that out.”

  * * *

  AFTER A DAY of travel hell, and many unanswered phone calls to Sage, Nick got in close to 9:00 p.m. Friday evening. He found Sage right where he expected she would be. In her bistro kitchen, working on the next day’s offerings.

  In white capris and a loose-fitting dark blue shirt that covered her baby bump, her wheat-gold hair upswept in a clip, she looked gorgeous, and ticked off as all get-out.

  Though she had to have heard him use his key and come in through the service entrance off the back hall, she ignored him steadily.

  He couldn’t blame her. He was wracked with guilt at not being able to keep his promise, forcing her to go to their baby’s ultrasound alone. He felt even sadder about missing such an important milestone in their relationship and their child’s life. This was more than just a missed opportunity, it was a moment in time he could not get back. And he would make up for that.

  But first, he had to make amends.

  He set his bag down. “Sorry can’t begin to cover it, I know.”

  She stared him down, growing even more flushed. “Do tell.”

  Damn, she was ticked off. “I’m as frustrated as you are.”

  She arched an elegant brow. “Somehow I doubt that.”

  “Okay.” He girded himself for the worst. “Let me have it.”

  Even icier. “I’d rather not.”

  Nick tried again but could not quite keep the exasperation from his voice. “I sent you a message.”

  Sage set her rolling pin down with a clatter. “Yeah, that was great. Having MR and Everett call me at midnight. Four hours after you were supposed to be here for dinner. Really nice, Nick. Really nice.”

  She thought he had stood her up without a word? “What are you talking about?” Nick moved closer. “We knew we weren’t getting out of there last night at noon yesterday.”

  Sage wiped her hands with a towel. “Well, that’s news to me.”

  With a weariness that went soul deep, he said, “I thought you had been called.”

  She tilted her head to one side and kept her eyes on his. “You really couldn’t have done it yourself?”

  Hell, yes, he wished he could have. But this was what happened, he was beginning to realize, when you gave up control of a business venture.

  He shoved a hand through his hair. “If you had any idea how crazy it was the last ten days. How many vendors I’ve met, and spaces I’ve toured. Meetings I’ve been in.”

  All for you, Sage. And our baby...

  Because if it hadn’t been for the two of them, he would have said to hell with it all and pulled out of this mal-fated venture long ago.

  But he couldn’t.

  Not if he wanted to give Sage the kind of ultraluxurious life she had grown up with.

  She wanted to believe in him, in them. He could see that. She just wasn’t sure she should.

  Shoulders stiff, she finally looked right at him and allowed in a low, strangled voice, “I know you’ve been busy, Nick.” Her chest heaved with each breath. “I’ve been busy, too.” Amber eyes glistening with tears, she swallowed and pushed on. “I don’t fault you for working hard,” she murmured, clearly distraught. “But I still would have made it to our baby’s ultrasound.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a black-and-white photo. Their fingers brushed as she thrust it at him. “I still would have moved heaven and earth not to have missed this.”

  He stared down at the ghostly image of a baby. Their baby. The miracle of it nearly slammed him to his knees. For a moment, he could barely breathe, let alone speak. “Is that the head...the legs...?” he asked, his heart bursting with love.

  Affirming proudly, Sage pointed. “Arms...”

  Of their kid! Their kid! “Sucking a thumb?”

  Sage allowed in a low, proud voice, “The nurse said that happens in utero all the time. And if they pacify themselves that way while they are inside their mommy’s tummy, they usually do it as soon as they get out of their mommy’s body, too.”

  How cute was that going to be? Amazing.

  They stared at the image some more in wonderment. Moving nearer, he wrapped one arm around Sage. Finally, he pulled himself together enough to ask, “Do we know if it’s a girl or boy?”

  Still holding herself stiffly, Sage shook her head. “I told Dr. Johnson I didn’t want to know yet. I thought you should at least be there for that.”

  He turned her so she had no choice but to face him. He felt like a kid who was telling a teacher the dog ate his homework, but she needed to understand just the same. “I tried like hell to be here.”

  “I know,” Sage said wearily, recalling the gist of the many text messages he had sent her that morning. “But the Santa Fe airport was fogged in this morning, and all the flights were delayed until almost noon, and the one you were supposed to be on eventually got canceled due to mechanical problems.”

  It had been the Murphy’s Law of Travel day for him. He held her by the shoulders, needing, wanting to understand her. “So why did you stop responding to me? Why didn’t you pick up when I called?”

  She slipped out of his light grasp.

  Her lower lip slid out in the delicious pout he knew so well and could never stop wanting to kiss. “Because I was too angry, and I shouldn’t have been. And I knew that,” she confessed in a thick voice. “And I didn’t want to say something I would regret.”

  He studied her sullen expression, figuring she’d earned the right to have her say. And truth to tell, he wanted to hear it all. So they wouldn’t find themselves in this place again.

  She stomped closer, arms akimbo. “We made a deal, Nick, when this all started. That you could be around as much or as little as you chose, and I would never ever put any kind of pressure or expectation on you, or leave you feeling trapped in any way. Yet I was doing just that.” She shook her head in silent remonstration, then aimed a thumb at the center of her chest. “And that made me angry at myself. And then add in a few pregnancy hormones...” Her voice broke. She waved a dismissing hand. “I needed to calm down.”

  He studied her upturned face. “And have you?”

  For a moment he thought she was going to lie, then she sighed. “I’m working on it.”

  “Then you’re ahead of me,” he returned with grim honesty, moving closer. “Because I’m probably going to be upset with myself for a while.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise.

  Obviously, she hadn’t expected a mea culpa from him.

  “I should have left yesterday as planned. MR and Everett could have stayed and handled the remain
ing business meetings. But I didn’t. And I missed something I never should have missed.” He put his hands on her shoulders and waited for her gaze to meet his. “I’m really sorry, darlin’,” he said in a low, tortured tone. “More sorry than you’ll ever know.”

  She could see that.

  Her anger evaporated.

  “I’m sorry, too.” Sage ran her hands through her hair. “I didn’t think things through. I should have explained the situation and rescheduled. Since there was no medical emergency precipitating the ultrasound, we could have just waited until you were available. So—” she drew in a ragged breath “—I’m at fault here, too.”

  Nick helped Sage put the baked goods into the walk-in for the next day. “So, truce...?” he said as they walked out, shutting the door behind them.

  Sage nodded, taking off her apron. “Truce.”

  “Only one problem with that,” Nick said.

  Sage’s delicate brow furrowed in confusion. “What?”

  “This is no way to make up after our first fight as a married couple.”

  “Actually,” Sage corrected, flashing an impish smile, “it’s our first real fight.”

  “You’re right. It is.” And he never wanted to have one like this again. So...

  He stepped forward, tucked one hand beneath her knees and swung her up into his arms. She let out a low squeal and held on to his shoulders.

  “Well, this is getting interesting.”

  He returned her grin. “You think so?” He bent to kiss her cheek. “Just wait.”

  He headed out the service door of the bakery and carried her easily up the back stairs to her apartment. Set her down long enough for her to unlock the door, then picked her right back up again.

  She gave him a mock-stern look. “You know I may be pregnant, but I can still walk.”

  Sensing they were at a turning point in their relationship, he cradled her in his arms. “But should you have to?”

  She chuckled, clearly as turned on as she was exasperated.

  “Seriously.” He looked down at her adoringly. “During those long, long hours when I was waiting to get home to you, it occurred to me I never carried you over the threshold.”

  She hitched in a breath.

  “And now seems like the perfect time.” He walked through the front door, through the living area and into the bedroom, before setting her gently down next to her bed...

  Sage wanted to continue to keep things simple with Nick.

  But the moment his hands lifted her shirt and moved higher, his thumbs running over the tender crests, she felt herself begin to lose herself in him all over again.

  She hadn’t allowed herself to want anything as much as she wanted him in a long time. Hadn’t allowed herself to hope that they could have anything close to a fairy tale.

  Wise or not, she wanted to lose herself in the bliss, the intimacy only he could bring. She wanted the explosion of heat and hunger his kiss wrought. Overwhelmed by the pleasurable sensations, she returned his kiss with everything she had.

  His need and yearning mirrored hers.

  She surrendered against him one moment.

  He took total control the next.

  Until they dropped down on the bed, and she arched against him, the need in her an incessant ache. And still it wasn’t enough for either of them, as she ran her hands over hard muscle and smooth skin. He was absolutely beautiful. So beautiful, she couldn’t take her eyes from his sculpted pecs and abs, and lower still...

  Yes, he wanted her.

  Oh my, he wanted her.

  He rolled her onto her side, so they were facing each other. And still they kissed, until her heart filled and her entire body throbbed with searing heat.

  Flush with victory, he slid a hand between her legs, making her blossom, sending her quickly to the brink. Knowing this was no time to be selfish, she guided him inside her. Together, they soared. Found. Conquered. And came slowly, inevitably, back down.

  And Sage knew all was right between them once again.

  Chapter Nine

  “Look, I’m sorry,” MR said, the following morning, over FaceTime with Nick. “I thought it would be better to wait and call Sage when we had the flight change nailed down. And that took a while.”

  Nick supposed that was true. The storms that had hit Santa Fe the previous day had wreaked havoc throughout the West Coast, leaving a lot of people stranded, scrambling to get home.

  “Luckily, I was finally able to reach a VP friend at the airlines and he was able to manage it for us. But—” MR paused, her expression penitent “—the next time we need to get a message to her, I’ll make sure Everett does it right away, even if we don’t yet have everything worked out.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Nick said. “From now on, any communications between me and Sage will be handled by me.”

  MR frowned and moved on tersely. “When can we expect you here?”

  “I won’t be returning to Dallas until Monday afternoon.”

  Another pause, while MR stared him down.

  “Nick, with a Father’s Day weekend opening, we really don’t have 48 hours to waste. The lease for the space in Dallas has to be signed today.”

  “So, sign it,” Nick returned implacably. “Metro Equity Partners has 51 percent control. You don’t need me to finalize that.”

  Nick looked up to see Sage standing in the doorway of his office. He repeated, “I’ve got to go.”

  “One sec.” MR snapped her fingers. Everett appeared in the background, computer tablet in hand. “We at least need to schedule a daily call.”

  No. They didn’t. “Whatever it is, we can do it Monday afternoon.” He ended the call and turned off his phone.

  Sage lingered in the doorway. “Am I interrupting?”

  He shook his head, wondering if she had any idea at all how much he missed her when they were apart, or how glad he was to be with her now. “Never.”

  He moved away from his desk, brought her into his arms and kissed her. She surrendered against him, basking in the fierce tenderness flowing between them.

  When they finally drew apart, he paused to take her in. Instead of the white chef’s coat he expected to see her in, she was wearing a pretty green shirt over her jeans, and the comfy sneakers she now usually chose over her boots. “I thought you were going to work this morning.”

  Sage grinned. “I decided to take the day off since you’re here. Unless—” she paused, glancing with trepidation at his phone “—you’re leaving again?”

  Nick shook his head. “Not until Monday.”

  Her amber eyes glowed with the same happiness and contentment he felt. “So you’re footloose and fancy-free?”

  Steps sounded in the hall. Nick’s twin sisters, Bridgett and Bess, appeared in the doorway.

  “Not exactly,” they said.

  * * *

  “A BABY SHOWER?” Sage echoed in surprise.

  “We knew Nick was coming in for the ultrasound yesterday,” Bess said. “So we planned it for this morning. It’s going to be held at your mom’s ranch. Everyone from both families is going to be there.”

  Sage wasn’t sure whether to well up with joy or groan in distress. The happiness she and Nick shared was so fragile, she wasn’t sure it could hold up under intense familial scrutiny.

  “It starts in forty-five minutes, so get a move on,” Bridgett advised. “And bring the photo!”

  As Sage had feared, no sooner had she and Nick arrived at the Circle H and were passing around the very first photo of their baby than the questions began. “So, what did you think of the ultrasound?” Nick’s older brother, Gavin, asked.

  “It was amazing,” Sage said.

  Erin looked at Nick, curious.

  Never one to
dance around a problem, Nick grabbed the bull by the horns. “I missed it due to flight delays,” he said. The room fell silent.

  Sage’s mother was the first to recover. “That’s a shame,” she said sympathetically.

  Nick took Sage’s hand. “It’s the last thing of importance I’m going to miss,” he vowed protectively. “From now on, I plan to be at every obstetrics appointment with your daughter.”

  Now, it was Sage’s turn to be surprised. “That’s really not necessary,” she said. Especially since at most of them all she did was step on a scale, pee in a cup and have her abdomen palpitated.

  “Yes,” Nick said firmly, “it is.”

  At that, everyone smiled.

  And although she had promised herself she would not allow herself to rely on Nick too much, Sage couldn’t help but feel really happy, too.

  Her ebullience lasted throughout the party. Nick remained content in a way she had never really seen him, too. They were both still smiling as they arrived back at her apartment.

  “Is that the last of it?” Sage asked, several trips from the vehicle later, as Nick walked in, his arms laden with baby gifts.

  “Yep.” He carried the bassinet over to the corner of her living room. “You want this here, too?”

  Sage nodded. Between this and the wedding gifts, much of which was still in boxes, awaiting a decision—her place or his—it was beginning to feel more like a storage facility than a home.

  Starting to feel overwhelmed, she knotted her hands in front of her and stared at the mess. “I thought I was going to have plenty of room to have our baby here. Now... Nick, we don’t even have a crib or a changing table yet!”

  His brow furrowed. “I thought you were going shopping for baby furniture for both our places.”

  “I special ordered identical sets. They won’t be delivered for another few weeks, but when they do arrive...”

  Nick caught her wrist. “We’ll figure it out.”

  Ignoring the tingling in her arm, she slid out of his light grasp. Moving away from him, she put her hand to her lower back, rubbed restlessly. “When?” She walked a short distance away. “The baby will be here in another four months!”