One Last Objection_A Small-Town Romance

by Nancy Stopper

  She sighed. “Yeah, okay. I just don’t know how I’m going to handle everything.”

  “Remember, you’re going to let me help so you can just worry about our baby. I can make phone calls, courier papers and files to Dr. Bryson, whatever you need. I’ll work out of your condo as much as I can.”

  “Oh, Michael, you can’t do that. You just started your own practice.”

  “Yes, I can. What’s the point of having my own firm if I can’t work when and where I need to? People in this town know and love you, Maggie. They’ll understand.”

  Maggie sniffled two times and then stood off his lap. He missed having her warmth on him, her turning to him for comfort. But he’d have a lot of time to reassure her over the next twelve weeks. “Okay, I guess I’m ready.”

  MICHAEL SETTLED MAGGIE on the couch at home, but she barely noticed, her head swimming with the doctor’s diagnosis. While Michael told her to stay put while he raced around the apartment like a Tasmanian devil, collecting everything she might need, all she could do was run the doctor’s words through her mind over and over.

  What had she done that had caused this? Had she worked too much? She’d tried to slow down, but handing over patients wasn’t as easy as just transferring their files. There was a lot about the relationship she had with them that couldn’t be documented in session notes. Not that it mattered now. Hopefully, Dr. Bryson would be able to cover her clients and Barry could take any overflow patients who were willing to drive to Philly. Maggie had worked so hard to build her counseling practice and establish herself, and now all of that was gone because she couldn’t even handle pregnancy without screwing it up.

  Michael popped a kiss on her lips. “Stop thinking so hard.”

  “I can’t help it.”

  He sank onto the couch beside her. “I know this is hard for you. It’s not what you wanted or what either of us planned. But we’ll make the most of it, and in no time, we’ll be holding our daughter in our arms and all of this will be forgotten.”

  “I hope.”

  He tapped his knuckle under her jaw and raised her head so she was forced to look him in the eye. “We have to be positive… and I’m positive that everything will be fine with this baby. You’ll see.”

  He didn’t know that. Neither of them did. Before she could respond, he’d hopped up again, bustling around her condo.

  She stroked her hands over her belly and murmured to her daughter. “We’re going to take care of you, little one. I promise. I can’t wait to meet you, but not too soon, okay? Daddy and I will be here waiting.”

  How was it that she wanted time to slow down and hurry up all at once? On one hand, if it were May, then she’d know her daughter was okay and ready to be born. On the other hand, her daughter needed to grow before she was born. And all the while, the walls were already closing in on Maggie. No way would she survive four months of him in her face every minute of the day.

  “Michael!”

  He skidded to a stop in front of the television, the remote in one hand and a cup of water in the other. “What? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong, except you’re driving me a little nuts. Please calm down a minute and relax.”

  “As soon as I get you settled, I’ll relax. I have to go into the office for a little while this afternoon, but I can call Rachel or my mom to sit with you while I’m gone.”

  Oh God, was she not going to have any alone time again… forever? The doctor said she needed to rest, not be hovered over every minute of the day. She didn’t need a babysitter, and she and Michael were going to have a problem if that was where his mind was headed. “Calm down. I don’t need someone with me all the time… what, so they can stare at me and wonder what I’ve done wrong to cause these problems?”

  “No, honey, it’s not that at all. You didn’t do anything wrong to cause this, so get that thought out of your mind. The doctor said to stay off your feet, so I’m going to pamper and take care of you.”

  “I appreciate that. I really do. But that doesn’t mean you can’t leave—that I can’t be alone. If I promise that I won’t get up except to go to the bathroom, will you not call Rachel or your mother?” She was not above begging. All of this together time was getting to be too much, and they had a lot of weeks ahead of them to suffer through each other.

  He sighed. “I guess you’re right. I just don’t want anything to happen to you or the baby.”

  “It won’t. I promise. I’ll keep my phone by my side and I’ll call if anything happens. I’ll probably just take a nap while you’re gone anyway.” If she could fall asleep with the ugly images currently running through her mind.

  Michael finished setting her up on the couch and then thankfully left her alone while he returned to the office. Did he really think they would be spending every waking as well as sleeping moment together until this baby was born? If so, they were going to have words. She’d be fine to sit on the couch and do nothing without an audience, especially Michael.

  She didn’t want to be this helpless female. As soon as the baby was born and she had a couple weeks to recover, she’d be back to the strong, confident, professional woman who’d seduced Michael on the dance floor... minus the restrictive club clothes, of course. She’d be a working mother with a baby on her hip and a diaper bag slung over her shoulder.

  But what would Michael do when he didn’t have a reason to cater to her every need? Would he leave her? Like everyone else in her life she loved?

  Not that she loved Michael. Although that wasn’t the first time the possibility had flitted through her mind. She’d been able to shove it aside before, but this time, it stuck in her craw. If she didn’t love him, then why did she care if he left or not? That was the kicker.

  Two hours later, she’d about driven herself crazy. After phone calls to Dr. Bryson and Barry, the three of them had a plan to cover her patients. She’d clicked through channel after channel of mindless television but found nothing that piqued her interest. What did people who didn’t work do all day? She mentally cataloged a list of projects around the condo that she could no longer handle—the paint was chipped in a few places along the hallway, a layer of dust had built up on the air conditioning returns, and daggone it, those stains on the carpet from the wine party she’d hosted six months ago mocked her. She missed wine… and coffee. Both soothed her frazzled nerves, but she couldn’t have either.

  She leaned her head back and rested her hands on her belly. Maybe she could spend this time writing some articles she’d been mulling over for the past few months. She’d handled a number of unique cases in her practice and was just looking for the right journal to submit to. That was good—at least she’d be doing something while she was holed up here for God knows how long.

  The handle on her front door rattled and Maggie had to force herself to not get up and answer. Hopefully Michael left the door unlocked or they’d be in a world of trouble. Finally, the door swung open and he stumbled in, arms and hands full. He yanked a set of keys out of the lock and slammed it behind him.

  “Did you have a nice nap?”

  “No. I didn’t sleep at all. You weren’t gone that long.”

  He chuckled as he carried the bags to the kitchen. “I was gone almost four hours.”

  “What, really?” She checked her phone and sure enough, four hours had passed. She didn’t even remember falling asleep or waking up. The last thing she remembered, she was cataloging medical journals in her mind. But now that she was awake, the baby was playing the drums on her bladder. She pushed herself to her feet but had barely moved when Michael rushed to her side. “What are you doing?”

  “I have to go to the bathroom.”

  “I’ll take you.”

  “Michael, really, I can go to the bathroom by myself.” She held up her cell phone. “If I need you, I can text.” His brows furrowed and a hurt expression crossed his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be cross. I’ll be fine.”

  He backed off but she didn�
�t have to check to know he didn’t move the entire time she ambled down the hall and shut herself into the bathroom.

  Warm, delicious scents of chicken and mustard had filled the air when she returned to the living room. She plopped onto the couch to catch her breath for a minute. Since when did walking down the hall wear her out so much? She pressed her hand over her racing heart and drew in a few deep breaths. Her pulse calmed to a normal pace about the time Michael returned carrying two plates.

  “This looks delicious. Thank you. But I don’t expect you to fix every meal for me while I’m stuck here.”

  “What else are you going to eat? Besides, I like cooking. It’s no fun making a big production for one. Now I have someone else to help me eat all this food… sounds like a win-win to me.”

  Maybe for him. She dug her fork into the tender chicken and swirled it in the mustard sauce before popping it in her mouth. Her eyes widened. “This is really good.”

  He smirked. It didn’t take much to get him to smile. She’d missed that grin this morning, his brows furrowed and his jaw tightened when the doctor talked about her condition. This news was difficult for Michael, too, and she should be more sensitive to his feelings.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “PASTA OR PIZZA?” Maggie tickled the hair on his arm as she started their nightly game. Michael had first started the silly exchange to get her to relax, but she’d picked up the baton and made sure they never missed a session.

  He folded the shirt in his hands and set it on top of the pile before grabbing another. “Hmm, that’s a tough one. Both?”

  She laughed, her deep red hair spilling over her shoulders. God, she was so beautiful and didn’t even know it. “No way, mister. You know the rules… now pick.”

  “I guess pasta. Because you can have it with red sauce, or clam sauce, or as a side with chicken marsala, or with sausage and peppers. Lots of choices.”

  “I agree. Definitely pasta.”

  He and Maggie had fallen into a comfortable pattern since her bedrest. He’d all but moved into her condo, as evidenced by the laundry pile he was currently folding. He only went home to grab more things and check on the cottage. It had been two months since Maggie had gone on bedrest, and she’d had no further complications.

  They had grown closer, not further apart like he’d feared, with all this together time. He hoped that their easy camaraderie would convince Maggie that he would be a good husband, if given the chance.

  Just last week, she’d beamed when she clicked open a web site to show off her first published journal article. She’d stroked her finger over her name displayed on the top of the page. He’d been so proud that she’d found a way to make the most of her bedrest. Proving she was still capable was important to her, and she’d done so without overdoing it.

  He also worked out of her condo most days. He consolidated his appointments as much as possible to avoid leaving her alone for too long. She’d argued against having Ma or Rachel come by, and as much as he didn’t like it, he understood.

  Despite all of this together time, he still appreciated these few minutes after dinner when the mood lightened and they got to know each other even better. He’d never have had this chance if he’d stayed with his firm in Philadelphia.

  She ran her fingers between his eyes. “What put that scowl on your face?”

  “It’s… it’s nothing.”

  She cupped his cheek and slid her lips over his. “Tell me. Maybe I can help.”

  “It’s just… I’d be missing all of this if I was stuck at the firm, chasing the elusive partnership.”

  She chuckled and waved her hands around the room. “You mean a room full of laundry and a whale of a woman on the couch beside you?”

  “You know it. I’ll take dirty laundry over stuffy cocktail parties and backstabbing associates any day.”

  “You never told me what happened back there.”

  He hadn’t told anybody what had driven him away from what he thought was his dream job. He’d busted his ass, graduating near the top of his class at Penn Law and landing a coveted associateship at one of the most prestigious firms in Philadelphia. He’d given up time with his family and a life outside of work and for what? Nothing, as it happened. “There’s not much to tell. I was on track for partner and got screwed over by another associate. I’d put in overtime to land a huge new client for the firm, and this guy took the credit. The client didn’t contradict him—didn’t want to make waves. Once I realized that my integrity, my word, and the effort I was putting in weren’t enough, I left. I didn’t work that hard for that many years to have it all taken away from me.”

  “And you came home.”

  “Just in time, too, I think.” He gestured toward her belly.

  She studied him for a moment. “Boy or girl?”

  He’d left a lot hanging out there, but he appreciated her redirecting the conversation. Losing everything he’d spent his whole life aspiring for was a sore spot, but he’d worked hard in the months since he took over Jeff Taylor’s firm as well. He was making a name for himself in Oak Grove now as more than just Lucas’s brother or “one of those Bennett boys” as he’d been called growing up. That was probably what had driven him out of town in the first place. He loved Lucas, but it was hard to always be compared to the golden boy.

  “Well?”

  They already knew Maggie was having a little girl. He laid his hand on Maggie’s belly and was rewarded with a kick. His daughter—their daughter—was healthy and growing well. It was only a matter of time before he got to meet her. Now that it was looking like spring outside, he could see the end of this long journey. “What do you mean? We’re having a girl.”

  “I mean before… before we found out we were pregnant. Did you picture yourself as a dad of boys—a baseball team full of them—or did you have daddy’s girls hanging on your every word?”

  “Honestly, I thought I’d never have kids.”

  She eyed him suspiciously. He couldn’t blame her for being confused. “Really? But you… you come from this great, huge family. You didn’t want one of your own?”

  He shook his head. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents. And my brothers and Rachel seemed happy. But I had always wanted a different life for myself. I saw myself as a big-city attorney, maybe a prosecutor, and I didn’t envision how a wife and kids fit into that dream. I knew the hours it required and wouldn’t subject a wife to that.”

  She’d started running a single finger up his arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in her wake. It had been torture these past two months, being close to her and not being able to make love. Based on the grin on her face, she knew exactly what she was doing to him, the little minx. “And now?”

  “Now, I can’t wait to meet my daughter. And I thought you were beautiful before, but damn, Maggie, you’re exquisite sitting here with our child growing inside you. I didn’t think… I didn’t think I could love until all of this happened.”

  Maggie’s jaw dropped open and her hand stilled. Crap, he hadn’t intended to blurt out his feelings like that. But how could he not love this intelligent, passionate, strong woman? How had she gone through her life with no one loving her the way she deserved to be loved? The way he loved her? “What?”

  He shifted so he faced her. Now that he’d let the cat out of the bag, he had to get this right. He linked his fingers with hers and stared at their joined hands for a moment. Then he raised his head to find her gaze locked on him, confusion swirling in her eyes.

  “You, uh, you love me?”

  Hope laced her words and he felt like even more of an ass. Maggie hadn’t had anyone in her life who’d loved her just for who she was. If he didn’t say the right thing here, she’d add him to the long list of people who didn’t. “I love you, Maggie. I’m sorry for the way I spit it out like that, but I’m not sorry I said it. And I’m not sorry that I feel this way. I realized a long time ago that I loved you, but I didn’t want to scare you off. Then, when you ended up on bed
rest, I didn’t want to say or do anything to stress you out.”

  While he watched, Maggie’s confused expression transformed. She raised her eyebrows and her eyes brightened. A smile graced her lips. “You love me?”

  He kissed her. He couldn’t wait another moment to kiss the woman he loved. Why had he assumed telling her he loved her would be a bad thing? Maggie was resilient, and knowing someone truly loved her wouldn’t upset her. But he’d had this ridiculous idea that it would pressure her.

  She’d come so far since he’d tried to steamroll into her life when he first found out about the baby. She’d learned to admit where she needed help, and she no longer saw it as a weakness. And she’d embraced impending motherhood in a way he hadn’t envisioned. They spent hours poring over web sites, selecting crib and nursery décor, tiny clothes, and the crapload of things a new baby needed. Each day when he walked in with a new armful of items for the nursery, her eyes lit up like a little girl at Christmas.

  He kept finding ways to keep that smile on her face. Their daughter would be loved—there was no way Maggie would allow a child of hers to grow up the way she had.

  She lowered her head and picked at the hem of her shirt.

  “I don’t expect you to say it back. I don’t want you to. But you need to know that I will always love you and will always want to be with you. I will not leave you when the going gets tough. You will always be a priority in my life… you and our daughter and any other kids we decide to have.” Damn, now would be the perfect time to pull the ring out, to propose to Maggie while happy tears flooded her eyes. But his declaration had already shocked her, and knowing Maggie, she’d need time to process everything he’d said. But he would no longer hold back and he wouldn’t apologize.

  He lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers. She hesitated a moment, so he kept kissing her until her arms snaked around his neck and pulled him flush against her. Her breasts were soft beneath him and he itched to pinch her rosy nipples into hard peaks, to stroke down her perfect body until he could sink his tongue into her core. And based on her heaving chest, she wasn’t unaffected by their kisses either. Her hand slid down his arm, sending a jolt of awareness to his cock.