Hard Love (An Evans Mill Romance Book 2)

by Scarlett Brooks

  “That’s our baby.”

  Annabelle nodded. “It is. I can’t believe it. I’m going to be a mom.” Her eyes drifted to mine. I leaned over and kissed her.

  Neither one of us had meant this to happen, but it happened.

  And that little blob had just changed everything in our lives.

  Twenty

  Annabelle

  Luke waited for me in the reception area while changed back into my clothes and the nurse brought in pictures from the ultrasound. All the nerves and jitters had disappeared. The instant I saw my baby on the screen, I knew everything was going to be okay. Luke had been saying it. It took that moment for me to finally believe it.

  I was giddy with happiness. I didn’t know I could be this excited. Luke promised me lunch anywhere I wanted to go. I had chosen one of my favorite lunch spots. I strolled through the practice, side-stepping pregnant women and grinning. I was ready to start singing.

  “Annabelle?”

  Then I heard her voice.

  I turned slowly. “Harriet?”

  “Oh my goodness. Your dad didn’t tell me you were in town.”

  I swallowed. “I didn’t tell him.” I could play this off. I quickly hid the ultrasound pictures behind my back. “Girl stuff. You know.”

  She laughed. “Oh, I get that.” She grabbed my arm, and leaned in. “We haven’t told anyone, but since you caught me I guess I should come clean.”

  I was confused. “Are you okay, Harriet?” I thought about the treatments my mom had. Was Harriet dealing with something life-threatening? There was a quick knot in my stomach for all that my father had endured.

  “I’m fine,” she whispered. “I’m getting hormone treatments. We’re trying.”

  My eyes darted back and forth. “Trying?” Nothing clicked.

  She nodded. “Yes. Your dad and I are trying for a baby.”

  I almost stumbled backward.

  “Oh, Ms. Simmons. Dr. Barnes wanted to make sure you had the right prenatal vitamins. Here are two weeks worth of samples.” The nurse working with Dr. Barnes appeared holding a bottle. “And if the nausea gets worse, she suggested you add in more ginger to your diet. It’s completely safe during pregnancy.”

  “Thank you.” I answered quietly, accepting the vitamins.

  “You’re pregnant?” Harriet’s mouth hung open.

  “I have to go.” I ran along the hall and into the reception area. Luke was standing, beaming at me when I burst into the waiting room.

  “Something wrong?”

  “Annabelle, wait.” Damn it. Harriet had followed me.

  Luke immediately shielded me. “Hi. Who is this?”

  My shoulders sagged.

  “Wait, is he the father?” Harriet blurted out.

  Luke stared at me.

  I exhaled. “Luke, this is Harriet.”

  “Your stepmom?”

  Harriet smiled. “Nice to meet you. Who are you?”

  “Luke.”

  “Why don’t we call your father? He could meet us for lunch as soon as I’m done.”

  “No,” I snapped.

  I felt the warmth of Luke’s hand on my shoulder. “We have plans,” he interrupted. “I took care of everything,” he explained. “We can go.”

  “Thank you.” I’d filled out enough paperwork to make me feel like I was applying for art school all over again.

  He shuttled me toward the elevator.

  “Annabelle? You aren’t leaving?” Harriet pestered me.

  “I am. I can’t do this, Harriet. Not here. Not like this. I have to go.”

  “What do I tell your father?”

  I faced her as the elevator doors began to close. “Please, don’t tell him anything.”

  I pushed the salad around on my plate. My appetite had been depleted.

  “Are you going to tell me what happened back there?” Luke finally broke the silence.

  “I’m not sure what to say.”

  “You could start with why you left out the part that your stepmom is your age.”

  My throat tightened. “I left that out?”

  Luke huffed. “Maybe I assumed she was parent-age, but you definitely didn’t say your dad married a younger woman.”

  “I try to block it out.”

  “So you told her about the baby?”

  It was a fair question. Everything happened so quickly.

  “No. The nurse interrupted us with a bottle of prenatal vitamins,” I replayed the events to him. “Harriet was there because she’s trying to get pregnant.”

  Luke blinked. “Holy shit.”

  I looked around for the waitress. My water glass was empty.

  “I don’t know what to do or think, really.”

  “Why don’t we focus on the good news we got today? Could that work?”

  I hesitated before looking up at him.

  I smiled. “Actually, I think it’s the perfect solution.” I reached into my purse and retrieved the ultrasound pictures. “Want to see them?” I offered.

  “You bet I do.”

  Twenty-One

  Luke

  I was glad Annabelle had decided to stay in Denver through the weekend. We had slept in, ordered room service, had sex, and slept some more. I hadn’t been this lazy in years. I hadn’t had time for this kind of luxury.

  I carefully put one foot on the floor and then the other without waking Annabelle. It had to be close to dinner. Annabelle wanted to go to a movie and then grab something to eat afterward.

  I edged toward the bedroom door and closed it quietly behind me.

  I tied the string on my pajama pants and walked to the kitchen for a glass of water. I stopped when someone knocked on the door. I wasn’t expecting food.

  I opened the door. Instead of a service valet there was a petite brunette with a stylish bob, standing in front of the door. Harriet. Shit.

  “Hi.”

  Her eyes trailed over my bare chest.

  “Hi to you.” She walked past me. “Where is my stepdaughter?” she asked.

  “Sleeping.”

  “I could wait for her,” she suggested.

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” I wandered to the kitchen for the water.

  “You must think it’s pretty strange I’m married to Annabelle’s dad.”

  I shook my head, taking a big gulp. “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to. Everyone thinks it. Especially her friends.”

  “Look. I don’t want to get in the middle of your family situation.” I tried to keep my voice low. “I can tell Annabelle you stopped by. But I think you should go.”

  She dug her heels into the expensive throw rug. “No. I have something to say and since you’re with Annabelle maybe you’re the person who should hear it. Convince her. Talk to her for me.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Annabelle makes her own decisions.”

  Harriet wrung her hands together. “I didn’t tell her dad she’s here. I didn’t tell him she’s pregnant.”

  “Thank you?” I looked at her suspiciously. Where was this headed?

  “I don’t know if Annabelle told you about our little conversation, but I’m trying to get pregnant.”

  “We don’t need to go into this. Really.” I wished there was a way I could politely haul her out of the suite.

  “But we do,” she persisted. “I want a baby more than anything. And I can’t imagine Annabelle’s father is going to do anything but try to throw you in jail when he finds out his little girl is pregnant.”

  I stared at her blankly. Annabelle had never mentioned her father would have a problem with me. But so many things had been thrown at us so quickly, we were still playing catch up.

  “Do you see what I’m saying?”

  I shook my head. “No clue, Harriet.”

  “I have the answer to all our problems. Give me the baby and I’ll raise it as my own with Richard.”

  “Get out!”

  Before I had a ch
ance to pick Harriet up and throw her out of the suite on my own, Annabelle had walked in the room and heard her. I didn’t know how long she had been there or what she heard.

  “Oh, Annabelle. You’re up.” Harriet’s voice shook.

  “Get the hell out of this room, or I will make it impossible for you to walk again.” She lunged just as I hopped over the bar, throwing my body between the women.

  “You need to go.” I stared at Harriet.

  “Just listen to me. I’ll take the baby. Richard will never know. You won’t have to carry that shame.”

  I caught Annabelle’s arm as she tried to claw at Harriet.

  “You can’t have my baby,” she hissed.

  “No one is taking the baby.” I glared at Harriet. “Go, or I’ll call security.”

  “Fine.” She exhaled. “I wish you would listen. It’s the one way you could keep your father in your life.”

  Annabelle screamed, but I pushed Harriet through the set of double doors and locked them behind her.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  Annabelle paced, tugging at her hair. “I can’t believe her. I’m going to kill her. Or have her thrown in jail. Or something. Something horrible.”

  I poured a second glass of water and handed it to her. “Here. Drink something.”

  “I’d rather have vodka,” she huffed.

  “Maybe in a few months,” I chided.

  “How did she find me? How did she get in here?”

  I shook my head. “I woke up from our nap and wandered out here. She knocked on the door and I’m not sure how much of our conversation you heard.”

  “Enough to know she’s delusional. I’m not handing over this baby.”

  “I know you’re not.” I sat next to her on the couch.

  “I think we should go back to Evans Mill, now.”

  I nodded. “Got it. I’ll pack and have the valet bring my truck to the front.”

  Annabelle sighed. “I know you wanted to stay one more night. I’m sorry.”

  “There’s nothing to be sorry about it.” I stood, kissing her forehead in the process. “I need to get you home. Harriet is a nut job.”

  “Thank you,” was all she said.

  Twenty-Two

  Annabelle

  It had been a week since Luke and I returned from our trip to Denver. The pictures of our little blob were on the fridge. I was used to his toothpaste on the sink and his deodorant on the counter. We used my comforter and his ugly quilt. I was surprised it didn’t take long for us to fall into a pattern. An easy, comfortable pattern.

  “Coffee for you,” he announced strolling into the bedroom. “Small cup,” he added.

  “Thank you.” I didn’t like the smell of coffee as much as I used to. I wondered if my love for it would come back. I placed the mug on the bedside table.

  “What’s on your schedule today?” Luke asked.

  I thought about the appointments I had booked. “I have a mommy-baby shoot with Milly Arnold.”

  “Damn. How many pictures does she take of that baby?”

  I giggled. “She gets them done every month.” I shrugged. “I don’t mind. It’s steady income for me. Right now that’s all that’s important.”

  “You know you don’t have to worry about money, don’t you? I’ve got everything covered.”

  I shook my head. “I haven’t asked you for a penny. I’m not going to start now.”

  Luke exhaled the way he always did when he was frustrated with me. “I’m living in your apartment. You’re having my baby. Of course I’m going to contribute. I can take care of all your expenses.”

  “Our baby,” I corrected.

  He closed his eyes. “Our baby.”

  I picked up the coffee. “I started this business on my own. The loans are in my name for the building, the apartment, and all the equipment. It’s my name on the business. My reputation. I don’t want our son or daughter to grow up and think I couldn’t take care of us. That I got pregnant and went to you for money.”

  “No one is going to think that, Annabelle. Anyone who has met you for even a second wouldn’t think that. I see the work you’ve put in. The whole town can see it. I don’t want you stressed out about money. That’s all I was trying to say. I don’t want to fight with you this morning.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t want to fight with you either.”

  “Good.” He kissed me on the cheek. “I’ve got to get to work. See you tonight?”

  I nodded. “I’ll be here.”

  The scent of juniper faded when Luke walked out of the room. I sat in bed, drinking the rest of my coffee and trying to make sense of everything that had happened between us. Was he really this perfect, or were the fangs going to show soon? Why was he single?

  I heard a knock at the door and threw the covers off. I padded to the kitchen and opened the door.

  Victoria stood on the landing. “Hi.” She smiled.

  “Hey, come on.”

  “Thanks, the morning rush is over. Thought I’d say hi. I haven’t seen you much.”

  “I’m getting ready to get in the shower. I have a shoot with Milly this morning. Even with the baby, she will be here on time.”

  Victoria rolled her eyes. “You missed last book club when she brought the baby. No one even talked about the book.”

  I laughed. “Maybe next time. Want some coffee?” I winced. She had an endless supply at Roasted.

  “No thanks.” I could tell there was something on her mind, but I realized I had the perfect opportunity to talk to someone about Luke. Something I had never done before now.

  “Since you’re here…”

  “Yes?” Her eyes lit.

  “I guess you know Luke moved in here with me.”

  She laughed. “He tried to deny it, but since I’ve seen his truck here every morning when I get to work, I assumed that’s what he did. How did that happen? I didn’t even know you two were a thing.”

  We were a thing all right. Just not in a conventional way that I could explain to Victoria.

  “We met during the calendar shoot. You know the one for the annual library fundraiser?”

  “Oh, right. Where all the guys strip down.” She raised her eyebrows.

  “Okay. It’s not like that.”

  “Sure. You take pictures of all the bachelors in town and it’s totally platonic.” She shrugged. “Go on. Continue with your platonic story. You took one look at Luke without his shirt and fell into his arms in the lumber yard?”

  My throat tightened. It was almost exactly like that.

  “Funny.” I turned away from her and realized our little blob’s picture was hanging on the fridge. I rushed over, yanking on the handle and stuffing the pictures in my pocket. Shit. That was close. “We talked. And then everything snowballed from there,” I explained.

  I poured a glass of orange juice. Luke had been on a prenatal health kick, stocking the fridge with more vitamins and minerals than I could pronounce.

  “So he just moved in here and left his house out by the lake?” she asked. Her tight curls were pulled back in a bun for work.

  “We go back and forth, so he still has his place. I wouldn’t ask him to give that up.”

  “Okay. I guess that makes sense.”

  Did it? None of this made sense.

  “He says you two have known each other for a long time. I thought maybe you could tell me something about him.”

  “You want me to tell you about the guy that moved in with you?” She folded her arms across her chest.

  “Okay, maybe I went about this a little backward. We did move in together pretty quickly.”

  “You could have asked me before you let the guy move.” She huffed, taking a long pause. “But if you have doubts about him or something you shouldn’t.”

  I looked at her, placing the empty juice glass in the sink. “Really?” I was expecting more of a lecture on moving in together so quickly.

  “Really. Luke Lincoln is a good guy. A
solid guy. He’s like a brother. Or a cousin. I don’t know—family. Okay?”

  I nodded. “So you don’t think I made a mistake with him? I just wondered since he’s still single. Does that mean there’s something wrong with him? Why isn’t he married?”

  She huffed. “Everyone is single in Evans Mill. It’s because we grew up together. Do you know how weird and depressing and comforting it is all at the same time?”

  “I guess I can see that.”

  “You have no idea what it’s like.”

  “You’re right. I don’t. Denver is the other extreme. Everyone is a stranger. It’s why I wanted to move someplace small.”

  “Luke is one of the good guys. Not my type, but seriously, he’s a good person. You can count on him, Annabelle. His dad’s death hit him hard. He’s taken on a lot since then. I think it’s nice he met you. He needs someone. He hasn’t been the same since it happened.”

  “Really?” My voice softened. I hadn’t asked him how his dad died. We seemed to have an unspoken understanding about grief. We would talk when we were each ready. This was my chance to ask Victoria what had happened, but I wondered if I should wait for Luke to tell me in his own time. In his own way.

  Victoria pulled out her phone. “Shit. I better get back to work. I just wanted to say hello, and see how it was going with Luke. Call me curious.”

  I grinned. “I’m glad you did. Thanks for what you said about him. I feel better. Not that I was worried,” I lied.

  She turned on the landing at the top of the stairs. “You two are cute together. I totally see the yin and the yang. I’m jealous.”

  I giggled. I’d never thought about us that way before.

  “Bye. I’ll send Milly over for a coffee,” I teased.

  “Please don’t,” she groaned. “I thought we were friends.”

  Victoria jogged down the stairs and I wandered to the bathroom to start the shower. I didn’t have as much time now to get ready for the shoot, but it was nice to talk to someone who knew Luke. At least the father of my baby wasn’t a serial killer, and my instincts about him weren’t wrong. My judgment wasn’t completed clouded by hormones.