Montana Homecoming

by Law, Kim

  She’d also looked tired.

  He thumbed out a message.

  You making it okay? Are you staying off your feet? It’ll be a couple of hours between dad’s appointment with his surgeon and the one with his prosthetist. Do you need anything? I could bring by lunch.

  He lowered his arm before making the mistake of sending it. What was wrong with him today? First, he couldn’t make himself send the message he needed to send. The one to get the child agreement discussions going. And now he was trying to loom over the very woman who never wanted to speak to him again?

  He sighed. His actions made no sense. The baby thing had really thrown him for a loop.

  And along with that, he still didn’t know how he wanted to proceed. He’d spent the better part of the day before weighing every angle of each of Maggie’s requests, but abiding by any of them still felt wrong.

  First, she would need the money for the baby. He knew that. Kids were expensive. And no single mother, especially on a teacher’s salary, should be turning down needed funds. Plus, the last thing he wanted was to be the guy who put a woman into a financially difficult situation. Especially when there was an easy solution to keep her from getting to that point.

  Then there were her other requests. One which remained a hard no, and the other . . .

  He closed his eyes and thumped his head against the wall. He knew it was ridiculous to drag his feet on deleting her number, but what if he needed to get in touch with her at some point? What if she needed to get in touch with him?

  He could always go to Erica or Arsula, of course. And vice versa. But that wasn’t what she was asking him to agree to.

  “Who do you reckon that baby’s daddy is, anyway?” His dad spoke loud enough to be heard across the room.

  Gloria’s head snapped up. “Max.”

  “What? You know people are talking. Trying to figure out why the daddy isn’t around to help out.”

  The other two people in the waiting room had looked up, as well.

  “It is none of your business,” Gloria hissed under her breath. She might have hoped to keep her voice low, but her words easily traveled over to Cord.

  “She needs some help is all I’m saying. If not right now, when she’s”—his dad’s mouth pursed before continuing—“at such a late stage of her pregnancy, then she’ll definitely need help after bringing the baby home. Mommas don’t get a lot of sleep, you know?”

  Gloria shook her head, her eyes not meeting her husband’s, and Cord didn’t say a word. He swallowed back the words that had tried to push their way up and out of him, instead.

  I’m that baby’s daddy, he’d wanted to proclaim.

  Only, why would he want to say that?

  The fact that Maggie hadn’t shared the information with his family was a good thing. It was the way the situation needed to be handled. He could help Maggie out without them ever having to know . . . and also, without them ever having to look at him with abject disappointment.

  However, the idea that Maggie might have been protecting him by not telling anyone suddenly didn’t sit well. And he wanted to correct it. He wanted to put a stop to any more whispering behind her back. Mostly, though, he wanted to share that the boy wouldn’t have to want for anything. Cord would provide as much financial assistance as Maggie would take. He’d even hire additional help for her, if needed.

  He also wanted to let his father know that he definitely would be getting that grandson he wanted. And that possibly Maggie would be willing to bring the boy over to visit occasionally. She seemed like a reasonable person, and she clearly cared about his dad.

  He couldn’t say any of that, though. Doing so would be purely selfish on his part. Not to mention, he didn’t know if Maggie even wanted anyone knowing the baby was his. Possibly, that was the reason she hadn’t told anyone. So, instead of opening his mouth and spewing words he could never take back, he lowered his gaze and lifted his hand. It was time to quit stalling and send that message.

  As his thumb slid over the screen, however, he managed to hit the Send button for the message to Maggie instead. The follow-up ding that came from the text app seemed to ring in his ears. He was an idiot.

  He’d kept Maggie close that week so they could work out child agreement issues. So she wouldn’t have to worry and stress over money. Not because he felt the need to keep an eye on her. That shouldn’t even be on his radar. She could manage on her own, same as she’d been doing for the last seven and a half months. She did not need him.

  But she sure as hell wouldn’t think he believed that after reading his message.

  He thumped his head against the wall again. He needed a do-over for the whole day.

  “Mr. Wilde?”

  Cord, Gloria, and Max all looked toward the nurse as she said his dad’s name.

  “Right here.” Gloria lifted a finger and rose to step behind Max’s wheelchair. She still didn’t speak to her husband, but her previous frustration seemed to disappear. Instead, her expression now returned to what Cord had witnessed when he’d gone back to the house Saturday with the prescription antibiotic cream.

  His dad had finally shared that the prosthesis had been rubbing sores on his leg, and Gloria hadn’t taken the news well. She blamed herself for not noticing. She said she’d suspected something was wrong, but she’d never guessed it might be the prosthesis.

  They followed the nurse into the connected hallway, Cord muting his phone, and the nurse tossed a smile to each of them.

  “How are you doing this morning, Mr. Wilde?” she asked.

  “Well, I’m back in this darned chair, so I’m going to go ahead and say not so good.”

  The nurse, a tall good-looking woman with russet-brown skin, winked at Cord’s dad. “Just enjoy the ride, sweetheart. They’re probably jealous that it’s not you pushing them all over the place.”

  His dad let out a dry chuckle. “We’ll go with that story. It sounds better than reality.”

  The nurse patted him on the shoulder and led the three of them into an exam room, and as she took his dad’s vitals, Cord stepped out of the way. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he crossed his arms over his chest instead of pulling it out. Maggie no doubt thought he was being ridiculous, and he didn’t need to see the message to confirm it.

  “Everything looks good, Mr. Wilde. Dr. Borgmann will be with you in just a few minutes.” The nurse tossed another wink at Cord’s dad before leaving, and as the door closed behind her, Cord’s phone buzzed again.

  He ignored it again. It would just be the reminder that he hadn’t read his message.

  “I’m still not sure why we had to see Borgmann,” his dad grumbled. He’d argued that morning that they only needed to see the prosthetist to get an adjustment. “You’re treating the sores, and they’re already a lot better.”

  “True,” Cord agreed. “And probably we didn’t need to see him. But since I’m not a specialist in this area, I wanted someone else to take a look. Dr. Borgmann sees a lot more of this than I do.”

  As he’d examined his father’s leg again the day before, he’d determined the wound sites weren’t as concerning as he’d initially feared. Nothing seemed as if they might be deep enough to allow infection to reach the bone. However, given that would be the last thing they needed, he hadn’t wanted to take any chances. He’d called the surgeon over the weekend to fill him in, and he’d agreed when the doctor had suggested his dad come in that morning. Two sets of eyes were always better than one.

  His phone buzzed a third time.

  “You’re going to request a referral to a new physical therapist, right?” Gloria asked.

  “Definitely.” Cord remained upset about that. No PT worth his salt should have missed this.

  “Good.” Gloria spoke softly. “And I’ll make sure he doesn’t skip any more appointments.”

  Cord sent her a consoling smile, hoping to share without words that no one blamed her, but she only shifted her gaze to her lap. “How about I take him to his
appointments this week, Gloria?”

  She glanced up. “I can do it.”

  “Sure. But I don’t have a lot else going on anyway.” He angled his head and peered down at her. “Will you please let me take him?”

  His dad snorted, as if unimpressed with Cord’s attempt at charm, but that time, Gloria did return his smile. Cord felt a sense of relief at the sight. His dad needed this woman. Cord might not understand love or why it actually seemed to stick for some people, but he did believe that’s what was shared between these two. And he was grateful for it.

  When his phone buzzed yet again, he reached for it. It occurred to him that Maggie might actually be having an issue. Had she replied, needing his help?

  He motioned with his hand. “I’m going to step into the hall until the doc gets here.”

  Instead of finding messages from Maggie, however, there were two from his sister.

  Nate said you’re in town. You’re with dad at the orthopedic’s office?

  Also, I’m still mad at you for not coming home for Mia’s first birthday. What a bad uncle. I’m going to teach her to love all my other brothers more.

  He couldn’t help but smile at the second message. He and his other childless brothers routinely claimed to be the best uncle. Of course, with Nick now about to have his own kids—his wife Harper was the one pregnant with twins—being the best uncle probably would no longer be a top priority for him.

  He tapped out a reply.

  We just got back to see Borgmann, but he hasn’t come in yet. And you might *try* to turn Mia against me, but when Haley sees her Christmas present, I’ll definitely remain #1 with her.

  He quickly followed with another message.

  How are you? Doing okay?

  Fat and happy.

  She sent an emoji of a pregnant woman along with her message, and the tiny picture made Cord grin even wider. He was so happy for his sister. She’d had a rough time dealing with the crap their mother had dished out when they’d been younger, but her life seemed to be on track now. She’d moved home and married a good man a few years ago; she was an excellent stepmother to eight-year-old Haley, and now she was nearing the end of her second, very healthy pregnancy. He couldn’t be prouder of her.

  He started typing out another message. I planned to stop by your office and see you later today. Got to pick up . . . But he paused before finishing the sentence. Did his sister also know Maggie was at the cabins? Would she try to read something into it like his dad and Nate had?

  She likely did know, and honestly, he wasn’t sure how she’d react. But he hoped she would recognize his actions for what they were. Him simply doing a good deed.

  He finished the message.

  I planned to stop by and see you later today. Got to pick up Maggie Crowder from the school first, though. She’s staying at one of the cabins this week. Messed up her car in the snowstorm Friday.

  I heard. And come by anytime. I’ll be here. But let me know what’s going on with Dad, too. Should I be worried?

  No. He just needs an adjustment. I’m being overly cautious, but things look fine. He’s already acting more like himself. The pain is less than it was two days ago.

  Good.

  She then sent another quick message.

  I’m glad you came home and checked on him.

  This time she followed her message with three heart emojis, and he couldn’t help but feel a lump right in the middle of his own heart. He was glad he’d come home, too. He wasn’t glad not to be at work. Or the reason why he wasn’t there. But it seemed right to be in Birch Bay at this moment.

  Chapter Nine

  “Ohmygod. I so needed fajitas tonight.” Maggie loaded another tortilla with beef and toppings, carefully folding each side of the bread over, then she slid a bite into her mouth. “Mmm,” she moaned in pure delight. Fajitas were her favorite.

  Erica and Arsula watched from their seats. Maggie could feel their gazes, even though she’d closed her eyes. Her friends had come over for dinner, toting food from their favorite restaurant, and now that the meal was nearing its end, Maggie suspected the grilling she’d been expecting would be forthcoming. Her friends didn’t like the idea of her being out at the cabins, especially because she was totally dependent upon Cord for transportation.

  “You seriously eat food like you’re making love to it these days,” Arsula observed. “Like . . . really.”

  Maggie peeked open one eye. “Leave me alone. It’s as close as I get to having sex.”

  She closed her eye again and finished savoring the flavors. She also thought about sex.

  She’d like to have sex again. Pregnancy hormones and being single sucked. But even if she had someone interested in getting naked with her—and who she’d currently be willing to let see her naked—she wasn’t sure how comfortably the deed could be accomplished with her gigantic soccer-ball belly in the way. So, if all she could manage was excellent food and even better company, she’d take that. Happily.

  “Well, I had sex last night,” Arsula announced while also loading up another tortilla. “In the car inside the garage. We couldn’t even wait until we got in the house.” Arsula and Jaden had purchased a home together a couple of months before, and from what Maggie understood, they regularly christened every square inch of it.

  “How is that news?” she mumbled around another bite.

  “Because while out for dinner, we also set a date.”

  Maggie and Erica halted, both with hands lifted to their mouths, before the meaning behind Arsula’s words clicked. She and Jaden had set a wedding date.

  Eyes going wide, all three of them erupted into squeals.

  “Congratulations!” Erica shouted. She held her arms up, as did Maggie, both of them reaching for a hug, but neither having the energy to climb out of their seat to get one. Arsula laughed.

  She rose from her chair. “You two are hilarious with your baby bellies.”

  “We’re hilariously enormous.” Erica smirked.

  Arsula leaned down to hug Erica first, before turning to Maggie.

  “When’s the big date?” Maggie asked as Arsula returned to her seat.

  A huge grin flashed across her face. “May twentieth.”

  “Of next year?” Maggie quizzed. She’d thought they were going to wait longer.

  “Yes.” Arsula nodded. Her teeth briefly pressed into her bottom lip, as if in attempt to contain the uncontrollable smile. “We decided there’s really no reason to wait. We love each other. We already have a house together. We’re talking about getting a dog. So it only seemed logical to go ahead and take the next step.”

  Erica grinned back at her. “Well, I, for one, will simply say thank you for not doing something crazy like deciding you want to get married in the next couple of weeks.” She looked down at her nearly eight-and-a-half-month-pregnant belly. “Because, honey, I love you and all, but I would not want to walk down an aisle looking like this. For anyone. Nor be seen in any wedding photos.”

  Arsula giggled. “Of course I wouldn’t do that to you.” She took in Maggie, as well. “To either of you. Plus, we want to do this right. We want the whole romance of planning a wedding and all the fun that leads up to it.” She paused before continuing, the smile remaining on her lips. “It’s going to be out at the orchard.”

  Maggie sat up straighter. “You’re getting married in the barn?”

  “Yes.” Arsula glowed. “I already have my first retreat set up at the house for next fall.” Arsula was an intuitive life coach who had a knack for dream reading. “So, we thought we’d go ahead and enjoy the spoils of the new lodge in May, as well. We plan to rent it out for the wedding. We’ll use the lodge and the cabins for our wedding party and out-of-town guests, then we’ll do pictures both at the barn and in the section of the orchard that was the least hit with the freeze. Hopefully it’ll be a normal spring next year, and the trees will be in full bloom that weekend.” She sighed, the sound light and dreamy. “It’s going to be so romantic.”r />
  Maggie and Erica smiled with her.

  “Don’t forget about the bees,” Erica eventually drawled. “Bees pollinate the flowers, you know. They should make for some excellent outtakes with the pictures.” She winked at Arsula, but the teasing couldn’t bring their friend down.

  Maggie reached across the table and squeezed Arsula’s hand. “I’m so happy for you, hon. You’re going to make a beautiful bride.”

  “And you two will be gorgeous bridesmaids.”

  All three of them sighed, each leaning back in their chair, and the remnants of dinner were forgotten.

  Maybe this was why her friends had decided to come over tonight, and not because of Cord. It had likely been Arsula’s idea. Maggie was thrilled they were getting to celebrate together.

  “Okay.” Erica suddenly pushed back up, shoving her leftovers to the side. She propped both elbows on the table, looking very intense about whatever it was she was about to say, and Maggie eyed the move jealously. There was no way she could lean that far forward. And certainly no way she could stretch her arms over her stomach in a similar fashion. At least, not without letting her belly droop down between her knees.

  She frowned. She wished she were cute and fit in her pregnancy like Erica. Heck, even Harper, who carried twins, wasn’t that much larger than Maggie. Or, at least, she hadn’t been the last time Maggie had run into her. But that had been over a month ago. Harper’s doctor put her on bed rest at the end of October.

  “Enough about the wedding,” Erica declared. “At least for the time being. We’ll have plenty of time later to discuss all the ideas.” She tossed Arsula another grin, her dimples flashing. But as quickly as the smile appeared, it disappeared. In its place appeared a solemn nod she shared only with Arsula, and the move sent an immediate streak of warning down Maggie’s spine.

  Her friends turned to face her.

  “Now, tell us what’s going on with you and Cord,” Arsula instructed.

  Maggie didn’t move. Nor did she show any reaction. She’d reached for another bite of rice, but she hadn’t yet lifted the fork to her mouth. Obviously, she’d cleared her friends of checking up on her way too soon. “Nothing is going on with me and Cord.” She looked from one woman to the other. “I told you before. I ran off the road. Cord came along and helped me out, and now my car is being worked on.”