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Just as they finished, Peter started waking up. Christie unlatched him from his car seat. “He’s probably wet. Is there a place to change him here?”
“Sure. You can use the little conference room across the hall.”
“I’ll be right back.” She snagged the diaper bag and baby, and was just about to enter the hallway when the door to the main office opened, bringing in a gust of warm air and a tall, angry-looking Texan.
“We need to talk,” he said without pleasantries.
“I thought we did that a little while ago.” Christie snuggled Peter closer to calm her suddenly pounding heart. Cal had startled her, but she had a feeling that just being around him was disturbing on several levels.
“I’ve thought of something I should have said earlier.”
“I’d rather wait, Cal. I need to think about your offer.” Peter began to fuss, and Christie felt like doing the same.
“This needs to be said,” Cal insisted, his expression intent.
He’d had about the same expression on his face when he’d braced himself above her, their bodies hot and naked. She shook off the memory and started walking away. “I need to change the baby, and then Toni and I will finish up. Why don’t we schedule something later.”
“Let’s settle it now.”
“Oh, hello, Cal,” Toni said from the doorway of her office. “Welcome home. Can I help you with something?”
“No. I need to talk to Christie.”
Toni looked very surprised. “Oh. Christie, do you want a little privacy?”
Actually, she didn’t want to have this conversation at all. “Cal, I think we should talk later.”
He braced his hands on his hips. “I don’t even know how to get in touch with you, Christie. How are we going to talk?”
“I’ll call you.”
“Christie, are you okay?” Toni asked.
“I’m fine. I’m sorry for the intrusion.” She’d barged into Cal’s life; now he was apparently doing the same in hers.
She turned back to Cal. “I said I’d call you, and I will.”
“I’ll be in my office if you need me,” Toni said. “Cal Crawford, you behave yourself.”
Cal completely ignored Toni. He drilled Christie with his blue-gray eyes. “Like you called me eighteen months ago?”
“You don’t need to be sarcastic,” she said, feeling herself flush with anger…and maybe a little bit of guilt. Should she have called him? Her rationale had seemed so reasonable while she was pregnant, and immediately after Peter’s birth. And by then, Cal’s return was imminent. Of course, he’d been delayed, then wounded.
“Sorry for my bad attitude, but it’s not every day a man finds out he has a son!” he said, stepping closer.
“You’re lucky to have Peter,” she said in an angry whisper, unwilling to tell the world their private business. “I can’t believe how angry you’ve become from the time we left the restaurant to now.”
“I’m not angry. I’m…perturbed.”
“That’s just another word for angry.”
“Okay! I’m disappointed you didn’t tell me, and I’m concerned the baby doesn’t have my full name, as he should, and I’m angry Leo Casale was telling his customers at the hardware store that a beautiful blonde and her baby have come to stay in town!”
“He said I was beautiful? How nice.” Christie focused on that word and ignored the rest of Cal’s rant as she spread the changing pad on the end of the table. She grabbed a diaper and the baby wipes from the diaper bag.
“He’s not right for you, and you should just stay away from men who talk too much!” Cal wasn’t trying to be quiet or reasonable.
“Hey, that’s my brother you’re bad-mouthing,” Toni’s voice admonished from the other side of her almost-closed door.
“You’re jealous!” Christie exclaimed as she stripped the wet diaper off Peter. She quickly wiped his baby parts and efficiently secured the tabs on the new diaper before he squirmed away.
“I’m not jealous of Leo Casale.”
She held the baby with one hand on his tummy while she placed the baby wipes in the diaper bag. “Sounds like it to me.”
“Well, if I am, it’s because he doesn’t have a right to talk about you as if you’re single and looking.”
“I’m definitely single, but you’re right—I’m not looking.” Looking for a nanny, maybe, but not a man.
“See, this is exactly what I came over here to talk to you about, but we got all sidetracked. You’re single, and you’re a mother. The mother of my baby. It took me a few minutes to figure this out because I was really surprised at Dewey’s. Now I know there’s only one thing we can do.”
“Oh? I can see a lot of ways this could turn out.”
“No. We have to do what’s best for the baby, and there’s only one solution.”
She had a horrible feeling that Cal’s “solution” would be even worse than his idea of her moving to the ranch.
“We need to get married. Now. As soon as possible.”
Chapter Three
“I will not marry you for the sake of the baby. That’s a terrible reason to get married!” Christie picked up Peter from the desk and stuffed the pad into the diaper bag.
“People do it all the time. It’s the right thing to do.”
She patted Peter on the back and looked up into Cal’s eyes. His eyebrows were drawn into a straight line and his expression was determined. He was one single-minded man. “Cal, this may come as a shock, but for me, doing what makes me—and Peter, of course—happy is a huge consideration. Marrying for the wrong reasons is as wrong as—”
“Our weekend fling that included unprotected sex?”
At least he’d had the courtesy, if she could call it that, to keep his voice down so Toni didn’t hear that little goodie. “That might have been irresponsible of us, but I don’t regret what came out of that weekend for anything. I’ve never been happier than the moment Peter was born.”
“Yeah, I would have liked to be there, too,” he said. “But happiness isn’t everything. There’s a right and a wrong way to approach things, and I—”
“I’m not going to listen to this. We are not getting married for the sake of the baby, and if you keep this up, I will not even consider moving to your ranch.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I’m telling you that I won’t be bullied into marriage or making a decision. Back off the cave-man tactics or I’ll leave Brody’s Crossing so fast I’ll make your head spin.”
“I have a right to see my son.”
She shifted the baby to her other shoulder. “Only when and if a court gives you that right. And believe me, Cal, you don’t want to continue with the threats. I have excellent attorneys.” She turned and walked away before he noticed how truly angry and upset she was.
Why had she thought telling this man about their child would be easy?
Because you don’t really know him, a little voice inside her head answered. Because the only thing you know about him is that he kissed you like you were the only woman in the world, and you didn’t want to know anything about him because he was leaving. You just wanted that weekend. Really wanted it.
Shaking, she handed Peter to Toni. Without a word, she grabbed a card from her purse and wrote her cell-phone number on it. Cal was still standing inside the conference room, breathing deeply as if he were trying to control his anger.
“Here,” she said, handing him the card. “That’s my cell phone if you feel the need to call me before I make a decision. I’m not trying to threaten you, Cal, but I won’t be bullied. I don’t know what type of woman you’re used to, but I’m not weak-minded or easily intimidated.”
Her father had been a master of manipulation, and she’d learned all the tricks.
“You dropped a damned bombshell on me. I’m sorry if I’m not reacting well.”
“You were fine at the restaurant. Let’s try to go back to that attitude if we can.”
“I’ll try.”
“Then I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Please don’t follow me.”
“I wasn’t following you! I just went into the hardware store for some damned plumber’s putty!”
“Okay, and while we’re at it, you might consider cutting down on your cussing. It’s not going to be cute when Peter starts talking and learning words we’d rather he didn’t use.”
Cal’s eyes narrowed. “Any more instructions?”
“No, I think that just about covers it. For now.”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” It was a demand, but she let it go. He was angry, and jealous, although he wouldn’t admit it.
“Yes, tomorrow. I have a lot of things to consider. Believe me, most of all, I’ll think about what’s best for Peter.”
“What’s best is for a son to know his father and to live in a family with both parents.”
Not always. Especially not if the father was acting like an ass. “There are many ways for Peter to get to know you. Living at your ranch, married or not, is only one of the options.”
“It’s best for everyone.”
“No, I think you believe it’s best for you, but you have to ask yourself if you really want to live in the same house with a woman you don’t seem to like very much, much less be married to her.”
“I liked you just fine in Fort Worth!”
“I liked you that weekend, too. Right now, however, I’m not so sure.”
His eyes narrowed again. “I’m only trying to be responsible. We made that baby together.”
“Yes, but I carried him for nine months and went through fourteen hours of labor. Don’t tell me it’s the same.”
“I didn’t say it was equal, just that we’re in it together.”
“I’ll get back to you on that,” she said, before turning and walking into Toni’s office.
CAL RESISTED THE URGE to slam the door as he left Toni’s office. He looked up and realized he was just across the street from his attorney’s office. What better time to find out his legal rights?
“Oh, hello, Cal,” Caroline Brody said as she gathered her purse and closed her desk drawer. “Welcome home.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Brody. Is James in?”
“He is. He has an appointment at three o’clock, though.”
“I just need a few minutes.”
“Hey, Cal,” James said, coming out of his office. “Come on in. Mom, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye now.” Caroline smiled and waved on her way out.
Cal let out a deep breath. “I need some information.”
“Okay. Have a seat,” James said, motioning to the chairs in his office.
Cal knew next to nothing about parental rights. And he’d better think about prenup agreements, too. He didn’t want Christie to think he was after her money, but most of all, he didn’t want her to have any rights to the Rocking C, in case their relationship didn’t work out.
His father and mother hadn’t made their marriage work, even with two children and a ranch to consider. Christie still had her place in Fort Worth, so who knew when she might take off with the baby. She didn’t have a good reason to stay. Not yet, anyway. Marriage would bind them together…at least long enough for him to get to know his son.
Seeing her talking to Leo Casale on the sidewalk in front of Toni’s office had caused something to snap inside him. She’d called it jealousy, but he didn’t think that was it. He was simply clear on what he wanted for the mother of his son. She shouldn’t be subject to the advances of some good-looking guy who was attracted to a classy blonde.
And what would happen if she left? Would he have any rights to the baby? The idea of not being a part of his son’s life gave Cal a hollow feeling inside that couldn’t be filled by anything—his ranch, friends, family or community.
“Tell me about what you need,” James said, snapping Cal back to the present. And his most pressing problem.
“I need to know if I have legal rights to my son.”
WHEN CAL ARRIVED at the ranch later in the afternoon, Troy and Raven were in the master bedroom, packing for their move to New Hampshire. Cal stood in the middle of the kitchen and looked at the boxes and bags around the perimeter of the room. Apparently, they’d collected a lot of things in the past year and a half. There were also going-away gifts of hand-labeled jars of jelly and fruit, crocheted scarves and fresh vegetables from friends and neighbors.
Troy had told him that Raven had driven to Texas in her aging Volvo wagon, Pickles, which had been filled with everything from goat cheese to organic flea shampoo for dogs. Apparently Troy had tried to resist her vegetarian lifestyle and antiranching views, but he hadn’t been able to help himself and had fallen in love with the Yankee farmer. Raven had been hired to restore a heritage garden, and Troy had been anticipating the arrival of an expert on traditional ranching that Cal had requested from the Cattleman’s Association. Somehow, through a merged database mix-up, Troy had gotten the vegetarian and the ranch expert had never shown up.
How his brother could even consider moving to New England was a complete mystery. Troy had obviously lost his mind when he’d fallen for Raven. Not that she wasn’t pretty and nice and smart. But really, what self-respecting Texan committed to living in New Hampshire? For all of Troy’s odd ideas about the Rocking C, ranching was in his blood. Four generations of Crawford men had raised cattle on this property.
Not chickens and bison and dairy cows. Almost all the Herefords were gone. Thankfully, Troy hadn’t sent all of the breeding stock to the auction or the feed lot. A few of the handful of cows left were descended from the original 1880s herd, which meant that Cal could resurrect the Crawford tradition. It might take him a while, but he would rebuild the Rocking C into a Hereford cattle ranch.
As soon as he solved the problem of his son.
“We’re just about packed. We’ll be on the road first thing in the morning,” Troy said, stepping into the room.
“Long drive,” Cal said, glancing around, wondering if all this stuff would fit in Troy’s SUV.
“We were thinking it would be good to go to Dewey’s for dinner. Are you up for that?”
“Sounds good.” He’d been there for lunch, but he could go again and get a nice juicy steak. Maybe relax with old friends and family without the distraction of Christie’s beautiful face or Peter’s drooling smiles. After all, his only brother—albeit the brother who’d played havoc with the ranch—was leaving town. “Is anyone else coming?”
“I’m not sure. Raven might have invited some of her friends.”
Was Christie a friend of Raven’s? She had mentioned talking to Troy’s fiancée, but surely they weren’t friends. He hoped not. He needed time to think. Besides, tonight should be about saying goodbye to his brother.
“There’s one more thing I wanted to ask you about,” Troy said.
Cal felt himself tense, then tried to relax. Not all questions meant trouble. How much more could a man deal with after being home from a war for just over a day? “What?”
“Raven and I thought about taking her dog, Riley—that is, the stray she found here—back to New Hampshire with us, but we talked it over and decided that he’d probably be happier right here on the Rocking C. How do you feel about keeping him? He’s a pretty decent cow dog, plus he’s good company.”
Cal shrugged. He didn’t usually keep a dog. They’d had border collies when he was a kid, but after they’d died, and his dad was gone, Cal had never gotten any more.
“Maybe. He seems okay.”
“Raven will miss him like crazy, but there’s no sense taking him across the country when he considers this his home now.”
“Damn, Troy, you sound like one of those animal rights activists. Since when do dogs get to decide where they want to live?”
His brother had the decency to look a little embarrassed but not enough, in Cal’s opinion. A man should be in charge of his home, his ranch. A dog shouldn’t be making decisions.
“I’m just trying to find the best thing for everyone, two-legged or four.”
“Yeah, well, I have one important question for the dog.”
“What’s that?”
“How does he feel about kids? In particular, babies?”
Troy frowned. “Babies? What does that have to do with staying on the ranch?”
“Because—” Cal said, standing up and crossing his arms over his chest “—I found out earlier today that I’m a daddy. I have a son.”
Troy looked as shocked as Cal had been earlier. “A son? What, overseas? You’ve been gone for a year and a half.”
“He’s nine months old. He…um, well, he was conceived the weekend before I shipped out.”
“That weekend you went to Fort Worth?”
“Yeah.”
“The blonde you told me about?”
He hadn’t told Troy that much. “Christie Simmons.”
Troy took in a deep breath. “So that’s why she showed up here. What does she want, money?”
Cal shook his head. “She said she doesn’t want money. Doesn’t need it. She’s rich.”
“What does she want?”
“She says she just wants me to know the boy. Peter is his name.”
“Did she know that’s your middle name?”
“Yeah, middle name. She didn’t name him like she should. He ought to be Calvin Peter Crawford V. Instead, he’s Peter Simmons Crawford. Sound like a real yuppie.”
“Hey, she named him Crawford. That’s a lot more than some women would have done.”
“It’s not enough. Not nearly enough.” He felt his jaw clench as his anger returned. “She should have let me know. He’s already nine months old!”
“Did she give you a reason?”
“She gave me a handful, but they don’t matter. The fact is that I should have known about my own son.”
“Er, are you sure he’s yours?”
“I’m sure. You can take one look and see that he’s a Crawford. Besides, she offered to have the tests done.”
“Wow, a son. I’m an uncle,” Troy said, suddenly grinning.
“Don’t get too excited. You’re leaving, remember?”
The smile faded a little. “I know, but it’s not like we’re on another planet. Besides, we’ll all be getting together next month for the wedding, right?”
“That’s right.” Although Cal wasn’t sure how he could get away from the ranch for a long weekend in Florida to swim with the dolphins or some such nonsense. Why couldn’t Raven have a nice little wedding in her nice little town in New Hampshire instead of a “destination wedding” at a “green resort”?
Even if he could get away to attend the festivities, Christie and Peter wouldn’t be going to Florida. In a month she’d be knee-deep in renovations on that old motel…if she didn’t lose interest and run back to Fort Worth. After he’d insisted they should get married, she might just do that.
He really hadn’t handled the concept of “doing the right thing” too well. In hindsight, he shouldn’t have spoken while he was still riled over Leo Casale’s flirting.
“You look like hell. Is your wound bothering you?” Troy asked.
Cal rubbed his temple. Most of the time, he forgot about the scar. “No, I’m just thinking about Christie’s plans. She’s renovating the old Sweet Dreams Motel. Crazy idea, if you ask me.”
“That place is a disaster. Why would she want to do that?”
“Her family business is hotels. I guess she sees it as a challenge.”
“That’s a lot of work.”
“Toni Casale’s company is doing the renovations.”
“Well, that’s good. Giving the locals some business.”
Troy put his hands on his hips and looked around the room. “Damn, there’s a lot of stuff here. Too much to deal with tonight. Let’s go get a beer and a good Texas steak.”
“Ready when you are. I’d just as soon forget about…everything.” His brother’s departure, all the work that needed to be done to restore the ranch, ensuring a place in his son’s life and, last but not least, coexist—married or not—with his son’s mother.
“I’ll see if Raven is at a stopping point,” Troy said as he headed for the doorway leading to the hall. “What should I tell her about Riley?”
Cal closed his eyes and sighed. “Tell her I’ll keep the damn dog.”
“Hey, if you’re going to ignore him, forget it.” Troy acted all indignant. Cal couldn’t understand his brother. Falling in love had apparently addled his brain.
“I won’t ignore him. If he’s good with cattle and children, we’ll get along fine.”
“I’ll tell Raven.”
“You do that. I’ll meet you at Dewey’s.”
SHE’D HAD SECOND THOUGHTS when Raven called to invite Christie to attend their bon voyage dinner—because she was a friend of Cal’s, Raven had said. Christie wondered how much Raven knew about how “friendly” she and Cal had been in Fort Worth. Or how much they’d been feuding all day. However, she’d decided to accept Raven’s invitation, even though she’d just been to Dewey’s for lunch. She hadn’t been out with adults in so long, and, she admitted to herself, she was curious about Cal’s relatives and friends.
She’d dressed in a denim skirt and white blouse with a wide leather belt and strappy sandals with faux turquoise stones set in silver. This was the most Western outfit she could come up with on short notice, and she’d told Raven what she was wearing so the other woman would recognize her.
The parking lot was filling with pickups, Suburbans and Expeditions. Her SRX looked as out of place as she felt when she pulled in next to a big Ford F250. Maybe, if she was going to stay here and renovate the motel, she should get a work vehicle.
But then, she wouldn’t be doing much of the actual construction, she thought as she turned off the engine. She’d chosen her vehicle because it was comfortable and safe. She shouldn’t get something else just to fit in, just as she wasn’t going to change just because people had certain expectations. People like Cal Crawford.
She walked across the asphalt parking lot as the afternoon heat rose in waves through the only slightly cooler early-evening air. Despite the closed doors and windows, country music drifted across the parking lot. The big red, white and blue sign welcomed her to Dewey’s, and the neon beer signs were cheerful beacons in the long shadows. Dewey’s looked much different at dinnertime, even before the sun set. Maybe she really needed a night out every now and then.
She entered Dewey’s just after a middle-aged couple dressed in starched denim, crisp plaid and straw cowboy hats. They went into the bar area, while Christie looked around the restaurant tables for familiar faces and a black-haired woman.
“Christie!” The familiar female voice came from the far right.
She turned and saw a long table of several people she recognized, and many she didn’t. The woman with long black hair must be Raven, and the man beside her resembled Cal, so that must be his brother, Troy.
Toni Casale was also there, along with a few older women Christie recognized from around town, and an older man she hadn’t seen before. Another young couple sat across from Raven and Troy. But where was Cal?
“Hi. I guess I’m at the right table.”
“I’m so glad you could make it,” Raven said. “I know we haven’t met in person yet, but I feel as if I know you already. Toni has been telling us about your plans for the old motel.” She turned to the others sitting at the table. “Everyone, this is Christie Simmons.”
She waved and smiled. “Hello.”
Raven leaned close and whispered, “You didn’t mention you were gorgeous. You look like a model!”
Christie laughed. “Hardly. I’m a working mother. Well, I’m getting ready to work. I’ve taken some time off for a career change. And for my son.”
“Where is he tonight?” one of the older ladies asked.
“With a babysitter. Toni’s niece is watching him. We’re staying in Graham.” What a stroke of luck to find someone who was experienced and reliable. She’d nearly forgotten what it was like to go out alone.
For the past nine months, she and Peter had been constant companions. Looking into the backseat of the SRX and not seeing his cute little face had seemed odd…and lonely. At least she had her cell phone and Amanda’s number so she could call to check on him.
“How old is your child?” another one of the women asked.
She didn’t want to tell anyone about Peter until Cal was ready, so she hedged and said, “Still in diapers.”
“Well, let me introduce everyone. This is my fiancé, Troy, whom you already know is Cal’s brother. And across the table are our newlyweds, James and Sandy Brody.” Raven smiled fondly. “She used to go by the name Scarlett, but now she’s Sandy. She does wonderful things with hair, just in case you need a cut while you’re here, and James is the attorney in town.”