Chapter Four
Ryan called Connor after he left Aria’s. Connor knew all about Aria, or at least the fact that he and Aria had dated for two years.
But leaving Denver was harder than anywhere else he’d been since he got out of the army. It wasn’t the job. No, the reason he’d had a hard time leaving was Aria DeLuca. The woman he’d just found out had his baby.
Luckily, since his wife was working, Connor was free. The two of them met at Grey’s Saloon for a beer. “What’s up?” Connor asked him. “You sounded weird on the phone. If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were panicked or at least stressed.”
Ryan snorted a laugh, even though Connor was spot-on and it wasn’t funny. “I am. Panicked. Stressed. Shocked out of my mind.”
“What happened?”
“I told you about Aria.”
“Yeah. The hot brunette you’re still hung up on.”
“I’m not hung up on her,” he said, distracted.
Connor shrugged and picked up his beer. “If you say so.”
Damn it, Connor was right. When he’d seen Aria in the grocery store his overwhelming emotion had been happiness. He’d missed her more than he wanted to admit. And then he’d seen the baby and everything that followed had been a shock.
“Aria moved to Marietta. Just a few days ago.”
“Did you know she was going to move?”
“No idea.”
“Did she move to be near you?”
“Yes, but not for the reason you’re thinking.”
“I’ll bite. Why here?”
“She thought it would be a good place to raise her baby. Her baby and mine.”
Connor’s eyes widened. “Holy shit. I take it that was a surprise.”
“Absolutely. I had no idea she was pregnant when I left town. If I had known I wouldn’t have left.”
“Are you sure you’re the father?”
“I’m sure.” And he hadn’t needed a DNA test to be certain.
Sophie looked like Ryan’s baby pictures.
The ones his mother pulled out when trying to convince him to settle down and give her grandbabies.
Besides, Aria wasn’t a cheater. She wouldn’t have come to him if she weren’t certain he was the father.
“How old is the baby? Is it a girl or a boy?”
“She’s a little girl. Three months old. She’s … she’s perfect, Connor. I’ve never seen a prettier baby.”
Connor smiled. “You sound smitten.”
“Smitten? What kind of word is that?” Damn it, that was the perfect word to describe his feelings. The moment he’d held Sophie, she’d wrapped herself around his heart.
“It means—”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”
“Why didn’t she tell you before you left? Why tell you now?”
“She didn’t know she was pregnant until she was pretty far along.
Long after I’d left. She said after she had her, she decided it wasn’t fair not to give me a chance to know Sophie.
” At least Aria hadn’t thought he’d deny paternity.
But she hadn’t known what to expect. Judging from her behavior she wasn’t holding her breath that he’d stay and be a real father to his child. But she was wrong about that.
“Does this mean you’ll be sticking around?”
Connor knew him. He didn’t know everything, like the fact he’d been in love with Casey too, but he knew Ryan had a hard time staying in one place for long. And he knew that it all went back to Afghanistan. “Damn straight it does.”
“Good.”
“You’re not surprised.”
Connor’s lips quirked. “Not a bit. You’re a good guy, Ryan. You’re going to do the right thing. You always do.”
Yeah, like when doing the right thing had gotten Casey killed.
A roadside bomb did that.
Right after you shot her down. And then didn’t save her.
*
When Aria asked people where was the best place to go for her remodeling needs, they all said, Big Z Hardware, which was owned by Paul Zabrinski. In fact, they all sang his praises.
Paul was a very hands-on owner. He was handsome with gorgeous blue eyes and a lean build.
He was also happily married with kids. But Aria wasn’t concerned with that.
She needed help to make her house habitable and as soon as she could, build a greenhouse.
Meanwhile she put her plants in a small sunroom off the back of the house.
A converted porch, she thought. Her house’s previous owners had moved into an assisted living apartment, and their children had put the house on the market.
Luckily, they were as anxious to get rid of it as she was to buy it, so the price, especially with the land, was very reasonable.
Aria had planned to do much of the remodeling of the house herself. She soon realized that doing anything that labor-intensive while taking care of a three-month-old was way too optimistic.
“I’m new to town,” she told Paul. “I had planned to do a lot of the work needed on my house but”—she gestured at Sophie—“my daughter isn’t thrilled with that idea.”
Paul laughed. “They do have a way of needing your attention. I have a construction company that could help with the remodeling. What do you need doing?”
Aria pulled out a piece of paper with what she needed to do to the house, listed in order of necessity. “Can you give me a bid on that? I probably won’t be able to do it all at once. Money for one thing, and we have to live in it for another. But I’ve listed it in order of importance.”
“I can do that,” Paul said. “Are you out at the old Harper place?”
“Yes. It’s a nice house but I’m not sure it’s ever been updated. Or if it has, it was a long time ago.”
“I’m almost certain you’re right about that. I’ll draw up a bid and we can talk.”
“I discovered that several of the rooms have a wood floor beneath the carpet. I’d like to refinish those if possible. I think it could be very pretty.”
“Great. I’ll make a note of it. Any ideas on flooring for the rest of the house?”
They discussed what she wanted some more and as she got ready to leave she asked, “I don’t suppose you put up greenhouses, do you?”
“Sure. Is it a hobby or do you need something bigger?”
“I’m planning to start a nursery. I’d like something that I can expand once my business gets going.”
“Got it. Would you like me to draw up the greenhouse bid at the same time or would you rather wait?”
“I’d like to see them both, but separately. Thanks so much.”
“Anything else you need while you’re here?”
“I don’t suppose you have toilet seats?”
He laughed. “We do indeed. Do you have the measurements?”
“No, I’ll have to get back to you on that. But if I could see the different styles that would be great.”
Sophie, who had been sleeping in her car seat, chose that moment to wake up and start to fuss.
Aria thanked Paul and said goodbye before Sophie got really cranked up.
Once back at her truck, she opened the back door of the cab and changed her diaper.
Then she crawled in and nursed her. She opened the windows so it wouldn’t get too hot and put a shawl over the baby just in case someone came along.
She wasn’t shy about nursing, but she was in a parking lot in a town where she knew one person, so discretion it was.
*
Aria saw Ryan coming out of the store next to Big Z. Damn, why did he have to look so good? She tried to tell herself she wasn’t still attracted to him, but she knew that was a lie. He was wearing scrubs, so obviously he was either coming from the hospital or going to it.
“Ryan,” she called through the open window.
He looked surprised for a moment but then waved and walked over to her. “Hi. Are you having trouble with the truck?” He must have realized what she was doing right after he said that. “Aren’t you hot with that shawl around you?”
“A little but I’m almost finished.” She took Sophie out from beneath the shawl and started to burp her when it dawned on her that Ryan might like to do that. “Would you like to burp her?”
“Sure. I just put her on my shoulder and pat her back, right?”
“Right.” She handed him the baby and a cloth to put over his shoulder and watched as he burped her.
He looked … well, if her hormones hadn’t already been in an uproar they sure would be now.
Something about a big strong man holding a tiny baby—his tiny baby—just turned her heart to mush.
But she couldn’t afford to fall for him again, no matter how he affected her.
Again? When did you stop?
Shut up, she told herself.
“Whoa, I think she’s good,” Ryan said after Sophie let out a loud burp. “Did you just come from the hardware store?” He shifted the baby to hold her in the crook of his arm. He was talking to Aria but looking at Sophie with a smile of wonder.
Maybe she was projecting. She looked at Ryan again. No, he definitely looked a little awed. “Yes, there are a lot of things I need to do to the house. Paul is going to give me a bid, and I’ll see what I can afford to have his construction team do and what I’ll need to do myself.”
“I didn’t know you could remodel things.”
“Remember my apartment in Dallas?” He nodded. “I put in the floors in the kitchen and bath, repaired some of the sheetrock and painted. All cosmetic. It’s not like I can move walls or anything.”
“You did a good job. But wouldn’t it be hard to do and take care of the baby?”
“Yes, which is why I’m getting a bid on someone else doing it.”
“Let me know if you need me to take care of her.” He looked at Sophie again and back to her. “Are you going to let her come to my place?”
“I don’t know. Probably. But let’s play it by ear.”
“I kind of need to know what I should get. Like do I need a crib and whatever else you think I’ll need.”
“Oh. I guess you do if you’re going to keep her even just during the day.
She’ll need naps for some time. I’m not comfortable with her staying overnight somewhere else yet.
” And honestly, didn’t know if or when she would be.
“There’s a thing called a pack and play—it’s like a playpen.
You can use it instead of a crib. It would work for a while.
You’ll probably have to go to Bozeman to find one. Or ordering it would be even easier.”
“I’ll check into it. But I want your approval before I buy it. I know nothing about this kind of thing.”
Aria laughed. “I’m new to this too.”
“Yes, but you’re the mom. You’re bound to know more than I do.”
“I’d better,” she said with a smile.