Chapter 4
To say Wendy felt ready for motherhood would be like saying she was ready to jump off the side of a mountain and hang glide her way down.
Without the hang glider.
On good days, she had her doubts on being able to handle becoming a mom. After all, she’d lost hers at age six. But on the other hand, she’d always dreamed of having her own children.
Just not all of them at the same time.
On the bad days, when her back and legs ached relentlessly and she had to pee every twenty minutes, she knew she was in over her head. Normally when she felt that way, she’d hit up her favorite bakery or coffee shop. But not only couldn’t she drive because her belly pressed up against her steering wheel, she also had two watchdogs named Hayden and Anna.
One of the babies kicked her in the ribs. “Behave, Snap,” she murmured, rubbing her hands over her belly. Another squirmed its way over to her bladder and sat on it. “Torturing me already, Crackle? And where’s Pop—” Before she could even finish the sentence, Pop attempted a somersault and failed because there was only so much room to go around.
Feeling them shift around inside her gave her a sense of peace she’d never known she could have. After a decade, she’d come to terms with the fact that motherhood wasn’t going to happen for her, and she’d done her best to be okay with that. She and Hayden had even celebrated it with a drunken night in their hot tub.
A few weeks later she’d gone for her annual at her OB-GYN’s and had learned she was pregnant. They’d later checked for a heartbeat.
And had heard three.
Three.
She’d looked at Hayden in sheer panic, but here was the thing about having a partner who didn’t have anxiety: he’d sat there next to her at the doc’s, holding her hand, cool and calm and happy.
Not freaked out at all.
Not even when, a few weeks earlier, thanks to her off-the-charts blood pressure—and the fact that she was carrying an entire litter—her doc had made her go on maternity leave from teaching and put her on a low-fat, low-sodium, low-sugar diet and bed rest.
Staying home was the right thing to do, but damn. She missed teaching middle schoolers science. She missed their field excursions to take in all that Tahoe had to offer in the way of adventures and science. She’d been the ski coach too, and she missed all of it so much more than she’d expected.
Unlike ice cream, which she missed exactly as much as she’d expected. With a sigh, she stroked Jennifur, her cat. Jennifur’s sister was Clawdia, Anna’s cat. Clawdia was sweet and chunky and lazy and slept twenty hours a day. Not Jennifur. Nope, her favorite pastimes involved pooping in Wendy’s shoes, yakking in the middle of the night, and leaving half-eaten spiders on Wendy’s favorite chair.
And she wouldn’t change a single strand of fur on her not-sweet head.
“Hey, babe, I’m home!” Hayden yelled as he came through the front door.
“Hey, babe, I’m home too!” Anna yelled, smart-ass as always. It was her sister’s love language.
“We brought food!”
Food!Since Wendy was allowed to get up to walk a few laps around the house and also to eat, she made her way downstairs and practically attacked her sister for the bags of—she peeked into the bags—yes! Italian.
“Remember that time when we were little?” Anna asked, handing her a plate. “And our cat Blackie got pregnant? She got so hungry she bit you when you were just trying to feed her.”
Wendy stopped eating a piece of garlic bread to go brows up. “Are you comparing me to a cat?”
“Well, if the hiss fits...”
“Har-har. Give me the update.”
“On what?”
“On keeping Dad’s name in good standing, what do you mean on what?” This whole asking Anna to look into the coin had started out as a way for Wendy to... encourage her sister to take on an adventure like she always had in the old days. But it’d shockingly turned into something very real. And now saving their dad’s reputation was all she could think about. Well, that and peeing.
Anna waved a breadstick. “I’m still working on it.”
“The new library building,” Wendy said. “The last thing he donated before he died is finally having its opening ceremony in two weeks, and—”
“And you’re worried they’ll take Dad’s name off the building. Yes, Wendy, I know. Mostly because you’ve reminded me every single day. I’m on it.”
Wendy stared at her. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Anna picked up her water bottle and drank. And drank.
“Oh my God, it’s that bad?”
Anna finished the entire bottle and set it down. “I’m just going to get another—”
“No more water for you until you tell me whatever it is you’re afraid to tell me!”
Anna sighed and looked at Hayden.
He nodded.
Anna met Wendy’s gaze. “Dad’s got a record.”
“Please tell me you’re talking about music.”
Anna just looked at her, and Wendy’s stomach, already sitting low thanks to the babies, sank even further.
“It was petty theft, a very long time ago,” Anna said. “Even before he met Mom. He was only eighteen.”
“And?”
“And... there were several other times he was considered a suspect on a robbery, but nothing stuck.”
“And ...?”
Anna looked pained. “And apparently the coin he had was part of a set, a really rare set, that was stolen ten years ago along with a necklace called the Ruby Red. Dad was one of five suspects. None of them were ever charged, there wasn’t enough evidence.”
Wendy’s mind raced, and she came to the only conclusion she could. “There wasn’t evidence because he didn’t do it. He wouldn’t. And my super smart sister’s going to prove it.”
“I am.” Anna reached out and took Wendy’s hand, which Wendy thought incredibly sweet until she realized her sister was taking her pulse.
“You’re breathless,” Anna said.
“Yes, because it’s hard work growing babies. Why are you wearing threadbare jeans with holes in the knees and an unflattering gray blazer, which is a terrible color for you?”
“Is it also hard work being nice?”
Wendy stuffed a big bite of spaghetti into her mouth so she wouldn’t rise to the bait. Growing up with a single dad who’d worked all the time had been hard. She hadn’t always gotten to live the way she’d wanted. So when she’d planned out her adult life, she’d purposely done only things she’d wanted to do. Teach. Ski. Enjoy her husband.
And... poke at her sister, because she wanted to see Anna happy too. Was that so bad? “I’m sorry, but—”
Anna pointed her fork at her. “When you add a ‘but’ onto the back of an apology, you’ve negated said apology.”
Wendy looked at Hayden.
“Both of you need to stop looking at me,” he said, eating casual-as-you-please. “I’m not stupid enough to get in the middle of you two.”
“You’re supposed to side with your wife.”
“One would think,” he said. “But the last time I did that, you yelled at me for getting in the middle.”
“Well, now I’m going to yell at you for not being on my side.”
Hayden flashed her a sexy smile. “I’m always on your side.”
“Ugh, you two are sickening.” Anna stood and stretched. “And for that reason, I’m out.”
“What’s your hurry?” Wendy looked her over. “I know you don’t have a hot date.”
“Gee, thanks, Mom.”
“Stop waiting for Prince Charming. Get up and find him. The poor idiot might be stuck in a tree or something.”
“Trust me, I don’t want a Prince Charming. And you need to stay out of my dating life.”
Hayden stood up. “You know what? Let’s not talk. Let’s watch a show.”
Anna stopped and narrowed her eyes, because heaven forbid she actually ever wanted to stay. “What show?”
“Survivor,” Wendy said, at the same time Anna said, “Stranger Things.”
Hayden shook his head. “I’m playing my veto card. I get to pick. It’s going to be Law Order, and we’ll watch in peace and harmony.”
“Only if you’re making popcorn,” Anna said.
“Done,” he said.
Wendy knew the Moore sisters had just both been played, but her husband didn’t give her the opportunity to call him out on it. He pulled her out of her chair, and oh how she hated that she needed help, and then sweetly tucked her in on the couch with her favorite throw blanket and hot tea. Decaffeinated, ugh.
Then they all sat through two episodes of Law Order, during which she pretended to fall asleep. Sure enough, ten minutes later, Hayden and Anna sneaked out of the room.
Good thing she knew exactly what they were up to, and she wasn’t going to ignore it any longer. Extremely pissy, she struggled out of the blanket and off the couch. Sure, she had to roll to her side and onto the floor, then struggle to her feet on her own, but she was motivated because she had two people to yell at. She waddled down the hallway, quietly peered into the nursery, then yelled “aha!” at them from the doorway.
They jumped guiltily.
Wendy crossed her arms to glare at them. It was her new favorite stance because her belly was so big she could rest her arms on it, and she needed all the resting she could get. “Explain yourselves.”
Hayden came forward and brushed a kiss to her temple. “We wanted to surprise you.”
When Wendy had first gotten pregnant, she’d purchased everything she might need for a baby. But then it turned out she had three babies making themselves at home inside her, so they’d had to order two more of everything. The house was now completely overrun with baby stuff.
She truly had zero regrets. What she did have was panic because three! Three babies and only two boobs! Taking a deep breath, she took in the room. Two of the cribs had been put together, and the third seemed to be about halfway finished. “I wanted to do this.”
“I understand.” Hayden was gently leading her toward the recliner in the corner, easing her down. Dropping to his knees, he lifted her shirt to kiss her belly and a Cheeto fell out.
He raised a brow.
“I have no idea how that got there,” she claimed.
“Uh-huh.” He hit the button on the side of the recliner to raise her feet. “You can boss us around from here.” He handed her a tall mug he’d clearly had waiting for her.
She eyed it suspiciously. “It’s green. Why is my ice cream green?”
“Because it’s not ice cream. It’s a smoothie. Peach mango.”
“Peach mango isn’t green.”
His eyes were laughing, but he was a very smart man and didn’t so much as break a smile. “It’s got just a touch of a veggie. For the babies.”
Damn, every time he said “for the babies,” she melted and he knew it. “It better not be kale.”
“Nope. Not kale.” He nudged the straw toward her mouth.
She took an obligatory sip and blinked.
“Good, right?”
More like amazing... “Can you get pregnant while pregnant?” she asked. “Asking for a friend.”
He smiled. “You like it.”
“I mean, could I have used a little more actual ice cream in my non-ice-cream? Sure. But it’s really good.” She took another sip and eyed the stack of car seats in a corner, still in their boxes. Did her back seat even fit three car seats? “I think we’re going to need a new car,” she whispered.
Hayden nodded. “On it. You know how all year you’ve been making me put five bucks into the ‘find jar’ every time I ask you where something is that I can’t locate?” He smiled. “I’ve almost got enough to buy you a new car.”
Wendy had to laugh. “I owe you.”
He smiled. “I like the sound of that.”
“Oh my God.” Anna covered her ears. “You guys are gross. I gotta go.”
“You’ll tell me everything as you learn it?” Wendy asked.
“Yep.”
Wendy stared at her. “You just blinked twice in a row really fast.”
“So?”
“So, that’s your tell.” Wendy pointed at her. “So tell!”
Anna was heading to the door. “I’m going home to hit the sack. Try not to get too crazy—”
“Anna Michelle Moore, if you don’t stop right there, I’m coming with.”
“If I tell you, will you stay in that chair?”
“Yes.” Well, maybe. But also, maybe not.
“Fine. The Ruby Red belonged to a local woman whose grandnephew came to see me. His name is Owen Harris, and he thinks Dad has the rest of the coins and the necklace. If I don’t produce said coins and necklace, he’s going to involve the authorities.”
The words cleared Wendy’s brain of everything except pure shock. “Oh my God.”
“I know, right? What an asshole.”
“I mean oh my God, you just blinked twice again. You like him!”
“No, I don’t.”
“Do too.”
Anna shook her head. “You couldn’t be more wrong. He runs a local adventure company.”
Wendy took that in, as well as all that Anna wasn’t saying. She knew her sister had been badly burned by two men in her past, men who’d been wild bad boys. Adventure seekers. “Well, you’ve always been attracted to tall, hot, emotionally unavailable red flags.”
“Wendy,” Hayden said quietly.
“I’m not trying to rub it in her face!” She looked at Anna. “It’s just that sometimes red flags can turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to a person.” She winked at her husband, who was evidence of that very fact.
He smiled.
Anna just stared at her. “Okay, you’ve lost your mind.”
“No, it’s the universe—”
“If you say the universe has sent me a sign, so help me—”
“Why would I bother?” Wendy asked, tossing up her hands. “Whenever I tell you that, you’re like, ‘Okay, but I think I’ll wait for a signier sign.’”
“I’m going now,” Anna said.
“So you’ll keep at it? If for no other reason than to stop this Owen Harris from involving the police?”
“Yes, even though Dad wouldn’t want us to. He’d hate this, Wen. And anyway, I have no idea where to go with it from here.”
“You’ll figure it out. You’re the investigator.”
Anna shook her head. “Why do people keep saying that?”
Wendy was surprised at this question. “Uh, because you’re extremely competent and always know what you’re doing?”
“I never know what I’m doing.”
Wendy smiled. “Well, if that’s true, then I’ll help you.”
“No,” Hayden said.
She crooked her finger at him.
After a brief pause, he walked warily her way.
“I love you,” she whispered, and tugged on him until he leaned over her so she could kiss him. “And I’ll sit the whole time.”
“Love you too,” Hayden said. “But still no.”
But Wendy was already trying to stuff her feet back into her laceless tennis shoes, the task made impossible by the fact that she couldn’t see her feet. “Can you help me get my shoes on? Wait—” She looked up at Hayden. “Am I wearing pants?”
“Yes.” He waggled a brow. “But we can rectify that.”
She pointed at him. “That’s how I got into this trouble in the first place.”
Anna covered her ears. “Stop talking! I’m begging you! Also, it’s ten thirty at night, I’m not taking you anywhere.”
Wendy pulled out her phone, the screen a little streaked from the popcorn she’d sneaked earlier. Swiping it on her already stained shirt, she got to work.
“What are you doing?” Anna asked suspiciously.
“Adding some more spy gear to the GoPro.”
“What are we, MI5?”
“I was thinking more Nancy Drew.”
“Nancy Drew didn’t have a partner, she was a solo act.”
Wendy shrugged. “Then let’s go with the Hardy Boys. Also, I’m hiring you as well.”
“Yeah? Because Owen gave me two hundred bucks as a deposit.” Anna held out her hand.
“I’ll owe you. And not only that, you need to ignore all your usual rules on this one, A. Go off script, do whatever you have to in order to get us the answers we need. And hey, maybe this Owen might be of some help.”
“No, he won’t. We’re on opposite sides on this. And honestly, he’s sharp, Wen. He’s going to be a formidable foe.”
Wendy hated that Anna still doubted herself. She blamed the asshole exes. After apparently coming to the conclusion that her wild-child impulses had led her down a path she no longer wanted to go, Anna had walled herself off and created some internal Excel sheet, where she kept some known-only-to-herself list of the attributes a guy needed in order to get past her guard.
A list no man could live up to, as if by collecting rules the way other women collected jewelry, she couldn’t get hurt again.
The doorbell rang, and Wendy smiled.
“I know that smile,” Anna said, eyes narrowed. “It’s your I’ve-done-something-to-interfere-in-Anna’s-life smile.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You smiled just like that right before you set me up on an online dating site, using an old pic of me paddleboarding as my profile photo, then did a whole bunch of swiping left.”
“You mean right,” Wendy said. “You swipe right to like.”
“Whatever.”
“And hey, you got some nice dates out of the deal.”
“Except I don’t paddleboard anymore, and all those dates expected me to put out because the app was a hookup app.”
Wendy winced. “Okay, that was my bad. But this is nothing like that. The doorbell was just to announce my package arriving. Or should I say your package. It’s the GoPro I ordered the other day. Now you can bring me along on every step of this investigation.”
Anna looked at Hayden. “She’s out of control.”
“I’m hoping it’s temporary,” Hayden said.
“Wow.” Wendy pointed at her husband. “I’m carrying forty-five pounds of Heart, Diamond, and Spade for you.”
“No,” he said calmly.
“Willow, Maple, and Birch?”
“We aren’t naming our girls after trees or card suits.”
She shrugged, knowing that after she pushed them out of her hoo-ha, he’d undoubtedly give in to whatever names she wanted, and she could tell by the look on his face that he knew it too. Wendy jabbed her finger at her sister. “And you. Don’t you judge me until you’ve flown a mile on my broom.”
“Ha-ha,” Anna said. “Also, Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe are maybe fifteen pounds total. The rest of the pounds are your contraband foods.”
“Well excuse me for needing sustenance.”
Anna laughed and kissed her sister on the cheek. “I’m out. Try to relax and rest, okay?”
“No promises.” Wendy hugged Anna tight. “And don’t you dare forget the package on the doorstep on your way out.”