Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
Sly’s sister had invited him over for dinner Monday night. Not in the best mood, he debated canceling. A couple of times, he picked up the phone to do just that. But he was tired of being alone with his thoughts, thoughts that only seemed to go around in circles.
Lana was having a baby. His baby. He couldn’t get his arms around that, was still numb with shock. But she seemed overjoyed about it. She really wanted a child. He, on the other hand, didn’t—didn’t want to screw up his own kid like he had Seth.
Tough beans—want to or not, he was having a baby.
He only hoped Lana hadn’t told anyone. He didn’t want the news spread around town just yet. And it would spread—Amy and Sheila and everyone else in Prosperity would make sure of that. He made a mental note to ask Lana not to say anything to anyone right away.
Looking forward to enjoying himself for a few hours, he arrived at Dani’s place with a bottle of merlot in hand.
“Hey, big brother.” She hugged him. “I’m fresh out of wine and was hoping you’d bring some.”
Her cat, named Fluff for his white fur-ball appearance, meowed and butted Sly’s leg for attention. He bent down and scratched the tom behind his head. “Hey there, big guy.” Disapproving of the girlish name Dani had stuck the male cat with, he never used it.
The animal purred happily.
Sly sniffed the air. “Do I smell homemade mac-and-cheese?”
Dani nodded. “With ground beef.”
As much as he loved the stuff, he knew what it meant. “Uh-oh—your trademark breakup dish. This can’t be about Cal—you two split up weeks ago. Who’s the bum this time?”
His sister filled two glasses with wine and handed him one. “I wasn’t planning to go into that just yet. I’d rather talk about something else.”
“May as well get it out of the way.” He straddled a chair backward at her little kitchen table. The twenty-pound cat jumped onto his lap.
“All right, we’ll get it out of the way.” Dani plunked into the other chair and raised her glass. “But first, a toast. Here’s to a fun evening together—eventually.”
She had no idea how badly he needed a distraction. He saluted with his glass. “I’ll drink to that.”
When they set their drinks down, his sister sighed and cut right to the chase. “Paul dumped me.”
“I know he took you home that night we played pool at Clancy’s, but I didn’t realize you two were seeing each other.”
“We were.”
“I’m glad to hear he’s out of your life. He was bad news.”
“I didn’t think so.” She picked at the label on the bottle. “I really liked him.”
“I have no idea why. He wasn’t good enough for you.”
“You say that about every guy I date.”
“Because it’s true.”
“Hey, I don’t do that to you.” When he remained silent, she added, “At least I’m out there, trying. You aren’t even dating.”
His errant thoughts wandered to Lana. The baby. He wished to hell that—
“What’s wrong?” Dani asked.
“Nothing.” He schooled his expression into bland calmness, but his sister appeared unconvinced. Impossible to fool her.
“Nothing I’m ready to talk about. Let me top off that wine.”
She held out her glass. “So, I have to talk about my problems, but you don’t have to share yours? No fair.”
“Too bad.”
“Stubborn man. Fine. How’s the lawsuit going?”
“At the moment, nothing’s happening.”
“Bummer,” she said with sympathy. “Now what?”
He thought about the loan application he had yet to fill out and silently swore. He couldn’t really afford the added debt, especially with Lana pregnant. The one thing he knew with certainty was that he wasn’t going to let her pick up the tab for anything.
Carpenter had to pay up, period.
Sly wanted his money now. He didn’t hide his impatience. “I wait while my attorney and his go round and round.”
“It’s taking forever, and you need that new drainage system.”
“You said it.”
“At least the weather’s been dry lately. It could stay this way for months. Maybe you can put off spending the money for a while.”
“I don’t have much choice.”
She gave him a worried look. “Can’t you try talking to Tim Carpenter again?”
“And get shot? He’s just mean enough to make good on that threat. No, thanks.”
“This is how long-term feuds start. I’m thinking the Hatfields and the McCoys.”
Sly shrugged. “It is what it is.”
His sister examined him closely, then fixed him with her pit-bull stare. “Something else is bothering you, brother mine. Spill.”
Just a little thing. Lana was pregnant with his baby. Holding his glass by the stem he swirled the remains. “Is that mac-and-cheese about ready? I’m dying of starvation here.”
“You won’t talk. Message received, but only because I’m starving, too.”
The next few minutes were filled with setting the table, serving up, and eating.
Wanting to get in on the meal, Fluff jumped onto Sly’s lap again and butted his hand, begging shamelessly. He gave the cat a hunk of ground beef, then pushed the beggar off his lap.
“Have you talked to Lana lately?” Dani asked a while later, when they’d both taken the edge off.
Here we go. Sly swallowed a mouthful of food and chased it with wine before replying, “Saw her Saturday.”
His sister’s expression brightened. “You went out?”
He shook his head.
“Dang, I wish that lawsuit was over so you two could date. But you saw her?”
“I went over to her place because Sophie was supposed to come over. Then at the last minute, she bailed. Again.”
His sister made a sympathetic sound. “Lana must have been so upset. She’s dying for a baby of her own. I wonder why Sophie keeps flaking out.”
One thing was certain—Lana hadn’t told his sister about the pregnancy yet.
This was a relief. He wanted to be the one to give his sister the news.
But first he needed more time to come to grips with the whole thing and figure out what to do about it.
Right now, he didn’t want to talk about Sophie or babies.
“How’s work?” he asked.
“Tourist season is revving up and we’re busier than ever. Which reminds me—guess who showed up for Sunday brunch with a big announcement?”
Sly didn’t even try to guess and didn’t have to wait long for the answer. Lit up with excitement, Dani blurted the news. “Rayna and Troy Madison. After five years of marriage, they’re finally expecting!”
Sly knew the couple. They owned a local real estate company. Dani launched into the particulars and said something about a baby shower.
Pregnancy and babies. They seemed to be everywhere. “Must be in the air,” Sly muttered.
“Pardon me?”
“I said, if they’re happy, that’s good news.”
“Of course they’re happy. Like Lana, Rayna’s been wanting a baby for a while now. I sure hope that Lana will—”
“Could we not talk about her anymore?”
Dani’s eyes narrowed a fraction, and she gave him a canny look. “You can tell me about it, Sly. I’m a great listener, and I won’t say anything to anyone.”
He agreed with her on the listening part but wasn’t about to say squat about his situation.
The pregnancy was new and tenuous, and he was still feeling sucker-punched.
Plus, as true-blue and good a listener as Dani was, she’d never been able to keep secrets for long.
God knew who she’d spill the news to. Plus, she and Lana were friends.
Whatever he said to Dani might get back to her.
He wasn’t taking any chances. “I sure am hungry tonight.” He refilled his plate and began to eat.
His sister looked confused and genuinely concerned. “I don’t understand why you won’t talk about Lana.”
He frowned. “Why are you so vested in the idea of her and me in a relationship?”
“Because she’s wonderful and so are you. You two should be together.”
Sometimes his sister drove him crazy. “I don’t need a matchmaker,” he growled before returning to his meal.
“Jeez, you’re touchy. All right, let’s talk about the weather.
It’s been pretty nice lately. After the winter we had, you and the rest of the ranchers around here must be pretty happy, especially with the decent rainfall and sunshine this spring.
And let’s see, there was an article in yesterday’s paper about local tourism.
This year it should be up again, for the third year in a row.
“Oh, and starting a week from Friday, the mall will host a huge Memorial Day weekend sale. I’m planning to call she-who-you-do-not-want-me-to-mention and invite her and her best friend, Kate, to go shopping with me. Fascinating stuff, huh?”
“As long as you three don’t talk about me.” Sly kept his eyes on his rapidly emptying plate.
“I can’t promise you that. Wow, you polished off that second helping fast. Going for thirds?”
He shook his head and decided to call it an early night. “Come on, I’ll give you a hand cleaning up.”
While he helped his sister with the dishes, his thoughts circled back to Lana. She’d mentioned a doctor’s appointment tomorrow. He wanted to know what the doctor said, and how Lana was feeling. That morning sickness stuff seemed brutal. He decided to call her tomorrow evening and find out.
“—for ice cream,” Dani was saying. “I’m in the mood for some Rocky Road. Let’s go to Lannigan’s Ice Creamery and get ourselves a couple of cones.”
The ice creamery was one of Sly’s favorites. As tempted as he was, he was ready for solitude. He shook his head. “I’m beat, and tomorrow’s another busy day.”
“I have to get to bed early, too, but it’s such a warm, beautiful evening, and I have my heart set on Rocky Road ice cream. I need the sugar hit, and by your long face, so do you.”
“Another time.” He handed her a ten-dollar bill. “Get yourself a treat on me.”
She refused the money. “All right, I’ll go by myself and enjoy my ice cream without you. But I sure hope you cheer up soon. You’re a lot more fun when you’re in a good mood. My gut feeling tells me this has something to do with Lana.”
“Yeah? Well, my gut is telling me it’s full.” He patted his belly.
“Ha-ha. I’m serious about this. If you’d just quit fighting yourself and accept she’s the right woman for you, your life would be so much better.”
“Thank you, Dr. Dani.”