Chapter Five #3
She studied herself in the bathroom mirror. “I’m wearing my ratty snowman pajama pants and no bra. Plus, there’s a hole in my sleep shirt. Not to mention, I already washed my face and put on my night cream.”
“Okay, now I’m getting a chubby.”
She laughed, and then she groaned. “You’re impossible.”
“Sorry, not sorry. And really, what I want to do most right now is talk. It won’t take that long, I promise you.”
“You sure whatever you have on your mind can’t wait until tomorrow?”
“Oh, it can wait. I just don’t want to wait. We’re having a baby. That’s huge. I need to talk about it.”
“Josh, we have months yet before we have to—”
“Half an hour. I’ll be gone again before you know it.”
“Fine. But nothing too serious, not with Dillon asleep upstairs.”
“I get it. I just…want to hang out for a bit. No pressure, I promise.”
“All right.”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
She put the phone on the bathroom counter and stared at herself in the mirror some more.
She hadn’t lied about her appearance. This was not her most glamorous look by any means.
But if Josh just had to show up at bedtime, he would be treated to her scrubbed-clean face and the hole in her sleep shirt.
“You look great,” he said in a whisper when she let him in.
“Liar. But keep it up—and come on in.”
He crossed the threshold, and she shut the door. “Drink?”
“Got a beer?”
“Sure. Have a seat.” She led him into the living room, gestured at the sofa and then went on through the dining room into the kitchen.
Instead of taking the hint and sitting where she’d tried to put him, he followed her and stood behind her when she opened the fridge. “Those snowman pants,” he said in an exaggerated growl. “Super-hot.”
She gave him a sideways look. “Behave.” Then she grabbed a can of Bud from the fridge and passed it to him. “Here you go.”
“I really did want to see you.” He caught her hand. His warm grip was so familiar. It eased the nervous tightness in her chest. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get comfortable.” He led her back to the living room and they settled on the sofa together.
“Okay,” she said. “What is it you need to say that can’t wait another minute?”
“Not a thing. Like I said, I just wanted to see you.”
“You did say you wanted to talk.”
“And what do you know? Here we are. Talking…”
“So you just couldn’t stay away, huh?”
“Guilty as charged,” he said with a big-ass grin.
She drew her knees up to the side and faced him.
As it happened, there was something she’d been wanting to discuss with him.
Might as well go ahead and get that out of the way tonight.
“Josh, I was thinking…” That was as far as she got.
No matter how she framed her next question, it was going to be awkward.
He took her hand again. “Hey. Whatever it is, just say it. I can take it.”
“Okay. Would you like a paternity test?”
His mouth fell open. “Riley. Is there something you need to tell me?”
“What? No!” Was her face as red as her hair? Sure felt like it.
“So, then. I’m the only guy you’ve been with.”
“Yep. No one else since I lost TJ. But I just thought that if you wanted to be absolutely positive that this baby is yours, a test is the way to do it.”
“Riley Jane. I am positive that this baby is mine. I know you, and I trust you. That’s more than enough proof for me.”
“But if you…” She let that sentence trail off into silence because he’d put up a hand. “What?”
“If there was any doubt, you would have already told me.”
“Well, yeah. I would have, but—”
“No buts about it. Not to mention, when would you find the time to go fooling around with some rando? Every spare night you’ve had, I’ve made sure you spent it with me.”
“True. Then again…” Then again, what? She had no idea what to say next. “I just…thought I should offer, you know?”
“Fair enough.” He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, “You asked. I answered. Can we leave the paternity test question behind now?”
“Well, if you change your mind—”
“I won’t. Let it go.”
She did love that he felt he could trust her. “All right, Josh. I’ll let it go.”
He slid his hand up under her hair, his touch warm and gentle as he cradled the back of her neck. “Come here.” He pulled her in close. It felt good, the warmth of him, the reassurance he offered, the trust…
She rested her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair. It felt good, soothing. With a sigh, she whispered, “I told Annette about the baby.”
“And…”
She grinned up at him. “She called me a whore and ran out the front door.”
He blinked. “You’re messing with me.”
“Nope.”
“What’s the matter with her? That’s awful.”
“Yeah, it was pretty bad. And nothing’s the matter with Annette. She’s got some rigid ideas about how things should be, that’s all.”
“If that’s what you want to call it…”
“It all worked out, Josh. It honestly did.”
“Well, good.”
“Yes, she ran out the door, but she was back within fifteen minutes begging me to forgive her. We talked. In the end, it was good. She opened up about her own life and helped me to understand her better. I love her a lot.”
“I know you do.” He caught a corkscrew of hair that had curled against her cheek and guided it gently behind her ear. His eyes were rich amber right then and full of tender intent. “Rile…”
She knew he would kiss her, and she wanted him to. A lot.
His lips brushed hers.
And just like that, in the space of an instant, all her worries and doubts flew away. There was only the feel of his mouth on hers and the sweet havoc within her. For a lovely, perfect moment, she kissed him back.
But then she remembered her little boy upstairs. “Josh…”
He made a low, hungry sound. Lifting his head, he frowned down at her.
She reminded him, “Dillon’s upstairs. If he wakes up and comes down…”
With a slow nod, he shifted away from her. “You’re right—and that reminds me of another important issue we need to consider…”
“What issue?”
“When and how to tell the kids.”
“Whoa. I hadn’t even thought about that yet…
” For months, she’d been operating under the assumption that her little boy would never have a clue that his mom and Shane’s dad had once been more than good friends.
Now she had to find a way to tell him that she and Josh would be giving him—and Shane—a new brother or sister.
“Hey.” Josh put his arm around her again. “You okay?”
She let him pull her close and even rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s just that, well, everything’s going to change, you know? I don’t have a clue how to deal with it.”
“We’ll work it out, you’ll see.”
“I’m exhausted just thinking about it…”
He brushed a kiss at her temple. “I probably should go, then, huh? Let you get some rest…”
She made a soft sound of agreement but made no move to get up or say good night. It felt so good, sitting here in the quiet living room with Josh’s strong arm around her. “In a minute…” She closed her eyes.
* * *
Josh could have sat there on that sofa forever just holding Riley close.
Yeah, he should get going. But he didn’t really want to leave her.
She was always so strong, so self-assured. Riley Thompson was a take-charge kind of person. She did what had to be done. And she did it with a smile on her face.
But even a strong woman needed someone to lean on now and then. And he was discovering that he didn’t mind at all being the man Riley leaned on.
“Rile,” he whispered.
She didn’t stir.
Carefully, he shifted away from her. Rising, he guided her to lie down. She made a muffled, sleepy little sound but didn’t wake.
He stood above her, waiting in case she stirred. But she didn’t.
So he grabbed a throw pillow from the end of the sofa and eased it under her head. She slept on as he spread the sofa quilt over her.
As quietly as possible, he went around the room turning off the lights, leaving only the floor lamp by the side window on low. The lamp provided just enough of a glow that she wouldn’t wake up in the dark.
At the door, he grabbed his coat and hat off the hook and put them on. Then, very quietly, he went out into the chilly spring night.
Pausing on the welcome mat, he locked up with the key Riley had given him a couple of years ago so he could get in any time the need arose. Smiling to himself, he crossed the porch and descended the steps.
Halfway down the concrete walk, he slowed to a stop, swept off his hat and tipped his head up to the sky. The Wyoming night was cloudless, awash in a million stars.
Staring up at all that beauty, he thought about Riley, about Shane and Dillon. About the new baby, too.
Yep. Everything was changing.
And that was just fine with him.