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The Texan's Surprise Baby
GINA WILKINS
The pitter-patter of little TexaN feet? One night of passion with PI Andrew Walker and Hannah Bell has a six-month baby bump! No longer willing to trust her instincts when it comes to romance, Hannah decides to be a single mum. With her family rallying around her, Hannah knows her baby will be welcomed with love and joy.Accidental or not, Andrew wants to be part of his baby’s – and Hannah’s – life. He prides himself on always doing the right thing – but the more time he spends with Hannah, the more he likes the idea of a family of three!
She refused to look like a coward in front of Andrew, despite the nerves quivering inside of her.
He rose as she approached. Bypassing a greeting, Andrew went straight to the question she had expected. “Why didn’t you call me?”
She cleared her throat, wishing she’d prepared herself somewhat better for this conversation. “What makes you think you’re—”
“Hannah.” He gave her a look. “Don’t even think about it.”
She sighed in surrender. “Fine.”
She’d simply been stalling for time, anyway. Even if she wanted to—which she didn’t—there was no way she’d convince Andrew he wasn’t the father of this baby.
“Were you going to tell me?”
She nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“When?”
About the Author
GINA WILKINS is a bestselling and award-winning author who has written more than seventy novels for Mills & Boon. She credits her successful career in romance to her long, happy marriage and her three “extraordinary” children.
A lifelong resident of central Arkansas, Ms Wilkins sold her first book to Mills & Boon in 1988 and has been writing full-time since. She has appeared on the Walden-books, B. Dalton and USA TODAY bestseller lists. She is a three-time recipient of a Maggie Award for Excellence, sponsored by Georgia Romance Writers, and has won several awards from the reviewers of RT Book Reviews.
The Texan’s
Surprise Baby
Gina Wilkins
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
For my family, as always—
my wonderful husband, three extraordinary offspring, amazing son-in-law and precious baby grandson. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe what you all mean to me.
Prologue
“Pregnant?” Andrew Walker figured the hard thud in his abdomen was his heart falling straight into his stomach. “Hannah is expecting a baby?”
“Yeah. That was the first thing I noticed when I met her this morning after she came home from visiting her mother’s relatives in Shreveport. I guess no one in the family thought to mention her condition to me before.” His twin brother, Aaron, sounded a bit surprised by Andrew’s apparent overreaction to a fleeting comment during an announcement-filled phone call.
“How, um, how is she?” Andrew asked, trying to wrap his mind around the news.
“Well, she nearly keeled over when I first saw her. Turned stark-white and swayed on her feet, scaring her family half to death. I thought she was startled by seeing me, for some reason, but it turned out she was just operating on very little sleep. Maybe a little dehydrated after a long drive.”
Andrew’s fingers had tightened so hard around the phone that he thought he heard the case groan in protest. “How, uh, how far along is she?”
His own uncharacteristic stammering annoyed him, but Aaron didn’t seem to notice. “Shelby said she’s due in mid-September, so about six months. I guess it’s a surprise to you, because you haven’t seen her in almost a year.”
Six months. “Um. Right. And the father?”
“Not involved. No one really talks about it, but I got the impression this was sort of a one-time-thing accident, you know? Shelby told me it’s totally out of character for Hannah, but the family figures she was still stinging after the fiasco with her ex-husband and indulged in a little ego boost that left her with unintended consequences. She’s doing well, though, and everyone’s excited about welcoming the first member of the new generation of Bells.”
Not knowing what to say, Andrew just sort of grunted in response.
Aaron quickly changed the subject away from Bell family gossip. “Anyway, I just wanted to catch you up on what’s been going on here. I hope you’re happy for me.”
Andrew hadn’t been surprised to hear that Aaron had become seriously involved with a woman he’d known for only a matter of days. Even though he’d heard about Aaron’s adventures with Shelby Bell only by telephone for the past week, there’d been something in his brother’s voice that suggested Aaron had fallen hard and fast. Andrew had met Shelby the previous year and he could see how Aaron would be drawn to her. Apparently, the attraction had been immediate and mutual.
“Of course I’m happy for you,” he said. “So you’ll be staying at the resort?”
“Yes. Now that Shelby’s brother is down with a broken leg, they need extra help here this summer. The opening will become permanent when he leaves in the fall to start his firefighter training. Because I’m looking for a new career anyway, I’d like to try working in a fishing-and-camping resort. So far the behind-the-scenes part of it has been fascinating.”
“It’s hard work. I saw that during the two weeks I spent with them.”
“I’ve never been afraid of hard work. Just boredom. And I can’t see myself getting bored here with Shelby and the rest of her family. I can understand why they have so many loyal returning guests. It’s a great place for a getaway. A great place to make a home.”
Andrew couldn’t help thinking of his brother’s so-far limited attention span, so restless that at only thirty Aaron had already experimented with maybe half a dozen careers. Andrew, on the other hand, had worked in the D’Alessandro-Walker Agency, their family’s Dallas-based security and investigation business, from the time he was in high school and was now solidly entrenched to move into upper management when his father and uncles were ready to retire.
Through his job at the agency, he’d been hired by the Bell family almost a year ago to investigate a slick operator who’d been married to one of their own—Shelby’s beautiful cousin, Hannah. The ex-husband had been in the process of trying to bankrupt the resort after Hannah divorced him. Andrew had found evidence that not only was Wade Cavender’s legal posturing little more than a bogus extortion attempt, but he’d also been systematically stealing from the family for more than two years. Wade was now serving a too-short jail sentence for embezzlement. Andrew had thought he’d put his own complicated entanglement with the Bell family behind him—until his twin had stumbled upon a brochure for the Bell Resort and Marina in Andrew’s office and had impulsively decided to take a vacation there.
Trying to focus on the conversation, Andrew pushed thoughts of Hannah to the back of his mind. Yet he knew those images would lurk there in the darkness, ready to taunt him again as soon as he let down his guard—just as thoughts of her had been doing for almost a year now. “Have you told Mom and Dad yet that you’re staying there?”
“Just talked to Mom. Needless to say, she and Dad can’t wait to meet Shelby. Shelby and I are planning a quick trip to Dallas soon to meet the folks and pick up some more of my things.”
The Bell Resort was located on Lake Livingston, almost a four-hour drive south of Dallas. Aaron had planned to stay only a week or so, needing a chance to recharge and contemplate after leaving a job in which he’d been unhappy and unfulfilled. He couldn’t have predicted then that he would find a new love, a new home and a new career there.
“How does Shelby’s family feel about your moving in with her after knowing her only a week?”
“They’re—” Aaron paused as if searching for a word, then finished with “—adjusting.”
Aaron had saved Shelby’s life the day before when she’d been attacked and kidnapped by a criminal who’d been using the resort as a base for his stolen-goods fencing operation. Shelby had stumbled onto the scheme and had a knife pressed to her throat as a result. Fortunately Aaron rescued her unharmed, which made him the newest Bell family hero. Still, it had to be unnerving for her parents and grandparents to see how quickly she and Aaron, who was little more than a stranger to them, had become lovers.
As for Andrew himself, well, when it came to the Bell women, he was in no position to judge.
“I’d better go,” Aaron said. “Bryan’s waiting for me to help him repair an outdoor light fixture. A couple of punk kids broke it by throwing rocks at it.”
Aaron already sounded like an indignant resort property manager, Andrew noted. Had he not just been stunned by his brother’s unwitting announcement, he might have found it rather amusing. As it was, he sat for a long time after disconnecting the call, staring blindly at his work-cluttered desk and wondering what the hell he was supposed to do now.
Chapter One
Hannah Bell figured she had a few days at the most to decide whether to run or stand her ground. She’d never considered herself a coward, but she was leaning toward running. She’d be leaving behind her loving, close-knit family, a marketing job she’d trained for all her life and her cozy manufactured home in the family owned Texas lake resort where she’d grown up. She would miss this tidy little two-bedroom trailer, the first place she’d ever lived that was hers alone.
Sitting in her neutral-toned living room, she sighed heavily, one hand on her swollen tummy as she silently conceded she wouldn’t be going anywhere. As inviting as it sounded to disappear before the inevitable confrontation with Andrew Walker, she would stay and face the consequences of her own unprecedented behavior on one reckless winter night. It wouldn’t do any good to run anyway. Andrew was a P.I. He’d find her if he wanted to.
Would he want to?
Four rapid knocks sounded on her front door—her sister Maggie’s characteristic signal. “It’s unlocked,” she called out, too tired to rise.
Maggie entered carrying a plastic cup with a straw. It was almost five, so she was probably finished with her work for the day. Maggie had chosen the job of housekeeping supervisor, hiring and overseeing the cleaning staff for the sixteen-unit motel and eight cabins available for rent in the resort. Having majored in business and Spanish in college, Maggie performed her job efficiently and cheerfully. She kept her employees on task and held them to high standards of cleanliness and customer service, yet they still liked her and would gladly do anything she asked. Hannah had always been impressed with her sister’s easy people skills. Even though she worked closely with the public herself in her role as marketing and scheduling supervisor for the resort, along with manning the front desk for check-ins, she was more naturally reserved and had to put a little more effort into her interactions.
“I brought you a strawberry smoothie,” Maggie said. “I figured you could use an energy boost.”
Hannah accepted the cup gratefully. “Thanks, sis.”
“You’re welcome. So, big news about Shelby and Aaron Walker, huh?”
Swallowing a gulp of the cold, fruity beverage, Hannah nodded, giving herself a moment to choose her words before answering. “I was shocked to hear Shelby’s gotten involved with Aaron Walker. But, then, I didn’t even know Andrew’s brother was here.”
Having been out of the state for a couple of weeks visiting their mother’s relatives in Shreveport, Hannah had missed the recent excitement here at Bell Resort and Marina, a business her family had owned for three generations. Her impetuous and imaginative cousin Shelby had suspected that a man renting one of the vacation cabins was involved in something illegal and had found herself in danger when she’d been proven right. Hannah shuddered to think of the knife that had been held to Shelby’s throat only the day before. Maggie had told her all about the nightmarish scene and about Aaron’s daring rescue of their cousin. Shelby sported an ugly bruise on one cheek from the ordeal.
Hannah would bet it would be a while before the family recovered from that shock, especially right on the heels of Shelby’s older brother Steven’s accident. He’d broken his leg and suffered a concussion when he’d overturned a mowing tractor while working around the campgrounds. Two near-tragedies in less than a week had been hard on their grandparents, not to mention Steven and Shelby’s parents. The family needed a few days of peace and comfortable routines.
Hannah was going to do her best to keep from upsetting them for a while. She had shocked them enough when she’d announced her pregnancy a couple months ago when it had started to become obvious. Now six months along, she still refused to name the father. She had let them believe her condition was the result of an impulsive and completely uncharacteristic one-night stand, which was true, with someone they didn’t know, which was not exactly accurate. She had made it quite clear that she wanted this child, that while her pregnancy might have been an accident, she would never label it a mistake. And bless their hearts, her family had rallied around her. She had no doubt they would welcome the newest member of their family with love and joy.
Sitting in a chair with the bottled water she’d brought for herself, Maggie brushed back her sun-streaked brown hair and studied Hannah with long-lashed hazel eyes. Hannah’s hair was a darker brown than her sister’s and her eyes were emerald-green. They would never be mistaken for twins, but she knew there were family resemblances between them, from their mother’s coloring to their father’s cheekbones.
“So, how are you feeling?” Maggie asked. “You looked pretty shaky when you arrived this morning.”
“That was probably too long a drive to make without more breaks,” Hannah admitted. “I thought leaving Grammy’s house at dawn to avoid the heat of the day was a good idea, but maybe I should have slept in a little longer.”
“You’re going to have to take better care of yourself,” Maggie fussed. “Eat better, get more rest. You can’t just—” She stopped with a laugh. “Oh, gosh, I sound like Mom, don’t I?”
Hannah smiled. “You do, but thanks for the concern anyway. I’ll be more careful.”
“You have a doctor’s appointment this week?”
“Yes, Friday. I’m having an ultrasound, so maybe this time I’ll finally see if it’s a boy or a girl.” She was eager to know the sex, but the little peanut hadn’t cooperated by getting into the right position during her earlier scan. Her ob-gyn had assured her they would probably know by the end of the upcoming visit.
Maggie grinned. “I can’t wait to find out if I’m having a niece or a nephew. I’m going to be the coolest aunt ever.”
Hannah laughed. “I have no doubt.”
Sobering, Maggie set her water bottle aside. “You should probably tell your doctor you almost fainted this morning. Your face went so white it scared me.”
Hannah concentrated on stirring her smoothie with the plastic straw. “Like I said, I was just tired.”
She had no intention of admitting that the unexpected sight of Aaron Walker standing with the rest of her family in the resort diner had drained all the blood from her head. For a heart-stopping moment, she’d mistaken him for his identical twin. She’d thought Andrew was there to see her, and a dozen panicked questions had flashed through her mind—most notably, had he somehow found out about the pregnancy?
Aaron had reached out to steady her when she’d swayed, and she’d realized almost instantly that he wasn’t Andrew. Even had he not worn his dark coffee-colored hair longer than his brother, she’d have known the truth with one look at his face. There was something in his eyes that was fundamentally different from Andrew’s, something she couldn’t quite define but recognized nonetheless. She couldn’t say she remembered much more about that meeting with Aaron, other than to make note that Aaron and Shelby had just announced they were a couple and that Aaron would be staying to work in the resort. Which meant it was inevitable that Andrew would eventually visit again to see his brother.
She rested a hand on her stomach, feeling the baby do a lazy turn inside.
“Have you decided on names yet?” Maggie asked.
“Not yet. I’ll wait until I know the sex.”
Maggie slipped in one more question in the same chatty tone. “Told the dad yet?”
Hannah gave her a look. While the rest of the family had accepted her refusal to discuss the matter, her younger sister didn’t give up so easily. “No.”
“Going to?”
“Yes.” She had always planned to do so eventually, though she’d yet to decide how or when. She’d thought she had two or three more months to figure it out. Now it seemed her time was up.
As if in confirmation of that acknowledgment, her cell phone chirped to announce a text message. She checked it warily, and was not as surprised as she probably should have been to see the sender’s name.
“I have to run to town for a little while,” she said, setting her half-empty smoothie cup aside.
Maggie blinked in surprise. “I thought you were going to rest this afternoon.”
“I’ve rested all day. There are some things I need to do now because I plan to be back at my desk first thing in the morning.”
Looking concerned, Maggie rose as Hannah did. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“No, thanks. I won’t be long.” At least she hoped not.
“Hannah—”
She rested a hand on Maggie’s arm. “I’m okay,” she said, trying to sound reassuring. “There’s just something I need to see to, okay?”
“You’ll let me know if you need me?”
“You know I will.”
Even though Maggie didn’t look happy about it, she let her go. Hannah drew a deep breath for courage as she headed for the door.
The public boat launch was set on a cove a fifteen-minute drive away from the Bell Resort and Marina. Shaded by tall leafy trees, it consisted of little more than the launch ramp, a parking lot and a few picnic tables. The place was nearly deserted on this Monday afternoon in mid-June, though a couple of parked trucks with empty boat trailers attached indicated fishermen would return later. A dark gray sports car looked out of place among the pickup-and-trailer combos.
Parking her own sensible little sedan, Hannah glanced through the windshield at the dark-haired, dark-eyed man who was watching her gravely from one of the picnic tables. He sat backward on the bench, facing the parking lot, his long legs stretched out in front of him. Wearing a blue polo shirt and jeans, Andrew Walker looked casual and relaxed, as though he had nothing more on his mind than an appreciation of the warm, cloudless afternoon. Hannah knew that impression was deceptive.
It wasn’t their first time to meet alone here. They’d come here to talk when he’d worked for her family early last August, trying to help them clean up the mess her ex-husband—now known in the family as “the evil ex”—had deliberately created. It wasn’t easy finding privacy among her ever-present family at the resort, so she’d brought Andrew here one afternoon to discuss the case frankly, telling him things about her failed marriage she hadn’t confided even to her relatives. She’d ended up sobbing into his shoulder, a memory that still made her cringe with embarrassment, but he’d been so kind and understanding that she’d probably fallen a little in love with him that very afternoon. She’d done her best to hide her feelings for him—feelings she neither trusted nor expected to lead anywhere—until that momentous, wholly unexpected night in December.
She couldn’t keep procrastinating getting out of her car. She refused to look like a coward in front of Andrew, despite the nerves quivering inside of her. Chin held high, she opened her door and climbed out. She hadn’t gained much weight so far during her pregnancy. Her sister teased her that it looked as though she had a basketball tucked beneath her shirt because the rest of her body was pretty much unchanged. Giving one self-conscious tug to the peasant-styled yellow top she wore with drawstring white cotton pants, she walked toward Andrew.
He rose as she approached. To give him credit, his gaze focused on her face, not her tummy. He wore his dark coffee-colored hair short, neatly trimmed, brushed off his clean-shaven face. His eyes were almost black. His jaw was firm, his nose straight, lips beautifully shaped, though stern now. He was still the best-looking man she’d ever known—though of course, Aaron looked exactly like him with the exception of a longer hairstyle. Yet looking at Aaron that morning, she’d instantly decided Andrew was still the more handsome—a ridiculous fancy, even though she held that same belief now.
Bypassing a greeting, Andrew went straight to the question she had expected. “Why didn’t you call me?”
She cleared her throat, wishing she’d prepared herself somewhat better for this conversation. “What makes you think you’re—”
“Hannah—” he gave her a look “—don’t even think about it.”
She sighed in surrender. “Fine.”
She’d simply been stalling for time anyway. Even if she wanted to—which she didn’t—there was no way she’d convince Andrew he wasn’t the father of this baby. He could count on his fingers as well as any guy. And even though they’d spent only a few short weeks in each other’s company during the ten months since they’d met, he’d gotten to know her well enough that he would have no doubt that night with him had been an anomaly for her.
“Were you going to tell me?”
She nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“When?”
“Soon. I just—” She paused, then shrugged. “I didn’t know what to say.”
Both his voice and his expression softened in response to her helpless tone. “I can understand that.”
She clasped her hands in front of her and looked down at them, unable to meet Andrew’s eyes just then.
His hands were gentle when they fell on her shoulders, but still her pulse raced in response to his touch. “Are you okay? You haven’t had any problems?”
She shook her head. “I’m in perfect health. And so is the baby.”
His gaze lowered then, focusing on her middle. He cleared his throat. “Is it—do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”
“I’ll find out Friday.”
His eyes rose and she saw the emotions he’d concealed to this point. She had learned during their one night together that the rather stoic control Andrew usually displayed masked an intense, passionate nature. Memories of that passion made her catch her breath, her heart thudding hard against her chest. A muscle flexed in Andrew’s jaw and the slightest tremor moved his fingers against her shoulders, making her suspect the same images were flashing through his mind. She felt her cheeks warm in a way that had nothing to do with the hot afternoon temperature.
Andrew dropped his hands a little too abruptly, shoving them into his pockets. By unspoken agreement, they both shifted to put another couple of inches between them.
“Have you told your family? About me?” he clarified.
She shook her head. “They have no idea. I never even told them I saw you in Dallas in December.”
“I see.”
So much of that fateful evening had hinged on impulse. She’d been in Dallas for an annual holiday gathering with some college friends, and had dropped by Andrew’s office with the excuse of giving him an update about her ex-husband’s sentencing—which he’d already known, having kept up with the case. He’d politely asked her to dinner and they’d had drinks at her hotel afterward. One thing had led to another, and then …
Automatically, she rested a hand on her stomach.
“I guess Aaron told you I was pregnant.” She’d known that was inevitable from the moment she’d seen Aaron with Shelby.
Andrew nodded. “It slipped into our conversation earlier today. Needless to say, it threw me for a loop. I—well, I guess the precautions we took that night weren’t enough. I know there’s always a chance, but still …”
The awkwardness was unlike him, merely another sign of how shaken he’d been. “You didn’t say anything to Aaron about—”
He quickly shook his head. “I just threw some things in a bag and headed this way.”
Normally it was a four-hour drive from Dallas to the resort. Hannah suspected Andrew had made it in less today.
She twisted her fingers more tightly together. “You’re coming to the resort?”
“Yes.”
“Would you—could we not say anything to the family just yet? About your being the father, I mean. We’ll tell them,” she added quickly, when he started to frown, “just not until we’ve had more time to talk privately about … things.”
To her relief, he nodded to concede that she had a valid point. “We will need to talk.”
“Yes.” And she dreaded it. Everything was so complicated. “But it’s going to take a while. And I can’t do it now, the family will be wondering where I am. The way I rushed off without an explanation, they’ll be worried if I don’t go back soon.”
He didn’t look particularly pleased with the delay, but he didn’t try to argue. “So how are we playing this?”
“We’ll show up at the resort at different times so they won’t know we’ve already seen each other. You can go ahead, I need to stop by the store anyway.”
“And I suppose you’ll be completely surprised to find me at the resort when you get back.”
She shrugged, intending to play it exactly that way.
Andrew sighed and ran a hand over his hair. “Fine. We’ll do it your way. I’ll keep your secret. For now. But somehow or another we’ll have to find opportunities to talk, and soon.”
She nodded grimly, knowing his patience would last only so long. “We’ll talk.”
She turned toward her car, only to be stopped by his hand on her arm. “Hannah.”
Looking up at him, she whispered, “What?”
“It’s going to be okay.”
She moistened her lips. “I know.”
He smoothed a strand of hair away from her cheek. “I’ll see you at the resort.”
Nodding, she hurried toward her car, resisting an impulse to lay a hand on her cheek where his fingers had touched.
She drove straight to the grocery store. She had forgotten to bring a list and she was still so rattled from her brief meeting with Andrew that she could hardly think about what she needed. She drifted down the aisles of the store fifteen minutes after parting from him, staring blankly at the shelves and trying to focus on the task at hand rather than the challenges that lay ahead. With yogurt, fresh fruit and a bag of cookies in her cart, she turned a corner only to have her day take yet another downturn as she came face-to-face with her former in-laws, Justine and Chuck Cavender. It was the first time she had seen them since their son had been arrested for embezzlement and attempted extortion against Hannah’s family.
“Hannah!” Justine’s first startled reaction was pleasure. She and Hannah had gotten along well enough before the acrimonious divorce. But then her gaze lowered and her smile was replaced with a stricken expression. “Oh. You’re—”
Chuck had never been particularly fond of Hannah to start with—primarily, Hannah suspected, because he’d believed every lie Wade had told about what a terrible wife she’d been. Chuck had enabled, apologized for and deflected blame for his son for all of Wade’s life, which Hannah believed was part of the reason Wade sat in jail now. Wade could be charming, convincing and manipulative—her marriage to him was proof enough of that—but the streak of meanness that lay beneath his amiable mask came straight from his father.
Chuck snarled at Hannah, “Get out of our way.”
She scooted her cart as far to one side as she could. She almost apologized for being in his path, but she bit her tongue. She’d apologized too many times to both Wade and his father for things that had not been her fault. She was not sliding back into that pattern now. Chuck shoved his cart forward, almost slamming into hers despite the room she had left him.
Falling into step behind her husband, Justine gave Hannah a mournful look. “I’d always hoped you and Wade would give us grandchildren,” she murmured.
“Instead, she sent our boy to prison,” Chuck snapped over his shoulder, discounting Wade’s part in his fate. “And then went slutting around and got herself knocked up when she’s not even married. Personally, I’m glad she isn’t a mother to any grandchildren of ours.”
Miserably aware of a few gawkers within hearing range, Hannah held her chin high with an effort, moved toward the front of the store with her few purchases, paid as quickly as possible and left with as much dignity as she could scrape together. Her day had gone from bad to worse, but maybe she had needed that awful encounter. It would serve as a painful reminder that her track record with men was not good.
In the past, she’d seen what she wanted to see, trusted when she shouldn’t have, believed when she should have delved more deeply. She wasn’t that naive, sheltered, starry-eyed girl now. Nor was she the lonely, vulnerable woman who’d been swept into a reckless night of passion by a sexy smile and a gleaming pair of dark eyes. She knew now who she was, where she belonged and what she wanted—and she would do well to keep those things in mind during the coming days.
At half past six, the day was still sunny and warm, the sprawling blue lake still busy with boaters, skiers and swimmers. This time of year, the resort would bustle every day of the week with families taking vacations from jobs and school, and the Bell family would be kept hopping, though Andrew hadn’t heard them complain during the two weeks he’d spent here last summer. With the exception of Shelby’s brother, Steven, they all seemed to love the jobs they’d chosen. Steven had grown restless and would be leaving soon to try his hand at his boyhood dream of firefighting, but Andrew figured there was a chance he’d be back someday to take his place in the family business.
After passing through the manned entry gate, he took a right on the circular main road through the resort. A two-story lakeside building held the reception office, convenience store and diner, with the private business offices upstairs, and the marina at the back. He parked in front and climbed out of his car. To his right lay the public swimming pool, the sixteen-room lakeside motel and three of the eight cabins. Turning left, he saw the pavilion and playground often occupied by family reunions, corporate gatherings or other events. Beyond the pavilion lay the day-use area, five more stand-alone cabins, RV pads with hookups and tent camping grounds.
A steady stream of resort guests flowed both ways through the big double glass doors, some in swimwear and cover-ups, most in shorts and tank tops or T-shirts, some carrying bags of purchases as they exited. The marina, store and grill would be open until seven, and Andrew figured the diner would be full now with customers hungry after a day of water sports. The air carried whiffs of boat motor exhaust from the lake and burning charcoal from the campgrounds, scents that had become very familiar to him during his almost-two-week stay last summer.
He still remembered the first time he’d entered this building after having been hired by the family last year. That was the day he’d met Hannah, who was twenty-seventy then, the eldest of the Bell cousins by a few months. Chagrined that her ex-husband had caused her family so much trouble and anxiety, she’d held her chin high, her emerald eyes glittering with anger and determination. Andrew had taken one look at her and almost swallowed his tongue, his first thought being that she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
He’d managed to keep his distance from her for the most part during the next two weeks only by constantly reminding himself that he was on a job, and that it would be unprofessional of him to get involved with a client. He’d told himself she was too vulnerable, having been so recently divorced and dealing with the painful repercussions of her unfortunate choice of a spouse. They had been surrounded almost constantly by her caring and inquisitive family. Not to mention that he and Hannah had seemed an unlikely couple, with both of them committed to family businesses four hours apart, and with her announcing to all and sundry that she had no intention of getting married or even seriously involved with anyone again for a long time, if ever. Not even thirty himself then, he’d thought that sounded like a wise plan.
And then she’d shown up at his office in December, and he’d foolishly decided he’d been given an early Christmas gift. Maybe the holiday should have been April Fool’s Day instead, considering the situation he found himself in now.
“Hey, Aaron. What are you doing standing out here in a daze? Come on inside and—wait.” Maggie Bell skidded to a stop on the pavement nearby, studying him with a frown. “Okay, either you’ve cut your hair in the past hour or you aren’t Aaron. Andrew?”
He smiled at her. “Hello, Maggie. Nice to see you again.”
“Wow.” She shook her head, tucking a strand of silky brown hair behind her left ear. “Now that I’ve spent a few days with your brother, it’s even more startling that you look so exactly alike. I’m sure you get tired of hearing that.”
He shrugged good-naturedly. “Part of the identical-twins thing. We don’t mind.”
“We didn’t even know you had an identical twin until Aaron showed up here,” she pointed out. “I’m not sure Pop believes even now that there are two of you.”
He chuckled. Having met her unconventional grandfather, he wasn’t surprised. The man everyone, even those who weren’t related, called Pop was renowned for both his practical jokes and his twisted logic, making it hard to tell when he was kidding and when he was serious. “Maybe he’ll believe it when he sees us standing side by side.”
Maggie looped a hand beneath his arm and laughed as she led him toward the door. “I wouldn’t even bet on that. Come on in, I’m sure we’ll find some of the family in the grill at this hour.”
Big double glass doors led into the main building. Stepping out of the hot summer day into the air-conditioned lobby, Andrew noted that nothing had changed since he’d last been here. Colorful mounted fish and antique lures displayed on wooden plaques decorated the walls, and lush greenery brought a touch of the outdoors inside. The reception desk faced the entrance, with the private upstairs offices accessible by a stairway and elevator behind the desk.
The Chimes Grill, decorated in retro �50s red vinyl and chrome, opened to the right of the entryway of the building. As he’d expected, he saw that the diner was busy, most of the tables and bar stools filled with customers. Opposite the grill, a small convenience store was lined with shelves of groceries, souvenirs and camping and fishing supplies. At the back of the building lay the marina, where C. J. Bell—father to Steven, Shelby and Lori—sold bait, fuel, motor oil and other marine supplies; rented out fishing boats, ski boats, pontoon boats and personal watercraft; and kept an eye on the boat slips and fishing pier. Part-time employees helped the family with the various aspects of the resort, but the Bells were most definitely in charge, the responsibilities divided by personal interests.
Shelby’s younger sister Lori manned the reception desk at the moment. Andrew remembered her as being somewhat offbeat, with a penchant for trendy haircuts and colors and floaty smoke-colored clothing. Her hair was shaped in an asymmetrical wedge now, dyed black with bright blue streaks, and her clothes were charcoal-and dove-gray, proving her tastes hadn’t changed since he’d last seen her. She looked surprised when Maggie led him in, her dark-lined eyes darting from him to the diner and then back again, making him suspect his brother was inside.
“Look who’s here,” Maggie said. “It’s Andrew.”
Andrew would have stopped then to check for an availability in the motel, but Maggie almost dragged him into the diner before he and Lori had time to do much more than exchange nods of greeting.
“There’s your brother,” Maggie said, pointing to a table at the far side of the room. “I thought he might be in here. He usually comes in after work for a cold iced tea or lemonade before dinner.”
Aaron sat at a big table with Shelby, her brother, their uncle and Maggie’s father, Bryan Bell, and the oldest members of the Bell clan, “Pop” and “Mimi.” Shelby’s mother, Sarah, worked the grill. Her dad, C.J., was probably still back at the marina, which was his personal domain. Andrew suspected some of the others had offered to help Sarah, but as he recalled, she was as proprietary about her work space as the others were with their chosen roles. She kept the menu simple and limited so she could handle the demand herself under most circumstances.
Aaron spotted Andrew and Maggie before the others did. His eyebrows rose in surprise as he gave a little salute of recognition, making the others turn to look. Andrew was inundated with a babble of excited greetings, drawn to the table for a barrage of questions and welcomes.
“Would you look at the two of you standing side by side,” Mimi marveled with a shake of her silver head when Aaron rose to greet him. “I could tell you apart, of course, even if your hair was the same because I have a knack for that sort of thing, but I’m sure most people would have a difficult time.”
Blonde, curly-haired, blue-eyed and girl-next-door-cute, Shelby wrinkled her nose in response to her grandmother’s unlikely boast, sharing a smile with Aaron before holding out her right hand to Andrew. The hand-shaped bruise on her cheek was a solemn reminder of the ordeal she had survived. Andrew felt a wave of fury at the thought of someone hitting her; he could only imagine how his brother must feel every time he saw that mark.
“It’s good to see you,” she said, her characteristically cheerful spirit not notably dampened. “Did Aaron tell you I gave him a big hug the first time I saw him, thinking he was you?”
“No, he didn’t,” he replied with a laugh, tugging at her hand. “But I’ll take my hug now.”
She embraced him warmly, then stepped back with slightly narrowed eyes, though she was still smiling. “Okay, fess up. Did you come to make sure I’m not holding your brother hostage or anything? I know he told you this morning that he and I are together now, and suddenly here you are. Have you come to steal him away from me?”
“Why would I do that? I consider my brother to be a very lucky man.”
She dimpled. “That’s sweet. Thank you.”
He squeezed her hand, then released her and nodded toward his brother. “I decided you had the right idea about taking a few days to relax here.”
Aaron’s brows shot even higher. “You were able to just take off from work on such short notice? I thought your calendar was so full for the rest of the year that you didn’t have time to breathe, much less disappear on impulse like this.”
“I just had to rearrange a couple of things.” Like heaven and earth. His poor administrative assistant had been forced to move both to free the rest of the week at Andrew’s request. His dad and uncles weren’t exactly happy about his decision either, because they had to pick up the slack. They probably thought he’d come to make sure Aaron wasn’t being foolishly impulsive, so it was likely their father secretly approved of the mission. Andrew couldn’t imagine what everyone would say when they found out the real reason for the unscheduled trip.
“Can I get you a cold drink, Andrew?” Sarah called from behind the counter. She hadn’t changed a bit since the last time he’d seen her, looking little older than her adult offspring. Her blond hair was just sprinkled with gray, her minimally made-up face was hardly lined, and while she carried a few extra pounds, she still looked fit and healthy.
“A lemonade sounds great,” he answered with a smile, fondly remembering the fresh-squeezed lemonade he’d enjoyed last summer.
“I’ll get it.” Shelby hurried toward the counter.
Sandy-haired, blue-eyed, twenty-seven-year-old Steven Bell held out his right hand. “I’d stand to greet you, but I’m still sort of clumsy with these damn crutches,” he complained.
Andrew shook his hand. “I was sorry to hear about your accident. How are you holding up, Steven?”
“Not bad, thanks. The leg should be completely healed in a few weeks with no lasting problems. The rest of me is still sore but better. All in all, could be worse.”
“Aaron told me you’re planning to train as a firefighter.”
“Yeah, I’m hoping to start training as soon as I’m out of this cast. Fire and EMT classes start in mid-October, so I want to be in top shape by then.”
“Well, Dad?” Hannah’s father asked Pop with a grin. “Now do you believe there really are two of them?”
Pop chuckled. “Always did. I was just pulling Aaron’s leg by pretending otherwise.”
“How long can you be with us, Andrew?” Mimi asked eagerly, still avidly studying him and his brother as if searching for any minute difference.
“I’m not sure yet,” he prevaricated. “Through the end of the weekend probably, unless something comes up.”
“Where would you like to stay? Cabin 7 is available now,” she said blithely. “And I guess Cabin 8 is open, too, if your brother is going to be shacking up with my granddaughter.”
Andrew heard a few gasps and muffled laughs.
“Mother!” Bryan chided in a strangled voice.
“What?” Mimi looked from one of her family members to another with a matter-of-fact shrug. “We’re a modern family. We’re down with it.”
This time it was Andrew who choked on a laugh.
“Oh, man, Mimi’s been watching old sitcom reruns again,” Steven said with an affectionate groan.
“One of the motel rooms will be fine with me, if it’s available,” Andrew assured them. “I don’t need to tie up a cabin because I probably won’t use the kitchen anyway. I don’t cook much.”
Mimi nodded. “We have a couple empty rooms. I think the one you stayed in last summer is available.”
“That would be great. I enjoyed the view of the lake from the balcony.”
She stood. “Here, take my seat. I have to go. The family’s gathering at our house after closing for white chicken chili that’s been cooking in Crock-Pots all day, and I have a few things to finish up. We’d love for you to join us.”
“It would be my pleasure. Thank you.”
She patted his cheek as though he were ten rather than thirty. “I’ll have Lori bring you a key to your room. It’s almost time for her to close the desk. She’s on her summer break from college and she’s been filling in for Hannah during the past couple weeks while Hannah visited some relatives.”
Towing Pop along with her with the firm reminder that she required his assistance with dinner preparations, Mimi swept out of the diner. Andrew took her emptied seat, with his lemonade on the table in front of him. He glanced at his watch. Still another twenty minutes to go before the seven-o’clock closing time. After that, late arrivals wanting a room or campsite would have to ring a bell at the gate for service. One of the family members was always on call to answer that kind of summons, night duty rotating among the various households.
They spent those remaining twenty minutes talking—though more accurately, Andrew primarily listened, having little chance to get a word in with Shelby, Maggie, Steven and Bryan talking over each other to catch him up on what he’d missed. They told him more about the excitement yesterday with stolen-goods fencer Russell King, aka Terrence Landon, who had used Cabin 7 as his own private base of criminal operations for almost a month before Shelby and Aaron shut him down. The conversation segued into all the maintenance tasks scheduled for the remainder of the summer and beyond—chores that had been on Steven’s agenda before his mowing accident and subsequent decision to pursue his childhood dream. Now Aaron was excited about taking over Steven’s job with Bryan, who would be his direct supervisor.
Andrew watched his brother’s face while the men talked about those upcoming projects. The work would be hard, mostly manual labor in the summer heat, but Aaron looked as though he couldn’t wait to get started. He hadn’t shown nearly as much enthusiasm for his last couple of jobs, both in sales with comfortable working conditions and a more-than-adequate income. Who’d have thought he’d get this stimulated working in resort maintenance? How much of his eagerness had to do with his new and exciting relationship with Shelby? Would it last or would it fall apart with time, leaving everyone involved disappointed and heartbroken?
Andrew had no precognitive talent, but he wanted to believe his brother would make his new direction in both romance and career work for a lifetime. Their family had a history of short courtships and long marriages, so maybe Aaron had inherited that gene.
As for himself—
“Oh, look, Hannah’s back,” Shelby said, waving toward the doorway behind Andrew. “She’ll be so happy you’re here, Andrew.”
Hoping his smile didn’t look as sickly as it felt, Andrew nodded, taking a moment to steel himself for the performance ahead. He sensed his brother studying him a bit too closely—or was that just projection on his part? Avoiding Aaron’s eyes, he glanced in Maggie’s direction, only to find her looking at him with a slight frown.
Clearing his throat, he stood and turned to watch Hannah approach, a credible expression of pleased surprise on her face when she saw him there. Pasting on a bright grin, he stepped forward. “Hello, Hannah. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
Chapter Two
Even though nearly everyone had private quarters, the Bell clan often gathered at the end of a workday for meals. The family compound lay on a clearly marked private drive off the main resort road. Three almost-identical redbrick ranch-style houses were occupied by Hannah’s grandparents, her parents and her aunt and uncle, with her grandparents in the center. As the third generation had become adults, they’d chafed against living with their parents and invested in homes of their own at the end of the road. Four similar tan-and-cream, two-bedroom mobile homes were grouped two on either side of the dead-end drive. Their grandfather grumpily referred to the tidy cluster as the “trailer park,” but Hannah and her sister and cousins had been content with their quarters. Lori was the only one of their generation who still lived with her parents, though for most of the year she was away at college.
Mimi and Pop were the hosts on this Monday evening, and everyone was there except Lori, who had a date, much to the displeasure of her family. While Hannah was away, it had come to light that Lori’s current boyfriend was Zach Webber, a long-haired, bearded rebel who had dropped out of college and was currently scraping by as a guitarist in an alternative garage band. Maybe the family could have accepted all of that, Hannah mused, had they not known he’d done time in juvenile detention for breaking and entering. Probably his legal records were sealed now that he was twenty-one, but Zach had long been the subject of local gossip and tongue-clucking and the family was not at all happy that Lori had chosen to stage a mini-rebellion with him.
The topic of the evening was still the excitement of the day before, though Shelby soon got tired of rehashing it and begged everyone to talk about something else. Grouped around the two large picnic tables that sat behind her grandparents’ house, the family obliged, several new conversations breaking out at once among the twelve diners enjoying Mimi’s white chicken chili and jalapeño corn muffins. Steven’s lazy yellow lab, Pax, wandered around the tables, not exactly begging but giving longing looks to everyone with a plate. With amusement, Hannah saw several members of the family slipping bits of chicken to the dog even though Steven expressly forbade them to do so.
Obsessed as always with work, Hannah’s father spoke up above the chatter, directing his words toward Aaron. “You know anything about running electrical wiring?”
“I’m not a licensed electrician, but I’ve helped with a few basic projects. Why?”
“I’m wanting to install a few more security lights along our private drive, especially there around the sign,” Hannah’s dad said gruffly. His meaningful glance at Shelby made it clear that he was thinking of the one short, dark stretch on the drive where Shelby had been snatched while walking home late from visiting Aaron’s cabin. None of them knew if more lighting would have prevented the attack, but maybe she’d have seen him lurking there had the shadows not been so heavy.
Aaron nodded approvingly, reaching out to cover Shelby’s hand with his in a sweet, loving gesture that made Hannah’s throat tighten for some reason. “I think I can help with that,” Aaron said.
“Oh, by the way, Hannah,” Mimi called out from the next table. “I saw Jenny Malone at church yesterday. She wants to host a baby shower for you. We’re thinking maybe in about six weeks, which will give you time to prepare a list of guests you want her to invite and to register for gifts.”
Hannah felt her face warm in response to having everyone’s attention turned to her—one person’s in particular. “That’s very sweet of her,” she murmured, “but not necessary. I really don’t need a baby shower.”
“Of course you do,” Mimi insisted with a firm bob of her head. “Just because you’re an unwed mother doesn’t mean you won’t need baby supplies. And your friends will want to do this for you.”
If Hannah could have slid beneath the table gracefully, she would have done so then. She looked quickly to her sister for help, hoping Maggie would get the message to change the subject.
“Hannah’s going to be a wonderful mother,” Mimi said in Andrew’s direction before anyone could say anything. “We’re all very excited about the baby.”
Andrew glanced at Hannah briefly before responding to the older woman. “I’m sure you are.”
Looking archly at Shelby and Aaron, Mimi added, “You know, Andrew, even though Hannah’s expecting, she isn’t involved with anyone at the moment.”
Hannah choked on a sip of iced tea.
Mercifully, Maggie stepped in. “Mimi, I forgot to tell you that I saw Esther Lincoln in town Saturday. She said to be sure to tell you hello.”
Predictably, their grandmother bristled at the name of her old archenemy, thoughts of matchmaking abruptly forgotten. “I’ll just bet she did. She knew it would remind me of her and her scheming ways which she figured would ruin my day. Well, I just won’t let it.”
“Esther and Mimi competed in bake-offs at the county fair when they were younger,” Hannah heard Shelby explain in a low voice to Aaron and Andrew. “It was not a friendly competition.”
“Because she cheated in every which way she could, from kissing up to the judges to using recipes she found in the Julia Child cookbooks,” Mimi retorted indignantly, proving there was nothing wrong with her hearing.
“Now, Mom, don’t get started on that again.” Hannah’s uncle C.J. changed the subject to tell a funny story about a quirky customer he’d served at the marina that afternoon, which led to other anecdotes for Aaron and Andrew’s benefit. Everyone laughed at the appropriate times, but Hannah could see that her grandmother still fumed about her old grievances and her aunt Sarah kept looking at the empty space where Lori usually sat.
Andrew’s chuckles sounded a bit strained—understandably. She figured her own smiles would look forced to anyone studying her too closely, but she was fairly confident she was getting away with them for now.
She was going to have a firm talk with her grandmother later. This situation was difficult enough; it would be untenable if Mimi decided to try matchmaking between Hannah and Andrew while he was here. Mimi meant well of course, and she had no idea Andrew was the father of Hannah’s baby. Once she found out the truth, the pressure would intensify. If there was one overwhelming thing Hannah did not want, it was for Andrew to feel obligated to propose to her just because her family—or his, for that matter—expected him to do so. The very idea depressed her.
Even though the family usually sat around chatting after meals, Hannah didn’t linger long. She helped clear away, then claimed weariness, having started that day much too early. Her sister walked her home.
“Thanks for the rescue during dinner, Maggie,” Hannah said when they reached her door.
Maggie chuckled ruefully. “You’re welcome. I saw the look Mom shot at Mimi. I’m sure she’ll ask her not to make future gatherings so awkward for you.”
“I hope so.”
Laughing a little, Maggie shook her head. “You have to give Mimi credit for nerve. She’s determined to find you a husband. Could she have been any more blatant about trying to fix you up with Andrew?”
“I thought I was going to slide right under the table.”
Maggie patted her arm. “I’m sure you did, but you have to admit Mimi has good taste. Andrew’s a catch.”
Hannah shot a frown at her sister. “You aren’t suggesting—”
Maggie held up both hands in a quick gesture of surrender. “No agenda at all here. Just saying. It seemed like there was a little chemistry between you last year.”
“Chemistry? You mean when he was helping us stop my jerk of an ex-husband from bankrupting the resort? When I had to tell him that my judgment was so bad that I’d married a man who cared only about what I or my family could do to make his life easier? That I was so stupid and naive I let my head be turned by flattery and empty promises?”
Maggie’s amusement had faded during Hannah’s bitter tirade. “Um, sis—”
“Or maybe I look better to him now,” Hannah continued on a roll, gesturing meaningfully toward her midsection. “Accidentally pregnant at my age. Still paying off the bills my jailbird ex left me responsible for. Still so freaking angry and mortified that I—”
Hearing her own words, she stopped and shook her head. “Would you listen to me? Sorry, Mags, I guess the pregnancy hormones just kicked into overdrive. Seriously, I’m not interested in getting romantically involved with Andrew or anyone else. I tried the happily-ever-after thing and I failed miserably at it. Now all I need, all I want, is to make a home for my child, to ensure that he or she is loved and safe and happy while I continue with my work here. I really just don’t have the time or the energy to take on anything else for the foreseeable future. So let’s just drop it, okay? I’m turning in now.”
Still looking concerned, her sister gave her a hug. “You’ll call if you need me?”
“Of course, but I’m fine, really. Just tired. See you in the morning, okay?”
“Sleep in. We’ve got everything covered in the office.”
“I’m ready to get back to work. Too much free time is obviously bad for my mood.”
Only partially mollified, Maggie turned toward her own place, leaving Hannah to lock herself in her trailer, where she promptly covered her face with her hands and burst into tears, overwhelmed by the events of the day.
Andrew waited until both sisters were closed in their homes before turning and walking silently down the road. He stayed in the shadows, not wanting to be seen. He’d had enough experience with undercover work to be assured he was successful. His brother was preoccupied with Shelby, having moved into her trailer only that very afternoon, and the rest of the Bells were getting ready to turn in before starting another busy day early in the morning. Hoping to have a chance to talk privately with Hannah without anyone being the wiser, Andrew had told everyone good-night and said he wanted to take a walk before returning to his room for the night. That was how he’d ended up an unintentional eavesdropper on Hannah’s conversation with her sister.
Making the half mile or so walk from the family compound to the motel, he took in the sights, sounds and smells of a summer evening in a camping-and-fishing resort. Only a few boats were still on the water at this hour. He heard the muffled roar of motors accompanied by glimpses of red, green and white running lights he spotted through the trees. Wisps of smoke from campfires drifted through the resort, and he fancied he could smell toasting marshmallows on the breeze. A few cars and pickups entered and exited the main gate, some towing boats after a day’s water play. Muffled sounds were just audible from the campgrounds—bursts of laughter, the occasional high-pitched squeal from a child, a couple of yaps from what sounded like a small dog. An idyllic, slow-paced haven, it seemed far away from the hustle and bustle of the real world, a long way from Andrew’s busy life in Dallas.
He paused at the intersection of the main road and the private drive, looking back over his shoulder at the dark stretch where Shelby had been taken. Proof, he thought grimly, of how easily the outside evils could invade even this diligently maintained paradise. While he was here, maybe he’d look over the resort’s security practices. He wanted to make sure she—um, the whole family—was safe here, he quickly corrected himself.
That was the least he could do for Hannah for now. She’d made it clear enough that she wasn’t interested in anything more from him.
It felt good to Hannah to be back at work after visiting her mother’s family in Louisiana for the past ten days. She’d gone there to break the news to her extended family about her impending motherhood and had been gratified that her relatives on that side were as supportive as the Bell family. Her widowed grandmother was already busily crocheting a delicate baby blanket that she’d promised to mail as soon as it was completed.
She spent Tuesday morning taking reservations by phone, updating the resort’s social media pages and website with new photos her sister had snapped around the place and checking in a few guests. Three thirty-something men with a three-day reservation for Cabin 5 wandered in just before noon, dressed in board shorts, T-shirts and sandals, ready for a few days of fishing and beer drinking. Judging by their behavior, Hannah suspected two of the three had gotten an early start on the latter; she hoped the other man had been the designated driver.
A tall, lanky man with a thinning mop of brown hair and beer-glazed brown eyes did an exaggerated double-take when he saw Hannah sitting behind the reception desk. He made a point of checking out her bare left hand, then smiled at her with what she assumed was meant to be irresistible charm. “Wow, when the owners of this place advertised beautiful scenery, they weren’t kidding.”
His two companions groaned in response to the outrageous pickup line. Well-accustomed to fending off passes from overly optimistic guests, Hannah merely smiled, looked at the reservation on her computer screen and asked, “Which of you is Nathan Burns?”
“That would be me,” the supposedly sober man said. “Need my signature?”
She slid a form toward him. “Yes, please.”
Skinny Romeo, as she’d mentally dubbed him, rested a hip on a corner of the desk. “The guys and I brought some big ol’ steaks for the grill and plenty of beer and wine. Maybe after you get off work, you could join us for dinner?”
“Thank you,” she said, barely glancing at him, “but I have plans. Linens and household items are provided in your cabin, but please let us know if you need anything. The convenience store, marina and grill in this building are open until seven.”
“We brought Stu’s fancy ski boat—it’s a honey. Maybe you’d find a little time to go out on the water with us while we’re here? We’ll take a cooler full of beers on ice, have a great time.”
“No,” she said simply. “And please remember to have a designated driver when you’re boating. BWI laws are strictly enforced on the lake. Let me get your keys for you.”
She stood and opened the locked cabinet in which the keys to the cabins and motel rooms were stored. She heard a snort and a snicker behind her.
“Way to go, Bill. You’ve been hitting on a woman who’s preggers,” Stu said in a mocking whisper she probably wasn’t supposed to hear.
“Not only that, he was shot down by her,” Nathan added with relish.
Three keys dangling from her hand, Hannah turned to see Skinny Romeo—Bill—flushed with embarrassment, his eyes sparking with irritation. “You could have said something,” he muttered to Hannah, who resisted pointing out that her condition was none of his business. And then he pasted on a forced, self-deprecating grin for the sake of his companions and shrugged. “Just practicing for all the bikini babes we’ll be seeing on the beach the next three days.”
Stu gave him a rough shove toward the door. “Like you’ve got a shot with any of them. Not to mention your fiancée would serve your innards to the dog if she found out. Now go on so we can get unpacked in time to do some fishing before dinner.”
“Steffie’s not my fiancée,” Bill grumbled on the way out.
“Yeah, well, she sure seems to think she is,” one of the men retorted. Hannah didn’t notice or care which because she’d already turned her attention to the next customer, an unaccompanied woman with faded red hair, heavy-lidded green eyes and frown lines carved around her unpainted mouth.
The woman was probably in her early thirties, pear-shaped, dressed in a too-tight T-shirt and denim capris with flip-flops. Her only attempt at makeup seemed to be the mascara that had smudged beneath her eyes. Hannah’s instant impression was that of a woman who’d given up on her appearance for some reason. It was almost as if a gray cloud accompanied her into the building, a fanciful impression Hannah shook off impatiently.
“May I help you?” she asked with a welcoming smile.
“Jerks, huh?” the newcomer asked with a vague gesture toward the door through which the men had just departed. “I couldn’t help overhearing some of what they were saying to you. You were pretty nice considering how pushy they were being.”
Hannah didn’t gossip about guests with other guests. “What can I do for you?” she asked without directly responding.
Accepting the hint, the woman nodded and tightened her grip on the red handbag she carried beneath one arm. “I’m looking for a motel room for a couple of nights. Someone in town told me this is a nice place to stay. I don’t have a reservation.”
“We have a few vacancies. Single or double?”
“Single. It’s just me—I needed to get away from everything for a little while.”
Hannah nodded and handed the woman a check-in form. “And how long will you be staying with us?”
“A few nights, I guess. Three, maybe four. Do I have to tell you now?”
Assuring the woman, whose name turned out to be Patricia Gibson, that she could stay as long as she wanted, Hannah completed the check-in and assigned her a lower-floor room in the motel. “We provide daily maid service unless you hang the do-not-disturb sign on your door. Linens, a mini-fridge and a flat-screen TV are also provided. Feel free to use the pool or lake swim beach, and there are grills and picnic tables in the day-use area by the beach.”
She added the usual spiel for the diner and convenience store located on opposite sides of the reception desk. “Do you have any more questions?”
“It sounds real nice,” Patricia murmured, picking up the key on a big plastic tag marked with her room number. “What was your name again?”
She had neglected to introduce herself, Hannah realized. She smiled apologetically. “I’m Hannah Bell.”
The key clattered noisily on the tile floor when Patricia dropped it. Making a face, she laughed softly and bent to scoop it up. “That’s why I needed a break. I’m so tired from working that my hands have gone clumsy. I’m sorry, I missed your name. Did you say Anna?”
“Hannah. Hannah Bell.”
“Bell. So you own this resort?”
“It’s a family business.”
“I see.” Tucking the key into an outside pocket of her purse, Patricia turned toward the door, but said over her shoulder, “This summer heat is a killer when you’re pregnant, isn’t it?”
“It can be,” Hannah agreed lightly.
“I was pregnant this time last year. I had a miscarriage, though.”
“Oh.” Hannah struggled to think of something to say in response to the unexpected confidence. “I’m sorry.”
Patricia shrugged. “It was for the best, I guess. I wasn’t married. Hard to do it on your own.”
Fortunately, she left before Hannah had to respond. It seemed to be her day for disconcerting encounters, a thought reinforced when Andrew wandered in.
He greeted her with one of his faint smiles that did not lighten his dark eyes, which were focused intensely on her face. “How’s your day going?” he asked.
“It’s been pretty weird so far,” she replied candidly. “Yours?”
“I’ve been talking with your dad and your uncle about some new security measures for the resort. They’ve asked me to do a full analysis and make some suggestions.”
Hannah nodded. “That sounds like a good plan. I hope you’re charging them your standard consultation rates.”
He merely gave her a look.
She sighed. “Andrew, you don’t owe my family any favors. It’s the other way around actually.”
“We’re not talking about money right now, though you and I need to make some arrangements soon.”
She looked around quickly to make sure no one had overheard, but while she heard voices from the diner and the store, the reception area was deserted for now. “Andrew—”
“Well, hello, there.” Mimi bustled up with a bright smile at finding Andrew talking with Hannah. “What are you two chatting about?”
Andrew turned easily to greet Hannah’s grandmother. “I was just about to have lunch in the grill. Thought I’d stop in to say hello to Hannah first.”
“Hannah can join you for lunch,” Mimi said, beaming. “I just came to relieve her at the desk for a while. I’ve already eaten. I think I saw some of the other family in the diner, so you two run along and join them.”
“I was going to have lunch a little later, Mimi,” Hannah protested weakly.
“You need a break, sweetheart. No need to rush back, I’ll be fine here if you young folks want to take a walk through the resort after lunch. There’s a nice breeze down by the water today.”
So either her mom hadn’t yet spoken to Mimi about her matchmaking scheme for Hannah, or the talk hadn’t been successful. Hannah sighed, but knew there was no use arguing with Mimi now, especially in front of Andrew. She stood and smoothed the loose pink summer top she wore with thin khaki slacks. “Okay, fine. I’ll take my lunch break now.”
Nodding in satisfaction, Mimi took her place behind the desk, pulling a thick paperback out of her bag to occupy her until she was needed. Hannah knew her grandmother would be quite content to spend the rest of the day sitting in that comfortable chair with her book, especially if she believed her granddaughter was being courted by a respectable man in the meantime. She didn’t even want to think of the pressure Mimi—and probably the rest of the family—would put on them once they learned Andrew was her baby’s father.
“Listen, maybe we could cut out of here and eat lunch somewhere else?” Andrew asked in a low voice as soon as they were out of her grandmother’s sight and hearing. “We really need to—”
“Oh, hi, guys.” Shelby slid in between them, looping her hands beneath their arms. “Heading in for lunch? So am I. I’ve been working on the books all morning without a break and now I’m starving. Aaron’s supposed to meet me in the grill. Why don’t you two join us?”
Andrew gave Hannah a look over her cousin’s curly blond head, and she might have been amused under any other circumstances. It was rare to see Andrew looking totally flummoxed, but she thought that word was a good description for the expression in his narrowed eyes. He was probably beginning to wonder if they would ever have a chance to talk in private. She supposed she should be working harder to make arrangements for that discussion, rather than putting it off. But to be fair, he’d shown up only the day before. There hadn’t been a lot of time for her to come to terms with all of this yet.
“Sure,” Andrew said to Shelby, his tone completely bland. “We’d love to join you, wouldn’t we, Hannah?”
She gave him a weak smile. “Why not?”
Andrew had not been this frustrated in a long time. He sat in his room Wednesday night at almost ten, uninterested in watching television. His computer screen displayed work-related data he should be looking over but wasn’t. More than twenty-four hours after Shelby dragged Hannah and him into the diner for Hannah’s lunch break, Andrew had yet to speak with Hannah alone again. Every time they’d been even close to a private conversation, one of her family members or a resort guest had interrupted them. Had he not been close to tearing his hair out with exasperation, the comedy of errors might have been wryly amusing. Or was Hannah deliberately using those seemingly random interruptions as an excuse to continue delaying their talk?
Too restless to stay put any longer, he let himself out of the room and headed out into the still-warm night air. He liked walking through the resort at this hour as campers and guests settled in for the night, making it possible to hear the crickets and frogs coming from the lakeside. He passed an older couple walking hand in hand along the road and swapped greetings with them. They, too, seemed to be enjoying the cooler temperature of evening. They looked comfortable together, he thought, glancing over his shoulder at them. Content to be spending their twilight years together.
Would he have anything like that when he reached their age?
He glanced toward the family compound and thought about slipping over to see if Hannah was awake. But, no. She needed her rest, and she wouldn’t appreciate it if anyone in her family saw him making a late-night call on her. She was going to have to face telling her family the truth eventually—soon—but that wasn’t the way she’d want to break the news to them.
He wished he understood better why she was so hesitant about revealing that he was the father of her child. He could understand that she’d be embarrassed about the awkwardness of the situation. But was there more to it than that? Was she worried about any claims he would make on their child? Had their one night together been so unsatisfactory for her that she’d bolted the next morning and was now sorry there was any reason for him to remain in her life? How was he to know if she wouldn’t talk to him?
The glow of several campfires flickered through the trees from both the RV and tent campgrounds. A few cars passed, as did a couple on bicycles equipped with headlamps and reflector tape. As he strolled through the resort, Andrew made mental notes of areas that could use a little more security lighting—without over-lighting the campgrounds of course—and a few places where he would recommend installing discreet, closed-circuit cameras.
Outside Cabin 5, three men were rather loudly arguing outside on the porch. Andrew knew an alcohol-fueled conversation when he heard one. He hoped this one didn’t get so rowdy that a sleepy guest in a neighboring cabin would feel the need to report it to management, disturbing the Bell family. He knew the Bells were accustomed to those late calls, but he was sure they appreciated the uninterrupted nights.
“I’m telling you that girl on the beach was interested in me until you clowns ran her off by acting like fools. If I meet someone tomorrow, I want y’all to back off, you hear?” one of the men demanded loudly.
Another snorted mockingly. “Come on, Bill, she hardly looked twice at you. You think every woman you pass falls for you and most of the time you’re wrong. Like with that pregnant girl in the office yesterday.”
Andrew’s steps slowed dramatically.
“Hey, you think she wasn’t checking me out?” the first man asked. “If I was in the mood to tap a preggo, you can bet she’d be all over it. You didn’t see a ring on her finger, did you?”
Andrew’s fists clenched slowly at his side, even as the jerk’s companions guffawed.
“Hell, Bill, you really are delusional. Pregnant or not, women who look like that don’t go for guys like us. You better be content with Steffie and stop chasing the hotties or you’re going to end up alone, dude.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Stu. Ever since Camille dumped you, you’ve been—”
“Hey!” Someone from Cabin 4 called out from his own front porch. “Could you guys keep it down? We’ve got kids trying to sleep in here. Don’t make us call management.”
“Yeah, okay, sorry.” One of the men called back. “C’mon, guys, let’s get some sleep. We’re going out early to fish, remember? The three of us. Bros before … well, you know the rest.”
The thought of that man—any man—hitting on Hannah made Andrew scowl as he stalked back to his room. His expression must have been forbidding. The frumpy redhead in the room below his jumped and gave a little gasp when he appeared out of the darkness. She must have just gotten back from a vending-machine run. She nearly dropped the canned soda in her hand when she saw him.
Trying to smooth his expression, he gave her a nod and kept walking. One way or another, he promised himself, he would be talking with Hannah tomorrow.
Chaos descended with a vengeance Thursday afternoon. A neighboring resort suffered a catastrophic septic-system malfunction, shutting the place down for the weekend at a minimum. Frantically dealing with disappointed vacationers, the owners referred as many as they could to the Bell Resort, sending the rest to other facilities along the lake. Every available RV pad and tent site at Bell Resort was filled, as were the cabins and motel rooms. Even the overflow area behind the boat storage was filled to capacity. The grill, convenience store and marina buzzed with activity. Every member of staff was almost running trying to keep up.
Leaving her cousin Lori to work the front desk, Hannah volunteered to run errands in town that afternoon. She visited the bank and the post office, dropped off some dry cleaning, then stopped by the locally owned pharmacy her family patronized to pick up prenatal vitamins for herself and prescriptions for several family members. She parked in a shady corner of the almost-empty little lot so her car wouldn’t be quite so hot when she climbed back into it.
“Hello, Hannah. How are you today?” the pharmacist behind the counter asked with a welcoming smile after she’d been greeted by his two longtime employees. Short, round and mostly bald, his kind dark chocolate eyes gleaming in a polished ebony face, Luther Duquesne had served this community since Hannah was in grade school. He’d always had a lollipop for Hannah and Maggie when they’d come in with their mom, offered to them from a big glass jar filled with colorful treats. Even if he hadn’t been one of the nicest men she knew, for that reason alone, Hannah would always have a soft spot in her heart for him.
Plugged in as he was to the community, he already knew about the disaster at the Lake Oaks Marina, so he and Hannah chatted about that for a few minutes while he checked her out. “Tell your grandpa this is his last refill on his blood pressure medicine. He needs to go see his doctor this month.”
Hannah nodded. “I think he has an appointment, but I’ll make sure.”
“Before you go …” With a flourish, he presented her with an orange lollipop. “I seem to remember this being your favorite flavor.”
She laughed and accepted the treat. “Thank you, Mr. D. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”
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