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“Um… well.” The baby kicked, as if voicing the same question. Rebecca looked at her mother, then her sister and then at Seth. He wasn’t going to give up. He wasn’t going to buy into a story she had zero way of proving. He’d likely bring in attorneys and DNA tests and create all sorts of havoc until he learned the truth.
If she continued to deny what he already knew, he might even try to take her child away from her. He might even succeed.
“Tell them,” Seth pushed, his tone insistent and hard. “Tell me.”
“Okay! I—I lied. To you, to my family, to everyone. Is that what you want to hear? This baby is ours,” Rebecca admitted in a tremor-filled voice. “And yes, you have the right to know.”
Her mother’s relieved statement of “Thank you, God” barely registered in Rebecca’s numbed brain. Everything in her was focused on Seth. On his response. On what this moment would mean for her and for her child.
But he didn’t speak. His reaction was a sharp intake of breath while he continued to stare at her in shock and disbelief. In anger, too, she was sure.
She couldn’t blame him for any of those feelings. “I’m… sorry. But—” Tears sprang from her eyes, dripped down her cheeks, but she didn’t wipe them away. “I had reasons. I… I should explain. So you’ll understand why I made the decision I did.”
This wasn’t about forgiveness. In truth, it would probably be best if Seth never forgave her. She needed to keep as much distance between them as possible, and if he disliked her, doing so would be a heck of a lot easier.
She had no need for a man in her life. Especially a man who made everything inside of her melt when she so much as glanced in his direction. She’d felt the same for Jesse. Who’d then served their country and left her with a hole in her heart that had yet to completely heal.
Seth Foster was far too much of a risk. A military man through and through, he’d already committed himself to his job and, like Jesse, to their country. Getting too close to him spelled danger and possible heartache. For both her and her daughter.
“I will explain,” she said again. “And then we can figure out the rest.”
“I’m not interested in explanations.” Seth swallowed hard enough that his Adam’s apple jerked in his throat. “My only concern is fixing this.”
Shivers of foreboding trailed down Rebecca’s spine. “How do you expect us to do that?”
His eyes, now so dark they were pools of black, locked on to hers. In one fluid motion, he dropped to his knees and pulled a small jewelry box out of his pocket.
Allison half squealed, half gasped from her place next to Rebecca.
Jocelyn whispered, “Oh, my God.”
Rebecca slouched against her mother, needing the support. “Wh-what are you d-doing?” she stammered. “Because it can’t be what I think you’re doing.”
“It seems that you and I are having a baby.” Seth spoke calmly enough, but Rebecca heard the weight of his determination in each and every word. Her apprehension increased. “The appropriate action to this type of dilemma is a wedding.”
“A wedding?” Rebecca blinked. “You’re ordering me to marry you? Is this a joke?”
“I don’t joke about my family.” Seth opened the velvet box. The diamond ring sparkled in the afternoon light. “Go pack your bags, Becca. We’re driving to Vegas.”
This, Rebecca decided, was—at once—the most surreal and ludicrous moment of her life. “Wow. I am in awe of your romantic proposal. But I think I’ll have to decline.”
“Perhaps,” Seth said with the faintest edge of disappointment, “I’d feel more romantic if you’d been honest with me from the start. You chose another path, so this will have to do well enough. I’m sure you can understand.”
“What I understand is that you’ve lost your mind. Get up, Seth.” Goose bumps dotted Rebecca’s arms and she found it difficult to breathe. “Let me be very clear in this. I am not driving to Vegas with you. I am not marrying you. Not now. Not ever.”
“There isn’t any point in arguing, Becca.” Seth stood and pressed the ring box into her hands. The heat of his touch swept through her, electrifying every cell in her body. “One way or another, we are doing this. Tonight.”
Seth’s heart stuttered in surprised relief when Rebecca’s hand squeezed around the ring box. Nothing had gone as planned. His goals had been simple: remain calm, extract the truth and once she admitted he was the father, convince her that the only logical action was to marry him.
That plan disintegrated the second she opened the door. Time seemed to stop as her crystalline blue-green eyes widened in shock, as one hand came to rest on her basketball-shaped stomach and the other smoothed her chin-length, strawberry-blond hair.
She looked different than he remembered. The contours of her oval-shaped face were softer, rounder. There were now freckles scattered along her nose, cheeks and forehead. Purplish smudges covered the fragile area beneath her eyes. He fleetingly wondered if she was getting enough sleep or if there was cause for concern. And the square-necked, summery dress she wore—a long, flowing concoction of brown and cream—highlighted not only the impressive swell of her stomach, but her decidedly fuller breasts.
The lithe, petite woman he’d spent the weekend with close to eight months ago was gone, replaced by a swollen, puffed-up version of that same woman. But somehow, and damn if he could explain it, she was radiant. And beautiful in such a refreshing, real way that it stole Seth’s ability to think, to reason, to behave in an expected manner.
A rush of contradictory emotions took control, overriding all else. How could he be disillusioned and angry by her behavior, yet still want to protect her. Care for her, even?
Unable to comprehend how such opposing factors could exist at the same time, his carefully thought-out plan fell to the wayside. Instead, he’d reacted with the instinctive, primal urge of a caveman, his only objective to claim what was his.
No. Nothing had gone as planned, but somehow, he’d managed to succeed. He glanced at Rebecca’s fingers, which were still wrapped securely around the jewelry box, and the tight, frantic pressure in his chest evaporated. The pumped-up caveman inside went back into hiding.
Seth’s sanity returned.
“This is logical, Rebecca.” He attempted a smile. Unfortunately, his lips refused to budge from the severe, straight line he’d imposed on them earlier. He settled for nodding toward the house. “So if you’ll go get your things, we can be off.”
Those gorgeous green-blue eyes of hers narrowed into slits, giving him the impression of a cat about to pounce. That didn’t bode well. Tilting her head downward, she looked at the ring he’d purchased that morning. A simple solitaire that had seemed the perfect choice.
“If it doesn’t fit, we can have it resized,” he offered. “Or if you’d like to exchange it for another ring, that’s fine with me. Whatever you want.”
She pried the ring out of its box with the tip of her pinkie finger, wrinkled her nose as if the diamond had a rank odor and then tossed the ring into the prickly, thorny rosebushes that framed her front porch. The box quickly followed the same path.
With that, she turned on her heel and escaped into the house, leaving him alone with her sister and mother. Both of whom looked ready to kill first and ask questions later.
Tossing a wary glance toward Allison and Jocelyn, he said, “That… ah… didn’t go nearly as well as I’d hoped.”
“Brilliant deduction, Sherlock,” Jocelyn said, not bothering to hide her sarcasm. “Did you really think she’d run off and marry you because you told her to?”
“Jocelyn, don’t,” Allison said quietly. “Go inside and take care of your sister. Keep the baby shower going, and it would probably be best if we kept this quiet for the moment.”
“My guess is it’s too late for that, but I’ll do what I can.” Jocelyn touched her mother’s shoulder lightly. “What are you doing? Rebecca wouldn’t want you talking to him.”
“I’m going to help this young man find his ring.” Allison patted her daughter’s hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll be along shortly.”
Jocelyn let out a sigh before trailing in Rebecca’s footsteps. Seth peered in after her, hoping to catch sight of Rebecca. No such luck.
He considered following her. Surely, given enough time, he could convince Rebecca to talk with him. Except Allison had said they were in the midst of a baby shower. Baby showers meant female guests. Females who were family members and friends of Rebecca, and therefore, would likely view him as the enemy.
And hell, he’d rather drop down into a pit of poisonous snakes than take his chances with a houseful of protective females.
“I wouldn’t go in there,” Allison said, as if she’d read his thoughts. “Those women have been forced to sit in a crowded room playing far too many baby shower games without a drop of alcohol to dull their senses. They’re high on sugar, low on patience and will view you as the perfect outlet for all of their pent-up energy.”
Yeah, poisonous snakes sounded considerably safer. Friendlier, too.
Giving Allison what he hoped was an irresistible grin, he said, “Perhaps you could bring Rebecca to me?”
His smile apparently missed the mark, because after bestowing him with what could only be described as a pitying glance, Allison stepped outside and closed the door firmly behind her. “How well do you know my daughter, Mr….?”
“Foster,” he filled in, working hard not to snap. “But please, call me Seth. And seeing as your daughter tried to keep me from being a part of my child’s life, not as well as I thought.”
“I have two thoughts on that, one of which I won’t share because it isn’t my place.” Allison moved around him to sit on the top porch step. “The other, however, concerns me.”
“And that would be what?” Could he have screwed this up more? Doubtful. As angry as he was with Rebecca, he was equally so with himself. Losing control was unacceptable.
Allison gestured for him to join her. Once he had, she asked, “Are you a good man?”
A blunt question. Even in his current state, he could appreciate that. “A bad man who desired your approval would assure you that he was good and decent. A good man, having nothing to hide, would do the same. So, no matter how I answer, you’ll remain unsure.”
“True, but that’s the case with anything I might ask.” Allison folded her hands on her lap. “For the moment, I’ll trust your answer. Are you a good man?”
“I don’t think people can be so easily defined.”
“It’s a simple question.”
“Not really, but I’ll play along.” The need to do something coiled tightly in Seth’s muscles. This conversation might prove important, but sitting here when Rebecca was hiding made it impossible to concentrate. “I love my family, respect my elders. I’ve never cheated on a woman and I can’t imagine ever doing so. I don’t kick puppies, kittens or any other small, furry animal. But I’m not a saint. I’m not perfect.”
“I see.” A faint smile appeared on Allison’s lips. “What about your mother?”
“As far as I know, she isn’t in the habit of kicking small, furry animals, either.”
Allison laughed softly. “That’s a relief. I’d hate to think of my grandchild’s other grandmother being cruel to small animals.”
That brought Seth up short. He hadn’t considered what the existence of this child would mean to his family. He hadn’t told his parents anything as of yet, because it seemed pertinent to first ascertain that Rebecca’s baby was also his baby.
His anger, which had begun to fade, ramped up. Rebecca hadn’t only tried to keep his child away from him, but from his entire family. His parents had already lost one grandchild. If Rebecca’s deception had been successful, they would’ve lost this grandchild, as well.
Another layer of pressure came to rest on Seth’s shoulders.
“I meant to ask,” Allison said, her voice pulling him out of his thoughts, “about your relationship with your mother. How would you define that?”
“Normal, I suppose.” A sidelong glance showed Allison arching a brow. With a semi-aggravated sigh, Seth expanded, “My mother is nosy, stubborn and overprotective. Clichéd, perhaps, but she’s also the glue that holds my family together. And I couldn’t love her more.”
“Good answer.” Allison pivoted to face him. A myriad of emotions darted over her before she finally said, “You should know that a mother’s love for her children is unyielding. As a mother, I will do anything to protect my daughters from pain. Anything.”
“Of course you would. My mother would say the same.” Heavy frustration pooled and settled in his already twisting stomach. “As would my father. I have a right to know my child.”
“You probably do,” she conceded.
“Not probably. Without question, I have the same rights that Rebecca does.” This was getting him nowhere. “Look, I need to talk to Rebecca again. Maybe I didn’t handle things so well, but she can’t lock me out because of that.”
Antsy, he started to stand when Allison grasped his arm. “Listen to me, Seth. I will talk to Rebecca, but for now, I think you should go home.”
Like mother like daughter. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Because I know my daughter,” Allison continued as if he hadn’t spoken, “I know she’ll need time to process your arrival and the decisions she’s made. If you push her even another inch right now, she won’t react well.”
“I’m not overly concerned about the time she’ll need to process anything. Sorry, but—”
“Rebecca is far enough along that undue stress could push her into early labor,” Allison said, her voice bloodletting sharp. “Your baby is viable, but small. Why take an unnecessary risk? Give Rebecca some time.”
“How much time?” he ground out.
“Oh, I expect a few days should be more than enough.”
“And if she decides to disappear on me? She has to know I can’t stay in Portland forever.” God. Leaving now, even if Allison’s argument was valid, seemed unthinkable.
“She won’t.”
“She might.”
Allison stood and shoved her hands into the loose pockets of her skirt. “No, Seth. But if it will make you feel more comfortable, my phone number is listed.”
“That helps,” he begrudgingly admitted. A few days. How hard could that be? He needed to regroup, anyway. Figure out what his next steps were. “I’ll leave. But this is only temporary. My child will know me.”
“If I’m right about you, then I agree.” Allison straightened her shoulders and gave him the cat-about-to-pounce look he’d seen from Rebecca. “But if I’m wrong, then I’ll stand beside my daughter and fight you every step of the way.”
“And I’ll fight back.” He started toward his car, thankful he always drove the distance between his apartment in Tacoma, Washington and his parents’ house. Under normal conditions, the drive took less than three hours. Well worth it to have his own transportation at his disposal.
“Seth?” Allison called after him. “What about your ring?”
Pausing, he pivoted. Gave it some thought and grinned. “Let it be. If I know Rebecca at all, she won’t be able to leave a diamond ring in her rosebushes.”
Soft laughter met his ears. “I’d say you know her pretty well.” Allison lifted her hand in a small wave before slipping inside the white Cape Cod–style home that Rebecca lived in.
In his car, Seth closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He was going to be a father. Rather soon, at that. And he only had six weeks to get everything in order. No. Not even that. He was due back at McChord Air Force Base in three weeks and six days.
He’d have to work fast.
Chapter Three
Rebecca broke her concentration from a client’s financial statements to reach into her desk for her bottle of antacids. Heartburn, along with swollen ankles and sleepless nights, seemed to be a constant nowadays—though her recent bout with insomnia likely had as much to do with seeing Seth on Saturday as it did her daughter’s nightly bursts of activity.
After chomping down the chalky-tasting tablets, Rebecca rinsed her mouth with a generous swallow from her water bottle. Unease cooled the back of her neck. Today was Tuesday. Three days had passed since her baby shower, and not one sign of Seth. What was he up to? Who was he talking to? And when would he bulldoze into her life again?
Now that the cat was out of the bag, so to speak, Rebecca preferred to get the forthcoming confrontation out of the way sooner rather than later. A long shudder of emotion rippled through her. As her mother, her best friend and even her sister had pointed out once they’d heard all of Rebecca’s explanations, not telling Seth about the baby had been a serious error in judgment. Well, she’d known she was playing with fire all along, hadn’t she?
Yes.
But what she couldn’t seem to get across, no matter what words she’d used, was that she felt as if she had no other choice. Every time she’d considered writing Seth that letter, choking fear would settle in and suffocate her until she couldn’t breathe. Her heart would race, her skin would grow clammy and her hands would visibly shake.
Ultimately, she couldn’t move beyond her panic to do what was right.
Seth knew the truth now; there was no getting away from that. She had to believe that as long as she didn’t attempt to put up any additional roadblocks, he’d be content to be a distant part of their child’s life. He had a career that demanded a great deal of his attention and time. A career he loved. Based on their correspondence, a career he had no intention of ever giving up.
All of the same reasons that fueled her fear might also work to her advantage. Yes, she’d worried when faced with Seth’s anger that he might try to take her daughter away. In reality, Seth’s life made it doubtful that he’d go for full custody. He didn’t live in Portland. In all likelihood, his visits would be sporadic and, except for longer leaves here and there, short. Her chances of dealing with him more than four or five times per year seemed extraordinarily low.
Rebecca took another sip of her water, feeling calmer than she had in days. Once she and Seth spoke again, she’d be able to set the remainder of her worries aside. She’d apologize and assure him that she wouldn’t stand in his way of being a father. Then, all she’d have to do was let Seth’s commitment to his job take him back to the Air Force and away from her.
A low knock sounded on her door. Knowing that a client would’ve been announced before being sent to her office, she called out, “Come on in.”
