The Soldier's Baby Bargain (9 page)

“It is easy for me to say, because I know Mari, and I know you. What specifically are you worried about?”

Faith bit at her lower lip, hesitant to reveal her insecurities. Ryan tightened his hold on her hand, as if in reassurance.

“I know it’s ridiculous,” she murmured, watching as they passed the city limit sign for Harbor Town. “I’m thirty years old, not a teenager, but I can’t help but feel like she might think I’m...some kind of a...”

“What?” Ryan prodded when she faded off.

“Loose woman,” Faith burst out. It sounded so ridiculous when she said it, she couldn’t help but give Ryan a sheepish grin. He wore an incredulous expression that segued to amusement.

“
Loose woman?
This isn’t the 1950s, Faith. Lots of women have babies who aren’t married, or even in a serious relationship.”

“I know. Maybe loose isn’t the word. Maybe stupid is. Women in this day and age aren’t supposed to get pregnant after a...a...” She struggled to finish her sentence, becoming increasingly uncomfortable when she couldn’t. When Ryan released her hand, she looked at him in alarm. Had she offended him? She hadn’t meant to minimize Christmas Eve, she just didn’t know how to describe what had happened between them.

Still.

“Mari isn’t going to judge you,” he said as he stared out the front window and drove. “She’s not a judgmental person, in the first place, and in the second place, there’s nothing to judge. She’s as aware as anyone that you can’t always plan life. You just live it as best you can.”

Faith inhaled slowly, studying his profile. He turned into a residential neighborhood featuring a tree-lined street and attractive older large homes. Of course he was right. How could she possibly feel the tiniest shame about the miracle of life growing inside her?

Ryan brought the car to a crawl.

“See that house there?” he asked, pointing to a lovely sprawling residence complete with a sweeping porch and swing that had been built in the Arts and Crafts style and lovingly restored. “That was our summer house.”

“It’s beautiful,” Faith breathed. “Isn’t there a beach down at the end of the street?” she asked, pointing to a wooded cul-de-sac. “What a wonderful neighborhood for kids this must have been.”

“Yeah, the beach is on the other side of those trees. We lived on that beach during the summer. A bunch of the parents on the street conspired to serve dinner at the same time every night so that only one of them had to go down to round us all up for supper,” Ryan said, smiling in memory.

“It’s for sale,” Faith said, pointing at the sign in the yard.

Ryan did a double take and frowned. “Mari and I just sold it to a couple a little over a year ago. They must have had a change of heart.”

A moment later Ryan turned into the driveway of an appealing white-shingled Colonial Revival-style home. He put the car in Park, but instead of getting out, he turned toward her, his intent manner taking her off guard.

“If it bothers you that much, the idea of being single and having the baby—”

He paused, leaving Faith puzzled as to what he was about to say, his gaze fixed out the front windshield. Faith saw a beautiful woman with long dark hair coming down the front steps of the house toward them. She wore an attractive green dress that tied beneath her breasts and above the small roundness of her belly. Her leather lace-up sandals and matching shoulder bag gave her a hip, sophisticated appearance. As she approached the car, Ryan’s sister smiled at Faith through the window. Faith stepped out of the car to greet her.

Within a minute of meeting Mari Kavanaugh, Faith fully recognized how baseless her fears were. Mari was one of the warmest, kindest people she’d ever met. The fact that she seemed as eager to know Faith as Faith was to know her helped matters greatly.

The three of them ate outdoors on the patio at a local restaurant, Jake’s Place. The weather was ideal, the company excellent and the food good. Mari and Faith compared notes on their pregnancy while Ryan listened. Despite his impassive expression, Faith thought he paid close attention to what they said. It was obvious to Faith that Ryan deeply cared about his little sister. He leaned forward and took part in the conversation more animatedly when the topic turned to Mari’s daughter, Riley. It warmed her heart to hear him speak with such fond pride of his niece.

“That’s the last one I have on my cell phone,” Ryan said as he showed Faith the final photo, this one of a grinning little girl sitting amongst a huge pile of torn Christmas wrapping, a red wrapping bow in her curly, dark hair.

“She liked the wrapping paper more than she did her presents,” Mari told Faith with a twinkle in her eyes.

“She’s absolutely adorable,” Faith said sincerely, handing the phone back to Ryan. “Do you and your husband know if Riley is going to have a brother or sister?”

“A sister,” Mari said, giving Ryan a knowing glance. “Another niece for Uncle Ryan to spoil. Speaking of which, what about
you?
Am I going to have a niece or nephew? My first time being an aunt!” Mari said with barely contained excitement.

Faith laughed. Mari’s enthusiasm was contagious. The two women began talking excitedly, pausing to nod an acknowledgment when Ryan saw an old friend walk onto the patio and excused himself to go and greet him. Mari watched her brother walk away and glanced at Faith with a smile.

“He probably needs a break from all the estrogen we’re exuding.”

Faith chuckled, but shook her head a little sadly. She caught Mari’s eye.

“He’s got to be plowed under by all this, Mari. It was the last thing he expected.”

Mari’s grin faded. She reached across the table and patted Faith’s hand. “The same must be true for you,” she said feelingly.

“I’m okay,” she assured. “You know how it is, being a mother. Sure, it took me by storm when I realized I was going to have a baby. But I’ve had months to come to terms with it, and the baby is here—” she touched her belly significantly “—growing inside me. It’s different for Ryan.”

“He’ll get his footing. Ryan is nothing if not adaptable. He may be stunned, but he’s also happy, Faith. Incredibly so,” Mari added more quietly.

“Do you really think so?”

Mari nodded. “I could hear the wonder in his voice when he told me he was going to have a child. Family is very important to Ryan.”

“I can imagine.” Faith’s expression tightened with compassion and she turned her hand, giving Mari’s hand a squeeze. “You guys lost your family when you were so young. It’s no wonder he values family ties the way he does. Did he...did Ryan tell you about his plans to move to Michigan?” Faith asked hesitantly.

Mari’s golden brown eyes filled with concern. “I’m guessing you’re not very pleased about that?”

“It’s not that,” Faith exclaimed. “His decision just took me by surprise, that’s all.” She sighed and leaned back in her chair. “To be honest, this whole thing with your brother has taken me off guard.”

“I can only imagine. At least one little mystery has been cleared up for me,” Mari said, a small smile tugging at her mouth.

“What’s that?”

“Why Ryan was so fixed and determined to return to Michigan last Christmas Eve. I thought for sure he’d be less than thrilled at the idea of spending the holiday at Brigit’s house, so I was shocked when he readily—even eagerly—agreed to come with us to Harbor Town. He obviously was looking forward to seeing you.”

Faith’s eyes widened in amazement at this news. Perhaps Mari noticed her unsettlement because she gave her a big smile.

“Like I said, time is what’s needed. You two will figure things out. For my part, I’m thrilled to have met you.”

“I’m so glad to have met you, as well,” she returned sincerely. “I was really worried about it, earlier.”

“Why?” Mari asked.

“I thought you might...you know...judge me for being pregnant when I’m not even dating your brother,” she mumbled.

“Don’t be silly. I’m the last person on earth to judge something like that. I hadn’t seen Riley’s father—Marc—for a decade when I accidentally got pregnant. We can’t always plan life. We just have to—”

“Live it,” Faith finished for her, repeating what Ryan had said in the car earlier.

Mari squeezed her hand before she let it go. “Babies are amazing things all on their own, but what’s truly wonderful is the way they can pull people together,” Mari said meaningfully before she glanced toward the far side of the patio. Faith followed the path of her gaze and saw Ryan walking toward them, his stare directly on her. Her heart began to pound erratically.

“That definitely sounds like the case with you and your husband,” Faith said hesitantly. “It’s different for Ryan and I. Our situation is...unusual.”

“Babies also have a way of making the unusual more commonplace,” Mari assured.

Faith smiled shakily. The baby was already bringing Ryan and her closer. It excited her to be near him, to feel his admiring glances and warm touches...to feel like an attractive, desirable woman again.

But what if they got
too
close?

Eventually, he’d fly away from her. He’d live a life separate from her as he traveled with his charter airline. He’d sleep in strange beds...possibly with strange women? The life of a pilot’s wife was uncertain, lonely...unsecure. That was an experience she could not allow herself to repeat.

So why, Faith wondered anxiously as she watched Ryan come toward them, his gaze unwavering on her, did Ryan strike her as a veritable mountain of stability? Solid. Enduring.

When they dropped Mari off at Brigit Kavanaugh’s later, Faith saw two women swaying on the front porch swing and recognized one of them.

“Would you mind very much if I went and said hello to Brigit?” Faith asked Ryan.

“No, of course not.”

Before she got out of the car, she turned toward the backseat. “Did you by chance tell Brigit? About the baby?” she asked Mari.

Mari shook her head.

“Thank you. I’d rather not get into it right now, if that’s all right with you?” she asked Ryan.

“Fine with me,” Ryan stated. Something in his tone told Faith that he couldn’t have agreed more with her decision. She recalled what Mari had said about how she’d expected Ryan to resist going to Brigit’s house last Christmas Eve. It couldn’t be easy for him, spending time in the house that was once owned by the man who had killed his parents in a case of involuntary manslaughter. How did he feel about his sister marrying Marc Kavanaugh, Derry Kavanaugh’s oldest son?

Faith put her concerns on hold when Brigit came to the top of the steps to greet her a moment later, a smile on her face and her arms outstretched. The pretty older woman gave her a warm hug.

“Imagine my surprise when Mari told me this morning she was having lunch with Faith Holmes!” Brigit exclaimed.

“I thought the same thing when Ryan mentioned you,” Faith replied happily. She was glad to see Brigit looking so well. She was always attractive and well put together, but Faith had never seen her in such good spirits. She turned and saw the stunning young woman who had come to stand beside her mother, and wondered if Brigit’s glow wasn’t related to her. Brigit had mentioned once that Deidre and she had been estranged since the accident, but here they were, side by side, both of them smiling. The two women were an older and younger version of one another.

“You must be Deidre,” Faith said, holding out her hand to Brigit’s daughter. “Your mother has told me so much about you. I’m Faith.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Deidre said, glancing from Faith to Ryan with friendly curiosity.

They stayed and chatted for half an hour. When they finally stood to leave, Faith promised to keep in touch with Mari and they exchanged phone numbers.

“Let Nick know I’ll be calling him next week. I have some important news to discus with him,” Ryan told Deidre as they were leaving. Nick Malone was the CEO of DuBois Enterprises and Deidre’s husband. The Malones had contracted Eagle Air for piloting services for their multibillion-dollar company, but Faith got the impression the couple and Ryan respected and liked each other.

Deidre’s gaze flickered over Faith when Ryan took her hand as they stood on the stairs. “When do I get to hear this news?” she asked with a teasing grin.

“You know as well as I do that as soon as I tell Nick, you’ll know, as well,” Ryan grumbled dryly. “But I’ll call you next week, as well.”

“Good. You know I don’t like to feel left out,” Deidre joked, waving as they walked toward the car.

“That was nice,” Faith murmured later as they drove back to Holland. “You were right about Mari. She’s wonderful. It was nice to see Brigit, as well.”

“Yeah. It was. Nice, I mean,” Ryan said. She glanced at him in surprise, his tone had been so steadfast.

“I had the impression Brigit wasn’t one of your favorite people.”

“She didn’t used to be,” Ryan admitted, his gaze on the road. “The lawsuits that followed the accident years ago sort of put the Kavanaughs and us on opposite sides of the ring. It wasn’t pretty.”

“I can only imagine,” Faith said, compassion filling her when she considered what people on all sides must have suffered following such a horrific accident. Ryan glanced at her quickly, a small smile on his face.

“But I have to admit...seeing how fond Brigit was of you, I have a new respect for her. She was doing what I wanted to do all along—making sure you were okay and safe and sound. I appreciate her in a whole new way for being here and looking out for you.”

She opened her mouth to remind him she was very capable of looking out for herself, but halted. He’d sounded so warm and thoughtful just now, it was difficult to find fault in what he’d said. Was it really such a terrible thing that he worried about her, even though it was unwarranted? Didn’t that mean he cared...even a little?

“Would you like to come in?” she asked him when he pulled into her driveway, damning her breathlessness.

“I would, if you don’t mind,” he said. “I brought my tape measure. I was hoping to get some measurements for the bookcases so that I can start coming up with a sketch for you. We can bounce ideas off that.”

“That’d be terrific,” she said, watching as he reached in the backseat for a tape measure, ruler and a tablet of paper.