Growing Love (Brookfield)
Read Growing Love (Brookfield) Online
Authors: Lacey Wolfe
GROWING LOVE
Copyright © 2013, Lacey Wolfe
Publisher: Southern Girl Press
Edited by Tara Chevrestt
Proofed by Ella Jade
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Growing Love
The Brookefield Series
Lacey Wolfe
Resigned to raising her baby without the father, Diane has everything figured out—a substitute dad in place, a support system ready, and a new home to move into—at least until the day
he
knocks on her door.
Matt tried to let Diane go, tried to forget that she was carrying his child, but an ultrasound picture brings his walls tumbling down. He can’t stay away any longer. But he hasn’t always been perfect. Diane and he share a past full of deceit and lies and now they have only nine months to undo it all and become responsible adults. It’s not only about them anymore.
With complications in her pregnancy, Diane is forced to move back to Brookfield to be under the care of her family. All she has to do is keep her feelings for Matt in check and she can stick to her original plan—raise the baby with Tom.
But it seems Matt has a few choice words about that…
Other Books in the Series
Bed, Breakfast, and You
Finding Home
Bare Necessities
Not Just Friends
I have a wonderful team who helps me each step of the way. Starting with my family. My husband supports me a hundred percent with the journey I’m on. I’m so thankful for him. As well, my children are wonderful when I beg them for just twenty minutes to get an idea down…though sometimes I have to bribe them with ice cream.
I have a great team as well in the author community who are there to support me and listen to me when I need a set of ears. I have a great editor for this series, Tara Chevrestt. In fact, now she’s feeding me new ideas for the Brookfield Series. If you enjoy this town, don’t worry, there will be more—my editor says so!
To my readers, thank you so much for loving this series. Each comment and email I receive makes this all worth it.
Prologue
Diane tapped on the door to her brother’s house and waited as patiently as she could. Finally, the wooden door swung open and Matt stood there, looking as rough as she’d expected.
“What do you want?”
His tone told her he wasn’t happy to see her.
“Is that any way to greet the woman carrying your child?” She brushed past him
, not caring if he wanted to see her or not.
Matt had
been hiding out at her brother Cody’s house ever since he’d found out she was pregnant. He’d left their home in Alpine, Wyoming, came back to Brookfield, and had attempted to get back together with Diane’s sister Alyssa.
Thankfully, Alyssa
was hopelessly in love with another man. But Diane wanted Matt home where he belonged, with her and their lover Tom.
“I have no way of knowing if that baby is mine.” The door slammed.
She shook her head as irritation rolled through her. “It is yours. Quit being so damn stubborn.”
“I have no way of knowing that. You’ve been screwing both
Tom and me.”
Tom was back door
only—except that one time. She and Matt had a fight over something stupid, as usual and she’d had sex with Tom, telling Matt he was the back entrance. Only he’d not played along and had left angry. She should’ve ended the fun that evening but decided to go ahead and have sex with Tom. Like always, Matt forgave her, until she learned she was pregnant a few weeks later. It was then the question of the fatherhood came in to the equation.
“I came to talk, not fight.”
She reached out for him, hoping to soothe the tension between them.
Matt crossed his arms
and stepped back. She could tell by his stance they weren’t going to get anywhere. Maybe she should scream at him for coming back to Brookfield and trying to hook up with her sister. But it was best to leave that alone. After all, they were having a kid together; it was time to learn to take the higher ground. Obviously she needed to be the adult here.
“Tom isn’t the father. He can’t have kids.”
Matt rolled his eyes. “How convenient.”
“Please, come home.” She didn’t want to beg.
He sighed loudly and rubbed his hands together. “I’m not ready. You know, I have done so much for you. I never wanted another man in our relationship. But you were bored and wanted to spice things up. So I agreed to let Tom in but never intended for him to be there all the time. I thought it would be a one-time thing. Now you’ve practically moved him in.”
It was true. Tom was
practically her best friend. She could give up the sex with him. It had been fun, however she was over it. And Tom was too. At this point, they were really just hanging out for the companionship. “We can go back to just us. That’s fine.”
“Tom has to go
away completely.”
No, no
. She couldn’t be without Tom in her life at all. “I’ve grown—”
“Do you have any idea how bad you’ve hurt me?” His voice rose
as he fisted his hands. “And you stand here like you’ve done nothing wrong. As though your being here makes things all better. You’re sorry you fucked another man. You’re sorry you’re pregnant and I’m just supposed to believe that it’s mine. Who the hell knows who else you’ve been screwing.”
That was it
; she couldn’t bite her tongue anymore. “How dare you, asshole! You’re the father. Why would I lie about that?”
Matt grunted. “Why wouldn’t you?
Women lie about it all the time and you have a way of manipulating things and getting what you want. I’m proof of that and so is Tom.”
She hated that he didn’t just believe her.
“What do you mean?”
“I dated your sister for a year. Throughout that year
, you made eyes at me. And finally, you swooped in and stole me.”
Oh
, the nerve of this man. Was he serious? She wasn’t the only one to blame for that. “You could’ve told me no. If you’d really wanted Alyssa the way you claimed, you’d never have strayed.” She paused. “And don’t forget I know your secret that Alyssa doesn’t.”
The color from his face drained. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I might. She and I are working on our relationship. I could tell her about the countless affairs you had on her that weren’t with me.” Diane placed her hand on her flat belly. “Maybe I don’t want someone like you as the father. You’re the one who can’t be trusted.”
“I never cheated on you. Ever.
What you and I had was different. Or so, I thought.”
She tossed her hair behind her shoulder. “How do I know that? If you did it to her, you might’ve done it to me too.
Maybe I don’t want you in this kid’s life.”
She was playing dirty and she knew it. But somehow she had to defeat him so he’d come home with her. She loved this man so much. Sure
, she had a funny way of showing it, but not every relationship out there was all flowers and candy. Some people simple worked because they knew how to get the other one going—in more than one way.
They craved each other. When they connected, sparks flew. She needed him home. There was no way she could raise this kid alone.
“I’m not ready to come back yet. I need more time,” Matt said, his tone calmer, softer.
“
Please.”
“I can’t. I’m sorry. Unless you can choose to be with just me and let everything else go, then I’m staying put.”
He leaned against the wall behind him.
The thought of walking out of
there without Matt made her body break out in a cold sweat. “Let’s just go home and talk about this.”
“You heard me. Either we walk out this door as a couple
—you and me. Or we don’t at all.”
She sighed. “You’re being ridiculous.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “And you’ve just chosen Tom.”
“I did not,” she argued. She wanted Matt.
“Leave.”
He obviously needed more time. She walked over to the door and turned to him. “I’ll be in Brookfield for a few more days. If you don’t come with me, then don’t bother ever coming back.”
Diane walked out the door, certain Matt would follow. He didn’t.
Chapter One
A few months later
Matt set the glass of coke down on the
dark counter at Swift Water Café. His plate of food sat untouched. The sadness he’d been feeling lately had overtaken him. He was lost.
“Is this seat taken?”
Matt glanced over his shoulder to see a very attractive young woman. She wore her light hair long and straight. He shook his head and she sat down. She kept herself turned toward him, her red fingernails resting on her trim thighs.
“You look like you need some cheering up. I might be able to help with that.”
He grunted. If only she knew. The woman wanted a good time. His gaze traveled over her figure. Big breasts, small waist, and red pouty lips. And if he wasn’t in the predicament he was, he’d be all over her. But his heart belonged to another.
“I don’t think you can,”
he mumbled, looking away.
“Oh, sugar. I can make you forget your problems for a few hours.”
She leaned close and whispered, “No strings.”
Matt chuckled softly.
“Thank you, but no thank you.”
After a moment, s
he hopped down from her chair. “Your loss.”
Somehow he
seriously doubted that. He already knew what he’d lost.
Diane.
The baby.
No one in her family
would tell him anything. Especially her sister Alyssa. In fact, she’d given him the lovely nickname of Jerkface whenever she saw him.
Burying
his face in his hands, he tried to push away the thoughts of the woman he loved with another man. The child that might be his being raised by someone else. He’d made some crappy choices these last few years. Maybe it was time he fixed them.
The chair next to him scraped
against the floor. Hopefully it wasn’t that woman again. Glancing up and lowering his hands, he saw Cody, Diane and Alyssa’s brother.
“You don’t look so good.”
Cody patted him on the shoulder.
Matt rolled
his eyes. So far Cody had been the only one in the Duncan family who still spoke to him.
“I’m doing the best I can. I
made my choice and now I’ve got to deal with it.”
“You two are just being stubborn. She’s carrying your child and you both act like you can’t call each other and talk about it.”
“No one will tell me if she chose Tom.”
Cody shook his head.
“At this point, man, what’s it matter? You aren’t fighting for her.”
He clenched his fists.
“And you guys won’t tell me anything to give me any idea if she’s worth fighting for.”
“And that’s why—what you just said. You claim you love her, but if you did, your ass would be on the next bus to her. You wouldn’t let Tom win.” Cody st
ood and pulled something from his back pocket. He set it on the counter upside down. “See ya around.”
Matt sighed
. Cody was right. He’d been looking for a reason to go to her, mainly because he didn’t want to get hurt. The last thing he wanted was to show up at her place and see her happy with someone else.
Taking a deep breath, he flip
ped over the paper Cody had left. An ultrasound photo. His heart raced in his chest. He couldn’t believe what he was looking at. The Duncans hadn’t been very forthcoming until now.
With shaky hands, h
e took a closer look and saw the boy parts. Diane was having a boy.
Tom’s not the father. He can’t have kids
, played through his head.
She was carrying
his son.
He dug through his pocket then slapped a twenty on the diner counter. He stormed out of the restaurant.
There was no way in hell another man was going to raise his son. It was time to get Diane back.
*
* *
“That was the worst movie ever, Tom. Thanks for torturing me.” Diane laughed
as she hit him with a pillow.
“It had rave reviews.”
Tom raised his hands to avoid being hit.
“Someone needs to hunt down those reviewers and see what the hell they were thinking.” She
pulled her hair back into a ponytail, using a rubber band from around her wrist to hold it.
He shrugged.
“They can’t all be winners.”
Diane rubbed her growing belly as the bundle of joy kicked from the inside.
She was now seven months pregnant and ready for her due date. “Baby Bean didn’t like it either. He’s kicking me more than usual.”
Tom smiled as he reached out to place his hand on her stomach. “I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Me either. A little less than two months. Which means I’m going to get bigger. Not to mention, I don’t know what to name him still.” No name felt right. She hadn’t even narrowed it down to a few choices.
“Ah, but at the end
, you get a precious baby.”
H
e was right. It would all be worth it. Each and every stretch mark, the sleepless nights, and not to mention the bladder that was always full. “I couldn’t do this without you.”
Tom
clasped her hand in his. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Except home. I’ve got to take
a nap.”
He stood and picked up the dirty dishes. “Sink or dishwa
sher?”
“Sink.” She sighed. “You could be a doll and do the dishes for me.”
“If I do recall, you just told me to go home.” He left the room and after a clank of the dishes meeting each other in the sink, he returned and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Take care, sweetie.”
Diane
pulled the blanket off the back of the couch. “Call me soon.”
“You’ll be my last call before bed
, like always.”
She grinned
as he turned and left. Rolling onto her side, she tried to get comfortable, but the baby was more active than usual. She closed her eyes, hoping as her breathing slowed and she relaxed, so would the baby. But instead, he got more active and began kicking her bladder.
Groaning, she sat up. Time to pee—again. She waddled across the house to the bathroom. After taking care of business, she went back out to the living room. Sleep obviously wasn’t happening. After sitting back down, she picked up the remote and began to flip through the channels, stopping on HGTV. She loved the house shows.
Her cell phone rang from the coffee table. Holding her stomach as she leaned forward to pick it up, she saw it was her sister Alyssa.
“Hey,” she answered when she had the phone to her ear.
“I was calling to check on you and see how you were feeling.”
Alyssa had been calling a lot since Diane found out about the baby. Their
rocky relationship was finally on the mend. Which was good. With Matt in both of their pasts now, they could finally have the relationship they’d each longed for with one another.
“I’m okay. Just tired.”
She let her eyelids drift shut as she talked.
“Connor and I were thinking about visiting this weekend.”
She suppressed the moan she wanted to have. The idea of entertaining anyone right now was almost a nightmare. “I don’t know. I’m not up to company.”
“Then come here. Connor’s living with me now above the bookstore and his place is just outside of town. You could stay there.”
Diane didn’t know if she was ready to go to Brookfield. If she went back, she might not ever leave. She loved that small town and it was the perfect place to raise her son. However, there was one individual there that she was not ready to encounter.
“I don’t know.”
Alyssa cleared her throat. “Cody saw Matt today.”
And that was why she couldn’t go back.
“I don’t—”
“He’s getting worse. The man is lost and depressed without you. When are you two going to work it ou
t? You’re carrying his child.”
“Matt’s not father material.”
Alyssa groaned. “Look, I don’t care for the guy. That will never be a secret, but if I’m willing to put my feelings aside for you two to be together, why can’t you?”
Why couldn’t Matt just stay in the past? Anytime he was mentioned, they never saw eye-to-eye.
“He’s not who I’m meant to be with. I built that relationship with him to hurt you. How is it going to work, me bringing him to Christmas dinner at your place? Huh?”
“It’ll be fine. I’m over it. Falling in love with someone does that.”
Diane hiccupped. Damn, it might be hours before she got rid of these things. “I’ve got to go, okay? I’m tired, hungry, and crap, I’ve got to pee again.”
“You need help. I’m coming out there.”
“I’m fine. I’ve got Tom.” She pulled herself up again. “I’ll call you soon.”
“All right.” She could hear the frustration in her sister
’s tone.
“Bye.” She ended the call and hight
ailed it back to the bathroom, hiccupping the whole way.
With the way this baby loved to play on her bladder, it might be time to invest in
adult diapers. After washing her hands, she dried them. Finally she was beginning to feel drowsy and the baby was settled. Maybe she’d head to her bed for a nap.
As she climbed on her bed, she heard what sounded like a knock on her front door.
You’re kidding me!
With a groan, she hefted herself off the bed and made her way toward the door. At this point it looked like the nap wasn’t going to happen. Once she got rid of whoever this unwelcome guest was, she’d find something to eat.
Swinging the door open, she covered her mouth.
“We need to talk.” Matt stood there with his arms crossed, appearing to be as angry as the last time she’d seem him, yet sexy as hell.