Having Adam's Baby (Harlequin Special Edition) (4 page)

Waking in his arms, the emotional onslaught of shame over what they’d done and the unrelenting truth of how much she wanted him again. Grabbing her clothes. Racing to the bathroom to get dressed. Adam stepping out of his bedroom in his camouflage battle dress uniform.

The regret she could read on his face.

She’d tried to put the memories out of her mind as she worked, reminding herself she was getting paid for this job. More than that, she was doing a favor for Alastair and Elise Murphy. Adam’s parents had been so nice to her over the last six months. There’d been no way she could’ve said no.

“Well, I guess your mom’s idea worked for both of us.” Fay crossed the kitchen and pulled out a broom and dustpan from the pantry. “You’ve got a sparkling home, and I got some much-needed cash.”

“My mom is paying you?”

Fay didn’t look at him as she bent to sweep up the remains of the pot. “What’s wrong with that?”

“What about your shop? Are you still open for business?”

Six days a week. The pregnancy was making her more tired than she’d ever been in her life, but taking it easy wasn’t something she could afford at the moment. “My shop is just fine, but a little extra money never hurts.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you strapped for cash?”

“No.” Surprised at how easy the second lie she’d told today fell from her lips, she dumped the broken pieces into the trash. “This was just a side job, and now that you’re home, there’s no need for me to come back.”

“Fay—”

“I need to go.” Her control over her wayward emotions faded fast. She had to get out of here before she burst into tears. Or worse. Walking past him, she gave him a wide berth, pausing to grab her purse and keys from the table. “I have to get back to the shop.”

“No one knows I’m home yet.”

She paused, her hand on the handle, not turning around.

“I arrived yesterday, ahead of everyone else,” Adam continued, his voice carrying across the room, “but just so you know, the return date for the entire unit has been moved up. You should be getting notified.”

Tears burned at the back of her eyes. Why would she be called about the new date? It wasn’t like she had anyone coming home.

“I’m trying to lay low,” Adam went on, “get used to being home before I see…anyone.”

“Don’t worry.” A sob caused her breath to hitch as she yanked open the door. “Your secret is safe with me.”

* * *

Adam waited until late Saturday afternoon before heading to the Murphy family compound. There was no sign of his parents’ RV camper even though they’d emailed everyone this morning to say they’d be home by dinnertime.

He pulled his pickup truck into the parking area at the rear of the sprawling two-story log home that also served as the corporate office for Murphy Mountain Log Homes, and cut the engine.

He sat for a moment and took in the buildings and grounds. A feeling of peace filled him.

The first person he saw was his niece, Abby.

Nolan’s oldest child, she sat in the gazebo that was a thirtieth-anniversary gift from him and his brothers to their parents a decade ago. Head bent, her long blond hair hid her face as she concentrated on whatever she held in her hands.

He got out of his truck and headed up the path toward her. The sun was warm through the cotton material of his short-sleeved shirt. Boy, it felt good to be in civilian clothes again, to be wearing cowboy boots instead of combat boots.

Abby evidently didn’t hear him approach. As soon as he saw her fingers flying over the smooth keyboard of her cell phone he knew why. So he leaned against the open door frame. “Hey, is this the Murphy place?”

Her head shot up. “Yeah?”

He tugged down his mirrored sunglasses and peeked at her over the rim. A wide smile came over her face.

“Uncle Adam!”

Jumping into his arms, she gave him a big hug. Abby and her brothers were visiting their mother in Boston when he was last home in April, so it’d been eleven months since he’d seen them. What a difference a year made.

“Boy, have you gotten tall.” He returned her hug, set her down and righted his sunglasses. “And even prettier, if that’s possible. Where are the twins?”

Abby grinned at his compliment and rolled her eyes. “You mean Tweedledum and Tweedledumber? Probably inside playing video games on Uncle Dev’s computer.”

Adam laughed. “Is that any way to talk about your brothers?”

“I’ve heard you all calling each other worse names than that,” she shot back. “Most of which I’m not allowed to repeat.”

“Hey, those weren’t meant for young ears.”

She tucked her phone into her pocket. “My ears turned sixteen last winter.”

“Something I’m sure your father is thrilled about.” Adam laid an arm across her shoulders. “Where is everyone?”

She gestured toward the main house. “Having their usual Saturday afternoon wrap-up before a family barbeque. Nana and Pop are coming home today. Aren’t you supposed to be overseas?”

“Yep, so let’s surprise them.” Adam headed up the walkway, his niece tucked in close next to him. “Glad school is out?”

He listened as Abby chattered about her summer plans, his gaze moving around the family’s property that bordered a lake with an official Indian name too difficult to pronounce so everyone just called it “the lake.” There were two smaller log homes that sat nestled in the surrounding trees and the skeletal framing of a third that stood closer to the water near the boathouse.

Nolan had moved into the larger home with his three kids after they’d moved back to Destiny a couple of years ago. According to an email from his mother, the newlyweds, Bryant and Laurie, occupied the one-bedroom cabin where he’d lived for a few years. What he couldn’t see was the log chapel situated deeper in the woods his family had built and where Bryant and Laurie were married last fall.

They entered the main house through his mother’s kitchen, right off the oversize deck. The large and sunny room, like the rest of the place, had grown and changed over the years as the family and the business had. Back here, and the two wings on either side, was where his three single brothers still lived along with his folks.

The front of the house was comprised of offices, conference rooms, a wide staircase that led to the second-story guest quarters and a reception area that doubled as a gathering spot for clients, staff and, on the weekends, family.

A hard kick of anticipation landed in Adam’s stomach. This past year had been tough, especially with his unit losing two of its own during this last tour. Escorting the body of his best friend home the previous summer had been the hardest duty Adam had ever done during his twenty years of service.

Despite all that, he was damn glad to be back in Destiny.

“Dad said you wouldn’t be back for another week.” Abby looked up at him and grinned. “Wait here. I’ll let him know someone wants to see him. They’re all gonna be stupefied when you walk into the room.”

His niece’s unique description was a step above the reaction he’d gotten yesterday from Fay.

Waiting out of sight on the other side of the large log archway, his mind went back to everything he and Fay had said—and didn’t say—to each other.

Much like he’d done ever since she’d walked out his door.

He wanted to call her, to see if she was feeling all right. She’d looked so tired. But every time he grabbed his cell phone, something kept him from dialing her number.

His plan to steer clear was going to be impossible to keep. He’d known that the moment he’d first seen her, touched her.

Except he was sure Fay didn’t feel the same way.

“Hey, Dad, you got a visitor outside.” Abby’s voice carried across the room. “Can I show him in?”

“Now?” His brother’s reply was laced with irritation.

Adam grinned. Nolan was the next in line after him, younger with less than two years separating them, so his annoyance was nothing new.

“The last thing I want right now is to put on a happy face for a client.”

“How about for a brother?” Adam stepped out and headed for the U-shaped seating area in front of the large stone fireplace. “Can
I
put a grin on that ugly mug of yours?”

Chaos broke out as everyone jumped to their feet and rushed him. Nolan reached him first, his smile broad and sincere. Adam found himself returning hugs with each of his brothers and high-fiving his thirteen-year-old nephews who came to see what all the noise was about.

He ignored Dev’s whispered comment about owing him for keeping his mouth shut, congratulated his kid brother Ric on earning his college degree and ended with giving his new sister-in-law a big kiss since he’d missed seeing her in April, as she’d been traveling on company business.

“Well done, you two.” He shot Bryant a wink. “Glad that brother of mine finally made an honest woman of you.”

“When I told him he either had to marry me or find himself a new senior management accountant, he finally came around.” Laurie grinned. “We’re sorry you couldn’t be there for the ceremony.”

“No worries.” He’d had a trip home planned last October for the wedding, but his plans had been changed at the last minute, courtesy of the U.S. military. “Glad you went ahead without me. We Murphy boys aren’t just good-looking. We’re smart, too.”

“Smart enough to stay single,” Liam called out, returning from the kitchen with handfuls of cold beers. “At least some of us are. Here, bro. You must be wanting one of these.”

Before he could take a sip from the bottle, Adam spotted his parents as they entered the main room through the archway he’d used moments ago. It gave him a thrill to see both of them looking tanned, fit and happy.

“Well, this is a fine welcoming committee.” The clear, sweet voice of Elise Murphy rose over their chatter as she walked into the room. “I expected to find everyone out enjoying this beautiful day and someone manning the grill already…”

Adam stepped out from behind his brothers, who all stood at close to six feet, to face his parents, smiling when his mother stopped short, her words fading when she spotted him. “Sorry, Mom. I guess we got a little carried away talking.”

“Adam!” Elise Murphy raced to him and he pulled her into his arms, easily lifting the petite woman off her feet. “Oh, you’re home!”

Chapter Three

T
he noise level in the room rose again as the entire Murphy clan joined in welcoming their parents home, but Adam became lost in his mother’s reverent whispered prayers of thanks and the warm dampness of her tears against his neck.

“I can’t believe you’re finally here,” she said, cradling his face in her hands when Adam set her feet back on the floor. “And early, too!”

“Home for good, Mom.” Adam pressed a kiss to her forehead as she released him.

Switching his beer from one had to the other, he kept one arm around her shoulders while returning his father’s strong handshake. But he was momentarily confused by the look in the older man’s eyes.

It reminded him of when he was a kid. Like all parents, his dad had an uncanny ability of finding out when one of his children had done something wrong before the offender got the chance to confess.

In the past forty-eight hours? Without leaving his house?

Adam didn’t think so.

“It’s good to have you home, son.” Alistair Murphy pulled him into a quick hug, complete with the familiar hearty slap to the back. “Real good.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

Adam took a long pull on his beer as everyone sat except the teenagers, who disappeared again with a warning to come back when the dinner preparations started. He then explained how he was able to return to the States ahead of his unit, admitting he spent the last two days holed up alone at his place.

Not exactly the truth, but there was no reason to go into Fay’s visit.

The gleam in Dev’s eye told him his brother was about to mention the mystery of his clean house. Adam quickly turned the conversation to Liam and Bryant, who gave details on the day-to-day running of the business. Then Dev weighed in on the company’s home security program and Nolan spoke about their latest design projects with customers from Hollywood’s A-list to Washington, D.C.’s power players.

Impressed, Adam felt even surer of his plans to concentrate on his ranch, knowing his younger brothers were handling things just fine without him. Although retired, their father was still involved in the company, as evidenced by the way he jumped into the conversation here and there. He even solicited Adam’s opinion a few times, but Adam didn’t take the bait, seeing no reason for his father to expect him to come back to the fold.

“Okay, enough business talk. Let’s get this barbeque going. I’m ready for a steak, blood-rare,” Alistair Murphy commanded, and soon everyone fell in, heading to the kitchen or the back deck to do their assigned chore.

Except Adam, who found himself alone with his parents, who asked him what his plans were now. Not ready to discuss his ideas yet, he told them the next few weeks were for nothing but getting reaccustomed to civilian life.

“I haven’t had a vacation in years,” he said with a smile. “I think I’ve earned some time off.”

“Of course you have, dear.” His mother patted his arm. “This is why I’m so glad Fay agreed to get your place spiffed up for you. Did she get everything done in time?”

Fay had done much more than just clean up the mess he’d left behind, something he’d only noticed after she’d walked out yesterday. “Yeah, the house looks great. I was really surprised.”

“Good, that was the idea.” Elise rose from the sofa. “Now, we better get dinner on the table or it’ll be dark before I can start emptying that camper.”

“Can I ask you something first?” Pushing to his feet, Adam addressed both his parents. “Scott’s been gone almost a year now. How is Fay doing? How are his folks?”

His father stood and his parents glanced at each other before looking back at him. Why did he have a feeling he wasn’t going to like what they had to say?

“We told you about Scott’s father suffering a stroke just after New Year’s,” his father said.

“Yeah, I visited Walter and Mavis at the nursing home back in April.” Adam crossed his arms over his chest. “The staff said his condition requires round-the-clock care.”

Elise nodded. “Mavis sold their home in town and moved to a small apartment in Cheyenne near the facility. She goes every day to see him. She sits for hours and reads or talks to him. Losing their only child…I can’t even begin to imagine their heartbreak.”

“With Scott’s death and Walter unable to be involved with Coggen Motors any longer, Walter’s partner took over the entire business. All six dealerships,” his father added.

“You mean he bought out the Coggens’ and Fay’s shares?” Adam asked.

Again with the shared looks between his parents.

“Honey, you know what a thriving gossip chain Destiny has.” His mother finally spoke. “There have been rumors that Fay’s been dealing with—”

“Well, look who’s here!” Alastair Murphy’s booming voice cut off whatever his wife was about to say. “Welcome, Fay.”

Adam turned.

Fay stood in the entry area near the receptionist desk, balancing two flower arrangements in her arms and a surprised expression on her face. She looked very different from yesterday. Today she wore a dress, sweater and heels, all in matching shades of pink, with her curly hair lying in soft waves to her shoulders.

“Ah, hello.” Her gaze darted between Adam and his parents until she focused on him again. “The front doors were unlocked, so I came in thinking Bryant or Liam might still be… Well, I didn’t expect any of you to be here.”

Adam started toward her, registering the same exhaustion on her face, but his mother hurried past him and reached Fay first.

“My, aren’t these pretty? They’re the silk arrangements we talked about for the upstairs rooms, right?” She took one of the flower-filled vases out of Fay’s arms, cradled it in her own and gave Fay a quick hug. “Oh, Al and I got back from our adventures just a little while ago. Everyone is out back fixing dinner for us. And for Adam! As you can see, Adam’s home!”

Fay gave his mother a gentle smile. The simple act transformed her features, as if someone had finally turned a light on inside of her. The unexpected change caused Adam to stop midstride.

It was the first time in years he’d seen a real smile from her. Not since Scott had shocked her—and Adam—by following in his footsteps to join the Air Force six years ago.

His friend had come to him to talk about his plans, after another night of drinking at the Blue Creek, but Adam had been too caught up in his own hell at the time with Julia to do anything but get his buddy home in one piece. By the time he’d finally surfaced from the mess of his divorce, Scott had completed boot camp and had been assigned to his reserve unit.

After that, his friendship with Fay cooled. When Scott had received orders for a tour overseas it had disappeared entirely.

“Yes, I do see that,” Fay replied to his mother, then she turned to look at him. “Welcome home, Adam.”

Her smile looked forced now. But Adam decided he would take what he could get even when she turned her attention to his father.

“Al, it’s nice to have you and Elise back in Destiny, too.”

“It’s good to be home,” his father said. “You’ll stay for dinner?”

Fay shook her head. “No, thank you. I just wanted to drop these off before I headed back to my shop. I’d planned to come by this morning on my way to Ch-Cheyenne, but I was running late.”

Did she go down to Cheyenne to visit with her former in-laws? Is that why she looked like she’d been put through a wringer?

“You sure you can’t stay?” Adam asked, wanting the chance to spend more time with her. “We’d love to have you with us.”

She looked at him for a long moment, an unreadable emotion in her eyes. “No, I can’t stay.”

Her words had an edge to them Adam couldn’t understand. She seemed almost angry. Because of their reunion yesterday? That hadn’t gone the way he wanted, but Fay had charged out of his place so fast, he’d barely had time to gather his thoughts.

“Oh, I think these beautiful blooms are going to match with the quilt in the suite upstairs perfectly!” Elise chimed in, breaking the silence. “I’m going to head up and see for myself. Be back in a jiffy!”

Adam grinned, watching his mother dash away. Some people walked, but Elise had always moved at a speed that spoke of a mother who raised six boys. “She’s been keeping you busy, hasn’t she?”

“Fay’s actually helping out with the model homes,” Al said. “We contracted her about six months ago to provide arrangements for the homes, guest quarters and the office. She now oversees the exterior landscaping as well.”

This was news to Adam. Even though he wasn’t involved in the day-to-day running of the business, he was surprised no one in the family mentioned it in their letters. “I guess that means you’re the one responsible for my new front yard as well?”

“I just added a few bushes and flowers to enhance the trees and lawn.” Fay looked down, her attention on the silk flowers in her arms. “Otherwise, it was just cleaning and straightening up.”

“And new curtains, dishes and bedding.” Adam rattled off the list of changes that had finally registered when he took the time to really see all the work Fay had done. “Sort of a mini
Extreme Makeover
.”

Her gaze shot back to his, uncertainty in her hazel eyes. “I kept asking your mother in our emails if she included you in any of the decorating changes. I’m sorry if there’s something you don’t like.”

“I like it, Fay, all of it. You went above and beyond by getting my father to part with his treasured oil painting.”

Adam had been stunned to find the original artwork depicting wild horses racing across an open field, the work of his great-grandfather, the first Alistair Murphy, hanging over his desk in the third bedroom.

“I’ve been after him for years to part with that painting. Believe me, I like everything you did to my home.”

The doubt in her eyes gave way to a sparkle of delight. A rush of male pride filled his chest that his words were the reason why.

“Nolan and Liam came over and hung it themselves.” Fay smiled as she nodded in his father’s direction. “They said your dad insisted it belonged in the home of a rancher.”

Adam’s chest swelled at that bit of news, knowing the gesture represented more than just the handing down of a family heirloom.

Alistair Murphy cleared his throat. “Yes, well, I’m sure your brothers are fighting over control of the spatula by now. Time for me to play referee.” He gave his son a genial pat on the shoulder before he walked away. “Son, do your best to change the lady’s mind, okay?”

Adam waited until his dad left before deciding to take his advice. Suddenly he wanted nothing more than to share his homecoming celebration with her as well as his family. “So, what can I do to get you to stay?”

“N-nothing. I need—” Her smile faded and she brushed past him, heading for the stairs. “I’m going to take this other arrangement up to your mother and then go home.”

“Fay.” He followed, catching her as she started up the steps. “Please, wait. I want to talk to you.”

She paused on the third riser. “It’s been a long day, I missed lunch and talking is the last thing—”

“Okay, don’t talk, just listen.”

Shaking her head, she put one foot on the next step.

“I’m sorry.” He followed, suddenly determined to say what he should’ve said before she walked out of his house. “About yesterday. I never should’ve pushed you about your business or money or…or about what happened between us.”

She whirled around, gripping the handrail with one hand. “Shh! Someone might hear—” Her voice broke and she closed her eyes. “Someone might…”

The sudden paleness of her features and the slight sway of her body sent off alarms inside him. Adam skipped two steps to get to her. “Fay, what is it? What’s wrong?”

Her eyes fluttered a few times as she struggled to open them before she went boneless in his arms.

“Oh, my!” Elise called out. “Fay!”

His mother’s voice carried over the inner balcony that circled the second floor and looked down on the great room, but Adam’s focus remained on the unconscious woman in his arms. He grabbed the vase of flowers now wedged between their bodies and set it aside.

“Fay?” Cradling her shoulders with one arm, he gently tapped her soft cheek with his fingers. Her normally fair skin was a deeper shade of pale. “Honey, wake up.”

When she didn’t respond, he pushed away the panic that flared in his gut and easily hefted her into his arms. Turning, he continued up the stairs as Nolan and his dad returned to the room.

“What’s going on?” Nolan asked.

“Fay passed out,” Adam offered, but didn’t stop as he heard his brother and father start up the stairs behind him.

He headed to the open door to the guest room his mother was pointing to. Making sure not to catch Fay’s heels on the doorway, he walked into the room and laid her gently on the queen-size bed.

Fay’s eyelids fluttered open and he started to breathe again.

“What…what happened?”

Her soft whisper cut through his concern. “It’s okay. You fainted right in the middle of talking to me.”

Panic filled her beautiful eyes. “Fainted?”

“Don’t worry, sweetie.” Elise stepped in front of Adam and laid a hand on Fay’s arm. “Adam caught you as soon as your knees buckled.”