Lincoln County Series 1-3 (35 page)

Lacey looked upon the doctor and Cameron knew what she was ready to ask, so she did it instead. “Dr. Grover? Is Drew going to be all right?” She looked down at his adorable but angry red face. “He seems to be in good health.”

The doctor swished his hands around in a bowl of water and announced, “He has fine lungs. I don’t anticipate any danger, but I will keep you here for a few days, just the same.”

Cameron grinned and sent Lacey a smile. “Nothing to worry about Aunt Lacey.”

“I get to be Aunt Lacey?”

“Of course.”

The doctor went out the back to dispose of the afterbirth and Cameron could only set her eyes on Drew until they felt heavy. Lacey relieved her of the bundle and volunteered to rock him until he was hungry. “Get some sleep,” Lacey ordered.

Before Cameron fell asleep she heard male voices from outside, prompting her to remember Jake. Dr. Grover came in and announced that he’d told Jake all went well. “Poor fellow was still outside, worried as ever.”

Cameron tried to sit up some but her arms were weak. “Let him see Drew. He needs to see the baby is all right.”

Dr. Grover raised a questioning brow to Lacey before going to retrieve Jake. When they returned Lacey attempted to give Drew to him but he declined. Instead Jake looked at Drew in the most tender way. Cameron had only seen that look once before, when he professed caring for her, and was glad a soft heart still resided somewhere inside of him.

“We’re both good, Jake. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here for us.”

He looked as though he would like to respond to her but he did not. He spent one final gaze upon the baby, making sure all was truly well, and he left them.

Chapter Ten

Jake’s order had arrived at the mercantile. Uncomfortable and feeling as if all eyes were upon him, he picked up the rocking chair and cushioned it with old quilts in the back of the flatbed wagon and tied it into place. He swore. Since when did he care about people’s thoughts towards him? He looked up and decided to tell everybody to mind their own business and saw that folks were paying him no mind at all. He clucked his horse onward and made his way to the Jackson’s homestead.

Once he pulled onto the road with the house in view he wondered if he should change his mind and head on out of there. He was considering leaving the chair on the porch without notice. Of course that would mean he was planning on hightailing it afterwards with his tail between his legs and that wouldn’t do either. He would stick to his guns, deliver the chair, bid Cameron a good day and would have done his duty to Andrew by taking care of his family.

For a moment he thought it would be nice if she happened to not be home. It was a futile thought. Of course she would be there. Where would she travel to with a three week old baby? He put the brake on the wagon and jumped down. Three weeks ago to this day… He knew how old Drew was to the hour because the day of his birth was seared into memory. He heard the door open and his heart clenched. It was time to take up some courage.

Her voice welcomed him. “Jake! What a wonderful surprise.”

In all casualness, he turned towards her voice. He wasn’t expecting to see Cameron looking so… fit. She had all of the womanly curves of a mother and yet had lost all record of being with child. He was taken aback by this.

“Jake?” She was smiling down at him as she stepped down the porch steps separating them.

“Yeah… I am only here to drop something off for the baby. Then I’ll be on my way.” He turned from her quickly and busied himself with the unloading.

“You will do no such thing! Come in. I want you to see how big Drew is getting.” She peered around the wagon as he withdrew the blanket from the upright chair. “This is for us? Oh it’s lovely, Jake, thank you.” She ran her slender hand along the armrest, and to his displeasure, looked at him with such gratefulness.

That was it. He shouldn’t have come. He thought he was strong and could handle Cameron Jackson, the widow. As much as he wished to keep his eyes averted, he risked a final glance. Her look of gratitude had changed, replaced with a disappointment that reached her eyes.

Still, she managed to stir up every emotion on the planet in him. Now scowling, he lifted the chair out and planted it onto the porch, swearing under his breath. He’d have to take it inside. He couldn’t very well leave it out for her to contend with. He looked past her. “Where do you want it?”

She sighed resignedly. “Near the fireplace if you will. It still gets chilly at night, so we’ll enjoy a few more weeks of fires to warm us up.”

Jake took himself on in. The smells emanating from within would drive any man to temptation. Hot bread just pulled from the oven, coffee percolating, the scent of a newborn lingering amidst the linen folded on the table, freshly washed and near where he was depositing the chair. The home was the epitome of a family. Jake forced himself to look around, curious as to the former presence of Andrew. This was the home of a family, until he’d failed them.

“I put the coffee on the moment I saw you coming up the property.”

She hadn’t outright asked him to stay, knowing all too well that this method succeeded more than nagging or pleading did. And darn it all if Cameron didn’t cast her eyes all sad-like, making him feel pathetically mean.

“I can’t very well let a good cup of coffee go to waste.” He heard himself giving in. He shook his head, finally seeing the humor in his thinking… believing he could dare to make a quick stop.

With zeal, Cameron set to making him a meal of a warm and thick bread slice and black coffee. She set it before him at the table and told him to sit awhile. As he sat, far from Andrew’s seat, the baby whimpered. Cameron set her own coffee down across from him and retrieved the baby. Jake stilled instantly. This was wrong. The entire picture of her returning to her seat, smiling with joy at her son and looking intently upon Jake, silently pleading with him to stay and not leave her. It was clear she was starving for the company.

Drew settled instantly once picked up and coddled within a blanket. “He likes to be held,” she explained. She had eyes only for her boy.

Jake sipped on his coffee, surprised at the amount of hair Drew had. Impulsively he wanted to reach out and stroke his fuzzy little head. An ache burned in his belly and the awkwardness grew. His mind was at war with thoughts of fleeing or heeding to his will and being at peace with their friendship. The latter was the real battle. It would not be an easy thing to do.

“The chair truly is a kind gift, Jake. I look forward to using it. Andrew was going to make…” Her words faltered and blast it if she didn’t shed a tear.

His gut was tearing in two and he was speechless.

“I apologize. I try not to cry.”

He gulped at the absurd apology and weighed his words. “Of course you shouldn’t be sorry. I didn’t mean to replace anything Andrew was doing.”

Shaking her head Cameron said, “He never got to begin building. It was something he wanted to do.”

“I ordered this one. Not quite as special as one built by a Pa’s hands… I can take it back if you’d like.”

“We want to keep it.”

Drew began wriggling around in the cocoon he was in, loosening a gap near his feet, which Jake saw peeking out. Unable to help himself this time, he brushed a finger against five perfect toes.

“He’s so soft,” Cameron said, supplying his thoughts. She managed a sip of her drink while holding the baby. She looked so natural, as if she’d been doing this very thing for years.

“I think you should hold him, Jake Collins. In fact, I dare you to.”

She would tease him now?

He squinted his eyes at the challenge. Why not? He’d already gone too far and wasn’t about to pull himself away now. “Dare accepted.”

Cameron stood with Drew and walked away from him. He puzzled at her movement, then she said, “Come and try your new chair.”

He obeyed and she placed Drew in his rigid arms and urged him to relax. Once he did, the boy nestled himself into his hard chest. Cameron stood with her arms crossed looking very pleased. “I think I will take advantage of you. Mind if I go and hang the rest of my laundry?”

“Uh… stay close in case we need you.”

The only reply he received was her laughing on the way out the front door. He took his eyes to Drew’s, seeing his father clear as day in them. Drew’s eyes began to drift closed and Jake set his foot to rock the chair. The feeling he had growing inside was overwhelming and panicked him.

He was falling for a baby. He wondered what it’d be like to love one of his own?

A few minutes later Drew made a startled motion, his hands shot up, fisted, and he began wailing like he’d been prodded by a hot iron. Jake tried to soothe him by standing up and bouncing him in his arms. Where he’d gotten the idea he didn’t know, but it seemed the thing to do. When Drew’s face turned towards his chest Jake nearly dropped him. He was hungry!

“Cameron!” he hollered. Drew’s crying increased.

Giggling came again from the doorway. He whipped around and shoved the baby at her, unappreciative of her laughter. “Do something!”

With a smirk Jake did not welcome, Cameron pulled the crying infant into her arms and continued looking at Jake with an expectancy of sorts. Finally she said, “I’m going to feed him now.”

As if he had two left feet, Jake made his way fast out the door.

Chapter Eleven

The next day Lacey came bearing another basket of food for Cameron and more toys for Drew. “Really Lacey, these are useless to him. He’s never awake long enough to even enjoy my company, let alone toys he can’t play with.”

Lacey raised her pretty chin into the air and stepped around Cameron, who was only a block in the path to get past to see the baby. Cameron shook her head at the back end of her company and quietly closed the door. “But I am grateful for the goodies!”

“Hmmph!”

Lacey grabbed Drew from the bassinette his father did get to finish for him and sat in the rocking chair at the hearth. She looked quizzically at Cameron. The chair was obviously new since her visit a few days prior.

Cameron explained, “Jake brought that over yesterday morning.” She didn’t understand why all of a sudden guilt should attach itself to that statement. She hadn’t invited his company, nor insinuated that he should bring gifts. She smoothed out her skirt and headed to prepare tea.

“Now that was a thoughtful thing to do.”

Cameron looked up from the steeping tea and caught Lacey’s malicious smile. “It was.” She refused to indulge her with further discussion about Jake. It had been an innocent encounter, an innocent visit, and she would not sully that.

“Does he come often?”

“Yesterday was his first time.” She placed teacups on a tray and brought them to the table. “I have a favor to ask of you.” Cameron hoped Lacey would accept the subject change. “I am going to begin church again. Would you please spread the news that service will resume next Sunday?”

Lacey strongly disapproved. “How is this to be done with a babe? You’re going to nurse him at the breast behind the pulpit?”

“There’s no need to be crude.”

“It’s not right that you should have headed down that path to begin with. It’s a man’s job.”

“I know you’ve never approved, Lacey. But I don’t need your approval, only your help in sharing with your customers. Either way I’m going to be there, with or without anybody to preach to.” Cameron nodded towards Drew. “Andrew would want this.”

Lacey looked hard at her. It wasn’t the first, nor would be the last of being on the receiving end of one of her glares.

“You don’t get to use my cousin anymore,” Lacey said. “You’re being stubborn.”

With patience, Cameron took a sip of tea. “Doing something against the will of Lacey Jennings doesn’t mean I am stubborn.” She was right and her guest knew it.

“Oooooh!”

Cameron wondered if that was the best Lacey could do and resisted smiling beneath the rim of the china cup. Not many voiced opinions that differed from Lacey, and it had certainly taken Cameron a couple of years of confidence in order to do it effectively. “Does that mean you’ll do it?”

“I will do it. But not for you, for my baby nephew.” Lacey buried her face into his belly and tried to coax him to play.