A Hero for Tonight (19 page)

But Shane didn’t even give her the benefit of the doubt, wouldn’t even let her try.

She wrapped her arms around her middle and faced him across the living room. “I am not talking to you about this anymore.”

He stared back. Moments ago, those blue eyes had been so tender and warm; now they were hard and cold. “You don’t want to cross me on this, Krista. The last thing you want is me as your enemy.”

She lifted her chin. “That’s not true. The last thing I want is you as my lover. Go to hell, Shane.”

Krista spun out of the room and into her office, slamming the door behind her. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, listening for him to leave. For a long moment, there was silence, and she pleaded silently that he wouldn’t follow her. Anything else they had to say was simply going to make it even worse.

Soon, the front door echoed shut and a car started up from her driveway.

She slid to the floor, cradled her head on her knees and sobbed.

****

At home, Shane grabbed a beer and hit the shower. The smell of her perfumed soap and lotion annoyed him, and he couldn’t get the scent off fast enough.

It had taken him a few minutes to gather his cell phone and wallet before he stormed out of the house. He’d tried to calm down, but his anger at her selfishness couldn’t seem to be appeased. What an idiot he’d been to think that just because they’d had some hot sex they were actually compatible.

Fortunately, her true colors came back before he’d really lost his head.

Back in his own bedroom, he dropped his towel to get dressed. The sight of a slip of pink lace half under the dresser stopped him in his tracks.

He sank to the side of the disheveled bed. Not even two hours ago his whole world had been right. Now his mother was having a baby, and he’d lost Krista.

Wait. Lost Krista?

What the hell was he thinking? He’d lost nothing. They’d had a fling and it was done, just like any other relationship gone bad.

So, why did he feel like shit? Why did he want to punch something?

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and raked his hand through his hair. Images of Krista soaped up and sliding along his skin in the shower a few hours ago flashed through his mind. Her blue eyes had danced with laughter as she kissed him; eyes that became a much deeper shade of blue when he was on top of her, moving inside her and taking her as far as he could. She was so warm and open, holding nothing back and giving him every bit as much as she took. They had a connection that seemed to elevate the sex to a whole different level. It had never been like that with any of the other women in his past.

Why couldn’t she see that her idea for a year-round shop was going to destroy his mother? She knew her as well as he did. If she got wind that this was Krista’s big dream, his mother wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of helping her reach it, not even her own health. Krista was being stubborn and selfish to go forward with this when she knew that as well as he did.

Chapter Ten

Shane wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he couldn’t help himself from watching his phone over the last couple days, hoping Krista would at least send him a text.

Dammit, he missed her.

News of his mother’s pregnancy had hit the town gossip mill with full force.

“What do you think, Shane? Is it a boy or a girl?” Annie asked as he walked into the diner.

He slipped into his usual booth and grumbled, “I try not to think about it.”

“I wondered how you were taking the news.” She set a cup of coffee in front of him. “Never easy to think of your parents doing the nasty, is it?”

He narrowed his gaze. “How’s the chili today?”

Annie swiped the menu from him. “It’s got a bite to it. Sort of like someone else I know.”

Guilt dipped his chin. He shouldn’t take it out on Annie. It wasn’t anyone’s fault he was in a bad mood. It wasn’t even the pregnancy that had him pissed off.

He attempted a smile for her benefit. “Sorry. A bowl of chili with double cheese. It’s probably just hunger pangs making me irritated.”

She walked away, and he glanced at his cell again. Although he’d spoken to his father on the phone several times, he hadn’t been back since the big announcement.

“Hey.” Dave slid across from him in the booth. “Late lunch or early dinner?”

Shane shrugged. “Whatever. What’s going on?”

“Well...” A grin split his face wide open. “Karen and I got confirmation this morning that she’s pregnant.”

“Wow. That’s amazing. I mean, what weird timing; first Mom and now Karen.” He smiled. “Must be something in the water these days, but I’m thrilled for you guys.”

“Water had nothing to do with it, buddy. Well, there was the time in the shower, so maybe—”

Shane held up his hand. “Spare me the details.” He framed his hands around the coffee mug. “When’s the due date?”

“Actually, same week as your mother’s. I dropped Karen off at your folks’ place when we left the doctors.”

Annie set a coke in front of Dave and handed him a menu. He handed it back. “Chili’s fine. Thanks, Annie.”

Shane took a long drink of his coffee.

“Krista was at your folks.”

The mug paused at his lips, and Shane steeled himself not to reveal his curiosity. “Yeah, well, she’s always there, isn’t she?”

“Karen said that you two burned hot and fast, and then
poof
, it was done.” He looked hesitant as if not sure he should even bring up the subject.

Shane set his coffee cup down. “It was a bad idea anyway.”

“I don’t know. I kind of thought you two would be good for one another. We had a lot of laughs that night at our place.”

That night
was also the first time they’d made love, but his buddy didn’t need to know those details.

Dave raised a shoulder. “Well, at least you both got out before someone got hurt.”

“Yeah.”

But Shane wasn’t so sure about that. The past two days without Krista were already starting to feel like a lifetime. Twice he’d almost called her, but what would he say? And even if he could find the words, she’d be too stubborn to listen, hadn’t she already proved that? All in all, it was the same problem between them.

“You around this weekend, or do you have drill?” Dave drained his glass and looked around, lifting his hand to catch the attention of the waitress.

Annie came over with a glass of water. “Karen said you need to cut back on the soda. Have some water.”

Dave glanced from the waitress to Shane and back again. “Seriously? My wife is telling you what I can and can’t have?”

“You want to be healthy for that baby you have coming, you better start eating better.” Annie set the glass down and poured Shane more coffee.

Dave shook his head and pushed his water away. “I can’t believe this town.”

“Tell me about it.” Actually, he was glad the two pregnancies would keep the town gossips busy. Keep him out of the bull’s eye. “I don’t have drill until mid January,” he answered, bringing the conversation back to a safer topic.

“You helping at the shop then? I heard your mom is on bed rest.”

So much for the safer topic. It grated on him that he’d have to work there, let alone with Krista right now. But if he didn’t, his father would feel obligated to, and his wife needed him at home. With the holidays coming, Shane had no choice but to step up; there wasn’t any other option.

His gut clenched, thinking of facing Krista and the scene that would no doubt entail. She wasn’t one to back down, and if he found out she’d told his mother about her little plan...
Round two, coming up.

“Saturday night then, that’ll work?”

Shane blinked and realized Dave had asked him something, but he had no clue what. “Sorry, I was thinking of something else. What about Saturday?”

“I said after you’re done at the shop, would you mind coming over and helping me clear some of the heavier furniture out of that bedroom. We’re going to start working on the nursery.”

“Aren’t you even going to wait until after the holidays?”

“Nope. Karen’s way too excited. We’ve waited a long time for this, and I don’t want her trying to move or lift anything.”

The thought of spending time with the happy couple was a bit more than he was ready for right now, but he couldn’t let his friend down. Sooner or later, he’d have to come to terms that everyone around him was going to be nauseatingly giddy for the next several months. “Sure. I’ll be home by six.”

“Karen said if you can help, she’ll cook. I was going to ask Krista to stop by, too, but...” His voice trail off.

“I have to work with her all day at the store.” He glared at Dave.

“Yeah, probably not a good idea. No big deal. We need you and your brute strength, so I’ll tell Karen not to ask Krista.”

“I appreciate it.”

Annie brought their chili and set a bowl loaded with cheese in front of Shane and one with only a few sprinkles of shredded cheddar before Dave. She simply shrugged when he glared. “Hey, Karen’s my friend, and she asked me to cut you back.”

“I’ll go to the other diner then.” Dave stuck out his bottom lip as if he was a little kid.

Annie put her hands on her hips. “You go right ahead. I’ve been in their kitchen, and trust me, you don’t want to eat their cheese.” With that, she spun on her heel and stormed off.

Shane chuckled. “Karen loves you. She wants to make sure you’re around for a long time.”

“I get that, but all the healthy cooking is really starting to wear me down. Last night,
turkey
burgers.” He said the word as if it was poison.

“Humor her for now.” Shane tucked into his chili, letting the melted cheese string from his spoon. “By the time the baby comes, she’ll be so consumed with taking care of him or her, she’ll forget all about you.”

“Is that what’s going to happen? I’ve heard other guys say that once the baby comes, the wife becomes so completely focused on being a mother that they never even look at them again until it’s time to have another kid.”

Shane took another spoonful of the spicy chili. “I have no idea, but remember, it wasn’t just Karen that wanted this baby. All you’ve talked about since you met her was having a house full of kids.”

Dave pushed the half-eaten food in his bowl around with the spoon. “Yeah, but still, I don’t want to lose my wife.”

“Just make sure she knows you are still crazy about her. You guys will be fine. There’s no more solid a couple than the two of you.”

They’d always reminded him a bit of his parents, fell in love in high school, married soon after, and still crazy for each other. He’d never heard Karen utter a harsh word about Dave or vice versa. Truth be told, it was what he longed for, a relationship built on mutual love, respect, and affection.

All the more reason it’s good that thing with Krista ended
, he told himself.

They’d had none of that. If they had, they could have talked through her shop plans and worked up a compromise. He had no clue what the compromise could have been, but she had been as stubborn about moving forward as he had been about her not doing it at all.

Nope, no mutual respect or affection there.

Sure, they’d been great in bed, knew exactly what to do to please the other. They’d pushed each other to some crazy passionate highs.

Shane shifted in the booth as his uniform pants tightened with the thought. But there was more to a relationship, a lot more, than incredible sex.

“You’re right,” Dave was saying. “I’m going to spoil her rotten during this pregnancy, and help with the baby. In fact, I’m going to look into taking some serious time off so the three of us can bond together.”

Shane had all the baby talk he could handle for now. Between his parents and Dave and Karen, he felt as if he was living in some strange fairy tale where all the conversation led back to diapers and nurseries.

He flipped his wrist to look at his watch. “I gotta run. I’ve got a meeting with the mayor at four.” He dropped a twenty on the table. “Lunch is on me, buddy. Congratulations, again.” He grabbed his hat. “Thanks, Annie.” He waved to the owner as he stepped back outside.

****

Krista tidied the counter and glanced around the store, confident it looked in good shape for what would be a crazy Saturday if past years were any judge. Although Christmas was four weeks away, most folks in the area knew that the really unique gift items and baskets were limited, and they all tried to get there first.

Mary had been incredibly good, not even trying to come to the shop. It was more than clear that her first priority was going to be making sure she took care of herself by following doctor’s orders.

Melissa would be coming to help while Brittany was at a new friend’s house for a play date.

Gary had also mentioned that Shane would be helping out today.

Krista frowned. She hadn’t seen Shane since the previous weekend—when she’d thrown him out of her house. While she’d been nervous about running into him at his parents, he thankfully hadn’t been around. Even though she knew part of him was right about his mother and the shop, she knew somehow there
had
to be a way to make it work. The baby wasn’t going to make it worse; it was actually going to make it easier. The new turn of events would give Mary something to focus on other than her and the store.