Expectant Father (23 page)

“Thanks,” Spider mumbled, slumping back into his chair. “That’s timely advice.”

“I’ve got more.” Golden smiled this time. “You might want to at least visit Becca while you’re here, especially after that radio message.”

Spider must have looked confused because Golden explained, “She’s in labor-and-delivery.”

“She’s having the baby? Alone?” Spider shot up out of his chair, the packet of letters falling to the floor. He wasn’t ready to be a father. And she wasn’t ready to be his wife. He stood up and began to pace. “She doesn’t want to see me. Are you sure she’s okay?”

“She went into labor when the barometric pressure dropped before the blowup. The doctors were hoping to stop the labor. So you really didn’t hear her radio message?”

Spider didn’t know what to do. He was torn between his dad and his love. When it came down to it, he knew where he had to be—with Becca and his child.

Then Golden’s words sank in. “Wait a minute. What message?”

B
ECCA AWOKE
smelling flowers, which was odd because she was in the hospital, tucked away in a curtained corner of the labor-and-delivery ward.

“I thought you might need some cheering up,” Sirus said when she opened her eyes, gesturing to the small planter with miniature pink roses on her narrow side table. He was sitting in the standard wood-and-vinyl chair next to her bed.

“Thank you.” She struggled to sit up without tangling herself or unplugging any of her wires. “I’m sorry I lost it with the microphone. What’s the word on the fire?”

“We’re planning on containment tomorrow or the next day. With the air tankers in, I had Angus fly me with some of the other injured firefighters over here. Julia packed your things.” He pointed to her duffel at the foot of her bed, smiling easily. About the only time she’d seen him with a smile so carefree was during the off-season.

“I’m so sorry, Sirus.” The apology came spilling out.

“For what?”

“For not convincing you about the fire. I kept thinking we’d get more help to contain it.”

“It worked out for the best. Most of our people were safe, and the blowup pushed NIFC to send reinforcements.”

“Still—”

“You have no more worries about this fire, Becca. None. Forget about it and concentrate on having a healthy baby.”

She wished she could, but Becca couldn’t seem to think about much other than Aiden. “How’s Aiden?”

The IC commander’s smile disappeared. “He’s fine.” Then he cleared his throat. “People are talking about your radio message though.”

“What? The cord came out. Aiden didn’t hear a thing.”

He smiled at the flowers. “Oh, I think most of it went through.”

Which meant Aiden would know exactly what kind of fool she’d been. A change of subject was in order. “How did Julia do?”

“She did fine.” Sirus patted her hand. “We dosed her up with allergy medicine and she stepped right into your shoes. You trained her well. Even Carl was asking her questions when I left.”

“So, fire season is over.” And with it went her job. Becca let her head fall back on the pillows. There was no going back now.

“Hey, I can read your mind. You want news about that job in Boise.” Sirus cleared his throat again. “Well…” He paused, as if uncomfortable.

In that moment, Becca knew she’d lost the job. To Becca’s horror, her nose burned and her eyes bubbled with tears. She blinked frantically. Crying in front of Sirus was the last thing she wanted to do.

“Are you decent?” Aiden asked, pulling the curtain aside and stepping in with a dozen pink roses. He looked great in a pair of black jeans and a plain black T-shirt that stretched across his chest. He frowned when he saw the other roses, making room for his larger vase on the table and pulling it
back a bit from the bed. Although Becca tried to catch his eye, he wouldn’t look at her.

Becca’s spirits sank. He was here only for the baby.

Sirus stood and shook Aiden’s hand. “Good to see you. How’s Roadhouse doing? He’s my next stop.”

Becca hadn’t known the injured man was Roadhouse. Now the tears did spill over her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away.

“He turned the corner this morning,” Aiden explained. “They moved him out of intensive care. Visitation is restricted, but they’ll tell him you came by if you check in at the nurse’s station.”

“I’ll do that. Oh, and before I forget, we need to announce the winners of your pool.” Sirus hesitated, and when next he spoke, his words were laced with a teasing note. “It’s nice of you to visit Becca. I hadn’t realized you’d grown that close.”

For the first time since Aiden had come in, he met Becca’s gaze. For once, Aiden remained silent, as if he were waiting for something. Becca knew what that something was. He was waiting for her to tell Sirus the truth.

This was it. The job or her man. When it came down to it, there was no choice.

“We’re very close, Sirus,” Becca began, taking a risk. If she wanted Aiden, she had to be more assertive. And if he humiliated her in the next few minutes with rejection, she’d fight for him, even if Sirus witnessed every mortifying moment. “In fact, as you may have heard me say, I love Aiden. We’re having a baby together, and I hope he’ll marry me soon.”

Aiden bowed his head and closed his eyes as if he were giving thanks.

The startled expression on Sirus’s face was priceless. He
was usually so unflappable. Nothing fazed him. “I…well…that’s wonderful.”

“Yes,” Becca said softly, wishing her boss would go away. “It is.”

“I don’t know why I’m surprised after that announcement you made,” Sirus added.

“I wish I would have heard it,” Aiden said. “Or at least seen you fight Sirus for the microphone.”

Becca covered her face with her hands, feeling her cheeks heat.

“Woman, you need a keeper.” His smile was devilishly priceless. “And I’m just the man for the job.”

“Have you made arrangements for your maternity leave?” Sirus asked. “Have you told anyone when you’d like to come back, if at all?”

Just then, Becca didn’t care about work. She just wanted to hold Aiden close and kiss him until her lips went numb. “Sirus, you and I both know I’m not getting that job in Boise.” Especially now that the truth was out about her younger man. A younger man she couldn’t seem to keep her eyes off.

“True.”

Despite the warmth in Aiden’s dark eyes, hearing that she’d lost the job still hurt.

“But they are offering you another job.”

At the startling news, Becca was finally able to pull her gaze away from Aiden. “What?”

“They’re creating a new leadership training program at NIFC, complete with a simulated command tent where cross-functional teams practice fire management and decision making. They’d like you to join the team.”

Becca shook her head. “I’m not a good manager, remember?”

“That’s bull—”

Sirus cut Aiden off with a raised hand. “You’ve been recognized as one of the leading Fire Behavior Analysts we’ve got and they want you to create worst-case scenarios for the program to encourage creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.”

“That’s right up your alley, babe.” Aiden beamed.

“But what about…” Becca hesitated before saying it out loud.

“She’s worried about the older woman–younger man thing,” Aiden clarified with a disapproving frown. “She thinks people care about that shit.”

“They do,” Becca protested. “Especially when it comes to promotion time.”

Sirus shook his head. “That would be called discrimination. I’m not going to comment on whether or not it still happens, but remember, what goes on in your personal life is none of your boss’s business.” He glanced at Aiden and then at Becca, then cleared his throat again, clearly uncomfortable. “Which seems to be a good place for me to make my exit, besides, I’ve got a helicopter to catch.”

“Please do,” Aiden said, stepping around him.

“Aiden!”

“He understands.” Aiden came to stand next to her even as Sirus left the room, but he didn’t touch her.

“Oh.” Becca wasn’t sure what to say. They had so many obstacles to overcome. Yet, he was here, and she had to clear the air. “Aiden, I have to be honest. I went to Las Vegas to get pregnant, but I walked through dozens of casinos and tons of bars before I saw you, and then I knew the search was over.”

“Why would you do that? Couldn’t you find a local man? Or go to one of those sperm banks or something?” He shuddered. “When I think of what could have happened to you, I just cringe.”

“Something special happened to me. I fell in love at first sight,” Becca said, reaching for Aiden’s hand. “It just took a bit longer for my head to go along with it.”

“We’re going to be married soon and forever. Don’t you worry,” Aiden said as if reading her mind. “I love you too much to let you talk me out of your life again.”

Becca tugged on his hand, wanting him closer.

But he held back, grimacing. “Ahh, I’m getting ahead of myself again. I would have come to see you last night, but I wanted everything to be just right, and the store didn’t open until ten.” Aiden got down on one knee next to the bed. “Becca, love of my life, will you put me out of my misery and marry me?” He withdrew a small velvet box from his back pocket and opened it to reveal a simple gold band with a small pear-shaped diamond on it.

“Oh, my goodness. You’re going to have to take that back. It’s too expensive. We have a house to buy and college to save for.” But it was lovely.

“We’re not taking it back. This kid is going to college on a scholarship.” He winked at her. “Now, not only do I have perfect timing and exquisite taste, but I also have my father’s bum knees. Will you accept my proposal, please?”

“Yes! Yes! Now come here and let me show you how much I love you.” Becca tugged on his hand again, but this time he took the ring and slid it onto her ring finger.

“It fits,” she said in surprise.

“They said we can get it resized after the baby comes.” Aiden tucked the ring box between the two flower containers. “I’ve figured out a way to show you how much I love you.” He stood and leaned closer until his lips were almost touching her ear, then he whispered his idea.

“Perfect,” Becca said, drawing him down to lie on the nar
row bed next to her. “Now kiss me, tell me how things went on the fire, and lie to me when you say you’ll never be in that much danger again.”

“S
PIDER
, I’
D LIKE TO MAKE IT
home in one piece,” Logan warned from the back seat of Spider’s pickup.

“We’re going to a fire in Arizona. It’ll only take a couple of days to contain. The first fire of the season is never that long,” Spider mimicked Logan. That’s what Logan had told him ten days ago when they’d left, assuring him that he’d return in plenty of time for this important day. Spider slowed down to take a corner, but didn’t slow down enough, sending everything in the truck, including the passengers, listing to one side.

“Spider!” Chainsaw, Golden and Logan all yelled in protest.

“Sheesh, all right. We’re at the city limits anyway.” Spider let off the gas as he saw his destination up on the right—the Painted Pony restaurant in Silver Bend, Idaho, the place where his Hot Shot team met before they left for a fire and when they came home from a fire.

“Tell me again what this ceremony is for?” Golden asked.

“So that Becca can say, without a doubt, that I’m the father of Charlotte.” She’d given birth to a beautiful baby girl with Spider’s dark hair and eyes in early October. They’d had a Christmas wedding at a small church down the road, complete with Becca’s family and a reception at the Painted Pony.

He pulled into the parking lot of the Painted Pony, and his friends all piled out before he barely had the truck in park. It took them less than a minute to greet their families with huge hugs and boisterous kisses.

Pausing for a moment after shutting the truck door, Spider filled his lungs with the clean mountain air and looked at the Painted Pony’s namesake—a life-size plastic horse posed on the wooden porch. Inside, his wife and daughter waited for him. A change in his life awaited him.

And he was ready for it.

When he entered the restaurant, the buzz in the room seemed to stop. Then Becca was threading her way through the crowd, looking better than a wife was supposed to look in a red sheath dress and killer red pumps that made her two inches taller than him. A lesser man would have been intimidated. Spider loved it, loved her and loved the precious chubby baby she carried.

“You’re late. You were supposed to be home days ago.” With the baby propped on one hip, Becca hugged him fiercely with her free arm. “I can’t believe I let you go out to a fire without me.”

“You look good enough to eat.” He rubbed his cheek against hers. Even though she hadn’t lost all of the pregnancy pounds—a fact she continued to complain about— Spider loved her curves. “Promise me dessert later?” He gently brushed her bangs out of her eyes so that he could see the thin scar that had brought them back together. He pressed his lips against it briefly.

Little Charlotte bounced in her mother’s arms and flung her upper body in Spider’s direction.

“Come to daddy, Charley.” He took her into his arms and had to close his eyes against the powerful surge of joy that Charley caused when she flopped herself against his chest and
nestled her head in the crook of his neck. “You are a heartbreaker, pumpkin. You’re gonna drive the boys in town crazy.”

“She’s only six months old,” Becca chastised him. “Don’t go giving her ideas.” She leaned closer so that she could see Charlotte’s chubby cheeks. “You want to be a rocket scientist, don’t you?”

Spider could feel Charley’s smile against his neck. She’d been born all smiles and energy. Spider challenged anyone to disagree that Charley hadn’t been smiling moments after her birth. The kid knew what life was all about.

Other fire families were finishing up their reunions and moving toward the bar where Sirus’s wife, Mary, the owner of the Pony, had set up a podium. Sirus stood behind the podium looking suitably solemn for the occasion. Surprisingly, he’d been the big winner in the Flathead fire betting pool.

Next to him sat Spider’s dad, beaming at the crowd despite the bandages on his hands. His cheek was still pink where they’d grafted new skin. He had one more surgery to go before he’d tackle physical therapy. He was living in Spider’s old apartment above the barbershop. Spider’s family lived a few miles down the road in a two-story clapboard house with a wraparound porch.

When Becca’s offer on the house near Boise had fallen through, they’d decided to settle in Silver Bend. Currently, Becca was working part-time from home, and was getting ready to work two days a week in Boise at her new job.

“Hey, Spider.”

“Spider, way to go.”

“Good to see you, Spider.”

The greetings went on as Spider passed through the crowd carrying Charley, his fingers entwined with Becca’s. He halted in front of the podium and turned to Becca.

“I’m sorry. I’m still in my fire gear.” His Nomex green pants and yellow shirt. He was supposed to wear a suit for the ceremony, but he hadn’t gotten home in time to change. At least he’d been able to shower before he’d gotten on the plane in Phoenix.

“You look fine,” Becca reassured him, outclassing him in her come hither outfit.

Charley blew bubbles against his neck and started chanting, “Da-da-da-da.”

“But we spent so much money on the suit and you really wanted me to wear it.”

“Oh, you’ll wear it for me later, won’t you?” Becca raised her brows, demanding a promise.

The air whooshed out of his lungs. She could still do that to him. Sometimes he thought she was too much woman for him. Every once in awhile, she still got prickly about the age issue, but it really didn’t matter to him, and she’d finally seemed to understand that when she’d told Sirus she was going to marry him.

“Hey, son,” his dad greeted him.

Spider knelt next to his father’s chair. “How’re you feeling, Dad?”

“Better every day.” Smiling big, the old man leaned forward and caught Charley’s eye.

“People want to get home,” Sirus said. “We need to get started.”

“Okay.” Spider stood up. Now that the time had come, Spider felt a bit at odds. In the scheme of things, this was huge, and yet…not.

“Let’s get to it people,” Sirus addressed the crowd, which immediately had the noise level dropping down to silence. “We are gathered here today to share in the ceremony of the
Rodas family. For many years, we’ve known this man as Spider, both on the fire and off.”

Sirus cleared his throat. “Today, I stand before you to announce that from this day forward, if we are not on a fire, that you should call this man Aiden Rodas. And to make this decree somewhat legal and somewhat binding, you are invited to view Charlotte Ruby Rodas’s birth certificate, which lists Aiden Rodas as her father, not Spider.”

With a glance in Becca’s direction, Sirus continued with a smile. “Those of you who fail to comply, will have to deal with Mrs. Becca Rodas.”

“And me,” his dad piped in, holding up one bandaged hand like a boxing glove.

Aiden turned his head to look at Becca. She’d told him once that she wouldn’t call her child’s father Spider. He’d gone to Becca in the hospital with roses and shown her how much he loved her by offering to shed his Hot Shot nickname, the name he’d come to refer to himself by over the years.

“Drinks are on Aiden,” Sirus called out.

The crowd whooped it up and moved toward the bar or the tables of food on the far side of the restaurant.

“Da-da-da,” Charley cooed in his arms.

Becca squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Aiden. You couldn’t have given me a more perfect trio of gifts—our daughter, your name and your love.”

Aiden grinned. In the embrace of his family, he’d finally found the balance between fear and courage, humor and seriousness, friend and lover, father and son. There was a lot of life he had yet to live, but with a family like his there wasn’t much more to yearn for… Except—

“You know, Bec, maybe being an only child wasn’t such a good thing.”

This time, Becca kissed him properly, leaving them both a bit breathless, ending the kiss by murmuring against his lips, “I have complete faith in you, Aiden. You always seem to know what I need.”