Home Run (12 page)

He picked up his keys, checked his wallet for necessities, and headed out the door ready to take his mind off—everything.

He started his car, found some good ole Hank Jr. on the XM Radio, and put the car in reverse.

A moment later he was damn glad that it was a newer car and had one of those backup systems to it, because the thing began to beep and scream at him, forcing him to slam on his brakes before he hit his Aunt’s car, which had just shown up behind him.

Christian slammed the car in park and jumped out to make sure he hadn’t actually hit her.

“Are you okay? Is everything okay?” He began his bombardment the moment Arianna stepped out of the car. “God, why did you pull up on me like that?”

“I need to talk to you.” She was out of breath and it was scaring him.

“Mom and Dad are okay right?”

She nodded. “I need to know if you’ve talked to Tori.”

His heart began racing uncomfortably and his stomach did some kind of dead-man’s flop. “No. Tell me she’s okay. There wasn’t some accident or anything was there? The kids? The kids are okay?” He couldn’t catch his breath fast enough to ask more questions.

Arianna put her hands on his shoulders to calm him. “She’s fine. Kiddo, she’s fine.”

He nodded and began sucking in as much air as he could.

“Listen, John went over to fix her sink. I just wondered if you’ve talked to her recently.”

He thought about the day he’d interrupted her lunch, but that’d been it. Besides that he’d just been a stalker-like creep and driven by her house to see Scott’s car parked there all night long.

“No.” He backed away from his aunt’s grasp and motioned to the car. “If she’s okay then I’m glad. I have a date with a red-head who seems to have been asking about me since the wedding. So if you don’t mind…”

“She broke up with that guy—I think.”

“You came over here to tell me that?” He shook his head. “She has made it very clear that she doesn’t want anything to do with me. I made a mistake once in the darkest time of my life and she’s made a point to remind me of that.”

“I think she could use your friendship right now.”

“I don’t want to show up there and say
sorry you got dumped
. I want to move on.”

He turned around and climbed back in his car, but his aunt stood there with her arms crossed over her chest.

“I’m telling you she needs someone right now.”

“How do you know this? Did she cry to John? Did she cry to you or Clara?”

She shook her head. “No. Just—will you go to her?”

“No.” He looked up at his aunt one more time. “I’m late. Will you please move your…”

“She’s pregnant.”

He was sure he could still hear the cars warning sound going off, but in fact it was the blood rushing through his head and his ears. He swallowed hard.

“She told you that?”

Arianna shook her head. “No, but John wouldn’t just gossip.”

“She told him that?”

Again Arianna shook her head and then walked closer to his car. “He found the positive test in the trash in her bathroom. And she’s been sick.”

He thought of how she looked when he’d seen her at the restaurant.

“Uncle John isn’t the kind of guy to get involved in things like this.”

“Not unless he cares about someone. You may not be with her, but she was part of our family for a long time. I think it would be a nice gesture if you just went and checked up on her.”

“Because the big lawyer who swooped in, to make me look so bad, now looks just as bad. Get her pregnant and then run?”

“Christian…”

“I’m sure she’ll be okay. She has Sonia to cry to if she needs to. I have a date.” His phone buzzed. “And there she is, wondering where I am.”

Arianna stepped back from his car and he shut the door between them. He watched her get back into her car and back out of the driveway. A moment later he watched her drive away down the street.

When she was out of sight he backed out of the driveway too. His date lived east of Nashville.

He turned and went north—toward Tori’s house.

The steering wheel was slick under his hands which were moist with perspiration. The buttons on his shirt had become constricting and the car was slower than it should have been.

That Scott guy was a piece of work. How could he do something like that to her? How could he…

Quickly Christian rolled down his window. The air was too thick to breathe.

He realized he’d done nearly the same thing to her when her sister had died. Only there wasn’t nine months to get used to the idea of someone coming into your life. No, it was sudden and it was painful. She’d been physically a wreck after the accident, in and out of surgery. The kids had emotional issues that needed to be tended to, as well as her emotional issues. She’d lost what was left of her family that night—and she’d lost him.

He’d been so big on all the bad things happening in his life he pushed her away when she needed him the most—and now this.

As he sped down side streets and through major intersections, he thought about her. What had she been thinking? Why did she get pregnant? As if that was going to solidify Scott staying.

He grew angrier. He wanted to go to the man’s office or his house or his country club and punch him right in the jaw. How could he do something like this to Tori?

And then back again—the guilt balled in his stomach.

Who was he to rush in to the rescue? He was a hypocrite.

As he turned down her street he made himself a promise. It would be Tori for the rest of his life or no one at all. He loved those kids and had since the minute each of them was born. There was a commitment to them which he’d promised to Dave. He’d turned his back on them when he turned his back on Tori.

No more. It was fine that she didn’t want him in her life as a lover or a husband. She might not even like him enough to be her friend, but it wasn’t going to stop him.

If he had to use the kids as leverage, then that’s what he would do. He’d made that promise to Dave and Ashley and he was going to see it through.

He swallowed hard. And when Tori’s baby was born he’d love the baby too, because it was part of Tori—even if he felt like that just might kill him.

The air was thick, but Victoria wasn’t sure if it was because of the heat outside or because she’d sucked in a breath and had forgotten to expel it. The door handle was still clenched in her hand and she stood there staring at Christian all dressed up as if he’d come to take her out.

He’d taken his sunglasses off and slid them to the top of his head. Those dark eyes locked on to hers and then the corner of his mouth turned up and it made the dimple in his cheek crease.

“I know. You weren’t expecting me,” he said, finally breaking the silence and she realized she hadn’t even greeted him.

“Ever.” It was curt, but that was what she was feeling toward him.

He nodded tucking his lips between his teeth. “I heard you weren’t feeling well and I thought I’d stop by and see if you needed anything.”

She narrowed her eyes on him. “Who told you I wasn’t feeling good?”

His eyes were darting and it made her wonder what he’d really heard.

“John said you were sick.”

She let the tension out of her shoulders. “Yes. Seemed to have a touch of the flu. I’m fine now, but thanks for stopping.”

She tried to shut the door, but his foot seemed to wedge it open.

Swinging it back open she held up her hand. “What is it with you? Why are you really here?”

He bit his lip. “Because I also heard that Scott wasn’t here anymore.”

“So you’re here to just take over? I don’t need a man in my life. I can’t seem to keep them happy enough to want to stay.”

“That’s not true.”

“Chris, I don’t know why you’re here, but I have baths to give, dinner to make, and a book to read for the umpteenth time. You look like you have plans and perhaps you should just go do whoever you have plans for.”

She saw the tension in his jaw and knew that was his sign that he’d be turning around and getting into his car, but he wasn’t moving.

Instead, he stood there. His chest heaved enough that she knew he was calming himself with his breath intake. But he hadn’t retreated or said anything else.

“Would you mind if I came in so we could talk?” He asked, his voice low and deep.

That had her hand gripping on the doorknob a little tighter.

“You dressed up to come over here?”

His jaw tightened again. “No. I had plans, but I’ve changed them. Can I come in and talk?”

“Like I said, I’m busy. If you come in you can only stay for a few minutes.”

He nodded and as he passed by her, his cologne filling her nose and making her knees weak, he said, “We’ll see about that.”

Chapter Fifteen

Victoria felt her stomach twitch as he walked by. It was almost as if the baby knew he was there, but she knew that was absolutely impossible. She’d had enough time to Google search pregnancy. What she was feeling now was the mix of emotions that always stirred in her when Christian was around.

She noticed he hadn’t stopped walking once he’d made it through the kitchen. He’d walked all the way out to the family room where the kids were making a fort out of blankets and old sheets.

The words to protest him getting down on his knees and rolling up the sleeves on his shirt seemed to lodge in her throat. What was he doing?

It was obvious he had somewhere to go, why was he playing? What made him think that she wanted him in there with them?

But then she heard Sam giggle and that made Ali giggle—and then Chris.

Tears burned her throat. If she told him right now that she was pregnant with his baby, would he scoop her up in his arms and promise to love her forever? She shook her head and turned away from the play going on in the other room. He wasn’t the same man she’d fallen in love with years ago. This man was broken.

Whatever his reason for stopping by, the kids seemed to be having fun and she was going to utilize the time.

While Ali convinced Christian to make paper hats for all of them, Victoria switched out a load of laundry and took the basket upstairs.

She set the laundry basket on Ali’s bed and opened the dresser drawer. The picture which was prominently displayed on the top caught her eye as it always did. She took a deep breath and picked up the frame.

Her beautiful sister smiled up at her with her loving husband by her side. Each of them held one of their children, who had already grown so much since the picture had been taken.

She ran her finger over the picture and her heart ached. Ashley and Dave would be so proud of their children. And she hoped that if they could see them from heaven that they approved of how she was raising them. She was doing her very best.

“Hey,” Chris’s soft voice came from the door.

She wiped the tears that were clinging to her lashes. “Hey.”

“Ali sent me up for Poppy?”

Victoria let out a chuckle and set the frame back on the dresser. She turned toward the bed draped in pink and picked up the pink plush dog resting on the pillow.

When she turned back, Christian had picked up the frame and was studying it.

“This was only a few months before the accident.”

She nodded. “Easter.”

Christian closed his eyes. “You wore a yellow dress and carried a basket which Sam filled with eggs.”

“Yes,” she said on a breath.

He opened his eyes. “It was a happy time.”

“It was.” She shook the memory from her head and handed the worn dog to him. “This is Poppy.”

Christian took him and looked at him. “She’s had this dog since she was born.”

“Never goes anywhere without it.” Victoria wrung her hands. “I’m surprised you remember.”

“Don’t be. I told you these kids mean something to me. I promised their father that I’d always take care of them when he asked me to be their godfather. I forgot how important some of the promises I made were. I’m having some clarity.”

She heard what he was saying, but how truthful was he about it?

He shot her that handsome smile. “I’d better get back down there. Princess Ali has a tea time and Poppy is her guest.”

Victoria smiled. “Thank you.”

“Truly the most fun I’ve had in a long time.” He turned to walk out of the room.

“Chris,” Tori called. He turned back around. “Why are you here? Why are you
really
here?”

He took only one step back into the room and looked down at the well-loved dog. “I made a lot of promises to a lot of people and then I let those promises slide so that I could wallow in my own self-pity. One of those promises was to Dave. You’re doing a great job with these kids. But I know once in a while you could use a few minutes to catch your breath.”

Those darn tears were back and she batted them away as fast as she could. “I don’t expect you to do this all the time.”

“You should. I know there isn’t any hope for us. I ruined that and I accept responsibility for that. But I’m going to be here from now on. You are a strong woman and you could do this all on your own—and have been. But you don’t have to.”

“That’s a big promise.”

“Yeah, well in the long term not so big. They’ve already grown so much.”

She nodded and he took one more step into the room.

“And if you ever need to talk, I’m here. Anything—okay?”

She sent him a curious look, but he didn’t go on. She only nodded and forced a smile.

“Back to the fort. If you need help with dinner let me know. I’ll leave when their baths are done and you’re done reading whatever book you have to read.”

“
Red Fish, Blue Fish.
”

His brows came together with a crease dimpling his forehead. “Really? That’s the book?”

She nodded with a chuckle. “I have it memorized.”

“I have it memorized and haven’t read it in thirty years.”

He turned and hurried back down the stairs to play in the fort.

Victoria sat on the bed and rested her hand on her stomach. Did he know? How could he?