Magic Moment (21 page)

Her sobs were heavy. She was at the marina … he took the boat … she couldn’t breathe.
She couldn’t breathe.
Her distress sliced through him.

Chase willed his voice to sound calm. “Laura, listen to me.” This was a holiday weekend! Wasn’t someone around to help her? “I’ll get you help. Laura, I — ”

Her phone went dead.

She was pale and her eyes fluttered occasionally, but Laura slept without incident. An IV contraption was taped to her left arm. What had he been thinking, staying away? He had kept his distance because he hadn’t known what to say. He hadn’t known how to apologize and didn’t want to feel the pain if she refused to forgive him. What if she still wouldn’t forgive him?

Well, he was certainly starting out to be one helluva marvelous father, he chastised himself. His child didn’t ask to be brought into the world. Laura didn’t even ask for his child to be brought into the world. Conceiving a child had been Chase’s idea. With good reason — he believed — to protect her. Along with his own desperate reason, to forever be a part of her.

And what did he do? He walked out on them both, forgetting what he had promised the baby, and Laura. Aunt Lonnie’s words ate at him. Chase had turned into his father’s son.

Perched on the edge of the tapered hospital bed, Chase gazed at his wife’s tired, pallid, but beautiful face. He had been staring at her as day turned into dusk and now night, refusing Aunt Lonnie’s insistence he take a break. He feared Laura would wake up and believe he deserted her again.

Her eyes flickered, then slowly opened.

“Laura? Can you hear me?”

“My baby?” she whispered, a hand clasping her stomach.

“The baby’s fine,” Chase assured her, patting the delicate limb cradling her stomach. “You’re fine. You had an anxiety attack. You and the baby are both okay.”

“Are you sure?” Her voice was no more than a croak.

“Yes. They did some tests, an ultrasound. Baby’s fine.”

“Thank God,” she murmured, closing her eyes.

Chase had already done that a dozen times. “You need rest.”

She opened her eyes again. Husband and wife were silent, each looking intently at the other.

“You took the boat,” she accused.

“It’s my boat.”

“My baby was conceived on that boat.”

“The child gets bragging rights,” he teased. “Nothing else.” His smile, he hoped, eased the tension.

“I can’t believe I called you,” she muttered, her tone seemed laced with regret.

“I’m glad you did.”

The few-second pause seemed like hours to Chase. Laura merely stared at him as if trying to decide if she should tell him to leave. He hadn’t removed his hand, both their hands caressing her abdomen and their baby.

Silence again before tears welled in her eyes. “My baby. Chase, I was so scared.”

“I know, honey. Me, too.”

“Why do I have these attacks? It’s so strange,” she said, her voice shaken.

“You’ve had a lot of strange stuff happen lately.” Idiot that he was, he had forgotten any lingering emotional concerns from her trauma on the boat. Those feelings could have influenced any interaction she had with Saunders.

He looked at her for a long moment. “We’ll get through this.”

She glanced down and saw his wedding ring. Her head jerked up, her green eyes incredibly wide. “You’re wearing your ring.”

“I’m a married man.” During these weeks, he had attempted several times, clasping and pulling, but couldn’t bear sliding the ring from his third finger.

“Unless you’re planning on changing my status anytime soon,” he added. Not giving her a chance to mull over his offer, he took her ring from his sweater’s chest pocket. “You were still wearing yours. The nurse gave your things to Aunt Lonnie.” That she had been wearing her own ring all this time gave him hope.

Holding her appropriate hand, he slipped the ring on her dainty third finger.

“I’m a bit old-fashioned. A pregnant woman should have a wedding ring,” she said softly.

Chase felt the letdown. So much for hope. “How about some water?” He wasn’t giving up.

She nodded eagerly.

Chase propped the pillows, enabling her to sit up comfortably. A white plastic pitcher and cup sat on the nightstand. After filling the cup halfway, Chase slid his arm around her shoulders, holding her against his chest. He held the cup to her lips. Laura was where she belonged, in his arms.

“Thank you.” After drinking her fill, she relaxed back into the pillow. “I’m kind of hungry. Where’s my dinner?”

“Running through your veins.”

Seeing the plastic bag hanging on the pole, Laura screwed her face into the adorable frown Chase had missed.

“I’d rather have a granola bar,” she said.

“Dr. Silver wants you to stay tonight. For observation.” He returned the cup to the nightstand. “Tomorrow, we’ll get you better food.”

“What time is it?”

“After eleven.”

Her eyes widened. “In the evening?”

He melted in those bright green glitters staring back at him. “In the evening. Whatever they gave you knocked you for a loop.”

“Where’s Aunt Lonnie?”

“Once Dr. Silver told us you and the baby were fine, I convinced Aunt Lonnie to go home.”

“How did I get to the hospital?”

“I called Sea Tower’s emergency station,” he said. “By the time the paramedics arrived, the couple on the boat next to
Madre
had found you. They rode with you to the hospital.”

“That was nice of them. To ride with me,” she murmured. “They don’t know me. Except for seeing me on the boat.”

“On the boat?”

Laura explained her walks. “I sit on
Madre’s
deck and rest, then head back. When I saw the boat wasn’t there, I guess I overreacted.” She spied the cot in the corner. “What’s that?”

“For me. I rushed from St. Martin. You don’t expect me to sleep on the floor, do you?”

“You’re staying?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“That’s my plan.”

“For how long?”

“As long as you want me to.” He added a silent prayer that she not ask him to leave.

She leaned back into the pillows. “Chase, what you said to Aunt Lonnie at my condo. I told the baby you didn’t mean those harsh words. You were angry with me, but you love him.”

Chase arched an eyebrow. “Him?” After the ultrasound, Dr. Silver hadn’t said anything about the sex of the baby. Had Laura had a previous ultrasound and knew they were having a son?

“The baby’s a boy. A mother knows these things.”

“Boy or girl, whatever … I love this baby.”

“Then how could you just walk out on him?” Her eyes narrowed. “Not call all these months?” She made no attempt at hiding her disgust. “You didn’t have to talk to me if you didn’t want to. You could have spoken to Aunt Lonnie. You came to Sea Tower and left with your boat, but didn’t bother to call and ask how your child is doing?”

“I’m not going to try and defend my actions.” He paused, trying to find the words to explain his juvenile behavior. “When I walked out that day, I was angry. But you’re right. There’s no defense. I made a promise to you and the baby.”

Chase’s own eyes welled as the overwhelming realization hit him. The baby inside Laura,
his baby
, was a real human being. Chase had been given a gift, entrusted with the sacred responsibility of helping a child become everything he was capable of becoming. He would love their baby unconditionally, regardless of the child’s talents, or feats. He would encourage his son’s hopes, and ease his fears, respect the child’s personality and individuality. He would be a much better father than the one he had.

His assurance came without hesitation. “You don’t need to worry. I plan on being a good father to our baby.”

She frowned. Then with a sigh, she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

“And I’ll be an even better husband to our baby’s mother,” he whispered.

• • •

After a meticulous examination from Dr. Silver the following morning, Laura was released. She was starving, having only picked at the slushy eggs and floppy toast the hospital called breakfast. Chase heated canned New England clam chowder and made grilled cheese sandwiches. The couple ate on the patio while Aunt Lonnie went food shopping, probably for items she didn’t need, but wanted to give the couple alone time.

Laura listened politely, while Chase talked of how Sea Tower had grown over the last few years. She had spent the last several weeks, hoping he’d come back into her life. Now, he was here. And she didn’t know how to feel.

Perhaps she had only thought herself in love with Chase. Working in the office, she had been fascinated by his good looks, polite manners and disarming casualness with everyone. Then, a trauma brought them together, a nightmare from which he had rescued her. He had showered her with attention, charm, and his self-depreciating sense of humor. He laid next to her, pressed his hot, sexy body to hers … and she couldn’t cast sole blame on him … she had wanted a child.

Either way, whether she was in love with the man or not, he was here. And intended to stay. Or so he said. Laura needed to believe him for the baby’s sake. She also needed to be cordial to him. Again, for the baby’s sake. Sniping was juvenile and counterproductive to good parenting. So Laura would be easygoing with her baby’s father. Probably was also a good idea for her to guard her heart.

Chase’s main duty within his father’s business had been schmoozing new customers. As they sipped their iced tea, Laura suddenly understood why. Obviously, he also feared circumstances and their time apart would make being together awkward and worked quickly at putting those qualms to rest. As he undoubtedly did with a new business prospect, Chase kept the dialogue easy and relaxed, as if they were having a meet-and-greet lunch.

Later that evening, with Aunt Lonnie, they sat on the front porch and enjoyed the evening’s fireworks display. Sea Tower had a tradition of getting carried away when it came to celebrating the nation’s independence. The town’s fireworks festivities lasted three evenings.

Now, after having showered and changed into her yellow nightshirt, Laura slid between the cool, white, cotton sheets in the comfortable queen-size bed.

“I came to say goodnight.”

Laura looked up from propping the two bed pillows behind her to see Chase leaning against the doorjamb. A light glimmered in his eyes, then his mouth curled a little higher on one side.

Why did he have to be so damn handsome? As he strolled into the bedroom, she ignored his grin and pulled the sheet up over her chest.

“You heading back to the boat?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m sleeping in the room across the hall.”

“Oh.” She couldn’t think of another response and hesitated telling him she was glad he was staying.

“Are you sure you didn’t overdo it today?” he asked and sat on the edge of the bed. “Too much activity?”

“Chase, I moved from the back patio to the front porch,” she replied with a frown. “You wouldn’t even let me walk upstairs. You didn’t have to carry me.”

“Just being careful.”

“Chase, did you know your father owns
Madre
with you?” She needed to say something, anything to keep her mind off his warmth so close to her. Saunders popped into her head first, followed by Dick Donovan.

“Tax purposes. How did you know?”

“Special Agent Saunders.” She relayed Saunders knowledge regarding the Donovan financial situation. “Aunt Lonnie told me how your father came into the business.”

“I’m sorry I missed her colorful version.” He chuckled. “Aunt Lonnie hates my father.”

Chase’s maternal grandfather, John Lambert, had founded The Produce Market. Chase’s father had been warehouse foreman when he met the boss’s daughter on her college spring break. Once Michelle Lambert had become Michelle Donovan, Dick became more a part of the business. He inherited the entire production when Lambert passed away shortly before Chase’s tenth birthday.

“Aunt Lonnie was kind,” Laura said. “She said her father had only carried local produce in season, but she credited your father with bringing in fruit from around the world.”

“Aunt Lonnie, kind, and my father in the same breath? Was she drinking Irish whiskey when you had this conversation?”

Laura thought, then smiled. “As a matter of fact, she did put a shot or two in her tea.”

They laughed, then Chase grew serious.

“So Saunders looked into the bank records,” he mused aloud with a frown. “And came up with this idea I married you to keep my money and stay out of prison.” He paused. “Well, first, Saunders has to prove whatever illegal crap he suspects my father’s into, then he has to prove I’m involved. He also has to prove I’m totally broke without my father’s assets. Which I’m not, and I’ll have a good laugh when that suit ends up with egg on his face.”

Laura wished she had kept her mouth shut, hoping she hadn’t torched their peaceful harmony by bringing up Special Agent Saunders, the FBI, and what had torn Chase and her apart.

“Your finances aren’t my business,” she said in an effort to end the discussion.

“You’re my wife. My money is too your business,” he stated firmly. “I’ll tell you something that nobody else knows — not even the almighty Saunders.”

She was curious. “What?”

“I have two private bank accounts, a checking and a savings where I deposit my gambling winnings. I have a credit card only in my name. All the statements come online,” he confided. “My father’s convinced I’m totally dependent on Dick Donovan’s money. Saunders is convinced I’m totally dependent on Dick Donovan’s money.” Cheerfulness clipped his voice. “I would just rather
spend
Dick Donovan’s money.”

“Why did Saunders say what he did? Why you married me?”

“He believes it. Hoped to play us against each other,” Chase suggested. “Or he hoped you’d give up information you were withholding if you thought I was using you.”

Yes, she had been hurt that he walked out on her and the baby. But recalling what led up to his desertion, and her refusal to talk to him, reminded her of what had made him angry. He had been raked over the coals by Saunders. She, of all people, knew how that man could intimidate.