The Pregnancy Contract (12 page)

This new Piper was indeed someone else compared to the woman who'd left after demanding he give up his life's dream to follow her overseas on a tantrum-induced-whim. It was as if she was doing her level best to please and it occurred to him that above all else, Piper craved acceptance. Everything she did was with the purpose of fitting in with her peers, and of gaining a degree of respect and independence.

Last week he'd reviewed the accounts that related to the running of the house and cars and noted that there was no bill for the petrol she'd been putting in her car. On checking up with the gas station, he'd been informed that Piper was paying for her fills herself and not charging them to the account he'd had set up. When he'd approached her, she'd merely lifted her chin in that endearingly self-reliant way of hers, and said she was earning a decent wage so there was no reason why she couldn't meet her own costs. He'd wanted to argue with her, to tell her that providing for her was his responsibility now, but there had been something in her stance that made him think twice about pushing the point home.

Deep down he recognized and understood her need to stand on her own two feet—it was how he'd felt his entire life—and for some reason that commonality with her was as unsettling as it was encouraging.

He wondered anew why Rex had never encouraged Piper to achieve more with her life. Why had the man kept his daughter slotted within set confines of behavior and expectation? No wonder Piper previously had never amounted to anything more than a two-dimensional woman whose selfish demands had clouded what Wade now believed were the real issues that drove her.

She was an intelligent woman who had a quick grasp of business concepts. Not only that, but her keen mind presented solutions to issues that he would have expected from someone with a great deal of life experience. Just what
had
she done while she was away? What had made her come into her potential that he'd only ever glimpsed in the past?

Rex had done her a disservice. If the old man had perhaps been a little less chauvinistic and a whole lot more inclined to see beyond the peripheral beauty of his daughter, he could have had a formidable business partner at his side when he got sick. He could have kept Mitchell Exports a family owned business, instead of sharing that honor with the son of a stranger.

This softening in attitude to Piper was a new concept for Wade. For so many years he'd been focused on his anger toward her, on his need to even what he saw as a score to be settled between them. Now, he could at least accept that her behavior had not all been her own fault.

He shook his head slightly. Man, he must be getting soft. He'd never have believed he could feel like this about Piper again—protective, encouraging.

Wade put down his pen and picked up the contracts before rising from his desk and going to his PA.

“Could you see these are couriered to Mr. Rodriguez as quickly as possible?” he asked, leaving the contracts on the side of her desk.

“Sure thing,” his PA replied. “Oh, and Piper called and left
a message for you. She wasn't feeling quite a hundred percent so she headed home early today.”

“She's not feeling well?” Wade asked. “Do you know why?”

“Not sure, could be the flu. She started here after we all had our annual flu shots.”

Flu, or could it be something else that made her feel sick? Whatever it was he needed to find out face-to-face.

“Cancel the rest of my appointments,” he instructed as he headed for the door.

“But—”

His PA's protest fell on deaf ears as the door swung closed behind him. Anything and everything else faded into insignificance. He had to know and he had to know right now.

Was Piper pregnant?

T
raffic on the way home was heavy, despite the early hour. Schools hadn't closed yet for the day, yet there seemed to be an inordinate number of cars on the road. And the rain didn't help at all. Coming down across the windshield in driving sheets, Wade's wipers were working flat out to keep the glass clear.

Everything crawled to a standstill near the turn off to his street. Up ahead, though, Wade caught a glimpse of red and blue flashing lights. Police, a fire truck and an ambulance? A sick feeling of dread took up residence in his gut. Without sparing the weather another thought, Wade pulled his car over to the side and got out, running toward the cause of the traffic jam. As he neared the intersection, the dread solidified into abject terror. There, wrapped around a power pole, was an all-too-familiar vehicle. Piper's car!

Rain streaming down his face and in his eyes, Wade elbowed past the gathering crowd. Nothing else mattered right now but knowing that she was okay.

A team of firefighters were using cutting equipment to free the driver's door of her car.

“I'm sorry, sir, but you have to stay back,” a young police officer ordered, standing firmly in Wade's way and arresting his progress.

“She's my…”

My what?
he thought, unable to quantify their relationship properly but desperate to explain to the policeman that he had every right to be at her side when she was brought from the vehicle.

“Sir?”

“My girlfriend. She's my girlfriend,” Wade repeated, as if doing so could get it through to the officer.

“There's nothing you can do right now. Just let the guys do their job. She'll be out in a minute or two.”

“Is she all right? Do you know if she's hurt at all?” he asked, looking over the uniformed shoulder of the officer and trying anxiously to make out Piper's shape through the rain and the heavily coated fire rescue team.

To his infinite relief, he saw her moving and the instant the door was removed from the car, he watched as she was helped from the vehicle and to the waiting ambulance. One of the paramedics gestured for her to lie down on the gurney he had waiting but Wade felt a swell of pride as she shook her head and walked up the steps to the ambulance under her own steam.

“Can I go to her now, please?”

“Sure.”

The officer stepped aside as Wade began to barge through. Given permission or not, nothing was going to stop him from checking on Piper himself. He bounded up the stairs of the ambulance, only to be barred at the top by one of the medics.

“I'm sorry, sir, but you can't—”

“It's okay, he's with me,” Piper's voice came from inside the vehicle.

The man stepped aside to let Wade into the confined area. Piper sat on a gurney, a blood pressure cuff on one arm and a wad of dressing held to her nose. She pulled the dressing aside for a moment to speak.

“Don't worry, it's worse than it looks. The air bag gave me a bloody nose, that's all.”

“Don't worry? Are you sure you're okay?”

“She'll have some seat belt bruising and be pretty sore the next few days but so far she checks out okay,” the paramedic who was treating Piper said. He turned back to his patient. “Don't you want to go to the hospital just to be certain?”

“Yes, she does,” Wade interjected. How could she know there weren't internal injuries? And besides, what if she was pregnant? What effect would the impact of the crash have had on the baby?

“No, I don't. Seriously. I'll be fine. I'm just a bit shaken up, that's all.” Piper turned to Wade. “Please, I just want to go home and have a long soak in a warm bath right now.”

“Is that wise?” Wade asked of the paramedic.

“Sure, just keep an eye on her. She doesn't appear to have a concussion or anything else serious.”

“I'll do that. When can I take her home?”

“Just give us a few minutes to finalize our examination and take some details.”

“Okay, I'll go and get my car.”

Wade exited the ambulance and was relieved to see that traffic was being directed slowly and steadily past the accident scene. A tow truck was in the process of hoisting the wreck of Piper's car onto its flatbed.

“Are you the owner?” the tow truck driver asked Wade.

“Yes, I am.”

“You were lucky, then.”

“It wasn't me driving. It was my girlfriend.”

Again that term that just didn't sit comfortably with him.
Piper was so different from that—less in some ways, but much more in others.

Wade looked at the damage to the vehicle. The passenger side had been entirely staved in. Had anyone been sitting there, they would probably be dead right now. He fought to control the ripple of fear that suffused him. Had the car hit the pole any differently, it could be Piper that was seriously injured, or worse. The car creaked and groaned in protest as the misshapen metal was hauled onto the truck. It was only once the driver was securing it with wide woven straps that Wade realized it had sustained rear end damage too, making him wonder what on earth had caused the crash in the first place.

“Do you know what happened?” he asked the tow truck driver.

“Cops think she was clipped by another driver, someone following too close and too fast, as she slowed for the corner. They shunted her across the road in a spin then took off. At least there were witnesses. They won't get away with it.”

A red haze of fury swiftly replaced the fear that had earlier swamped him. A hit-and-run driver? If only he could get his hands on the lowlife scum, he'd teach them all about hit-and-run.

“So what do you want me to do with the wreck? I can take it to your home or to a panel beater of your choice so the insurance can get an assessor out. I doubt they'll do much but write it off, though.”

“Just get rid of the thing.”

“Are you sure, mate? You can sell the wreck for a couple hundred if you want.”

“No, I never want to see it again,” Wade said, his voice seething with tension. He reached into his pocket and took out a business card. “I don't give a damn what the insurance says. Just see to it that the towing bill and any disposal fees are sent to me and I'll take care of it.”

“Whatever you say.”

Wade waited a few minutes to cross the road and then jogged back to his car. Easing into the flow of traffic took some time and his fingers began drumming a rapid beat on the steering wheel. Eventually he managed to pull into a driveway near the ambulance.

He had to stifle his impatience a while longer as the police took a statement from Piper in the ambulance, getting from her as much detail about the incident as possible. Then, finally, he was allowed to take her home. The rain had slowed to a steady drizzle and the cold seeped through to his bones. But none of that mattered. Right now all he wanted was to get Piper home and to see for himself that she was okay. And then maybe to wrap her up in their bed and make sure nothing bad ever happened to her again.

His hands clenched into impotent fists at his side as he thought again about the driver who'd caused the accident. What he wouldn't do to have a bit of time alone with them right now.

Suddenly he could begin to understand why Rex hadn't wanted Piper to engage fully with the realities of the world. Why he'd wanted to keep his little girl safe in a fantasy world where nothing nasty ever happened to other people and where she didn't have to face unpleasantness. After losing his wife, was it really so surprising that the man had been determined to shield his only child? It might not have been the right thing for Piper, but it would have done a great deal toward soothing Rex's parental mind.

Transferring Piper into the car was accomplished with as much speed and efficiency as he could manage. She was already starting to feel the aftereffects of the crash and had begun to shake in reaction. He held open the passenger door of his car for her and leaned down to secure the seat belt across her body.

“Wade, I'm so sorry I smashed up the car.”

“You're not to blame,” he said tightly.

“But it's ruined, Wade. Did you see it? I know they say it wasn't my fault, but—”

“There are no buts. Just relax, we'll be home in a couple minutes and I'll get you into that bath you wanted.”

Why the hell was she so upset about a car? Didn't she realize just how lucky she was not to have been more seriously hurt? And what about the whole reason she'd left work early in the first place?

“I'll need to get a ride with you to work tomorrow.”

“Work can wait. I doubt you'll be up to it, anyway.”

“But I don't have any sick leave,” she protested.

“It's okay, I know your boss. Leave it with me.”

Wade flashed her a tense smile even as his fingers gripped the steering wheel. He tried to order his thoughts. He had to ask her, he just had to.

“Piper,” Wade said, fighting to keep his voice controlled and not to let any of his fear or worry cloud what he wanted to say. “Why did you leave work early?”

“I'll make up the time, don't worry,” she said listlessly.

“Again, that's neither here nor there. One of the girls said you weren't feeling well.”

“I must have had something for lunch that disagreed with me. It left me feeling off color and I couldn't concentrate on anything at work. I just wanted to head for bed. Fat lot of good that did me. I may as well have stayed at work.”

“Are you sure it was something you ate?” he asked.

“Of course, what else…” Her words trailed off as understanding dawned. “Oh,” she said, her voice suddenly very small and her face even paler than it had been before.

“Maybe we should get you checked at the hospital after all,” Wade said.

“No, really, I don't want to go to the hospital, seriously.”

“The doctor, then. Why don't I get May to come to the house?”

“Wade, I'll be fine. I've had an accident and I'm a bit shaken up and bruised. That's all. And if I am pregnant, there isn't anything we can do about it right now, anyway.”

There was a fatalistic edge to her voice that he really didn't like but he could see she was adamant about not seeking medical advice just yet.

“Fine,” he said, his jaw so tight he thought he might shatter teeth.

How could she be so cavalier? If she was carrying his child, he wanted an assurance that both she and the baby would be okay. Whether she liked it or not, he was calling May the moment he got Piper settled.

At the house, he helped Piper in through the back door where the warm and comforting smells of Mrs. Dexter's home cooking welcomed them.

“Oh, my, the two of you are wet through, and Miss Piper, is that blood under your nose? What on earth have you been up to?”

“Piper has been in an accident. She says she's fine and doesn't need a doctor, but would you take her upstairs and get her settled in a nice warm bath? She's going to need something soothing to offset the bruises she's earned today.”

Wade tried to downplay the seriousness of the incident, his words earning him a grateful glance from Piper who allowed herself to succumb to Mrs. Dexter's fussing as the older woman led her from the room. The moment the women had gone upstairs, he took his cell phone from his pocket and dialed May Ritter's number.

“Dr. Ritter, please, it's urgent,” he said as the receptionist took his call.

“Who's calling, please?”

Wade gritted his teeth as he replied, “Wade Collins.”

“One moment, please.”

The seriously hideous tones of prerecorded music filled his ears, doing nothing for his patience or his blood pressure.

“Wade, what's the problem?”

“Piper was in a car accident today and I think she might be pregnant. If she is, will the baby be okay?”

“Is she hurt?”

“Mostly shaken. The air bag gave her a bloody nose and the paramedic said she'll have bruising from the seat belt, too.”

“Okay,” May said soothingly. “So nothing too serious. What makes you think she's pregnant? She hasn't yet been in to see me again, or had any tests done.”

“Aside from the obvious,” he said, thinking about how they'd spent nearly all their nights since that first time back together, “she left work early today because she wasn't feeling well.”

“Right,” May answered.

He could hear the smile in her voice. It made him grip his phone all the more tightly in his hand. Didn't anyone understand how important this was?

“May,” he growled.

“Okay, Wade, I know how much you want to be a dad. Look, the upside is that if she is pregnant, there is very little likelihood that anything has happened to the baby at this very early stage. Why don't you bring her in to see me tomorrow and we'll find out for certain if there is a baby, hmm?”

“Sure, thanks.”

May gave him a time in the late morning and Wade hung up from the call feeling minutely better than he had at the start of it. She said he had nothing to worry about. So why did he feel as if his entire world was under threat?

Mrs. Dexter came back into the kitchen.

“I'll put together a tray for Miss Piper, something she can eat cold when she feels like it. I don't think she'll be up to much for dinner tonight. That crash has left her quite upset.”

“Was she okay when you left her?”

“She was just getting into the bath. Poor girl, she can't seem to stop shaking.”

“It'll be shock setting in. She was very calm at the scene, too calm probably. Can you make that tray for two? And when it's ready, perhaps you could leave it in my sitting room. I'll go up and see to her now.”

Wade ascended the stairs two at a time. For his own peace of mind he needed to see Piper was okay. As he entered his bedroom, the fragrant scent of bath crystals came from the open en suite bathroom doorway. A small sound caught his ear, a sound that made every muscle in his body tense. Piper was crying.