Falling for You (30 page)

“I don’t want it put back.”

“But I can’t do that.” She shook her head, clearly not listening to him. “Oh, Chance, it’s even worse than you realize. I’m so sorry for what I’ve done to you, but I can’t change it now. And I know it’s selfish, but a part of me is glad, because even though I can’t have you, I can have—”

“What?” he asked, his thoughts reeling.

She looked at him, her eyes shining with tears in the moonlight. “I can’t have you, but at least I can have your baby.”

The world stopped dead on its axis. He tried to speak, but his lungs didn’t work.

Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m pregnant, Chance. I’m going to have your baby.”

“B-baby?” he managed. She was pregnant and he’d just taken her against a tree with all the gentleness of a battering ram? “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I know I should have. But I was so afraid you’d feel obligated to marry me. I wanted you to want me without knowing, but now I realize how stupid I’ve been to think you’d ever marry me.”

A baby! His mind worked past the immediate fear of having hurt her just now to the wonder of what she was saying. Aurora was going to have his baby! The concept was too huge to take in all at once.

“You have every right to be mad that I didn’t tell you sooner,” she said. At least he thought that’s what she said. He stared at her mouth as other words tumbled out. Something about it happening the first time they’d made love. She’d been pregnant all this time and he hadn’t had a clue. He felt a bit cheated over that, but the emotion didn’t stand a chance against the others that were crashing through him. As soon as the world started turning again, he was going to shout at the moon. Aurora was going to have his baby!

He tried to concentrate on her words, but she was talking so fast, and crying again. She assured him he’d have as much access to the child as he wanted. But he mustn’t feel guilty if he didn’t want to be an active father because Allison and Adrian would be there to help her. And through her whole jumbled revelation, she kept insisting that he mustn’t feel obligated to marry her.

“What do you mean?” he finally managed to say. “Of course we’re getting married.”

“No! Haven’t you been listening to me? I don’t want a marriage based on obligation. The baby and I will be fine.”

“The hell you’re not going to marry me!” She was pregnant with his child but refused to marry him? “We’ll go to the courthouse first thing Monday and get a license.”

“See, I knew you’d react like this!” She rose in a rush. “But I won’t let you. I love you too much to let you throw your life away. You have a career at the bank, and family and friends who will never accept someone like me. Nothing changes who we are or how differently we were raised. We belong to different worlds! And there’s no point even discussing this any more, because I won’t let you throw your life away over this.” She turned and fled from the clearing.

He tried to stand and go after her, but his legs weren’t working yet. He sat there, staring into the dark, trying to sort out what had just happened.

He’d asked Aurora to marry him, and she’d said no. Even knowing she was having his baby, she’d still turned him down. She’d said they belonged in different worlds, which sounded like she didn’t want him in hers.

The thought brought a sense of devastation so great he felt numb.

He fumbled in the jacket pocket for the ring. He’d kept it on him, since he didn’t feel safe leaving it at the house with so many people coming in and out. The diamond winked at him in the moonlight, almost as if laughing at him.

She’d turned him down.

What the hell did he do now?

Realizing he couldn’t just sit in the clearing for the rest of the night, Chance headed back to the house. How he would face people when he had a huge hole in his chest he didn’t know. He’d get through it somehow, though. And tomorrow he and Aurora would talk. He’d ask her if she’d meant what she’d said—that she didn’t want him to be part of her life... or even the inn.

The whole idea seemed ludicrous. Did she really think that cutting him off from everything he cared about would be saving him from ruin? If so, he needed to set her straight... And yet, he knew how stubborn she could be. If she thought pushing him away was the right thing to do, he might never talk her out of it.

And what if all that talk was just her way of sparing his feelings? Maybe she simply didn’t love him. But she’d said she did. Dammit, none of it made sense!

When he reached the bonfire, he looked for Adrian. He wanted to know where Aurora had gone so he could avoid her for a while at least. He didn’t feel capable of dealing with her until he’d had time to think things through logically. As if logic and Aurora would ever go together!

Adrian, however, wasn’t on the beach. Chance started to ask one of the servers where he was, but a commotion on the deck of the ship drew his attention. Glancing that way, he saw Jackie and Mr. Baxter involved in a shouting match. From Harry’s aggressive stance, he thought the man was about to hit her. Alarmed, he raced to the pier.

By the time he reached the main deck of the ship, Adrian was standing between the arguing pair with Mrs. Baxter wringing her hands while she watched.

“What the hell is going on!” Chance demanded.

“Chance, thank God you’re here.” Marcy grabbed his arm. “You have to help us find Paige.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

Harry turned to him, his face flushed with rage. “Paige has been missing most of the evening. When Marcy asked if anyone had seen her, Frank Adams said he’d spotted her earlier struggling with one of the men from this ship. She broke away, but the man chased after her. Since her car is still here, I think she’s been abducted.”

“Abducted!” Chance shook his head, trying to think. Kidnapping wasn’t out of the question, considering the Baxters’ wealth, but he found it hard to believe. And why had Frank waited so long to tell Marcy, unless the scene with Paige wasn’t as bad as Harry was making it sound.
Think
, he told himself.
Think!
He looked to Jackie. “Are any of your men missing?”

“No,” she answered stiffly. “And no, I haven’t seen the little princess. And yes, I’m sure she is not aboard this ship because I just came from below deck, and she’s not there.”

“I say we search the ship anyway,” Harry said.

The first mate stepped forward, a solid wall of muscle ready to block Harry’s way while guests stood by watching in horrified fascination.

“Mr. Baxter.” Chance moved toward him. “There are other places Paige could be, and I don’t see any reason to believe Jackie is lying. Rather than waste time arguing, why don’t we search the grounds and house?”

Harry looked torn, but nodded.

“Fine.” Chance turned to Adrian. “Will you lead the search of the grounds?” Adrian agreed and Chance looked over the crowd of guests, picking out the ones he knew to be the most levelheaded. “Paul, Eric, Jeremy, you three help him. I’ll go with Mr. Baxter to search the house.”

Without waiting, Harry headed down the steps to the dock.

Adrian let his breath out in a loud rush. “Be sure he doesn’t tear the place apart, will ya?”

“I’ll try.” Chance started to leave, but stopped long enough to ask, “Have you seen Aurora?”

“She’s in Jackie’s cabin crying her eyes out, which is why Jackie didn’t want the man charging down there. And as soon as we find Paige, I want to know what the hell is going on between you two that has my sister so upset.”

“I wish I could tell you,” Chance said, feeling hollow. Before Adrian could question him further, he headed after the Baxters, meeting up with them right before they reached the house. His parents joined them on the veranda.

“Harry, what is it?” his father asked.

While Harry explained, Chance noticed that word was rapidly spreading through the crowd. The moment they entered the house, Harry started calling his daughter’s name, which drew stares from everyone on the first floor. Allison came out of the music room, clearly startled.

“Mr. Baxter.” Chance said, alarmed at how quickly the situation could get out of control. “Let’s try to do this calmly. As of yet, we don’t even know there is a problem.”

Harry turned on him. “Considering it’s your fiancée who’s missing, I can’t believe you’d suggest I stay calm.”

Chance opened his mouth to explain that he and Paige weren’t even dating, but stopped himself. Now was not the time. Besides, if Aurora were the one missing, he’d be just as frantic as Harry.

Harry charged up the stairs, mounting them two at a time. Chance and his father followed with Marcy and Ellen trying to keep up. The minute Harry reached the top of the stairs, he looked about then turned to the only closed door. The door to the Crow’s Nest.

“Paige!” he bellowed, and ran to the door only to find it locked. “Paige!” He took a step back and raised his foot.

“Wait!” Chance shouted as Harry kicked the door in. He heard Paige scream just before he reached the door. Frightened by the sound, he pushed his way inside, past Harry who had come to a stop. He stopped as well, stunned.

There in the bed, a naked Paige and Captain Bob grabbed at the sheet to cover themselves.

“Daddy!” Paige gasped, her eyes huge.

Harry’s eyes went from his daughter to the man in bed beside her. “You son of a bitch!”

“Daddy, no!” Paige screamed as Harry lunged.

Chance and his father grabbed Harry’s arms while Bobby grabbed Paige by the waist and hauled her from the bed, sheet and all, so they stood against the far wall.

“I’ll kill you for touching her!” Harry bellowed. “Do you hear me?”

“Daddy, please!” Paige clung to Bobby’s neck as he tried to push her behind him and keep them both covered with the sheet. “Don’t hurt him! Please, don’t hurt him!”

Marcy reached the door, took in the scene, and started shrieking. Chance thanked God his mother was there to grab her friend, hug her tight and shut her up. Harry stopped struggling and stared at his daughter as if he’d never seen her before. “Paige, how could you take up with this—this low-life dock bum!”

She stared back at all of them with frightened eyes.

“Sweetheart,” Bobby said softly, “if you’re ever gonna stand up to your parents, I’d say now would be a good time to start.”

Paige loosened her death grip around Bobby’s neck enough to look up at him. She was so delicate and pale against his dark, muscle-bound body that even seeing them together, Chance couldn’t believe it. Which made her expression of adoration that much more startling to behold.

“You’re right,” she whispered. Her face looked serene when she turned back to the doorway. “Mom, Dad, I’m in love with Bobby, and I’ve agreed to marry him.”

Marcy made a strange, breathy sound and Chance turned just in time to see her collapse to the floor in a dead faint. His mother knelt quickly to see to her friend. Behind them stood a crowd of guests. Their faces mirrored his own shock at the scene playing out before them. Paige Baxter and Captain Bob?

“Paige, you can’t be serious,” Harry said, clearly rattled. “You can’t marry
him
. You’re engaged to Chance.”

“Um, actually,” Chance put in, “Paige and I split up before she left for Corpus Christi.”

Harry looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Now, son, there’s no need to do anything rash. Women act strangely sometimes. There’s no reason for you to break things off with Paige over one foolish indiscretion.”

Chance started to explain, but became aware again of the crowd gathered behind him, hanging on every word. “Mr. Baxter, I think the best course of action is for you to take your wife to one of the rooms until she recovers. Bobby and Paige can join you when they’ve had a chance to dress. Then all of you can discuss this calmly.”

Harry noticed his passed-out wife for the first time. “Marcy!” He knelt, grabbing her hand. Then his eyes lifted, filled with panic. “Someone call an ambulance!”

“Harry, she’ll be fine,” Chance’s mother said. “Let’s just get her somewhere comfortable.” Ellen looked up at Chance.

“Marguerite’s room,” he said. “It has a bed where Marcy can recover and a sitting room where they can talk in private once Paige and Bobby join them.”

Nodding, his mother turned and shooed the onlookers away. “Go downstairs, folks. Peep show’s over.”

Once they were gone, Harry carried his wife toward the tower suite with Ellen following to see to her friend. Chance spared Paige a look of empathy before he closed the door the best he could against the splintered doorjamb, leaving himself and his father alone in the upper hall.

“What a mess,” his father said. Then he looked at Chance. “I’m sorry, son, this must be difficult for you, having Paige behave so outlandishly.”

“Actually, it isn’t. At least not the way you mean. I realized two weeks ago that things weren’t working out for us, but Paige wanted to wait until after the ball to tell her parents we’d split up.” He shook his head at the irony. “She didn’t want people gossiping about us during the ball.”

His father snorted. “Well, thank God we’ll all be spared that.”

Chance tried not to laugh, but it was hard.

“I am sorry, though, that things didn’t work out.”

His father placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “A breakup is never an easy thing to deal with, even though I’m sure you handled it with the same good sense you always use.”

The devastation Chance had felt earlier at Aurora’s rejection washed back over him. No, a breakup wasn’t easy to deal with.

“You know,” his father said, “I’ve never understood why people have to make such fools of themselves when it comes to this business of falling in love. Much better to approach it calmly and rationally.”

Chance stared at him, seeing far too much of himself—his old self—in his father’s words. How boring his life had been before he’d fallen in love with Aurora. And how filled with joy it had been since. There was nothing calm or rational about what he felt for her.

Suddenly, it all came together, like pieces of a puzzle, and he realized where he’d gone wrong. He’d tried to apply logic to falling in love!

He laughed at the absurdity. “Don’t you see, Dad? The things in life that make us foolish are the very things that make life worth living. And you know what they say, there’s no greater fool than a fool in love.”

He slipped his hand into his pocket and curled his fingers around the jeweler’s box. He’d wondered several times over the last week what he’d be willing to do to win Aurora, and now he knew. Anything. He’d do anything.

“Where are you going?” his father called when he headed down the stairs.

At the landing, he turned and smiled. “To make a fool of myself. Where else?”

~ ~ ~

Rory realized that hiding in Jackie’s cabin was the coward’s way out. Although she was grateful her brother had stopped her mad dash for the house. When he’d seen how upset she was, he’d hustled her below deck with very few people seeing her since the guests had been watching the performers. If she’d continued toward the house, she’d have created quite a stir.

Still, it wasn’t fair to Adrian and Allison for her to abandon her duties. The ball would be over soon, and it was time she pulled herself together and went back out there—even if it meant possibly running into Chance. As she ducked into a tiny lavatory in the captain’s cabin, she wondered where he was. The memory of his stunned expression when she’d told him about the baby, and the anger that had followed tore at her heart. Adrian was right, she should have told him weeks ago.

Determined not to think about it right then, she splashed water on her face. She needed to get through the night, first. Tomorrow she’d call Chance and they’d talk things out somehow. Drying her face, she looked in the medicine-cabinet mirror. Her eyes were puffy and her nose was red, but only noticeable if someone looked closely.

She left the cabin, which was tucked beneath the quarterdeck, and wound her way past the crew’s quarters, the galley, then up through the center hatch to the main deck. It was far more crowded than she’d expected for so late in the evening. Surely the guests would start heading home soon, leaving the staff with the chore of cleaning up.

But no one looked the least interested in leaving. They stood in groups along the railing, gesturing toward the house and talking in scandalized tones while the band played on the quarterdeck.

“Are you saying it wasn’t Chance?”

“No, it was that guy who runs the tour-boat business, Captain Bob.”

“Poor Chance. How humiliating.”

“Actually, Chance said he and Paige weren’t even dating anymore, but that could just be him saving face.”

Rory headed to where Jackie was directing her crew to clear dishes off some of the tables. “What’s going on?”

Jackie turned to her, looking uncomfortable. “You okay?”