The Baby Race (16 page)

"What happened?" she asked.

"You swooned," Grandmere and Cindy spoke
together. "You fainted."

Race perched on the edge of the couch and
said, "You went out like the proverbial light."

"That's impossible. I never faint."
Embarrassment sent a wave of heat up her throat into her cheeks. A
niggling fear tightened her already churning stomach.

"First time for everything. How do you feel
now?" Race asked. The gentle concern in his voice and eyes touched
Claire's battered heart.

"Okay."

"Well, you look like hell."

"Race," Cindy admonished. "That's no way to
talk to an expectant mother,"

"What!" Race popped up from the couch so fast
Claire bounced.

"Well, I can't be certain, but the symptoms
are all there. Sleeplessness. Nausea. Dizziness. Fainting," Cindy
said.

"But how do you know how I've been feeling?"
Claire thought she'd been doing a good job of hiding her symptoms.
Apparently not.

Cindy smiled. "Remember I've been there three
times. Plus, Bobbie Sue is very observant and talkative. Little
pitchers have big ears and big mouths. I'm right, aren't I? You're
expecting?"

"I don't know. Maybe I just have a touch of
the flu that's going around." Claire shook her head and snuck a
peek at Race.

"Maybe, but I think you'd better make an
appointment with your doctor." Cindy sounded doubtful and looked
contrite. "I'm sorry if I spoke out of turn. I guess being around
five-year-olds all day has eroded my tack. They tend to blurt out
whatever they're feeling. It must have rubbed off on me."

Pregnant? That would explain everything. A
myriad of emotions flooded through Claire. Dreams she thought long
buried erupted. A baby. Her baby. Race's baby.

Aside from that one glorious night, Race had
been adamant about keeping their relationship strictly business.
With the marriage bonus money in his hands he didn't need to
compete in Grandmere's Baby Race. Her being pregnant would
complicate an already difficult situation. But despite her fear,
Claire couldn't contain the wild hope that she was pregnant with
Race's baby.

Race's baby. His words to Grandmere made it
clear he wasn't interested in being a father. She glanced over at
him.

Closed and hard, his expression told her
nothing of what was going on inside his head. But she could see the
outline of his fists through the taut fabric of his pants. His dark
eyes focused on her still flat belly. Instinctively, she covered
that vulnerable spot with her hands. Something flickered in Race's
eyes – pain, regret, fear – Claire couldn't tell.

"I need another drink." With an
unintelligible oath he turned and stalked over to the bar.

"This is wonderful!" Grandmere's voice broke
the strained silence.

Jackson followed, and laid his hand on Race's
shoulder. "Congratulations, son."

Race went rigid. Unsure what he might do,
Claire held her breath. Though Jackson showered physical
expressions of his love on Cindy and his three daughters, she had
never seen him touch Race. The two men kept a distance between them
as if they were both surrounded by impenetrable force fields.

"Thanks." The word sounded rusty on Race's
tongue. "Before we start - celebrating, Claire needs to see a
doctor. Don't call the race before it's run." Race's hard gaze
landed on Grandmere.

She smiled serenely back at him and then
turned to Claire. "Do you feel up to having some desert? Mrs.
Wilcox has made your favorite, chocolate mousse. And Dabner, I
think now it's time for the Taittenger," she added
triumphantly.

Not even chocolate mousse could tempt her
appetite. Doubt, fear and joy rushed through her. A baby. Her baby.
She was pregnant. Whatever else happened she was going to be a
mother.

~~~~~

CHAPTER ELEVEN

A baby! He was going to be a father. After
his words to Grandmere on the subject, the idea should have
horrified him. Instead, all Race could think of was Claire's body
growing soft and round with child – his child.

"You will, of course, if the child is male,
name him after his grandfather." Grandmere's command snapped Race's
head up.

"In a pig's eye," he muttered. No child of
his was going to be saddled with that ridiculous name. He had never
figured out why his mother had named him after his grandfather. Few
people knew his given name, and even Grandmere knew better than to
call him by it. He answered only to Race.

"What did you say, Race?" Grandmere's tone
held its usual hint of steel.

"Nothing." Now wasn't the time to confront
his grandmother. Claire's skin looked chalk white, her eyes dark
pits of fatigue. "It's time we headed out. If Claire is expecting,
she needs her rest. Come on, sweetheart, let's get you home."

Claire's small flinch when he touched her arm
sent a shaft of pain through him. Did she think he'd hurt her? The
baby? He pulled back and waited for her to stand on her own.

Eyes downcast, refusing to meet his gaze, she
struggled to her feet. Though he wanted to reach out and swoop her
into his arms, he held back. If they were going to find a way
through this situation, she'd have to learn to trust him.

Every relationship needed trust to succeed.
The thought made him pause. They didn't have a relationship they
had a business arrangement. He whirled around. "I'll get the
car."

He walked out into the foyer as Bobbie Sue
slid down the banister.

"Catch me, Daddy!"

Just before she landed on the heap of
mattresses piled at the base of the stairs, he snatched her out of
the air. Whooping in delight, she wrapped her pudgy arms around his
neck and showered sticky kisses on his cheeks. At that moment, Race
realized that he was the one who was caught.

Aside from Bobbie Sue's excited chatter the
ride home was accomplished in silence. Eyes closed, her arms
wrapped protectively around her middle, Claire curled in her
seat

If she found out he'd given the bonus money
to Banner, would she think he'd deliberately tried to get her
pregnant? How could she? They'd only made love that once. As
innocent as she was, she had to know the odds were against her
getting pregnant the first time out. Wouldn't she? Race was afraid
not.

It was time for decisions. The income from
his saddle making business wouldn't be enough to provide the
lifestyle he wanted for Claire, Bobbie Sue and the baby – his baby.
They deserved better. Next week he'd contact Colin about the
property. With winter just around the corner, maybe he could delay
the transfer of the property until spring.

*****

Race found Colin at the site of his latest
project, the town's new community center. Despite the ice edging
the puddles on the construction site, workers bustled around. The
buzz of saws, the thump of air hammers and cheerful voices filled
the air. The gritty smell of fresh poured concrete was a far cry
from the earthy scents of horse and hay, but it had its own appeal.
Though Race was loath to admit it Colin had a point when he said
the town either had to grow or die.

"Hi, cuz." Colin called a greeting as he
jumped off a rumbling concrete truck and strode over to Race's
side. "To what do I owe this visit?" He didn't wait for an answer.
"Come on inside."

Race followed Colin into the small, cluttered
trailer that served as the site's office. It pleased Race to see
that not everything in Colin's life was neat and tidy.

Colin brushed some papers off a chair. "Sit
down and tell me what's up. Coffee?"

Race eyed the thick, dark brew simmering in
the grimy coffee maker and grimaced. "I'll pass."

Colin grinned and sipped the sludge he called
coffee. "You always were a wimp about your coffee. This stuff will
put hair on your chest."

"And burn out the lining of your
stomach."

Colin laughed then turned serious. "So to
what do I owe the honor of your presence? You've never made a
secret of the fact you consider new construction a rape of the
land."

Though Colin's tone was light, Race knew his
cousin felt strongly about his projects, took pride in building the
best.

"Not all new construction. I voted for the
referendum to build the town center. I'm just not happy with the
idea of urban sprawl."

Colin leaned his hip on the edge of his desk
and warmed to his subject. "A light industrial park, a strip mall
and a housing development are hardly urban blight. This area needs
jobs, shopping and homes if it's going to grow. Already, the young
people…."

Race smiled and held up his hand in defeat.
"Okay, okay. We've been over this ground before. I may not totally
agree with you, but I respect your opinions."

Colin eyed Race suspiciously. "What's
up?"

"Are you – are you still interested in my
land?" The words came hard to Race. What would he do if Colin
weren't interested? He'd not only lose the ranch, he'd have no
money to provide for Claire or his horses. A sense of failure
seeped through him. Could he crawl to Grandmere for help? Resolve
stiffened his spine. He'd do whatever it took to secure a future
for Claire, Bobbie Sue and the baby.

Shock rendered Colin speechless for a moment.
He slid into his desk chair. "I thought Claire was pregnant."

"The grapevine works quick around here."

"What do you expect? This is a small town.
Claire and Lizzie see the same doctor. From what I hear they're due
at the same time. Why not wait and see who wins Grandmere's baby
race?"

"Are you trying to talk yourself out of the
property?"

"No. I just want to be fair. If Claire
delivers first you won't need to sell. Besides, I thought you
weren't going to participate."

Race shrugged. "Accidents happen."

"Yeah, I know." Colin studied his coffee for
a moment then asked, "What happened to the marriage bonus?"

"I used it to get rid of Bobbie Sue's natural
father."

Colin nodded thoughtfully.

"Keep it between us. I don't want Claire to
know."

"I think you should tell her. It doesn't pay
to keep secrets. They cause nothing but heartache."

What secret was Colin hiding? "And have her
think I got her pregnant deliberately?"

Colin whistled. "You have dug yourself a nice
deep hole."

"Yeah, right next to the one you're in."

Colin's laugh was short and humorless. "Then
we're agreed, whoever wins the Baby Race gets the property
too?"

A reprieve.

Race stuck out his hand. "Deal."

*****

Strains of Christmas carols along with the
smell of cinnamon and pine wafted through the house. Claire hummed
along as she wrapped presents. Banished from barn duty by Vicki and
War, because of her pregnancy, aside from her college classes and
job, Claire spent her days cleaning, decorating, baking and
shopping. If not for the continued strain between her and Race,
she'd be contentment. This is what she'd always longed for – home –
family.

Christmas Day would be spent at the Reed
mansion, but tonight after church services, Christmas Eve was just
for them – Race, Bobbie Sue and her.

Since his harsh words to Grandmere, Race's
attitude had undergone a subtle transformation. Though he still
maintained a physical distance between them, he seemed softer. He
came in to dinner each night, speaking with her about the ranch,
his business, and horses. Unable to forget their one night of
passion, Claire longed for more.

The subject of the baby growing beneath and
in Claire's heart was never broached, but she often caught him
staring at the small bulge when he thought she couldn't see. The
wistful look on his face made her want to reach out to him, but
afraid of driving him away again, she followed his lead and treated
him like the business partner he claimed they were.

What would it take to break through his wall
of reserve? To make their marriage real?

Is that what she truly wanted?

Yes.

Her visits to the doctor were lonely. Though
Lizzie treated him like dirt, Colin insisted on accompanying Lizzie
to each and every appointment.

Grandmere's Baby Race was ever present in
Claire's mind. With her and Lizzie's due dates within days of each
other, Claire was glad the outcome no longer mattered. Baby boy or
girl, early or late in coming, Claire was content to settle back
and enjoy her pregnancy without worrying about delivering on
schedule.

From the small comments Lizzie let slip she
seemed determined to lose the race just to spite Colin.
Fortunately, she didn't object to the baby itself. She and Claire
spent many a pleasant hour shopping, talking and dreaming about
motherhood. An only child, Lizzie had no experience with babies so
she grilled Claire endlessly about raising Bobbie Sue.

A soft flutter in her belly caught her off
guard. Wrapping paper dropped from her hands. She leaned back,
placed her palms over her rounded stomach and waited expectantly.
The movement came again, stronger.

"Hello, little one," she whispered.

"Mom, whatcha doing?"

At the sound of Bobbie Sue's voice, Claire
held out her arm and tugged the little girl into her embrace.
"Feel." She put Bobbie Sue's small hand over her belly. For a
moment nothing happened then the baby moved.

Bobbie Sue's eyes lit up. "Whosit kicked
me!"

"Whosit?" Claire asked.

"Well, he doesn't have a name yet and I can't
call him a Whatsit, can I? This is way cool. I'm goina have a baby
brother. Rachel has got older sisters, but she ain't gots a baby
brother."

"Whosit might be a girl," Claire
cautioned.

"No, Whosit's a boy. I kin tell."

Claire controlled her grin. "How can you
tell?"

"Girls don't kick, they're ladies," Bobbie
Sue informed her in a tone that sounded suspiciously like
Grandmere. "We'll have to be sure and teach Whosits not to kick
people. Big sisters gets to teach little brothers lots of neat
stuff, don't they?"