Twice in a Lifetime (Love Found) (9 page)

Allie smiled as she leaned against the car door, amused and jealous of Maddie’s energy at the end of the day.

“I hate to admit it out loud, but my parents have all been very supportive.” She smiled sheepishly, anchoring her skirt with her arm when the wind threatened to lift it. “I have quite a few of them who volunteer to help out during class.” With the hand holding her keys she motioned toward the worksheets the children completed that day. “Unfortunately the mom who was scheduled for today cancelled.”

Allie desperately needed to get home, put her feet up. She pushed off the car and edged around Maddie, making sure warmth settled in her voice. “I’m glad I met you today. Maybe tomorrow we can have lunch together.” Allie reached the door and propped it open.

Maddie’s smile was in her eyes as she pushed herself off the car. “That will be great. School’s been pretty lonely so far.”

“Tomorrow, then. We can make plans for Saturday. We’re having people over for poker. But you’re warned, we generally last until the wee hours.”

Maddie grinned and lifted her arm in farewell. “Sounds like fun.”

Allie slid in behind the wheel as the first fat raindrops fell. Smiled again and waved as she drove away.

She hoped Jake brought a date this time, but he usually showed up stag to poker. She’d brought up the subject with Ben the night before, but as usual, he told her to back off. Maybe they should just set him up on a blind date. A smile bloomed. Wouldn’t that be fun? And a little like payback.

The next week Ben burst through the door in the evening, just as she sat to mark worksheets. It was nearing the end of the week, the end of September. “Hey Al, I’ve got a surprise for you. Throw some warm clothes together. We’re leaving after work tomorrow.”

Questioning—interrogating—had done her no good. Ben was keeping their destination a secret.

After nearly an hour on the road she was finally relaxed. “This was a great idea, Ben.” She lay with her head against the seat, eyes closed, tired from a long week herding youngsters. “Like a mini-honeymoon.”

He reached across the car and smoothed her cheek with his fingers. “The softness of your skin is like velvet against my hand.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “And if you tell Jake I said that I’ll deny it.”

Allie only smiled, turned to stare out her window, enjoying the ride and the desert scenery as it flew by in the waning afternoon light.

Wheels hummed as they cruised along the ribbon of patched asphalt, as if singing backup to the country music drifting from the radio. Ben took his eyes off the road long enough to glance her way. “You sure you didn’t mind postponing our wedding trip?”

She let the peaceful surroundings seep into her. Towering saguaros stood resolute, their barrels pocked, arms reaching in surrender toward the swirling patches of high clouds. “No, it’s fine. We both have so much to do.”

“Maybe you need to dial it down. You’ll make yourself sick if you keep up this pace.

“You’re right. But there’s so much. Lesson plans, meetings, the house. Where are we going, by the way?” They’d passed several road signs along the way. It had to be somewhere nearby.

Ben stretched his arm toward her and flicked a curl. “I was trying to be mysterious.” He returned his hand to the steering wheel, flexed his fingers and rolled his neck. “I found a bed and breakfast in Sedona that’s supposed to be pretty. Hopefully you’ll feel better by the time the weekend’s over.”

She let a smile tug at her lips as she faced Ben and swept her gaze over his familiar features. Inside she glowed knowing that he was concerned about her, that he’d made the effort to plan this trip. She reached for his hand, laced their fingers together. “You’re a great guy, you know that? I just might keep you.”

Her attention was diverted as they left the interstate and travelled the highway into the quaint town nestled charmingly in a red rock valley. Through the dusky twilight brightly hued blossoms lined the bumpy gravel drive that led to the inn’s guest lot.

A Victorian two-story stood before them—its pale yellow clapboards highlighted with mustard and colonial blue trim and pristine-white gingerbread, the steep rooflines covered in mottled gray slate. The front light was as welcoming as a lighthouse beacon. She mounted the wide painted steps to stand beside Ben on the wooden porch, and waited for Mr. and Mrs. Lange, the owners of the property, to answer their knock

“Come on in.” The friendly couple was probably in their mid-sixties. Ben trailed her as they were ushered through the front door and into the foyer. “We’re so glad you made it. Make yourselves right at home.

Allie followed Mrs. Lange while the men carried their bags upstairs. She poked her head into room after room as the innkeeper chattered about the history of the house, the furnishings, the sights in the area, and ended in the dining room, which was painstakingly reproduced, comfortable and inviting.

“Breakfast is here on the sideboard starting at eight. High tea at four. Come. I’ll show you up.”

The rooms at this inn were named instead of numbered, she found. Allie walked through the doorway to the Grand Canyon room and was immediately enchanted. The ice-blue beadboards and off-white crown moldings would wash the room with soothing cheer in the light of day. A tall, lace-covered window overlooked an expanse of lawn and into the pines, and there was a small stone-covered fireplace on the opposite wall, A fire was laid, ready for the strike of a match to ward off the chill of the autumn evening.

Buzzing with anticipation she looked forward to snuggling with Ben on the chintz setee stationed before the hearth. But after removing the delicate antique quilt and tossing the mounds of fluffy pillows to the floor, it was the decadence of the king sized poster bed she longed to fall into with her husband.

“Town or Oak Creek Canyon?” She could barely understand him through the blueberry muffin he’d confiscated from the buffet on his way upstairs. “Which do you want to explore first?”

He’d been for a run. Sweat trickled down his neck and into his t-shirt. She yawned and stretched beneath the covers. “Canyon.”

“Up and at’em.” He grabbed her toes through the sheet and gave them a wiggle. “I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.

She held his hand as they strolled aimlessly through the rustling trees. “Luxury accommodations.” Her sigh was pure pleasure. “Majestic red rock country. The maroon and gold of autumn leaves –” She drew to a stop, drew in her eyebrows as Ben simply slanted back and chuckled.

“I’m sorry.” He snickered with no remorse at all. “But you sound like a travel brochure.”

Yanking away, she jammed her fists into the pockets of her warm wool jacket. Kicked those leaves and continued alongside the fast-moving creek. “Well, don’t call Fodor’s just yet.”

With a quick step he caught up to her, stole a kiss and she melted. He filled her—her mind, her heart, her soul. He restored her when she needed that. And right now she needed to spend the balance of their weekend quietly, together in their peaceful corner of the house.

They said goodbye to the proprietors on Sunday afternoon. Allie turned to Ben in the lee of the open car door, hesitating. He put his arms around her waist in a gentle embrace and dipped his head when she turned up for a kiss.

“We’ll come back soon. You look like you’re feeling better.”

She was, she agreed. Until the next morning when she awoke and made an abrupt dash to the bathroom. Ben had kissed her goodbye only an hour ago and she was glad he wasn’t there to witness her misery. Nothing took the blush off a new marriage like the wife yakking over a toilet.

Six weeks had sped by since their getaway and she was still run down, but she attributed it to her hectic schedule. She lugged the laundry basket through the apartment, parked it beside the front door. Both she and Ben were busy with work, busy at home—running early in the mornings several days a week, watching the children squeal as they strolled through the neighborhood park after dinner. Ben charmed her, holding her hand and kissing her in public. She was always anxious to make love with him. But then, they were still newlyweds, still learning what pleased each other most. She grabbed a handful of quarters, scowled at the pile of dirty clothes. What would please her right now was a washer of her own.

Ben listened in from the living room. Her voice was a murmur mingling with the splash of water as Allie dealt with dinner dishes. “No, Mom. We decided we’d spend Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve with you guys, then Christmas Day with Ben’s dad and brothers.”

This married thing was easier than he’d thought. There were adjustments to be made, of course, but he was a team player. Over the speculative comments of the football announcer the refrigerator opened, glass clinked.

“Ryan’s flying in tomorrow.” She rounded the corner carrying two longnecks. “And I promised my mom we’d be at her house by eleven on Thanksgiving morning. She’ll serve around four so there’s time for football before dark.

She set the beers on a nearby table and settled beside him. He pulled her onto his lap as he stroked all his favorite places, extolling her virtues.

“You make it pretty easy to love you, you know.” He grinned, picked up a bottle and raised it to her in a silent toast. “You bring me beer and I don’t even ask.” He took a long swallow from the bottle and set it back on the table. Then nibbled kisses along her jaw. “You don’t make me wash dishes. And really—thank you.” She flashed him her dimple and wiggled until he hardened beneath her. Allie ran her hands up the sides of his arms, to the back of his neck and laced her fingers in his hair. She leaned forward, her lips beginning a teasing assault. Ben’s arms tugged her closer, murmured as his lips brushed hers. “No PMS.”

She froze. Like the human statues he and Jake saw in Vegas on spring break, she was immobile. He looked straight into her eyes. Something was very wrong.

“Allie? Honey, what’s the matter?”

Even as she moaned softly under her breath he crooked a grin, rubbed her arms to get her attention. “Hey, what’s up? I was only teasing, you know. You can be cranky if you want.”

She sucked in a ragged breath, blurted what he assumed was a clue. “Ben, you know how I’ve been tired for forever?”

What did that have to do with anything? He tipped up her chin with a finger to see her face. “Sure, the semester’s been a bitch. You’ll feel better soon.”

But she continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Anyway, I’ve never been regular, my cycle sort of keeps its own schedule. And one day I was sick—you were already gone to work.” Her eyes were wild, darting.

What was he missing? Oh, God, was she ill? His eyes widened, his breathing became rough in his chest. He grabbed her hands for support—hers and his both. “Allie, for God’s sake, what is it?”

She blew out a slow breath, locked her eyes on his and murmured. “I think I might be pregnant.”

His jaw dropped. His breathing, which had been choppy, now stopped altogether. Of all the things she might have said, this was not on his radar. “But we take precautions.” How lame did that sound? But he bought a box of condom— a damn big box—when they began sleeping together. They’d snickered about it at the time.

He wanted children, her children. But did he want them
yet
? His gaze skidded around the room. At the apartment, that was barely big enough for them to turn around in. At the ceiling, for what—divine intervention? At Allie, who wasn’t ill, but instead was pregnant.

And miserable.

He was an ass.

He wrapped her in his arms, held her tight and rocked her as they would rock their child. Jesus. The idea took root, warmed him. Through the renewed pounding of his heart echoing in his ears he welcomed the slow grin that made its way across his face. “Al, you mean we’re going to be parents?”

Without letting go he loosened her in his arms, tilted his head back, caught her bemused expression, the nervous grin hovering around her mouth. “Are you worried? Anxious? Allie, this will be great! We’ll be great.” He paused a beat with his eyes narrowed. “Wait… you said you think. We need to know for sure. Right now.”

He lurched from the sofa, but Allie pinned him. She squawked as he tumbled her into the cushions. Suddenly remembering her posited condition, he helped her find her feet.