A Baby of Her Own (Dundee, Idaho #1)(54)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Why not?”

“Because I have a better solution.”

Delaney was almost afraid to hear what it might be. “And that is…”

“I think we should get married.”

Her knees buckled, and she quickly put both hands on the edge of the desk to support herself. “Did you just say what I thought you said?”

“You heard me.” He turned back to his computer. “Think about it and you’ll see that it’s the only answer.”

Bald. Matter-of-fact. Emotionless. Delaney cringed. “I don’t think it’s the only answer.”

His eyes met hers. “This is what’s best for the baby. It gives the baby a name, saves your reputation—”

“No.”

That made an impact. “What?” he said, apparently forgetting the computer.

“I said no. I’m not going to marry you.”

He scowled fiercely. “You haven’t heard all the reasons. I’m sure once—”

“I know all the reasons.”

“Then, why are you saying no?”

“After such a romantic proposal, I can’t imagine.” She started out of the room, but he stood and rounded the desk so quickly that he caught her by the wrist before she could reach the door.

“What’s the matter, Laney? You landed us in this mess and now you’re not happy that there’s no wine and roses?”

Delaney could feel the strength in his hand and wanted to twist away. At the same time, she wanted to strike out at him. But most of all, she wanted to kick herself for causing this disaster in the first place. He was right: it was her fault. How could she have been so foolish? “I should never have told you,” she said.

“You should never have done it!”

“Okay! I agree, but I can’t change that now. I regret what I’ve done, but I can’t fix it, Conner. I did everything I could do when I told you the truth.”

Nostrils flaring, he stared down at her, his lips set in an angry line. Suddenly, inexplicably, she had a momentary vision of his mouth descending on hers. They hadn’t been quite this close since that first night, not even when they were dancing. His breath fanned her face, his heart beat above her own, and for some reason she didn’t understand, desire swirled through her. All her feelings seemed to spin together so fast that she could no longer separate one from another.

Conner must have experienced something similar, because she sensed a subtle change in him right before he pulled her into his arms and made the kiss she’d just imagined real.

As hard and hungry as his kiss was, it answered everything Delaney needed in that moment. They were caught in a web of blame and frustration, anger and regret, from which there was no escape, yet something very elemental kept them clinging to each other now. Her hands delved into his hair, urging him even closer as she opened her mouth to meet his tongue and simply let herself feel what he’d made her feel in Boise. Only better. This was somehow more poignant, more meaningful. She knew him. She knew she wanted him. But she also knew he’d never be able to forgive her.

“Marry me,” he murmured against her lips, still taking and tasting, giving, touching.

But passion wasn’t enough. Eventually his resentment would take over, and she couldn’t live with that. For her baby’s sake, she wouldn’t follow one mistake with another.

“No,” she said, and, finally breaking away, she ran from the room.

WHEN DELANEY REACHED her bedroom, she stood at the window for several minutes, trying to calm down. Somewhere in the house she heard a door open and close and Roy telling Conner they had to hurry or they’d miss Josh Hill. Then the front door banged, and the truck started and drove off. As silence fell, Delaney dialed the beauty shop.

Katie answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Is Rebecca there?” Delaney asked.

“Rebecca! Laney’s on the phone!” Katie’s scream blasted across the line, then there was a long pause during which Delaney could hear the dryers, the cash register and a few voices before Rebecca picked up.

“Laney?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Until that moment Delaney had been able to hold her tears at bay. But it only took the sound of her friend’s voice to make them spring to her eyes.

Rebecca immediately recognized her distress. “What’s wrong, Laney?”

“I should never have let Conner blackmail me into working here.”

“Why not? I thought it was going okay.”

“It’s not okay.”

“Why?”

Delaney sniffed. “I think…I think I’m falling in love with him.”

Silence. Then Rebecca whispered, “Oh boy, Laney. Tell me he feels the same way.”

“Do you think I’d be crying if he did?” she said. “He hates me.”

“Well, I wouldn’t tell Conner how you feel, not if he hates you.”

Delaney groaned. “Gee, that’s a valuable piece of advice.”

“You’re the type to spill your guts. I thought it was worth mentioning. What are you going to do?”

“Quit this job so I don’t have to be around him anymore.”

“Okay. What are you waiting for?”

“He’s gone. He and Roy went to meet Josh Hill.”

The tone of Rebecca’s voice changed completely, grew a little possessive. “What’s he doing with Josh?”

“Business of some sort.”

“Oh.” A pause. “So are you going to tell him you’re out of there as soon as he gets back?”

“Yeah.”

“Great. Maybe you’ll be home in time to go to the Honky Tonk.”

“Your sympathy overwhelms me, Beck.”

“Just kidding. Who’s going to take over Dottie’s position for you, then?”

Delaney buried her head beneath the pillow. “Don’t ask me questions like that.”

“Why? Look, Mrs. Peters is waiting for a perm, so I have to get to the bottom line here.”

“What is the bottom line?”

“The bottom line is, you can’t quit because Dottie’s not there, and you would never leave Conner and the other cowboys without a replacement. So, what are you really going to do?”

“I don’t know. Crying feels pretty good.”

“Then, have a—”

“He asked me to marry him,” Delaney told her.

Surprised silence. “And you said—”