A Family of Her Own (Dundee, Idaho #3)(55)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it back for you.”

“I’m sure he’s sold it by now. I don’t think there’s any chance of getting it back. I’m just hoping he stays away. If he leaves me and the baby alone for a year, it’s considered abandonment and I can petition the court to revoke his parental rights.”

“Sounds like you’ve been checking into legalities.”

“I’ve pulled up a few things on the Internet. I need to talk to a lawyer to double-check that what I’ve read applies to the state of Idaho, but I’m pretty sure it does.”

“Do you think Andy will come back into your life at some point and give you trouble?”

“He wanted me to have an abortion when I got pregnant, so I know he’s not interested in being a father right now. But he could change his mind later on.”

“Would that be so bad—if he straightened up, I mean?”

“I don’t know. He used to be a decent enough guy, before the drugs and the parties and all that. Maybe he’ll find that person again. But maybe he won’t. Either way, I don’t want to deal indefinitely with the possibility that he could show up here and interfere in my child’s life.”

“What about his folks?”

“I plan on calling them in a few weeks and giving them a choice as to whether or not they want to be involved in their grandson’s life. From what I know of them, they’re basically good people. I feel I owe them that much.”

“Sounds pretty generous to me.”

“It’s fair.” She gazed at the vibrant lilies, wondering if she should tell him that Mary had been the instigator of Andy’s appearance at her cabin. Finally she decided to broach the subject. “Are you still dating Mary?”

His scowl darkened as he stripped off his parka. “I told you, we were never really seeing each other—certainly not on a regular basis.”

“I don’t think she understands that.”

“She should. I’ve never indicated that I’m interested in anything other than being friends.”

“Well, you might want to give her a call and…I don’t know, straighten out a few things.”

“Why?”

“She seems to believe I’m getting in the way of your relationship. She told Andy that you’re providing more than a place for me to live, which is why he felt justified in taking the computer. She also said some other stuff—un-warranted stuff.”

“Like what?”

She chuckled as though it was too incredulous to believe. “She intimated that I’m offering something more personal than Web services in exchange for rent.”

“She thinks we’ve been having sex?”

“I guess so.” Katie grinned. “She doesn’t realize that you look at me as a little sister.”

His gaze lingered on her face, his eyes assessing. “I don’t look at you that way…anymore.”

Katie caught her breath. When she was only a teenager, she’d made a list of the perfect man’s attributes. Mike fit every category. Handsome. Loyal. Brave. Sexy. He had a college education, a great reputation and he came from a good family. He was even rich.

But some traits seemed more important to her now than others, and Booker seemed to possess all the ones that really mattered. Maybe he wasn’t nearly as “perfect” as Mike—at least not according to the obvious criteria. He had a dysfunctional family and a dark past. He cursed a lot and sometimes drank too much. But he was every bit as handsome and, to her, even sexier because of his rough edges. Now when Katie imagined the ideal man, she pictured Booker carrying her into the bathroom to make her take a bath when she couldn’t get out of bed on her own; Booker’s cut and swollen hands the night he came to Delbert’s rescue; the wonder that had dawned on his face when he’d touched her pregnant belly; Booker supporting her shaky legs and telling her not to be scared when she was delivering Troy in the middle of nowhere.

“Mike, I—”

The nurse walked into the room. “Do you need me, Ms. Rogers?”

Katie decided to let her conversation with Mike go, for the moment. He was afraid of commitment, anyway. She didn’t have to worry about him pressing for more than she was willing to give. “How’s my baby?” she asked the nurse.

“He’s doing great.”

“Any chance we can see him?”

“Sure. It’s time to nurse again. I was just trying to give you a few more minutes because I thought you were still sleeping.”

The nurse bestowed a friendly smile on Mike, to acknowledge his presence, and said she’d be right back.

“I’m glad Booker was around to get you to the hospital,” Mike said as she disappeared through the door.

“He wasn’t too happy when we had to pull over.”

Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and let his hands dangle between his legs. “Something go wrong with the car?”

“What?”

“Why’d you have to pull over?”

She looked at him more closely. “To have the baby.”

“You didn’t make it to the hospital?”

“No. I delivered in Booker’s truck.”

Pushing his hat back, Mike scratched his head. “Really? And how did Booker handle that?”

“He was…incredible. He took charge of the whole situation.”

Mike’s eyebrows rose. “I’ll be damned. Booker said you went into labor out at the ranch and couldn’t reach me, so you called him and he drove you to the hospital. That’s it. He didn’t say anything about delivering the baby on the way.”

“He wouldn’t,” Katie said, still thinking of possible motives for Booker to have called Mike in the first place. “You’d have to know Booker to understand how he downplays everything.”

At the naked admiration that rang through her voice, a curious expression claimed Mike’s face, and she knew she’d given herself away. “Things have changed since you used to wait for me to ride by on my bicycle, haven’t they?” he said.

“I’m afraid so,” she admitted. Things had changed a lot since she was that young, but they hadn’t changed much over the past two years. She’d been in love with Booker when she left Dundee. She was in love with him now. But after what she’d been through with Andy, and what Booker had done with Ashleigh, she wasn’t sure she could trust him enough to ever tell him that. And—even if she could—considering how badly she’d hurt him, he might laugh in her face.