His Callahan Bride's Baby (Callahan Cowboys) (9 page)

Ash sighed. “That also falls under the heading of mind-my-own-business, if I had it, which I’m not saying I do. Falcon, I’m done meddling. Don’t ask me any more than I’ve told you. Why don’t you have your girlfriend’s phone number if you proposed to her?”

He sighed. “She wasn’t my girlfriend.”

“You asked her to marry you.” Ash stared at him. “But you didn’t ask her for her phone number. It’s almost embarrassing.”

“I’ll figure it out.” He went off, telling himself that pinching his sister’s head off wasn’t appropriate. Ash was right about one thing: he shouldn’t have let Taylor get away. He’d been trying to play it too cool. Things would have gone more smoothly if he’d been his old domineering, alpha wolf self. Hot and demanding instead of cool and laid-back.

“Last time I let people throw me off my game,” he muttered, and went to find Fiona.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” his aunt said brightly when he entered the kitchen. “Just in time to help me hang wreaths.”

“Ah,” he said, about to decline. Then he realized that the fastest way into Fiona’s heart—and therefore her phone book and her gossip hotline—was to hang wreaths. “Let’s get to hanging, then.”

She looked at him. “Did you hear about Taylor?”

This was going to be easier than he thought. “Hear what?”

“She’s getting married,” Fiona said, and Falcon rolled his eyes. The Diablo grapevine was the fastest in New Mexico, but it was moving at a turtle’s pace now.

“Yeah, she’s getting married. To me.”

Fiona blinked. “Not to you, silly. She’s marrying Benton H. Withers III. She said you took back your proposal and so she chose one of the three bachelor princes, and that happened to be Benton H. Withers III. I like saying that. It sounds so regal. The Third. Ha, ha, ha.”

Falcon shook his head at his aunt’s laughter. “The hell she is. She’s marrying Falcon Chacon Callahan the First. Go ahead and spread that all over the grapevine, Aunt, because I’m not about to give my baby to another man to raise, nor my woman to another man to love.”

“Baby!” Fiona exclaimed. “A baby! When did that happen?”

But he didn’t have time to talk. He left the kitchen, heading to find his sister, who
was
going to tell him everything she knew this time—and then he was going to track his little baby mama down, if he had to go to the four corners of the earth to find her.

And drag her to the
nearest
altar.

Chapter Nine

Taylor had told Benton she needed this one last trip with her mother before wedding bells rang, and it had nothing to do with the nervous feeling that had hit her ever since she’d accepted Benton’s proposal.

He’d been okay about the baby, and thrilled that she’d agreed to marry him. In fact, if she wasn’t in love with Falcon, Benton would be a wonderful choice for a husband. Unfortunately, Falcon had completely ruined her for other men.

Which had been his intention all along. In spite of her misgivings and Jillian’s warnings, she’d fallen for him, irreparably and completely.

It had hurt so much when he’d said he was reneging on his proposal. “He really was a cad,” she said out loud without meaning to, as she drove her mother through Texas on the way to Florida, trailing a refurbished silver Airstream trailer they’d rented from a local dealer.

“Probably not a cad,” Mary protested. “He didn’t know about the baby.”

“He’s still a proposal-reneging cad. But I should have expected that.”

“I don’t know why,” her mother said. “You didn’t give him time to get over the shock, honey.”

She hadn’t. But she’d wanted Falcon to say he still wanted to marry her—before she told him about the baby. Then it wouldn’t feel so much like she’d stacked the deck to keep him. Once he’d said he didn’t want to marry her, well, wild horses couldn’t have dragged her to an altar where he was standing. “Let’s change the subject,” she said, catching sight of a dark truck in her rearview mirror. “Let’s talk about Florida.”

“I can’t wait to see those white sands,” her mother said with a happy sigh. “I’ve waited years for this.”

“I know. It’s going to be fun.” And then she’d marry Benton, and forever be Mrs. Withers, and... She eyed the truck more carefully. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the gold Callahan
C
s were painted on the truck, but it was impossible to tell for certain. Why would a Callahan truck be in Texas? They weren’t close to Hell’s Colony, where she knew a bunch of them resided. “We’re going to sit on the beach and stare at the ocean and—”

“You can sit. I’m going parasailing,” her mother said. “I laid in that bed long enough that I don’t want to do any sitting. I want to see the sky.”

Taylor laughed. “We’ll do it.”

The truck pulled up on their passenger side.

“Look! It’s Falcon Callahan!” Mary exclaimed. “He’s waving. I think he wants us to pull over.”

Nerves attacked Taylor like a cloud of mosquitoes. She carefully maneuvered the truck and Airstream onto a long lane at the next exit.

“It’s so romantic!” her mother said. “Don’t you think?”

“I don’t know what I think, other than I think he’s crazy,” Taylor muttered. “At least this will give us a chance to stretch our legs.”

Her mother laughed. “I assume Falcon’s here for more than exercise and a turn in the fresh air.”

“I’ve agreed to marry Benton, and that’s what I’m going to do,” Taylor said with determination.

“If you love him.” Mary looked eagerly out the window. “My, he is a handsome drink of water, isn’t he?”

Yes, he was.
While she agreed with her mother’s comment, there was no reason to egg her on. Taylor got out, went around to help her mom out of the truck, but Falcon beat her to it.

“Hello, Mrs. Waters,” he said, just like Beaver Cleaver, Taylor thought sourly. “Hi, Taylor.”

“Falcon, what are you doing here?” she demanded.

“I’ve come to talk you out of your course of action,” Falcon said, and Taylor said, “You have a problem with Florida?”

Mary drifted away after patting him on the arm.

“I have a problem with you marrying another man,” Falcon said, “when you should be marrying me. I’m trying to save you from yourself, as it were.”

“Is that so?” Taylor gazed at him and crossed her arms. Darn it, he was sexy and confident, and it all just made her mad. All those months he hadn’t so much as called, and now he wanted to upend her life.

Just when she’d gotten over him.

Mostly.

Well, maybe not so much. She was crazy mad for him. But she’d already been down that road once, and at the end of it was heartache. “Thanks, Falcon, but I’m good with saving myself. I saved myself when you weren’t around, and I’m pretty happy with marrying Benton.”

“You’re happy with it?” He cocked an ironic brow. “Sounds like you’re buying a car.”

She flattened her lips, annoyed. “Butt out, Falcon. That’s the most polite way I know how to put it.”

He sighed. “Darling, you really don’t have to fight this hard. You know I make you happy in a way old Benton never will be able to.”

She felt herself blush. Okay, she’d considered the fact that she wasn’t all that attracted to Benton, not at all, actually. It wasn’t going to be a marriage of fire-and-ice like it would most likely be with Falcon. Passion was going to have to be sacrificed for common sense.

“I’m not going to discuss this with you anymore.”

He frowned. “Are you marrying him just because you’re having my baby?”

She walked away a bit farther so she could keep an eye on her mother. Mary had gone into the Airstream and pulled out a lawn chair and a cold drink. She looked happy enjoying the December day. It was much warmer in Texas than when they’d left New Mexico, and Mary couldn’t wait for the hot weather in Florida. The virus and resulting side symptoms she’d had for six months had kept her so housebound that Taylor thought her mother might become a permanent sun-seeker.

Taylor turned to face Falcon. “I’m marrying him because I want to.”

“If it’s about a name for our baby, you know the only name he should wear is Chacon Callahan.”

That was the sticking point Taylor could never get past. So in the end she’d made a different decision. “I’m moving to New York with Benton.”

Falcon shook his head, then shrugged. “All right. If you’ve made up your mind, I won’t try to change it.”

“I have.” Taylor nodded vigorously, eager to convince herself and Falcon, too.

“Then there’s nothing I can do.” Falcon tipped his hat to her, backed up, putting space between them. “Thank you for hearing me out.”

“You’re welcome.” He wasn’t. She felt completely dissatisfied, as if he’d just given her permission she didn’t need, to do what she’d been perfectly satisfied with not ten minutes ago.

With Falcon standing in front of her, staring down at her with navy eyes and long dark hair and a gently confused smile, Taylor didn’t feel satisfied at all.

She felt as if she was making the mistake of a lifetime.

But there was no way to get out of said mistake gracefully. He’d forever know that he could just snap his fingers and she’d give up everything to be with him, which was exactly what she wanted to do more than anything.

That didn’t seem wise. She’d been so hurt when he’d taken back his marriage proposal.

“I know this is just about the baby, and the ranch,” Taylor said softly. “Trust me, I’m making the best decision for both of us.”

“You let me think for myself, little lady, and I’ll let you think for you.” He tipped his hat again, went over to say goodbye to Mary. Taylor waited, giving the two of them a chance to chat. After a moment, Mary got up, threw her arms around Falcon’s neck. He seemed pleased by the attention.

“Guess what, Taylor?” Mary exclaimed. “Falcon’s agreed to drive us to Florida!”

Taylor’s gaze jumped to Falcon, who shrugged as if he was pure as the driven snow.

“Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Mary put up her chair with a content smile. “I always say three is the perfect number for traveling!”

Taylor had never heard her mother say any such thing. Falcon winked at her, and Taylor was pretty certain he hadn’t heard such a point of view before, either.

This was her mother’s trip. If Mary wanted Falcon along, then fine.

But if her mother was trying to pull a Fiona-style ambush, it wasn’t going to work.

* * *

“T
HIS
IS
SO
EXCITING
!”
Mary said, as Falcon and Taylor took her to the gate at the Houston airport the next day. Falcon had slept in his truck at the state park, and her mother and she slept in the Airstream.

Which apparently had given Falcon time to think of a plan that required just a tweak or two to suit his purposes.

“I said I wanted to see the sky, and this is even better than I hoped!” She leaned up to kiss Falcon on the cheek. “Thank you so much for the airplane ticket. I’ll be sure our rooms at the hotel are just right!”

Falcon smiled, and Taylor shook her head. This was a plan no doubt cooked up between the two of them.

Taylor knew she’d been outmaneuvered, Callahan-style.

She hugged her mother goodbye. “I’ll see you in a couple of days. Enjoy the extra fun time on the beach.”

Her mother gave her a tight squeeze. “I’m going to enjoy every second!”

Taylor smiled. “I thought you said three was the perfect number for traveling.”

“I can count,” Mary said. “You, Falcon and your baby make a perfect three. Toodles!”

Her mother went through Security, beaming, waving goodbye as she went off on her adventure. Taylor turned to Falcon.

He held up his hands in mock surrender. “I had nothing to do with it. She said she felt riding in the truck so far was tough on her, and she was going to buy her own crack-of-dawn ticket.”

Taylor walked out into the bright Texas sunshine. “And the first-class plane ticket, and the fancy hotel rooms? We’d been planning on staying at a state park in the trailer.”

“Well,” Falcon said, and his voice was a tad too innocent, “I had frequent-flier miles and hotel points. Does it matter? Your mother deserves a nice vacation. She’s been through a lot.”

It was so true. Taylor couldn’t argue the point, and secretly thought it was sweet that Falcon would do such a nice thing for her mother—even if he was being a bit sneaky about his intentions. Her mom would love having a dream vacation, and being pampered.

“I think you know my mother probably thinks she was being Fiona-like by trapping us together for a couple of days,” Taylor said. “It’s not going to work.”

“No, I seriously believe that bouncing on the truck shocks was hard on her body,” Falcon said. “I take her at her word.”

Taylor climbed behind the wheel of her vehicle. “Falcon, you had Galen pick up your truck, but you can take a plane back to New Mexico, you know. We’re right here at the airport.” She looked across at him. “I can drive to Florida by myself.”

“Believe me, I plan to let you.” He pulled his hat down over his eyes. “This is a vacation for me, too. Drive, chauffeur.”

She drove from the airport and eased onto the highway. “Last chance to catch a flight home. At least until probably New Orleans.”

“I’m fine, darling. You just quit your chatting and let this cowboy rest.”

His phone buzzed, and Falcon pulled it out to peer at it, then shoved his hat back down over his eyes. “I hope you don’t mind, but I made hotel reservations in New Orleans. Let me know if you need me to drive.”

Taylor felt steam begin to come out of her ears. “I do not need you to drive, and what is wrong with staying at a state park?”

“I have goals,” Falcon said. “I was deployed for a few years, then went almost straight to working at Rancho Diablo, which, nice as it is, isn’t exactly a vacation. In fact, it’s sometimes a bit stressful.”

Stress the Callahans sometimes caused themselves, Taylor thought. It was because they were so arrogant and pigheaded. “What does that have to do with goals?”

“I’ve never stayed in a Ritz. Seems like something I should do, doesn’t it?”

Taylor blinked. “A Ritz Carlton?” She wouldn’t be able to pay for such a thing. She and her mother lived on her earnings from Banger’s, and some of her mother’s retirement income, though they tried not to touch that. “My hotel is on wheels right behind this truck. It’s not deluxe, but it’s fine for me.”

“Still,” Falcon said, “my baby says he’d prefer the Ritz.”

“Uh-uh,” Taylor said. “If I’m having a boy—and I’m still not telling you what the sex is—he’s a tough guy. He’ll take the trailer. And I know what you’re trying to do.”

“What?” He was too casual.

“You’re trying to compete with Benton.”

Falcon laughed out loud. “Okay, you got me.”

She hadn’t figured he’d admit it.

“Is there anything wrong with that?” Falcon asked.

“Yes. There is. It’s unnecessary.”

“Maybe, but I’ve always wanted to stay at a Ritz. It sounds very different from caves and mountains in Afghanistan. Not that it was always bad,” he mused. “But I’m looking forward to sleeping on feather pillows.”

Taylor straightened. “Falcon, what hotel do you have my mother staying at?”

“Well,” Falcon said, “her flight lands in Fort Lauderdale, where she will stay at the Ritz for two nights. Then she’s flying out to stay at some swanky place in Bermuda, connecting from Atlanta. It was a little bit of going around her elbow to get to her wrist, but your mother’s dying to check out the best beaches.” He looked at her. “Didn’t she tell you her plans?”

Taylor counted to ten. Tried to rein in her temper. “Falcon, this isn’t going to work.”

“Why isn’t it?”

“You can’t just take over my trip with my mother.”

“It’s December,” Falcon said. “I figure I’ve got fifteen more days of romancing coming to me, and romancing is what I intend to do. Can’t blame a guy for sticking to the plan, can you?”

She wanted to yell at him, she really did. She wanted to be angry.

The problem was, she was flattered he was trying so hard. If he was trying to win her heart, he might be succeeding.

* * *

F
ALCON
STUDIED
the driving directions on his phone, and then the map in his lap. Taylor still wouldn’t let him drive, wouldn’t relinquish any control. Had refused to eat dinner with him last night, keeping him at arm’s length, warding off romance. He’d gotten a king bed, of course, but she’d ordered her own room, as if he were a prickly cactus she didn’t want to get too near.

Sometimes it was best to let a woman have her space. It didn’t matter, because he was less than two feet away from Taylor. He fully intended to show up ol’ Benton, and as long as he was in Taylor’s truck, he felt he was ahead of the game.