Royal Holiday Baby (13 page)

“How's that?” Eve asked, stretching a rubber band around her receipts and setting them aside.

“We had a discussion the day before he went to Dallas. It didn't go well,” Tina said.

Hildie refilled each of their cups with hot tea. “I can't imagine what kind of discussion would bother Zachary that much. Unless it concerned Jenny and the baby.”

Tina couldn't quite conceal a small grimace.

“Oh, no, you didn't,” Hildie said.

“I think it's important that we're open about this,” Tina said. “He clearly has strong feelings about the fact that I'm
pregnant. I mean, he doesn't love me, but he asked me to marry him and—”

Eve's jaw dropped. “He asked you to marry him? Why didn't you tell us you two were engaged?”

“Because we're not,” Tina said. “I turned him down.”

Both women stared at her in shock.

“You turned down a proposal from Zachary Logan? The father of your child?” Hildie asked.

“He doesn't love me,” Tina said.

Hildie snorted. “That would change. With the right people, love will grow.”

“No wonder he's camping out in Dallas,” Eve said.

“You act as if this is all my fault,” Tina said. “All I wanted was for Zach to share a little about his relationship with his wife with me. Just a few words.”

“Easier to rip out his spleen,” Eve said.

“Or his liver,” Hildie added.

Frustrated by the accusatory looks from the women, Tina met their gazes one at a time. “His proposal included the words.
It's the right thing to do.
”

“Well, it is,” Hildie said.

Eve paused. “Yeah, but I can see your point. If you're looking for hearts and flowers, it was missing in a big way.”

“If you're looking for hearts and flowers from Zachary Logan, then you're looking in the wrong place. Zachary is more solid than all that. He's the kind of man who will stay true.”

“I wasn't wanting hearts and flowers. I wanted to know that he wasn't marrying me just because I was pregnant.” She folded her hands together. “I wanted this proposal to be different. I've received proposals from other men where our marriage would have been a kind of barter. A trade of my title and position for something they could offer my country.
With Zach, I just wanted to believe love between us was really possible.”

“I can't blame you for that,” Eve said.

Hildie's mouth was set in a frown for a long, silent moment. “Well, if you're serious about this love thing, then you better realize it's gotta go both ways. Maybe you could do a little more on your end, if you get my drift, your highlyness.”

T
hat night, Tina tossed and turned. The suggestion that she should extend herself more to Zach irritated her. After all, she was here on his ranch in Texas instead of Paris, Italy or even her own country. That should mean something.

Besides, after their picnic disaster and Zachary's subsequent disappearance, he should come to her. He was the one who'd been unreasonable. And for goodness sake, she was a Devereaux. A Devereaux didn't go chasing after ranchers.

For one flicker of a moment, she thought how horrible that last thought would sound if she said it aloud. Tina groaned. She sounded just like a princess. Oh, heaven help her and everyone who encountered her in her current mood.

She would do something, she told herself. She didn't know what, and she didn't know how, but she would do something. Tomorrow, she resolved. It was after 2:00 a.m. and she and the baby needed their rest.

Dragging herself out of bed the next morning, she stayed
in her room while she sipped a cup of tea and wished it were coffee. Her head felt as if it were full of mud. She stared out her window at the changing colors of the landscape of Zach's ranch. Although the temperatures were still warm, the vivid greens of summer were beginning to fade with the changing of the season.

Feeling a kick from the baby, she smiled and put her hand over her belly. She had always been protective of her family and people in need, but she'd never felt such a consuming urge to shield anyone as she did her baby.

A tap on the door interrupted her thoughts. “Yes?” she called.

“It's Hildie,” the housekeeper said and opened the door. “What can I fix you for breakfast?”

“I'm not very hungry. I can toast myself an English muffin,” she said.

Hildie lifted her eyebrows in disapproval. “The baby may want more than that to eat.”

“The baby's fine,” Tina said. “She's doing her morning kickboxing. Would you like to feel her?”

Hildie looked hesitant, then quickly moved toward her. She extended her hand and Tina drew it against her abdomen. The baby gave several quick kicks and Hildie's eyes widened. “She's a little pistol, isn't she?”

Tina nodded and laughed. “My thoughts exactly.”

Hildie sat gingerly on the chair beside Tina, her hand still resting on Tina's belly. Longing darkened her gaze. “I planned on having children, but when my husband died after six years of marriage—” She shook her head.

“And you never met another man who interested you enough to give him a chance?” Tina asked.

Hildie shook her head and lifted her lips in a sad smile. “Chet was my one and only. I was a lucky woman to have him every day that I had him. I just wish I still had a piece of him
by having a child, but it wasn't meant to be.” She removed her hand from Tina's abdomen. “Feels like she quieted down a little now.”

“I never dreamed how amazing it would feel to have a baby growing inside me,” Tina said. “Yes, there are definitely some discomforts, but it really is a miracle. Speaking of miracles, I have been thinking about what you said to me last night. At first, I was offended, but I've decided you may be right. Perhaps I should make an overture toward Zachary.”

“I'm glad to hear that,” Hildie said with a firm nod. “Shows you're a good, strong woman.”

“Thank you,” Tina said. “In order to make my overture, however, I'm going to need your assistance.”

Hildie immediately looked doubtful. “My assistance?” she echoed and immediately shook her head. “If you think I'm going to take you anywhere without notifying Zachary, then you're wrong. Princess or no, you got me in big trouble last time. Zachary made it perfectly clear that—”

Tina lifted her hand. “I want to surprise Zachary at his Dallas apartment. I'd like to take him a meal. We can prepare the meal tomorrow and you can drive me to his apartment where I will surprise him when he arrives home from work. Now tell me,” Tina said, putting her hand over Hildie's. “What could possibly go wrong with that plan?”

 

After Hildie showed Tina her secret recipe for Zachary's favorite pot roast with onions, potatoes and carrots, Hildie and Tina made a few quick stops along the way to Zachary's apartment so that she would arrive about an hour before Zachary was expected to leave the office.

Tina adjusted the shades on the windows and rearranged the small bouquet of flowers as she waited for him. She felt a crazy combination of emotions as she fluttered around the
apartment where she and Zach had shared that first passionate night together.

She wondered how he would feel about her unexpected visit. A home-cooked meal would push aside some of his reservations she hoped, and glanced at the clock again. Hildie had given her precise instructions for reheating the roast. According to the time, she could begin the process in eight minutes.

Too edgy to relax, she poured herself a glass of water and walked through the small apartment again. Although the living space appeared comfortable, it was so generic-looking that she wondered how Zach could possibly stand to spend so much time here without adding just a few of his own belongings to make it feel more welcoming.

 

“It's been a rough week for both of us,” Daniel said. “Let's go out for a steak.”

“I don't know,” Zach said. He'd been wrestling with memories and regrets all day. “I thought I would just grab a burger and watch some mindless TV tonight.”

Daniel made a face. “That's what you do every night. C'mon. We can go to Hooligan's Bar and drown our sorrows together.”

“We just acquired a new company for nearly nothing. What do you need to drown your sorrows about?” Zach asked.

Daniel scowled. “I don't wanna talk about it. Just like you don't wanna talk about it.”

“I don't know if this is a good idea. That place can get wild on Friday nights.”

“Stop arguing and come on. It's not like you have any other plans,” Daniel said.

 

Tina put the pot roast on at precisely the time Hildie had instructed, added the dinner rolls to the oven, then put salad
into bowls. Although she had rarely set a table, she knew how. Glancing at the clock, she sat at the small dinette table and wished she had brought something to read or her laptop.

Instead, she checked her text messages and voice mails. Her sisters were finally starting to settle into performing their official duties, although they often complained to Tina.

During the last few months, Tina had shared tips on making their tasks easier, but she truly believed that dividing the assignments was what made the job less of a beast.

Her brother, however, was still the same beast he'd always been. He'd gone through a threatening stage with Tina. Then he'd turned silent, refusing to speak to her. As much as Tina loved her brother, his silence had been far easier to bear.

She wished he would find a woman, or at least a mistress. Surely that would ease some of his…frustration.

The timer went off, signaling that dinner was ready. Tina glanced at the clock and frowned. No sign of Zach. He must be staying a little late, she decided, and turned off the oven. Hopefully, he would be home soon.

Minutes turned into hours and Tina didn't know what to do. This was supposed to be a surprise, so she didn't want to call him. She considered calling Hildie but didn't want to drag the housekeeper into the situation any further. Hildie had been a nervous wreck during the entire drive from the ranch.

Sighing, she decided to wait. She turned on the television. Knowing Zachary, there was a perfect explanation. And it wasn't as if he'd known she would be here. She just hoped she didn't ruin the roast before he arrived.

Hours later, Tina awakened to the sound of the door opening and footsteps. She rose from her cramped position on the sofa in front of the television. She wasn't sure when she'd fallen asleep.

“Zach?”

Zach came to a dead stop in the hallway just outside the den. “Tina?” he asked, rubbing his face as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

Relief shot through her and she walked toward him. She noticed his hair and clothes looked disheveled. “Yes, I was hoping to surprise—” She broke off as she caught a whiff of his breath then something else that immediately made her stomach knot with suspicion. “Where have you been?”

Zach raked his hand through his mussed hair. “Daniel insisted on taking me out to dinner. He said I needed to get out. How long have you been here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?”

She noticed his words were just slightly slurred and frowned. She'd been waiting here like the good little wife while he'd been out drinking. “You smell like liquor,” she said, darts of fury poking through her like spikes.

“Yeah, I had a few too many. I took a taxi home,” he said. “I'm sorry I wasn't here when—”

“You also smell like cheap perfume,” she said, identifying the other odor he was
wearing.

Zach lifted his hand. “That's not my fault. Daniel was flirting with these two women and they kept trying to get me to dance. One of the women was really pushy and sat down on my lap. The only way I could get her away was by leaving.”

Tina was so upset she could hardly breathe. “
Sitting on your lap,
” she said, barely swallowing the urge to shriek. “Is this what you've been doing every night? No wonder you haven't returned to the ranch. You've been too busy having all your
fun.
”

“No,” he said, but she couldn't stand to hear any more excuses. She felt like a total fool for waiting for him while he'd been out drinking and letting pushy women sit on his lap.

“I need to go,” she said more to herself than him. She couldn't stand one more minute in his presence. “A cab,” she said, walking to the sofa to grab her purse. “I'll get a cab.”

“Wait,” he said, wrapping his hand around her arm. “Don't leave. Please.”

Delaying the urge to shake his hand away from her, she took a small breath. That was all she could manage. “Why?” she demanded. “If you had decided to surprise me with my favorite dinner and I had come home smelling of liquor and another man's cologne, what would you do?”

He clenched his jaw. “After I killed the guy?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes and tugged at her arm. “Let me go. This was a huge mistake. I shouldn't have done this. If this is who you really are, then I've made more than one mistake,” she said, her voice breaking.

“It's not,” he insisted and stood in front of the door, blocking her way. “This isn't who I really am. You know that. You've been around me.”

“But tonight—”

Pain sliced through his eyes before he closed them. “Tonight is—” He gave a rough groan as if the words were being wrenched from deep inside him. “This is the date Jenny and the baby died.”

Zachary stared into Tina's eyes and immediately regretted his words.

Sympathy darkened her green gaze and he swore. “I'm so—”

“Damn it, don't feel sorry for me.”

She blinked then her brow furrowed. “What am I supposed to say? Too bad. Chin up. Or you must have done something horrible for such a horrible thing to happen to you. Or why didn't you prevent it? Because, after all, you have the power to prevent all tragedy. Correct?”

This time he was taken aback by what she'd said. Due to
the excessive quantity of whiskey he'd consumed, his mind wasn't moving as fast as usual. Somehow she'd hit on every one of his worst fears.
Bad things happen to bad people. He should have done more to prevent…

“Go take a shower,” she said. “You'll feel better.”

He hesitated, still holding her in his sights, afraid she might vanish in a puff of air. She could be a hallucination. “You'll stay?” he asked.

She nodded. “For now.”

“You won't leave without telling me first,” he said. “And the deal is I have to be cognizant. Because after I take a shower and fall into bed, I won't be conscious for a while.”

Her lips twitched. “I agree to the deal,” she said. “Now go take a shower.”

He pushed away from the door but stopped before he passed her. “Sure you don't want to join me?”

Her eyes rounded in surprise. “In the shower?”

“And in bed,” he said, wanting to feel her soft body against his. She could make him forget for a while. She already had.

She chuckled. “Go.”

Walking to the bathroom, he shucked his clothes and turned on the shower. If he were smart, he would give himself a cold shower as punishment for indulging in his secret pity party tonight, but at the moment, he couldn't summon his masochistic demons. They were usually close by. With gallows humor, he wondered if Tina had scared them away.

Washing the evening from his skin with soap, he allowed the hot water to slide over him. After an extra moment of the soothing sensation, he climbed out of the tub and dried himself off. Still blinking against the bright light of the bathroom, he brushed his teeth, wrapped the towel around his waist and headed for his bed.

His mind was still muddled and seeing Tina reminded
him of everything he'd been missing since he'd left the ranch. Even half-lit he knew that he wouldn't be in his finest sexual form tonight.

Dropping the towel on the rug beside his bed, he climbed into bed and sighed.

“There's water on your nightstand if you get thirsty,” Tina said from the open doorway, the light spilling around her in a backlight that resembled a halo.

Zach wondered again if she was some kind of apparition. Glancing at the nightstand, he saw a cup of water. He took a quick gulp. “Thanks. G'night,” he said and surrendered to his weariness.

 

Crossing her arms over her belly, Tina was full of emotions as she stared into the darkened room. She had traded her crazy life at the palace for an uncertain future with a man chasing his own demons. He was, however, the father of her child and he'd granted her a glimpse of his humanity for just a few moments tonight.