Have Baby, Need Beau (15 page)

Wiley frowned and stood, his eyes gleaming with fury. “What do you mean, whatever’s necessary? You’re not trying to talk my daughter into not having the baby, are you?”

“No,” Seth said, shocked. “I didn’t mean that at all.”

“’Cause that’s flat out of the question. Mimi loves kids and animals and wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“I agree.”

“That baby’s gonna need a daddy.”

“I agree with that, too.”

“You do?”

“Absolutely. I … I think we should get married.”

Wiley’s face registered surprise. “Mimi didn’t mention you’d talked marriage.”

“What did she tell you—that she thought I’d run out on my responsibility?”

“No, uh, I kind of left before we really discussed it.”

He’d come over looking for a confrontation. Seth took a long pull of his own drink, frustration drawing his fingers tightly around his glass. “That’s because she hasn’t agreed to marry me yet.”

“What do you mean? You have asked her, haven’t you?”

“Yes. But she refuses. She even let Hannah think the baby was that hoodlum Joey’s.”

Wiley made a clicking sound with his tongue. “Well, she cleared that up a few minutes ago.”

A sigh of relief escaped Seth. “Did she say anything about her feelings for me?”

Wiley shook his head. “Nope. But you have to convince her to get married. I don’t want my grandbaby to be brought into this world without his father’s name. I know that sounds old-fashioned, but I reckon I am old-fashioned when it comes to my little girls.”

Seth understood. If his own irrational behavior of late was any indication of how he’d be as a father, he had a feeling he’d be as protective and old-fashioned with his daughters as Wiley was of his. He finished his drink and stood, gazing into the vacant fireplace, imagining a fire glowing in the hearth, Mimi’s warm laughter filling the emptiness. Their little girl cuddled by the fire holding a book, their son waiting with a baseball for Seth to play catch with him. Or maybe his daughter had the baseball…

“I’ve been trying to get close to her,” he said, his voice thick, “but she keeps pushing me away. The first time we talked, she said she was against marriage completely.”

“Really? That’s odd.”

“Actually it’s not.” Mimi’s comments about her parents’ marriage sifted through his foggy brain. He thought about the kids of divorced parents he counseled, the way Mimi had instinctively understood the children’s needs. “You see, Mr. Hartwell, I think Mimi saw what happened with your marriage, and it scared her.”

Wiley looked stricken.

Seth hesitated, hating to talk about Wiley’s personal life. He also felt as if he was breaching a patient’s confidentiality, although Mimi wasn’t a patient. Still, her parents’ situation was important. “She told me you only married Mrs. Hartwell because she was pregnant with Hannah.”

Wiley’s stunned face turned to him.

“Since you two ended up hating each other, she’s convinced we’d be the same way.”

“Damn.” Wiley dropped his face into his hands. “I had no idea the girls knew.”

Seth lay a hand on Wiley’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. But Mimi told me that she and Hannah heard you two arguing the day Mrs. Hartwell left. It must have been traumatic for them.”

Wiley nodded, looking miserable. “My poor little girls. I can’t believe they never said anything.”

“They love you, Wiley.”

Wiley’s face was almost ashen as he studied Seth. “Tell me, son, what are we going to do about all this?”

Seth leaned against the bookshelf. “I’m going to convince Mimi that we can make it, that she has to give us a chance.”

“What have you done so far?”

Seth described his plan, how he’d enlisted Mimi’s help with the support group and how successful their working arrangement had been, then confessed about the gift. “I thought I was buying something she’d like, but she hated it.”

Wiley chuckled. “Let me clue you in, son. Three rules to please a woman. Number one—she’s always right. Number two—if she asks you if she looks fat, you say no. You don’t stop to think about it, you just blurt it out. And number three—go for more personal gifts, something she can use to pamper herself.”

“Like a gift certificate to a gym?”

Wiley shook his head. “You have a long way to go, boy. Think romantic stuff like perfume, all that smelly bath stuff women like, a day at a spa.”

“Oh, I see what you’re saying.”

“And jewelry.”

“Something like those clunky earrings she wears?”

“No, diamonds. Although there’s something even more important to Mimi.”

“What’s that?”

“Her animals. You have to love all those little scrappy, homely things she brings home.”

Seth reached for the scotch. He was in trouble.
Things
he could buy. But animals… Her dog, Wrangler, hated him, and he’d never been comfortable with any kind of four-legged creature.

* * *

“I’m sorry, Hannah.” Mimi twisted her fingers together and paced across the den. “I know this is awkward and I don’t want you to hate me.”

Hannah jerked as if coming out of shock. “I … I don’t hate you. Why would I hate you?”

When Alison nodded encouragement, Mimi took a deep breath and continued, “Because you were engaged to Seth and we’ve never dated each other’s boyfriends before, past or present, and it was only one night, and now I’ve made such a freaking mess of things!”

Hannah gripped Mimi’s arms to calm her. “Mimi, it’s all right. Seth’s a wonderful guy and, well, other than the fact that you two got it backward and got pregnant before you married, well, I couldn’t be happier for you or him.”

“But we’re not getting married.”

“You’re not?” Hannah tapped her foot, then glanced at Alison for confirmation.

Alison shrugged. “She thinks he’s still in love with you.”

“What?”

“Alison!” Mimi glared at her younger sister.

“Well, you do.”

Mimi pressed her hands over her cheeks. “You weren’t supposed to tell Hannah.”

Hannah frowned. “Mimi, did Seth tell you that?”

Mimi hesitated. Oh, hell, might as well get everything out in the open. “Well, no, not exactly. But he didn’t want you to know we’d been together.”

“He probably thought it would be awkward,” Alison offered.

“He said we were a mistake,” Mimi continued.

“That doesn’t mean he’s in love with
me
.” Hannah took Mimi’s hands and coaxed her to the sofa. “Listen to me, sis. Seth and I had a long talk at the hospital before I married Jake. Seth admitted that he realized we were just friends, that we weren’t meant to be together.”

“Really?”

“Really. The passion wasn’t there, not the way it is with Jake.”

“Seth looks at you that way, Mimi.” Alison rolled her eyes. “Actually it’s pretty disgusting to watch, but I think he really has the hots for you.”

Hannah’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s great, Mimi. I think you and Seth would be wonderful together. I know you’d be good for him.”

“But we’re complete opposites.”

“Sometimes opposites attract,” Alison said.

“Seth needs someone to bring out the fun side of him,” Hannah added. “To make him laugh.”

“But what if he’s always comparing me with you?” Mimi said, finally voicing her biggest fear. “You know, in bed?”

“Seth and I never slept together,” Hannah said. Mimi’s eyes widened, and Hannah continued. “The chemistry just wasn’t there. I think we both knew it. That’s one of the reasons I called off the wedding.”

“Really?”

“Really. So if you have feelings for him, don’t be afraid to take a chance. Go for it.”

Did she have feelings for Seth? Mimi gripped her sister’s hands. Although the reason Seth might be pursuing her still plagued her, a spark of hope suddenly ignited within her. “Still, I couldn’t marry Seth, not just because of the baby.”

The silent truth hung between Mimi and Hannah—they had overheard their parents’ horrible argument the day their mother had deserted them. Hannah opened her mouth to protest, but bit down on her lip, apparently conceding Mimi’s point. Even Hannah couldn’t deny the reality of how their forced marriage had ended. If Mimi married Seth for the wrong reasons, she would only be repeating the cycle.

“Maybe he’s really in love with you,” Alison said.

“Yeah, you are awfully lovable,” Hannah added with a grin.

Mimi glanced first at Alison, then at Hannah, almost afraid to hope. But Hannah was right; she shouldn’t let fear hold her back. Maybe the next time she and Seth were together, she’d look for some sign that he really cared, that he wasn’t simply trying to be responsible.

* * *

As soon as Wiley left, Seth pulled out his laptop and typed up his plan to win Mimi. They’d have to sign up for childbirth classes—would Mimi want natural childbirth?—and fix a room for the baby. He had two extra bedrooms; maybe he’d go shopping and buy baby furniture and surprise her. And names—they’d have to think of names. Did Mimi hope for a girl or boy?

His talk with Wiley flitted through his mind, and he realized be was once again jumping the gun. What had Wiley said? Romance. He’d never been good at that. Surely there were books out there to help him with romance, too. He was nothing if not a researcher. Quickly accessing the Internet, he pulled up listings on an on-line bookstore and browsed the titles. To his amazement, he found a wide selection ranging from tips for romantic dates to tips for incredible sex. Wow. He’d never noticed them before. He scanned the contents and ordered two of the tamer sounding books, then decided what the hell—if Mimi thought he was boring, he’d order one of the sex-tip ones, and maybe he’d pick up some pointers. After completing the order, he returned to his list.

Romance. Flowers came to mind. He’d order roses for her tomorrow. Maybe they were clichéd and unoriginal, but they always worked in the movies. And perfume—he’d ask Hannah the name of that exotic fragrance Mimi wore, the one that had made him dizzy the first time they’d been together, then he’d pick up a bottle. And he’d get her some bubble bath, too.

He pictured Mimi lying in a sea of bubbles, her naked skin glistening with water droplets, her wild hair spiraling around her damp face, her cheeks glowing pink from the beat of the bath, him climbing into the water beside her, dipping his hand to stroke her secret places, tasting the salt of her skin, ducking beneath the bubbles to—

He jerked upright, the images so vivid his body reacted in accord. He wanted her with an ache that hammered through his very being. Wanted her the way he’d never wanted any woman before.

He wouldn’t wait until tomorrow. He’d do some on-line shopping and have the flowers to her by breakfast. He’d get new underwear for himself, too, some of that skimpy stuff she’d think was exciting, instead of his normal white briefs. Maybe a few pairs of colorful men’s bikini briefs or some silk boxers—he supposed he could suffer wearing them if it impressed Mimi.

But he’d search for an on-line store that sold them, so he wouldn’t have to embarrass himself by actually going into a store to buy them. After all, a man did have his limits—even for romance.

Chapter 14

«
^
»

“
T
hank you for the flowers.” Mimi covered the phone to hide her sneeze, hoping to avoid telling Seth about her allergic reaction to roses. After all, he’d been so thoughtful to send them to her at the café.

“I’m glad you received them. I hope the florist did a good job.”

“They’re beautiful.” Another sneeze. “Yellow’s my favorite color.”

“That’s good to know,” Seth said, his voice teasing. “I’ll make a note of it.”

Mimi laughed and waved at a familiar customer, grateful the morning rush hour had passed so she could take a break.

“I’m glad you told your family about us.” Mimi perched a hip on a stool, looking for the signs she hoped to find, signs that he cared about her.

“And that I’m the father of the baby.”

She tried not to feel disappointed at his statement. “They took it better than I thought.”

“Even Hannah?”

The bell jingled behind her, announcing another customer, but she didn’t bother to look up. The other waitress could handle the customer. “Yes, even Hannah. You were really worried about her reaction, weren’t you?”

He hesitated. “I didn’t want her to think I’d used you, Mimi. That I’d been careless with her little sister. She’s pretty protective of you, you know.”

Mimi smiled, some of her fear dissipating. He sounded sincere. “Yeah, she is. She’s been as much a parent to me as a sister.”

Someone cleared her throat behind her, and Mimi glanced over her shoulder to see her mother. A small, tight smile flitted across Mrs. Hartwell’s face. Mimi closed her eyes and mentally groaned. What was her mom doing here?

“Can I see you later?” Seth asked.

“I … I don’t know. I have to go.”

“Why, is something wrong?”

“No, just a customer.”

“Have you been busy this morning?”

“Swamped. My feet are killing me.”

“Are you sure you feel up to working? If you want to take time off and rest, if you, um, need the money, I’ll take care of things.”

Mimi gaped at the phone. Had she heard Seth correctly? He was offering to let her leave work, maybe quit, and he’d pay for her, like some … some…

“You don’t need to be on your feet all day, so you could just resign,” he continued. “I make a good salary here at the hospital.”

Anger sliced through Mimi again. If she’d been looking for signs, he’d just handed them to her. He saw her and the baby as a package deal, a debt he needed to take care of. Well, she might need his help later, logically of course, but she was self-sufficient right now. She stifled a sneeze and shoved the roses to the end of the counter. “No, thank you, Dr. Broadhurst. I like my job and I have no intention of becoming a kept woman.” With a sigh of disgust, she slammed down the phone, blinking back tears as she turned to see what her mother wanted.

* * *

Seth let the phone slide from his ear, his mind reeling. What the hell had just happened?