Having Tanner Bravo's Baby

Evolve? She wanted them to evolve? Like something that crawled up out of the ocean and eventually learned to stand on two legs? Though he had a fine poker face and used it at that moment, it irked him no end that she said ‘in the plan,’ as if there was only one plan—the plan, meaning her plan.

However, it was enough for the moment that she’d gotten the truth out of that beautiful mouth of hers. There would be plenty of time later to discuss the marriage issue. For now he said, in the same neutral tone he’d been using most of the evening, “Well, all right.”

“Great.” She straightened up and gave him a bright smile and a brisk nod, as if their single-parent future was all settled.

It wasn’t. Not by a long shot. True, the two of them were no match made in heaven. But still, maybe the marriage angle deserved at least a little consideration….

The shining black limousine was waiting at the curb in front of Kelly’s house when Crystal arrived the next morning at ten. The windows of the big car were tinted, so she couldn’t see the driver, but she knew there was one in there.

Mitch, an entrepreneur who owned companies in Dallas and in L.A., must have ordered the car to drive him and Kelly to the airport. He often used limos to get around, so the sight of it was no surprise.

Tanner’s car was there, too, parked in the driveway. Not surprising, either. Of course, he’d want to be there to wish the newlyweds a great trip.

Crystal pulled in next to the black Mustang. He’d been so great about everything last night, so gentle and sweet and accepting. And so agreeable, too.

Agreeable. She smiled to herself. It wasn’t a word she would have associated with the tall, dark and devastatingly sexy Tanner—until now. How wrong she had been.

She got out of the car and strolled up the front walk, enjoying the bright May sunshine, so warm on her back, admiring the red roses in bloom near the porch. Such a fine, fine day. And her life seemed to be shaping up. No, she didn’t have a job. But she would find one, soon. And Tanner knew about the baby.

Things could be worse.

Then a harried-looking Kelly pulled open the front door. “You’re here. Good.” Her smooth brows were drawn together in a distracted-looking frown.

“What’s going on?” Crystal stepped up into the entry hall.

“It’s DeDe.” Kelly shook her head. Deirdre was Mitch’s natural child, the result of his and Kelly’s high school love affair. But when Kelly had left town to live with her newfound brother, Mitch had broken off their relationship and disappeared—after which Kelly had discovered she was having his baby.

Ten years had passed before Kelly had found him again. Now Kelly had the man she’d never stopped loving. Mitch had the family he needed more than anything. And DeDe had her father, at last. Everything should have been perfect.

Kelly added softly, “She used to be the most levelheaded, easygoing kid around. But sometimes lately, I just don’t know….”

“Where is she?”

“In her room. Throwing one hell of a tantrum. Mitch is in there with her. She’s decided she doesn’t want us to go.”

Crystal made a low, sympathetic noise.

Kelly gestured toward the living room, and the kitchen beyond. “Tanner’s here.” All the old fondness was back in her voice when Kelly said her brother’s name. Something had gone wrong between Tanner and Kelly when Mitch had come back. Neither of them would talk about it. But whatever the problem was, it seemed to be over now. “Give us a minute or two. We’re trying to settle her down before we go.”

“Courage.”

“Thanks. I’ll need it.” Kelly disappeared down the hall.

Dropping her purse on the low bench by the big bay window as she passed, Crystal went through the living room. In the kitchen, she found Tanner sitting at the table with a full mug of coffee in front of him.

“’Morning,” he said, his deep voice sending the inevitable thrill coursing through her.

“Hi.” She pulled out a chair.

“There’s coffee…” He frowned. “Or is that off the menu now?”

“Pretty much. Not that I mind. I was never real big on coffee, anyway. Kelly’s got some herbal teas—but maybe later.” His hair was still damp from his morning shower. She wanted to touch it, to put her hand on the side of his freshly shaved cheek—but no. Kelly or Mitch might come in any minute. And they were keeping their relationship to themselves until after the honeymoon.

Their relationship. Crystal almost smiled. Now, with the baby coming and his easy acceptance of the fact, it seemed okay to call this thing between them a relationship. True, it wasn’t your usual kind of relationship. They weren’t headed for a lifetime of love and marriage or anything. But they were committed to the baby, and they were going to work together to be good parents. Now, by any definition of the word, they had a relationship. An important one.

And she found that it pleased her, to think of the two of them as more than just matching sets of wild hormones unable to keep from jumping each other at every possible opportunity.

“What’s up with DeDe?” She kept her voice low.

“Acting out,” he spoke out of the corner of his mouth. “Big time.”

“Should we do something, you think? I’d hate to see them postpone their trip.”

“Do something like what?”

She thought about that and shrugged. “Good question.”

“Don’t worry. They’re not backing out of the trip. Or so they said a few minutes ago….”

Right then they heard a door open in the hallway, then Mitch’s voice: “Come on, Kell. We have to get going….”

A cry—from DeDe. “Oh, Dad. How can you do this? How can you just go?”

“Stop it,” said Kelly. “Stop it now.”

“But—”

“Enough.” Kelly’s voice was flat and final. “Your father and I are going on our honeymoon and your behaving badly is not going to stop us.”

DeDe muttered something that Crystal couldn’t make out.

Then Kelly spoke again, in a tone that would tolerate no argument. “Wipe your eyes and blow your nose. And come out and say goodbye to us. Now.”

Footsteps in the hallway. Kelly and Mitch came in through the dining room, looking stressed out when they should have been happy and dewy-eyed, a pair of newlyweds heading off for two weeks of romance in a tropical paradise.

Crystal rose as they entered. She went and hugged them both, Kelly first. When she got to Mitch, she said, “Please don’t worry about DeDe. As soon as you’re gone, she’ll snap out of it, I’m sure.”

Mitch’s brown eyes were full of doubts. “Hold that thought. Because we are going and that’s that. The limo’s packed up and we’re outta here.” He took Crystal’s hand and pressed a check into it.

She looked down at it and shook her head. “It’s way too much. Food is only going to be—”

“Crys.” Kelly stepped in. “We want to be sure that everything’s handled. Extra is better than not enough.”

“Yeah,” Mitch added dryly. “Take the money. For once.” He was always trying to give her money—like the honorary big brother he was to her. He had a fortune and somehow she was always just barely scraping by. He never understood that it was a point of pride with her to pay her own way.

“Thanks,” she said, accepting that now wasn’t the time to argue about it.

Tanner said, “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of DeDe. She’ll be fine.”