Having Adam's Baby

His eyes widened. He was surprised. As surprised as she’d been when she’d answered the phone that morning at her shop to find out why Elise Murphy had called. “Your mother hired me to spruce up your place, from the cobwebs in the rafters downward, before your homecoming. Next week.”

“My mother’s been dragging my dad on a tour of the western half of the U.S. for the past two months.”

“Yes, and because she wasn’t here to do it herself, she asked me.” Fay stood, dug the set of keys from her pocket and laid them on the table. “She gave me the code and told me to get the keys from Laurie, which I did. Good thing for you I’m just about done, except for that mess.”

He reached for her when she started to turn, taking her arm. His hand, big and strong, yet gentle in its hold, slowly slid downward.

It was the first time he’d touched her since …

His thumb swept across the inside of her wrist, and she wondered if he could feel the pounding in her pulse. She raised her gaze to his.

His eyes darkened. “You’ve really been coming here and cleaning?”

“Considering the condition you left this place in, it was needed.” She pulled from his grasp. “You’re lucky you have such great parents.”

“I didn’t have time to clean up before I left. Remember?”

Oh, she remembered.

Walking in that first day had taken her breath away. Seeing the blankets still on the floor caused the memories of their lovemaking to rush back to her.

Waking in his arms, the emotional onslaught of shame over what they’d done and the unrelenting truth of how much she wanted him again. Grabbing her clothes. Racing to the bathroom to get dressed. Adam stepping out of his bedroom in his camouflage battle dress uniform.

The regret she could read on his face.

She’d tried to put the memories out of her mind as she worked, reminding herself she was getting paid for this job. More than that, she was doing a favor for Alastair and Elise Murphy. Adam’s parents had been so nice to her over the last six months. There’d been no way she could’ve said no.

“Well, I guess your mom’s idea worked for both of us.” Fay crossed the kitchen and pulled out a broom and dustpan from the pantry. “You’ve got a sparkling home, and I got some much-needed cash.”

“My mom is paying you?”

Fay didn’t look at him as she bent to sweep up the remains of the pot. “What’s wrong with that?”

“What about your shop? Are you still open for business?”

Six days a week. The pregnancy was making her more tired than she’d ever been in her life, but taking it easy wasn’t something she could afford at the moment. “My shop is just fine, but a little extra money never hurts.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you strapped for cash?”

“No.” Surprised at how easy the second lie she’d told today fell from her lips, she dumped the broken pieces into the trash. “This was just a side job, and now that you’re home, there’s no need for me to come back.”

“Fay—”

“I need to go.” Her control over her wayward emotions faded fast. She had to get out of here before she burst into tears. Or worse. Walking past him, she gave him a wide berth, pausing to grab her purse and keys from the table. “I have to get back to the shop.”

“No one knows I’m home yet.”

She paused, her hand on the handle, not turning around.

“I arrived yesterday, ahead of everyone else,” Adam continued, his voice carrying across the room, “but just so you know, the return date for the entire unit has been moved up. You should be getting notified.”

Tears burned at the back of her eyes. Why would she be called about the new date? It wasn’t like she had anyone coming home.

“I’m trying to lay low,” Adam went on, “get used to being home before I see … anyone.”

“Don’t worry.” A sob caused her breath to hitch as she yanked open the door. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Adam waited until late Saturday afternoon before heading to the Murphy family compound. There was no sign of his parents’ RV camper even though they’d emailed everyone this morning to say they’d be home by dinnertime.

He pulled his pickup truck into the parking area at the rear of the sprawling two-story log home that also served as the corporate office for Murphy Mountain Log Homes, and cut the engine.

He sat for a moment and took in the buildings and grounds. A feeling of peace filled him.

The first person he saw was his niece, Abby.

Nolan’s oldest child, she sat in the gazebo that was a thirtieth-anniversary gift from him and his brothers to their parents a decade ago. Head bent, her long blond hair hid her face as she concentrated on whatever she held in her hands.

He got out of his truck and headed up the path toward her. The sun was warm through the cotton material of his short-sleeved shirt. Boy, it felt good to be in civilian clothes again, to be wearing cowboy boots instead of combat boots.

Abby evidently didn’t hear him approach. As soon as he saw her fingers flying over the smooth keyboard of her cell phone he knew why. So he leaned against the open door frame. “Hey, is this the Murphy place?”

Her head shot up. “Yeah?”

He tugged down his mirrored sunglasses and peeked at her over the rim. A wide smile came over her face.

“Uncle Adam!”

Jumping into his arms, she gave him a big hug. Abby and her brothers were visiting their mother in Boston when he was last home in April, so it’d been eleven months since he’d seen them. What a difference a year made.

“Boy, have you gotten tall.” He returned her hug, set her down and righted his sunglasses. “And even prettier, if that’s possible. Where are the twins?”

Abby grinned at his compliment and rolled her eyes. “You mean Tweedledum and Tweedledumber? Probably inside playing video games on Uncle Dev’s computer.”

Adam laughed. “Is that any way to talk about your brothers?”

“I’ve heard you all calling each other worse names than that,” she shot back. “Most of which I’m not allowed to repeat.”

“Hey, those weren’t meant for young ears.”

She tucked her phone into her pocket. “My ears turned sixteen last winter.”

“Something I’m sure your father is thrilled about.” Adam laid an arm across her shoulders. “Where is everyone?”

She gestured toward the main house. “Having their usual Saturday afternoon wrap-up before a family barbeque. Nana and Pop are coming home today. Aren’t you supposed to be overseas?”

“Yep, so let’s surprise them.” Adam headed up the walkway, his niece tucked in close next to him. “Glad school is out?”

He listened as Abby chattered about her summer plans, his gaze moving around the family’s property that bordered a lake with an official Indian name too difficult to pronounce so everyone just called it “the lake.” There were two smaller log homes that sat nestled in the surrounding trees and the skeletal framing of a third that stood closer to the water near the boathouse.