Having Adam's Baby

Nolan had moved into the larger home with his three kids after they’d moved back to Destiny a couple of years ago. According to an email from his mother, the newlyweds, Bryant and Laurie, occupied the one-bedroom cabin where he’d lived for a few years. What he couldn’t see was the log chapel situated deeper in the woods his family had built and where Bryant and Laurie were married last fall.

They entered the main house through his mother’s kitchen, right off the oversize deck. The large and sunny room, like the rest of the place, had grown and changed over the years as the family and the business had. Back here, and the two wings on either side, was where his three single brothers still lived along with his folks.

The front of the house was comprised of offices, conference rooms, a wide staircase that led to the second-story guest quarters and a reception area that doubled as a gathering spot for clients, staff and, on the weekends, family.

A hard kick of anticipation landed in Adam’s stomach. This past year had been tough, especially with his unit losing two of its own during this last tour. Escorting the body of his best friend home the previous summer had been the hardest duty Adam had ever done during his twenty years of service.

Despite all that, he was damn glad to be back in Destiny.

“Dad said you wouldn’t be back for another week.” Abby looked up at him and grinned. “Wait here. I’ll let him know someone wants to see him. They’re all gonna be stupefied when you walk into the room.”

His niece’s unique description was a step above the reaction he’d gotten yesterday from Fay.

Waiting out of sight on the other side of the large log archway, his mind went back to everything he and Fay had said—and didn’t say—to each other.

Much like he’d done ever since she’d walked out his door.

He wanted to call her, to see if she was feeling all right. She’d looked so tired. But every time he grabbed his cell phone, something kept him from dialing her number.

His plan to steer clear was going to be impossible to keep. He’d known that the moment he’d first seen her, touched her.

Except he was sure Fay didn’t feel the same way.

“Hey, Dad, you got a visitor outside.” Abby’s voice carried across the room. “Can I show him in?”

“Now?” His brother’s reply was laced with irritation.

Adam grinned. Nolan was the next in line after him, younger with less than two years separating them, so his annoyance was nothing new.

“The last thing I want right now is to put on a happy face for a client.”

“How about for a brother?” Adam stepped out and headed for the U-shaped seating area in front of the large stone fireplace. “Can I put a grin on that ugly mug of yours?”

Chaos broke out as everyone jumped to their feet and rushed him. Nolan reached him first, his smile broad and sincere. Adam found himself returning hugs with each of his brothers and high-fiving his thirteen-year-old nephews who came to see what all the noise was about.

He ignored Dev’s whispered comment about owing him for keeping his mouth shut, congratulated his kid brother Ric on earning his college degree and ended with giving his new sister-in-law a big kiss since he’d missed seeing her in April, as she’d been traveling on company business.

“Well done, you two.” He shot Bryant a wink. “Glad that brother of mine finally made an honest woman of you.”

“When I told him he either had to marry me or find himself a new senior management accountant, he finally came around.” Laurie grinned. “We’re sorry you couldn’t be there for the ceremony.”

“No worries.” He’d had a trip home planned last October for the wedding, but his plans had been changed at the last minute, courtesy of the U.S. military. “Glad you went ahead without me. We Murphy boys aren’t just good-looking. We’re smart, too.”

“Smart enough to stay single,” Liam called out, returning from the kitchen with handfuls of cold beers. “At least some of us are. Here, bro. You must be wanting one of these.”

Before he could take a sip from the bottle, Adam spotted his parents as they entered the main room through the archway he’d used moments ago. It gave him a thrill to see both of them looking tanned, fit and happy.

“Well, this is a fine welcoming committee.” The clear, sweet voice of Elise Murphy rose over their chatter as she walked into the room. “I expected to find everyone out enjoying this beautiful day and someone manning the grill already …”

Adam stepped out from behind his brothers, who all stood at close to six feet, to face his parents, smiling when his mother stopped short, her words fading when she spotted him. “Sorry, Mom. I guess we got a little carried away talking.”

“Adam!” Elise Murphy raced to him and he pulled her into his arms, easily lifting the petite woman off her feet. “Oh, you’re home!”

Chapter Three

The noise level in the room rose again as the entire Murphy clan joined in welcoming their parents home, but Adam became lost in his mother’s reverent whispered prayers of thanks and the warm dampness of her tears against his neck.

“I can’t believe you’re finally here,” she said, cradling his face in her hands when Adam set her feet back on the floor. “And early, too!”

“Home for good, Mom.” Adam pressed a kiss to her forehead as she released him.

Switching his beer from one had to the other, he kept one arm around her shoulders while returning his father’s strong handshake. But he was momentarily confused by the look in the older man’s eyes.

It reminded him of when he was a kid. Like all parents, his dad had an uncanny ability of finding out when one of his children had done something wrong before the offender got the chance to confess.

In the past forty-eight hours? Without leaving his house?

Adam didn’t think so.

“It’s good to have you home, son.” Alistair Murphy pulled him into a quick hug, complete with the familiar hearty slap to the back. “Real good.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

Adam took a long pull on his beer as everyone sat except the teenagers, who disappeared again with a warning to come back when the dinner preparations started. He then explained how he was able to return to the States ahead of his unit, admitting he spent the last two days holed up alone at his place.

Not exactly the truth, but there was no reason to go into Fay’s visit.

The gleam in Dev’s eye told him his brother was about to mention the mystery of his clean house. Adam quickly turned the conversation to Liam and Bryant, who gave details on the day-to-day running of the business. Then Dev weighed in on the company’s home security program and Nolan spoke about their latest design projects with customers from Hollywood’s A-list to Washington, D.C.’s power players.

Impressed, Adam felt even surer of his plans to concentrate on his ranch, knowing his younger brothers were handling things just fine without him. Although retired, their father was still involved in the company, as evidenced by the way he jumped into the conversation here and there. He even solicited Adam’s opinion a few times, but Adam didn’t take the bait, seeing no reason for his father to expect him to come back to the fold.

“Okay, enough business talk. Let’s get this barbeque going. I’m ready for a steak, blood-rare,” Alistair Murphy commanded, and soon everyone fell in, heading to the kitchen or the back deck to do their assigned chore.

Except Adam, who found himself alone with his parents, who asked him what his plans were now. Not ready to discuss his ideas yet, he told them the next few weeks were for nothing but getting reaccustomed to civilian life.

“I haven’t had a vacation in years,” he said with a smile. “I think I’ve earned some time off.”

“Of course you have, dear.” His mother patted his arm. “This is why I’m so glad Fay agreed to get your place spiffed up for you. Did she get everything done in time?”

Fay had done much more than just clean up the mess he’d left behind, something he’d only noticed after she’d walked out yesterday. “Yeah, the house looks great. I was really surprised.”

“Good, that was the idea.” Elise rose from the sofa. “Now, we better get dinner on the table or it’ll be dark before I can start emptying that camper.”

“Can I ask you something first?” Pushing to his feet, Adam addressed both his parents. “Scott’s been gone almost a year now. How is Fay doing? How are his folks?”

His father stood and his parents glanced at each other before looking back at him. Why did he have a feeling he wasn’t going to like what they had to say?

“We told you about Scott’s father suffering a stroke just after New Year’s,” his father said.