Her Baby's Hero

Nearly two hours later she’d finished stapling up an elaborate paper oak tree that covered one wall, intending to add leaves decorated by the students the first week of school. A few die-cut squirrels hid amongst the branches and a great gray owl she’d cut from a poster watched over the scene.

Glancing at the clock, she saw it was nearly one and her stomach started clamoring for food again. Jason had left the box of pastries, but it would be tempting fate if she ate another bear claw. There was still the banana and granola bars, but her insistent appetite wanted something more substantial.

She crossed the room and stepped outside into the simmering late-summer heat. A few other rooms had their doors propped open, so she wasn’t alone here. She could see the principal’s car in the parking lot, but Mrs. Beeber wasn’t the type to socialize with staff, so Ashley wasn’t inclined to invite her out to lunch.

Slipping her hands in the pockets of her sundress, she fingered the phone, dithering over whether to call Jason or just wait. Her imperious stomach wasn’t in a patient mood, so she tugged out the cell and tried to remember which preset Jason had used to store his number.

Before she could dial, the sun’s glare off an arriving car flashed across her face. She watched as Jason’s silver-gray Mercedes pulled in next to Principal Beeber’s Volvo. Her hand tightened on the phone, and the cell beeped as she inadvertently pressed a button. She realized she’d speed-dialed Sara’s number and she quickly poked the disconnect.

Jason had started across the playground, the heat off the asphalt shimmering across his body. He was drop-dead gorgeous, there was no denying it. Couple that with the fact that she knew what he looked like under those straitlaced clothes, and it made sense that she responded to him the way she did. It didn’t mean anything more than pure animal lust, even in a woman six months pregnant.

Halfway across the playground, she could feel his gaze lock on her. The late-summer sunshine couldn’t compete with the impact of Jason’s dark-brown eyes. She wrapped her hands around the safety railing on the landing, doing her best to ignore a new kind of hunger burning inside.

She smiled, hoping it didn’t look as come-hither as it felt. “I hope you’re taking me to lunch.”

He started up the ramp. “We can do that first.”

She got to the door before him and stepped back into the air-conditioned classroom. “Before what?”

“We get your things packed.”

About to pick up her purse and the canvas bag, she turned to face him. “Are we back to this? I’m not going to San José with you.”

“Not San José. I’m leasing a house in town. We’ll move you in there.”

Just as well she’d already put those books away. Otherwise she’d be heaving a few at his head. “I’m staying in my own house.”

He had the pink bakery box in his hands, and the pressure of his thumbs dented the lid. “I don’t like you living out in the middle of nowhere alone.”

“My sister’s in and out of there all the time. Once school starts, I’ll be here every day.”

She could almost hear his mind working. Tension set off an ache in her back. Nothing was ever easy with Jason.

The box under one arm, he plucked the canvas bag from her desk. “We’ll talk about it later,” he said as he walked toward the door to wait for her.

Jason remained silent during the short drive into town, no doubt marshaling additional arguments to convince her. Ravenous hunger battling with her habitual afternoon exhaustion, Ashley wasn’t sure she could face another round with him.

The lunch crowd at Nina’s Café had already thinned by the time she and Jason stepped inside. There was only Nina sitting at a table with her son, Nate. Nate sketched on an art pad with a concentration unusual for a six-year-old.

“Hi, Nina,” Ashley called out. “Hello, Nate.”

Rising, Nina welcomed Ashley with a smile and gave Jason a curious glance. “Go ahead and sit anywhere.”

His hand lightly brushing her back, Jason urged Ashley toward the table next to Nate’s. As Jason seated Ashley, Nina brought them two menus before hurrying to answer the café’s phone. Jason turned to study Nate’s riotous pastel of flowers and giant bumble bees.

“Can I take a closer look?” he asked the boy.

His expression as serious as Jason’s, Nate handed him the sketch pad. Jason held the artwork up to the light. Ashley expected he’d inform Nate that the bees were too big or that real flowers didn’t come in that shade of lime green. But he surprised her.

He set the pad back down on the table. “You’re very good.”

Nate grinned. “Thanks.”

“My brother likes to draw.”

That bit of personal information startled Ashley. She had no idea he had a brother.

“Is he as old as me?” Nate asked. “I’m six.”

Jason’s jaw worked. “He’s older than you.”

He turned away from Nate abruptly and sat beside Ashley. “What’s good here?” he asked, picking up the menu.

She suspected if she asked about his brother, he wouldn’t be forthcoming. “Everything. I like the hot meat loaf sandwich.”

Nina returned to take their order, and Ashley could see the questions in her eyes. Ashley’s sister was no gossip, but Sara and Nina were good friends. It wouldn’t be long before the café owner knew everything there was to know about Jason Kerrigan and why he was here.

Not ten seconds after Nina brought Ashley’s clam chowder and a basket of crackers, Jason started in. “The property I’ve leased has a guest cottage, where I’ll be staying. You’ll have the main house to yourself.”

She took a bite of soup. “I have a house, Jason.”