The Nine-Month Bride. Judy Christenberry

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СКАЧАТЬ work something out here!” He put his hands back on his hips, a scowl on his face.

      “What?”

      “Well, you see, there aren’t—Doc hasn’t been able to find a surrogate mother for me.”

      He looked at her, as if he expected a response, but she had nothing to say.

      “I wondered if—I’ll have to have someone take care of the baby when it’s born.”

      Why would he tell her that…unless he thought she’d like the position? With a shrug of her shoulders, she said, “Yes, but I’m not looking for a job. You’ll need to hire a nanny.”

      “Why? You could have the baby, and I’d hire you as the nanny. The baby would have the best care in the world, from his own mother.” As if he’d finally made his case, he relaxed and smiled at her.

      A beautiful smile. Too bad.

      “And at night I would go home?”

      “Yeah, I could handle things at night. After all, I’m his father.”

      “And the neighbors would think I’d had your child—probably as a result of a careless one-night stand—and I’ve given it up to you to raise, but I’m receiving payment to take care of it.”

      “I don’t care what my neighbors think!” he growled.

      “You may not, but what they think would harm your child. Do you care about him?”

      “Of course I do!” he roared. “That’s the reason we’re in this mess in the first place!”

      She moved from behind her desk, passing dangerously close to him, and reached the door.

      “Don’t open that door!” he rapped out, an order that he apparently assumed she would obey.

      “Mr. Boyd, you are visiting my office. You do not give me orders.” She opened the door. “Thank you for stopping by.”

      He stared at her as if she’d slapped him. Finally he took a step toward her. “You’re not even going to consider my suggestion?”

      “No, thank you.”

      “But we’d both get what we want.”

      “No, Mr. Boyd. You would get what you want. I would get crumbs, not even a piece of the cake. And I would lose my good standing in the community. Does that sound like I would get what I want?”

      She could sense Abby’s birdlike gaze flicking back and forth between them and wished she hadn’t been so stubborn about opening the door.

      He continued to glare at her, as if expecting her to explain herself further. Instead she stared at him, holding onto the door, hoping he didn’t realize she might’ve fallen without its support. Finally, when she wasn’t sure she could remain standing much longer, he smashed his cowboy hat on his head and strode from her office, not even responding to Abby’s goodbye.

      “What got stuck in his craw?” Abby asked, staring at her as she took her place behind the counter.

      Susannah sighed, “I love you, Abby, but I’m not going to discuss what was said in there. It’s private.” She added a warm smile, which wasn’t easy when she felt like crying.

      Something must’ve alerted Abby to her fragile condition. “Enough said. Why don’t you go back in there and work on those orders. I can handle everything out here.”

      With a whispered thanks, Susannah fled into her office, closing the door behind her. She returned to her chair, where only moments ago Lucas Boyd had stood over her.

      Great! Now he’d invaded her workplace. She already had trouble getting him out of her head from their one meeting. Seeing him as the father of her child had been a mistake.

      As foolish as those thoughts were, she had dreamed of creating that child the old-fashioned way, as Dr. Grable had put it. Strange reaction from someone who was frigid. Those intense dreams had left her unsettled and wanting what she couldn’t have.

      Lucas’s description of his wife, and the longing and love that filled his voice, had gouged a hole in her heart. Why hadn’t she found a man to love her the way he’d loved his wife? Why was she alone?

      And the biggest question of all: Why was it so difficult to have a child, so she wouldn’t be alone? She’d faced the fact that part of her longing for a child was selfish. But she also knew that she would care for and love her child, provide for him or her, be a good mother.

      Her child.

      His son.

      They couldn’t be the same baby, in spite of his ingenious proposal.

      It would never work.

      It could work.

      If only the woman wouldn’t be so difficult. He was offering her what she wanted!

      Her words replayed in Lucas’s head. Well, almost. Couldn’t she settle for what he wanted? The desire to hold his son in his arms was overpowering. He could see himself teaching the boy about the ranch, about his heritage. They would share the past and the future.

      And Lucas would love him, his child, as he’d loved Beth and that other little baby boy. With all his heart.

      He slung himself behind the wheel of his truck and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. What now? Doc didn’t seem to think he’d be able to find someone willing to have his baby.

      The old man had suggested he go into Denver and find some poor woman who needed money desperately. Hell, he didn’t want his child’s mother to be a street person. She had to be strong, healthy, upstanding.

      A dry chuckle surprised him. He couldn’t say Miss Langston was weak. Or meek. Or agreeable. She was tall, too. He’d worried about his future sons with Beth. She was so little. What if—such a thought seemed like a betrayal of their love. But—

      He turned the key and slammed the truck into Drive. He wasn’t going to think about such things. Didn’t matter anyway. Beth was dead. They wouldn’t have children together.

      When he stopped the truck at the streetlight, he realized he was half a block from Doc’s office. He’d make a detour and fill him in on the latest discussion with Miss Disagreeable Langston.

      “You did what?” asked Doc, a comical look on his face, after Lucas revealed his conversation with the woman.

      “I just told you. I offered—”

      “I heard you. Lord’a’mercy, boy, don’t you have any more sense than that?”

      “What’s the matter with what I offered? She’d get to have a baby, take care of it and get paid for the job, too.”

      Doc grinned. “And what was her answer?”

      “She wouldn’t even consider it.”

      “That doesn’t surprise me.”

      “So СКАЧАТЬ