Luck of the Draw (4 page)

“I’m turning around. We’re going back to the hospital. Something isn’t right with you, Row.”

Okay, so she should probably say something, but what? She’d been okay in the ER, but now things were a little more real for her. She’d seen the quarter on the screen and now she felt shaky. Was that a good sign? Maybe they
should
go back to the hospital. Just to be on the safe side.

But then, pregnant women were supposed to feel strange, right? Which meant she needed to chill out and open her mouth so Sidney didn’t bring her back to the hospital. And man, did she need to get this off her chest.

“I slept with Wilder.”

“What?” Sidney shrieked.

“He’s only been in town a couple hours!” Betsy added from the backseat, then she gasped as though she hadn’t meant to say it. Honestly, it always shocked Rowan too, when the quiet woman said something like that.

So she started to laugh.

Once she started, she couldn’t stop. They were huge, belly laughs that made her stomach cramp. Oh! She wondered if her baby could feel that and it made her laugh even harder.

“Definitely going back to the hospital.” Sidney made a left turn.

Finally, Rowan was able to calm down enough to gasp out. “No.” More laughing. “Pull over.” And then the giggles took hold even stronger. By the time Sidney drove into the department store parking lot, she was in tears again.

“Oh, sweetie. What’s wrong?” Sidney reached for her, but Rowan was getting out of the car. If she was going to do this—tell them what happened—she needed air.

Betsy and Sidney were right behind her. Rowan leaned against her friend’s new Honda, lights overhead making it so they could see each other. She took deep breaths to try and calm herself down. They both stood in front of her waiting, worry creasing their eyes.

When she relaxed enough, she said, “Remember that hospitality convention I went to?”

The way Sidney’s eyes popped wider, Rowan knew she was catching on. “Yeah.”

“Well, I was in the bar, right? I was bummed because my brother was there on business and we were supposed to meet up, but he canceled on me. I haven’t seen him since Mom’s funeral! None of my brothers, actually, but Thomas was
in
the same city as me. Anyway, this guy sits down and starts talking to me. Actually, he was pretty annoying at first. He’s sort of cocky, but you saw him at Lucky’s—kind of hard not to listen when a guy like that talks to you.”

Darn it. She was getting distracted. Plus, she didn’t want to think of Wilder—ugh! Breck. “After a while, he wasn’t so bad, though. He could still be knocked down a few pegs, but we ate dinner and any time his head got too big, I told him where he could stick it. I’m not kidding you guys, we talked for hours. This one—”

“Freckles! Get to the point.” Sidney crossed her arms.

Point. Yes, she had one and she needed to get to it. “Finally I was too tired to talk anymore so I told him I needed to call it a night. He agreed and said he was going to his room too. So we go to push the button and guess what floor he was on?

“I don’t know what happened next. One minute we were standing there and the next we were kissing and then we’re in his room. I
know,
it’s ridiculous and dangerous and everything else, but we were safe!”

But she was pregnant. Better rephrase. “We used protection and afterward he passed out. So I snuck away and then today he shows up at Destiny Knocks. Just shows up, but he’s Jace’s friend and he’d arranged to stay with me—not knowing who I was, of course. I mean, I don’t even know the guy, but he’s there and I pass out and the nurse asked if I could be pregnant—”

“What?” Sidney screamed.

“Oh my God!” Betsy added.

Rowan pushed off the car and started pacing. “I
know.
I can’t even believe it. I’m pregnant.” Rowan reached back to steady herself on the car, scared she might pass out again. “I’m having a baby with Vegas Guy and he’s staying at my house. And he’s so smug! And the biggest flirt in the world and…” Where was she going with this? “So yeah…that’s it. I’m pregnant by a gorgeous, cocky guy who I A) Don’t know and B) is staying at my B and B and C) could be an ax murderer. Or a drug dealer. I’m still not even sure exactly what his name is!”

And she was obviously going crazy, too. She didn’t usually have freak-outs like this. Though she’d never been pregnant by an ax-murdering, drug dealer before either.

“You’re having a baby?”

Rowan stopped pacing at the sound of intense emotion in Sidney’s voice. She looked over at her friend, who had a tear-streaked face and a smile. She shifted to look at Betsy, who had brought her hands up to cover her mouth but looked happy, too.

Suddenly, the rest of it didn’t matter.

Again.

“Yes. I’m having a baby!”

And then the three of them were hugging and jumping and all crying together, right there in the parking lot of the Shamrock Falls Shopping Center.

Chapter Four

Breck had asked Jace to text him if he heard how Rowan was doing. Thankfully, he seemed to keep in good contact with his legal assistant—Betsy, he thought her name was—and she let him know Rowan just tried to do too much on an empty stomach but was fine. He ordered a pizza and stopped by the liquor store to buy a bottle of vodka. She had drank one glass with cranberry juice the night they met.

He hadn’t ventured upstairs because it felt wrong, but he did bring in Ace, though he left her in her carrier, and set the pizza and alcohol out on the dining room table. It was one of those long, rectangular tables that sat more people than he thought a person needed. It reminded him of what Bailey’s family had used. At least Rowan had a reason for it. She must get a lot of guests.

Breck shook his head. Comparing Rowan to his ex-wife wasn’t going to do either of them any good. A sharp pain pierced his chest when he thought about how he’d lost his mom to a car accident and the wife he thought he’d be with forever, both in a matter of days.

Meow.

Ace understood. Breck sat, reached a hand into the cage, and pulled her to his lap. He sure as hell hoped Rowan wouldn’t mind if he let her free in this room. After Taylor, he hadn’t wanted to leave the little girl behind.

“What do you think about this whole situation?” He knew he was lonely when he started asking Ace life questions. At least he didn’t have to worry about word getting out. Cats were good at keeping secrets.

He still couldn’t get over the fact that it had been Rowan opening the door to him today. He’d been close to passing out himself. What were the odds?

He thought about how it had felt to laugh with her that night. Just to talk with her. Breck had never really had that. It had eased a bit of the ache inside him. He loved his life, being on the road and feeling free, but he missed laughing with someone too. Rowan had brought that out in him.

But then she’d walked away from him—had he really expected anything different? Bailey, the only woman he’d ever loved, hadn’t wanted him anymore. Enter a long string of meaningless affairs and a stolen cat. No, he hadn’t been lying when he told Jace he wasn’t going there with another woman. Especially one who’d want more than he could give. Bailey had wanted that—and he’d wanted nothing more than to give it to her—and things with her turned out worse than they did with anyone else.

“What’s wrong with me, Ace? I’m over here fretting like a teenage girl.”

Breck heard a car pull up out front and grinned to himself. He gave Ace one more rub and put her back in the carrier. He thought about how good it felt giving Rowan hell. Challenging her to something as stupid as tying a cherry stem. He wanted that feeling back—even though it would only be temporary.

“It’s show time.”

…

The second the headlights from Sidney’s car pulled away from Rowan’s large, white, Victorian-style home, she heard footsteps walking around the side of her house. She’d know the sound of Shakes coming from anywhere. Despite her mood, she felt herself smiling at the thought. Even Shakes’s walk always sounded different.

She’d been hearing it her whole life. When she was young he always brought treats for her. Now just visiting with him was enough. Everyone in Shamrock Falls felt that way about the older man.

“Rowan?” his wobbly voice sounded as he got closer. He wasn’t named Shakes for nothing. The man always had a bit of a tremor to him. It got even more pronounced when he was excited.

It took him a bit to reach her. He wasn’t getting around as well as he used to.

“Hey old man,” she teased as gray hair and a smile shown under the porch light.

“Hey, kid.”

Rowan signaled toward her bench, but he waved her off. “How are you?” she asked.

“The sun shined today. Birds were singing. I’m alive. Life is beautiful.”

It was such a Shakes answer. Forget that it had been typical Washington State gloom outside. In Shakes’s world, it was always sunny. She counted on his sunshine whenever she was feeling lonely.

He winked at her and it suddenly hit her that she needed to count her blessings like he did. Life hadn’t been easy on Shakes. He’d never had much money. His wife left him, but he never let it get him down.

“How do you always make me feel better?” she asked.

He shook off the compliment. He’d always been like that. Back when her parents were around and he would spend time with them, he always had time for Rowan when no one else did. But to him, it was nothing.

“You don’t need me for nothin’, kid.”

That wasn’t true at all. Shakes helped her get a fishhook out of her foot when she was twelve. He always offered a helping hand to not only her, but everyone. “This whole town needs you. Now what are you doing? Did you stop by for dinner?” She often cooked for him. Everyone in town took turns, since it had become harder for him to do it himself. Shamrock Falls was all he had.

“No, no. I’m not going to be here for dinner, but I wanted to stop by anyway to let you know.”

“You have a hot date?” Rowan teased.

Shakes winked. “Maybe.” They both laughed. Rowan glanced at the door, glad for the distraction. She didn’t want to face who was inside.

“I’m outta here, kid,” Shakes said. She wanted to ask him to stay. To support her in this whole baby thing and with Breck, but she couldn’t make herself do it.

“Okay.”

He wobbled away and back to his truck that she’d somehow missed.

Okay, she shouldn’t be nervous to go into her own house, but she was. She glanced at the Mercedes. Seriously? Why did Breck need to rent something that fancy anyway? Maybe he
was
a drug dealer! Though that wouldn’t make sense, considering he was friends with Jace.

“Hello?” She clutched a piece of paper in her hand. She, Betsy, and Sidney had come up with a plan. They agreed that she couldn’t just tell him about this baby until she knew a little more about him. That’s what a good, responsible parent would do. So they all agreed on the questionnaire route she had suggested.

Still, she felt bad asking Sidney to keep this secret from Kade. Kade would kill Wilder if he found out. And she didn’t want the man killed unless there was a good reason.

Once she got to know him she would tell him about the baby. If he wanted nothing to do with them, it would be fine. She could do it on her own. She’d done a lot on her own already. “Hello?” Rowan called out again.

“Honey, you’re home!” Wilder walked around the corner, into her entryway with his arms wide and a smile that was even bigger. She had the feeling he’d been waiting for her.

Rowan ignored the way her heart sped up at the sight of his unshaven face, and rolled her eyes. It would be a long couple— “Wait. How long are you staying again?” She knew he told her, but finding out she had a bun in the oven seemed to mess with her brain.

He smirked. “Afraid you’ll miss me?”

It was not going to be easy having this man under her roof. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to kill him or kiss him.

No. No, no, no.
There would be no kissing where he was concerned. “No, I’m trying to decide when to throw a party to celebrate.”

He laughed. It was a rich, throaty sound that gave her goose bumps.

“You’re good.” His voice dropped even more. “Though I already know—”

“Stop!” She held up her hand. “Don’t even say it unless you want to be smacked.” Well, there was the first check in the “con” column of his evaluation. Wilder tried to find a way to bring up their one-night stand every chance he got.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. Come on, I bought a pizza and something to drink. I heard you need to put a little more food in your stomach.”

Rowan froze. She did
not
want to have conversations about her belly with him. “There’s nothing wrong with my stomach.” Though she
was
starving. Dinner would be the perfect chance for her to quiz him. “Oh no! I forgot I’d just taken food out of the oven when you got here!” She raced toward the kitchen.

“Slow down. You just passed out a couple hours ago. You should probably be careful.”

“It’s gone,” she said when she walked into the kitchen. Nothing sat on top of the stove. In fact, it looked like it might have been wiped down.

“I put it in the fridge.”

“Thanks.” Well, that was nice of him. And unexpected.

“Food’s in here.”

She followed him into her dining room, still not able to believe he was here and she was
expecting.
“There’s a cat carrier in my dining room.” The scent of cheese and pizza sauce hit her, almost making her ignore the animal.

“I can’t stay if she can’t,” he leaned against the wall.

“Wilder…”

“Breck.”

Ugh. That again. “You’re the one who told me your name is Wilder. Don’t get snippy when I use it.”

He only shrugged. “That was then.”

Rowan sighed. They weren’t going to get anywhere this way, and regardless of his name or the cat, it was important for her to figure out more about this man who fathered her baby. “
Breck,
I’m not super fond of cats, but I guess she can stay. Only let her out in your room, though, and you’re responsible for the litter box. I’m giving you the suite with a bathroom attached. It’s only us for now.”

“Wanted me alone, did you?” He gave her that lopsided grin with the dimple below the right side. She was sure it had snagged a million women. It had her. Even now it sent goose bumps racing over her skin. “And you’ll end up loving Ace. She’s just like me.”

Rowan tried to pretend she didn’t notice the smile. “Listen, I’m tired and hungry. Can we pretend to flirt tomorrow? It’s been a long day.”

The smile slid off his face and he looked… Honestly, he looked a little worried. “Yeah. Sorry about that. Sit down.” Rowan was surprised when he pulled out the chair for her. She sat down, a large pepperoni pizza in front of them. There were paper plates and— Crap. Alcohol.

Breck sat across from her. They each put some pizza on paper plates. He had a beer in front of him. “Drink?” He nodded toward the vodka.

She pulled a water bottle out of her purse. “No thanks. I don’t drink much.” Then she grabbed a pen and set the paper on the table. “Feel free to eat, but I have a few standard questions I ask everyone who stays here.”

The way he narrowed his eyes, as though he were trying to see inside her, she figured he didn’t believe her. Rowan ignored it. “Where do you live?” she asked.

“Anywhere, but I do have a house in Los Angeles.”

“Of course you do,” she mumbled, but luckily he didn’t call her on it. And how the hell did he live
anywhere
? That made no sense. “What do you do?”

“Play poker.”

“No, for a living.”

“I
play poker
.”

Her stomach dropped as quickly as did the pen from her hand. “You play poker for a living? Is that legal?”

Her question didn’t faze him. “Yeah. Haven’t you heard of poker tournaments?”

She shrugged.

“Well, I win them.” Another half grin.

Cocky, cocky man.

“I do have a law degree as well. But I didn’t take the bar exam, so I don’t practice.”

Her baby’s father was a poker-playing lawyer. She guessed it was better than an ax-murdering drug dealer, though. Still, her father was probably rolling over in his grave. Rowan cleared her throat. “Have you ever been arrested?”

“Not unless you count a foolish college stunt with Jace.”

Oh. My. God. He
had
been arrested?

“No worries. It involved toilet paper and spray paint. Nothing too bad.”

She kept going. “Married?”

“Nope.” His voice was a little tense on that one.

“Kids?”

“Not that I know of.”

“What!” She pushed to her feet.

“Relax, I’m kidding. Trying to loosen you up. You weren’t this uptight in Vegas.”

She lowered herself in the chair again, shaking slightly. “So really, you have no kids?”

“No children.”

Rowan started to feel a little dizzy, but that was probably because of her next question. “Do you want them…someday?”

He cocked his head at her and she tried to hide her emotions. “What does that have to do with staying here?”

“I don’t know, I’m just curious. Your reaction made me ask. It’s not on the questionnaire.”

Breck tossed his napkin to the table and leaned back. “I don’t know, Houdini. I’m thinking no. Kids require a wife, which I don’t have or want. Ever.” He shrugged, but his jaw was clenched,
too. His whole body looked tense. “Most of the women I know are psychotic, present company excluded. Besides, my life doesn’t really suit a family. I’m on the road a lot. I have too much going on to tie myself down.”

Rowan could hardly understand him. He was an echo in her foggy brain. He never wanted to marry—not that
she
wanted to marry him, but still. He didn’t want kids. Or ties. Ever. There was no way she could tell him now. “You really play poker?” barely squeezed past her lips.

“Yeah. Don’t you watch ESPN? They did this special on me…”

The rest of his words were nothing but a blur. She couldn’t think. Couldn’t hear. Suddenly, she wasn’t hungry anymore. All she wanted to do was lock herself in her room and Google Breck Wilder. And maybe cry some more. Instead she took a bite, because she remembered she hadn’t eaten all day, and the last thing she wanted was to look obvious. Or somehow hurt the baby.

“You don’t like pizza? I thought everyone liked pizza.” Breck seemed to have loosened up, leaning back in his seat.

“I like pizza. Why do you think I don’t?” she snapped. Ugh. She needed to relax.

“Umm, because you look like you’re trying to force it down? Listen, are you sure it’s okay if I stay here? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I can stay with Jace if I need to—”

“No!” she hollered, making him jump. “I mean, no,” Rowan said much more softly. No, this probably wouldn’t go well, and he just made it pretty obvious the whole kid thing wouldn’t be good for him, but she didn’t feel right about not giving him more of a chance. This was their baby here, and how well could she really get to know him if he stayed somewhere else? She’d dated plenty of guys who seemed like normal, rational human beings until she spent more than a few hours at a time with them.