Naomi sprinted after Lucas, dodging tables, knocking her chair over in the process. Once again, she’d drawn the attention of spectators. The few patrons who sat at Darla’s bar had all turned around at the loud crash.
She didn’t care who saw anymore. She had to catch Lucas. God, that pain in his eyes had torn into her. He’d looked at her like one of Jessa’s wounded animals.
She ripped open the door, ready to sprint down the street, but Darla hooked her shoulder.
“Let him go,” she said, pulling her back inside.
Naomi wriggled free. “But I have to make him understand why I didn’t tell him…”
Darla slipped in front of her. “Do you even understand why you didn’t tell him?”
Her body stilled. No. She didn’t. All these months he’d been right in front of her. Now, after having sat with him through Gracie’s play, after having kissed him out in the parking lot, she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why she’d been so afraid. “I should’ve told him last fall. He shouldn’t have found out on the street in front of everyone.” Naomi sank into the chair nearest to the door.
“Okay, everyone! We’re closing.” Darla traipsed to the counter and started to shoo people out.
“But I’m not done with my wine,” one woman argued.
“And we haven’t paid the bill,” a man said.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s on the house.” Her friend herded the few customers to the door. “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give you a big discount.” One by one, she waved them away. “Bye now. Thanks for coming. You can always head over to the Tumble Inn for a nightcap. They’ve got some killer cocktails. Great drafts on tap,” she babbled, not giving anyone a chance to argue. “Out you go now.” She all but shoved them out the door. “See you tomorrow,” she called cheerfully as she waved. Then she locked the deadbolt and rushed over to the table Naomi had just shared with Lucas. In a haste, Darla snatched the nearly full bottle of expensive Shiraz. She plunked a glass in front of Naomi and filled it, then poured one for herself.
“You didn’t have to close early,” Naomi said, though the words held no conviction. After the scene she’d made on the street she was relieved to be alone. Maybe she shouldn’t have gone after Mark like that. Now the whole town would know. God, they’d have a heyday at The Farm tomorrow morning.
“What’d you tell Mark?” Darla asked, all business. Always pragmatic, the woman was probably already formulating a plan for damage control.
Naomi took a sip of the wine, but it felt so wrong drinking it without Lucas.
Sighing, she set down the wineglass. “I told him he wasn’t going to see her until we’ve sorted this out. And even then I don’t know.” She’d reminded him how he’d said this could be on her terms, and then told him she’d have the test done to determine paternity as soon as possible.
“How’d he take it?”
“I think he was shocked. As shocked as Lucas was.” A heavy weight pressed into her chest. “But he agreed to wait until we have the test results back before contacting me again.” Which gave her roughly two weeks to try and find a way to tell Gracie about this mess. Either way, her daughter’s father was coming back into the picture and she had no idea how to prepare her. “What am I going to tell Gracie, Darla? How am I supposed to explain this to her?”
Her friend gave her one of her specialty it’s no big deal looks.
But this was a huge deal. It would change everything.
“You don’t have to worry about it now,” Darla insisted.
If only that were true. Naomi glanced out to the street. “The whole town will know by tomorrow afternoon.” Once news hit The Farm, that was all anyone would be talking about.
“That may be true, but no one’ll say anything to Gracie. These people aren’t that heartless.” Darla shoved a plate of truffles across the table. “Besides, this is all a good thing, girl. It’s time for you to figure out the truth. Time for Gracie to learn the truth. And time for you to decide what you want.”
That sounded so simple. “I have no idea what I want,” Naomi admitted. For the last ten years everything had been about what Gracie had wanted or needed. The bed and breakfast had been her first step in trying to plan for their future…
“In case you hadn’t noticed, Lucas loves the hell out of you.” Darla popped a chocolate into her mouth. “He’s always loved you. These few months, he’s been more patient than any man I’ve ever met, but that’s not gonna last forever, honey. Especially not now.”
“He’s leaving.” Again. “He’s going back to Pueblo and I can’t. This is my home. As small as this town as, this is the community that embraced Gracie and me, the one that took care of us.” After Mark left her, the local quilters club had thrown her a baby shower and made sure she had a year’s supply of diapers. And for the longest time after Gracie was born, random baskets of food and formula and little toys would show up on the doorstep of their run-down apartment.
And the Cortez family…They were her support system. Jessa and Lance and Luis…
Even though she was planning to move off their property, she’d still go to their Sunday night family dinners. She’d still spend holidays with them. This town was so much a part of her past and her future. “I’m buying the old Porter place,” she blurted. “And I’m opening a bed and breakfast. My business loan went through today.”
Darla choked on a sip of wine. “You’re what?”
“It’s always been my dream.” Although she’d never voiced it to anyone else. There were times it had seemed unattainable. “And with Jessa moving to the ranch, I figured now was a good time. They don’t need me anymore. Tucker can take over the books.”
“Why haven’t you said anything?” her friend demanded. “This is amazing!”
“Yeah, I guess.” Though she didn’t feel much like celebrating right now. “I have a ton of work to do, but the house is mine.”
“Which means you can’t go to Pueblo with Lucas,” Darla said, her eyes sobering.
“No. I can’t.” And he probably wouldn’t want that anyway. Too much had happened. How could they possibly reclaim what they’d once had with all of this standing in the way?
“Maybe he’ll stay in Topaz Falls.”
“I don’t think so.” Not with the way people treated him. She knew that all too well after the incident with the principal at the play the other night. “I don’t blame him for wanting to go. I wouldn’t want everyone waiting for me to screw up, either.” He deserved more than that.
“There has to be a way to work this out.” Darla tapped her fingers against the table. “Especially if he’s Gracie’s father.”
They sipped their wine in thoughtful silence, but nothing came to her.
Darla didn’t seem to have any brilliant ideas, either. “Talk to him,” her friend finally said. “Once he’s had some time to process the whole he-might-have-a-daughter thing. It’s pretty obvious there’s still unresolved feelings between you two.”
Yeah, but if she couldn’t even resolve them herself, what was she supposed to say to him? “I loved him.” Which meant he’d hurt her on the deepest level possible. “And I don’t know if everything I’m feeling now is real.” Or whether it was just the memories of who they used to be that drew her to him.
“You’ll never know if you don’t give it a chance.” Darla handed her a chocolate. “Spend time with him. Get to know who he is now. Let him get to know you. Then you’ll have your answer.”
* * *
Lucas busted through Lance’s front door like a bull that’d just had its ass branded.
His brother and Jessa were seated at the table, finishing up their nice romantic dinner. Normally he didn’t interrupt their alone time, but this seemed like it counted as a fucking special occasion.
“Hi, Lucas!” Jessa chirped. He swore that woman got more chipper with each day the wedding drew closer. “How was your date with Naomi?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.
That was one hell of a loaded question, so he ignored her and went straight for Lance. “How long have you known?”
Jessa gasped, but his brother simply wiped his mouth with a napkin.
Yep. They both knew. God damnit.
“Um, you know, I need to go check on the animals up at the shelter,” Jessa said, easing her chair back from the table and refusing to meet his gaze. “We’ve got a full house tonight,” she babbled, slipping on her coat. “A couple of dogs. A baby bunny with a broken leg…” She rushed the dinner dishes over to the sink and made a break for the front door. “I’ll give you boys some time alone. Be back soon!” The door opened and shut in record time.
His brother didn’t seem to share her urgency. Lance kicked back in his chair, stretching his legs out in front of him, all casual and relaxed.
Lucas sat across from him. His heart hadn’t stopped racing since he’d heard Naomi inform Mark that Gracie might not be his daughter. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. The words were still on repeat in his brain.
“How long have you known?” he said again when his brother didn’t speak.
Lance shrugged. “Only since a few nights ago when she told Jessa.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” To him, that was the kind of information brothers should share with each other.
“Jessa said Naomi was planning to talk to you about it.” Lance rose from his chair and went to the refrigerator. He pulled out two beers and set one in front of Lucas. “I figured it wasn’t my place.”
“Well, a little warning would’ve been nice,” Lucas said, popping the top on his beer. Between swigs, he told his brother about the scene on the street.
“Shit.” His calm and collected brother sat straighter now. “Gotta say, I never thought Mark would come back to town.”
“Obviously Naomi didn’t, either.” She never thought she’d have to tell Lucas the truth. He still couldn’t believe it. If Mark hadn’t come back, he might never have known the possibility that he had a bigger part in Gracie’s life…
“So what’re you gonna do?” his brother asked.
“She wants a DNA sample. So she can find out for sure.” That’d be a fun appointment…
“Well, yeah. Obviously. But what are you going to do about Naomi?”
“What can I do?” He’d thought things were happening—he’d kissed her and she’d agreed to go out with him, but it was all because Mark had forced her hand. “I screwed up. She tried to tell me in those letters she wrote and I ignored them.” He’d turned his back on her when she needed him. How would she ever trust him again?
“She let you kiss her,” Lance reminded him. “Was she into it? When you kissed her, did she kiss you back?”
“Yes.” She most definitely had kissed him back. She’d clung to him. She’d opened herself up to him. “But you should’ve seen her face tonight. It was cold.” After she’d collected herself, she’d looked at him like he was a stranger.
“She’s trying to protect herself. Ever think of that?” His brother shook his head.
Oh, sure. Eight months with Jessa and now he thought he was some relationship expert.
“She’s afraid you’ll leave her behind again,” Lance said as though Lucas was an idiot.
“It wasn’t exactly my choice to leave in the first place.”
“I know, but you didn’t have to cut her off from your life. She tried to contact you for months and you rejected her.”
“Because I thought it was for the best.” He’d never been so wrong about something in his life.
“It wasn’t for the best,” his brother countered. “You knew Mark left. And you could’ve come back years ago. You didn’t.”
How could he have come back? Even now, it’d been over ten years since the fire, and everyone still held it against him. They probably would’ve stoned him if he’d come back any earlier.
“You can’t blame her for being scared.” Lance leaned into the table as though ready to defend Naomi. “She’s always protected Gracie. It’s been up to her. She’s never even dated anyone. Did you know that? She’s always put her daughter first. And she likely doesn’t want to set her daughter up to meet her father only to have him take off again.”
“I wouldn’t take off.” If he found out the three of them were connected that way, he couldn’t be without them. “If Gracie’s my daughter, I’ll do anything to be with them. I’ll figure out how to make it work.” Maybe Naomi would agree to move to the McGowen Ranch. Or they could go somewhere else and start over together.
His brother stood and walked past him, giving his shoulder a hearty pat on the way. “Maybe that’s what she needs to hear.”