Chapter Two
Three months later
Shiloh’s hand covered her mouth as she rushed through the bar to the bathroom down the back hall. She didn’t even want to think about what might be on the sticky floor as she fell to her knees and lost her dinner. Whoever coined the term morning sickness should be taken out and shot. As far as Shiloh could tell, it was all damn day sickness. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep the baby a secret. People were getting suspicious already, and she could only claim a stomach bug for so long.
Her throat burned as she threw up again, the scent making her gag some more. Shiloh flushed the toilet and got off the nasty floor. She turned on the sink and rinsed out her mouth before splashing cool water on her face. The bathroom door banged open, and Dallas stood silhouetted in the doorway, his imposing figure making her cringe. This was going to go one of two ways. He was going to find out and be supportive, or he was going to ask her to get the hell out his bar and never darken his doorstep again.
“Don’t even try to tell me it’s a bug,” he said in a no-nonsense tone. “You’ve been throwing up consistently for over two weeks. Tell me which asshole is responsible, and I’ll pound the shit out of him until he takes responsibility.”
Resigned, she turned and met his gaze. There had only been one man she’d been with since coming to Gulch Springs, and her ex hadn’t touched her for weeks prior to that. There was only one possible baby-daddy in this scenario, and Dallas was not going to be happy about it. She’d never told him the truth of what happened the night he’d given her shelter, and she doubted Drake had come clean either.
“I can wait all night,” Dallas said. “We’re not leaving this bathroom until you give me a name.”
“Can’t you just leave it alone?”
“Are you keeping the baby?’ he asked.
It had never crossed her mind not to keep the baby. It was a part of her, and despite the circumstances around the poor bean’s conception, she already loved the child with all her heart.
“I’m keeping it.”
“Then the daddy needs to fork over some cash to help you out. Don’t forget that I’ve seen where you live, Shiloh. That rusted heap isn’t fit for you to live in, much less a baby. And what are you going to do about a job?”
Her stomach clenched. “You’re firing me?”
“Hell no, but you can’t bring a baby with you to the bar. Not to mention all the secondhand smoke. And what about childcare? There’s nowhere around town that’s open nights, especially the hours you work. If your kid sleeps at night, they’re going to be awake all day. You can’t leave them alone while you sleep. This job isn’t the right fit for you anymore.”
He made valid points, but she wasn’t ready to think about it yet.
“A name, Shiloh.”
She shook her head. “It’s better if you don’t know.”
“Shiloh, I think of you as a sister, and I want to help, but I can’t do that if you won’t let me in. You don’t talk to anyone but Rebecca and me, and you never go out on dates. I have no idea how you managed to get knocked up. You haven’t had time for it.”
She stared at the toes of her boots.
“Darlin’, if you won’t talk to me, will you at least talk to Rebecca? You know we think of you like family, but there’s only so much I can do if you keep silent.”
“She knows,” Shiloh mumbled. It hadn’t been on purpose, but during one of her crying spells, she’d spilled everything to Rebecca, whom she’d sworn to secrecy. In hindsight, it was wrong of her to put her friend in that position. She’d asked her to lie to Dallas.
The look in Dallas’s eyes turned dark, and he spun on his boot heel and marched back out into the bar, probably heading straight for his doting fiancée. Shiloh scrambled after him. He faced his fiancée with his hands planted on his hips and stern look on his face. Rebecca blinked up at him, the picture of innocence.
“You knew she was pregnant and didn’t say anything?” Dallas asked.
“It wasn’t my story to tell.” Rebecca shrugged. “If she wanted you to know, she’d have told you.”
“Nice.” He snorted. “You realize she’s in no position to take care of herself right now, much less a baby. So, what’s your bright idea?”
Rebecca looked at Shiloh, her eyes begging Shiloh to tell the truth, but it was a secret that could destroy her. She didn’t want to lose the only friends she had in Gulch Springs. The locals were friendly enough and tipped decently, but no one exactly asked her to hang out on her days off. She’d been hit on more times than she could count, but that wasn’t the same thing.
“He needs to know,” Rebecca said.
Tears gathered in Shiloh’s eyes. Stupid pregnancy hormones.
Dallas claimed the seat next to Rebecca and waited patiently. Shiloh didn’t want to disappoint him. Dallas had been wonderful to her, so had Rebecca. If it weren’t for the two of them, she’d have ended up on the streets after she’d been dumped in this very bar. Dallas had given her a job, and Rebecca had let her crash on her couch until she’d saved enough to rent the trailer she had now. Neither of them had been happy with her choice of residence, but she’d wanted to stand on her own two feet as soon as possible.
“He’s not going to be mad at you,” Rebecca assured her. “Just tell him. Please. It’s killing me to keep it from him.”
Dallas stared her down.
“I didn’t tell you about the pregnancy because of who the father is,” Shiloh said.
Rebecca gave her a nod of encouragement.
“It’s … the father is…” Her hands twisted in front of her. This was harder than she’d thought. “It’s Drake.”
He blinked slowly and then looked at Rebecca before that blue gaze clashed with hers again. “Excuse me?”
“The night you let me stay at your place? I didn’t know which room was yours and I ended up falling asleep in Drake’s room. He came home and…” She shrugged. “I was drunk, but I promise it was consensual.”
“Why the hell didn’t you say something sooner?” Dallas asked. “I’d have notified him so he could come home and do the right thing.”
Shiloh’s brow furrowed. “This isn’t 1950. There’s no ‘right thing’ to do. The baby is mine, and I’m going to love him and raise him the best I can. I hope you’ll be part of the baby’s life since you’re his uncle, but if you’d rather I made myself scarce, I’ll understand.”
Dallas rose and pulled her in for a tight hug. “You have my support. I don’t agree with keeping the pregnancy a secret from Drake, but I won’t force the issue. He’ll find out sooner or later. You only have three months before he comes home.”
“I don’t want him rushing home because he fathered a baby with a woman he doesn’t even know. For all I know, he doesn’t even remember me or that night. What if he comes back and has no idea who I am?”
Dallas stepped back. “Whether he recognizes you or not, you need to tell him the truth. I don’t know what the hell he’ll say, or what he’ll do, but I can promise he won’t leave you to figure everything out on your own. Drake was raised right, and I have no doubt that he’ll want to be part of the baby’s life, even if that means he pays child support for the next eighteen years.”
“I need this job, Dallas. I don’t have the training to do much else. Who’s going to hire a pregnant woman anyway? They’ll know maternity leave is coming, and no one wants to deal with that.”
“You have bigger things to worry about. You need to see a doctor, and you don’t have insurance. I could put you on the bar’s plan, but I don’t know if they’ll cover the pregnancy. Pre-existing condition, or some such nonsense.”
“I’ll give her a ride to the clinic tomorrow,” Rebecca offered. “It’s better than nothing.”
“The clinic is fine for getting a pregnancy test done, just as confirmation, but that baby deserves a better doctor than that place can offer. She needs to see Dr. Thompson. His father delivered every baby in my family while he was practicing medicine, and his son seems to be a great doctor too.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“What?’ Dallas asked. “You have a better idea? She can’t just coast along until Drake gets home.”
“I’ll be fine,” Shiloh said. “I took three pregnancy tests, so I don’t think I really need confirmation, and I already picked up some of those prenatal vitamins at the store. I have everything I need for right now.”
“If he makes it home alive, he’s going to have worry about me killing him,” Dallas said with a shake of his head. “How could he have been so stupid as to not use protection?”
“You don’t know what happened,” Rebecca pointed out. “Maybe he did, and it just didn’t work. Condoms aren’t foolproof.”
“Obviously.” Dallas hugged Shiloh again. “You let me know if you need anything, okay? And I mean that. You have trouble paying a bill or buying food, you come tell me. That’s my niece or nephew incubating in there, and I want to take care of y’all until my idiot brother gets home to do the job.”
“I’ve been doing just fine on my own,” Shiloh said. “I know you don’t approve of where I live, but there’s plenty of room for both the baby and me. I haven’t used the second bedroom for anything, so I can make it a nursery.”
“And what money are you going to use to buy a crib and diapers and crap?” Dallas looked like he was counting to ten before he started back up. “I’m going to find you a better job, with better pay, and you’re going to promise me that you’ll move to a safer place. That trailer park is a known beacon for drug addicts and prostitution. I won’t have that baby growing up there. You both deserve better.”
“You could always let her move into your room in the apartment,” Rebecca said. “It’s not like you really use it. No reason you can’t bring your things to my place, since you’re there every night anyway. We’re getting married in less than a year. Sooner or later, your stuff is going to comingle with mine.”
“I’m not pushing anyone out of their room,” Shiloh said. “Besides, then I’d have to share the apartment with Drake, and that would be a disaster.”
“Actually, I think it’s fucking brilliant,” Dallas said. “I’ll have my stuff out by tomorrow night. If you need help packing, just say the word.”
Shiloh shook her head.
“This isn’t up for debate, Shiloh,” Dallas said. “You’re family, and I always take care of my family. And stop shaking your head at me. I wasn’t asking you to move. I’m telling you to move.”
A fire lit in her belly, or maybe it was indigestion. It was hard to tell these days.
“I paid for my place out of my own pocket, and I intend to keep paying my way. See, this is why I didn’t say anything. I knew you’d go all caveman on me, or worse, force Drake to walk me down the aisle over a mistake that was made on a night when I was too drunk to know better. I’m not punishing him or anyone else for what happened. I’m staying in my trailer until I can afford something better on my own, and that’s final.”
Dallas glowered, but Rebecca rubbed his back.
“If she wants to be independent, let her,” Rebecca said. “It’s not like you don’t know where she lives. You can check on her anytime you want.”
“Fine. I don’t like it, but I’m obviously not going to win.” Dallas raked a hand through his hair. “You can’t keep working here though. The secondhand smoke isn’t good for the baby, and if I make this a no-smoking zone, then I’ll lose business to the bar on the other side of town.”
“So, this is my last night?” Shiloh asked.
“No, this was your last minute. Go get your stuff and head home.”
Shiloh felt a little like a kicked puppy as she stamped her timecard for the last time and put it in the slot with her name. She gathered her belongings from the locker in the break room and went out to her piece-of-crap car with as much dignity as she could muster. The door creaked and groaned as she opened it. After tossing her things onto the passenger seat, she slid behind the wheel and closed her door. Or attempted to. It had taken four times before it stopped bouncing back open, and then she locked it, in hopes it would remain shut while she was driving.
Her trailer was in the Shady Pines Trailer Park in one of the worst parts of town. Not that Gulch Springs had a high crime rate. She liked living in the small town, which had surprised her. When Shiloh had been abandoned, she’d thought she’d work enough hours to scrape together some cash and get the heck out of here. Instead, she’d decided to rent a place and put down roots. She didn’t regret her decision, but she might when Drake came back home.
The trailer park was dimly lit as she pulled down the drive and past the front office. She wound her way around toward the back where her rusted heap resided. The streetlight near her place had been out for a few weeks, and it was eerily dark when she pulled onto the parking pad next to her home. Her porch light didn’t work, even when there was a new bulb in it. Dallas thought it had a short, but the office didn’t seem too intent on fixing it, and she couldn’t afford an electrician.
Using the light on her iPhone, she managed to open the door and carry her things inside. Shiloh flicked on the living room lamp and dropped everything beside the couch. She locked the door—knob, bolt, and chain—before going into the bathroom to start the shower. It was going to get cramped in the tiny space once she started to show, but at least the water was hot. All right, so it was warm. Better than ice cold, so she wasn’t going to complain.
Shiloh ditched her clothes and stepped under the spray, washing the smoke off her skin and out of her hair. She always showered when she came home from the bar so she wouldn’t make her sheets stinky. She only had the one pair, and there wasn’t a washing machine or dryer in her home. If she wanted clean clothes and bedding, she had to use the laundromat, or head over to Rebecca’s if she was low on cash, which she’d done a few times already. Her friend had assured her that she wasn’t taking advantage, even if it didn’t feel like that was the case.
Squeaky clean, she shut off the water and dried off with one of her three-dollar towels. In the bedroom, she pulled on a pair of sleep shorts and a tank, and then pulled her hair into a messy bun. The problem with working nights was that she was always keyed up when she got home. Tonight was no different, except she didn’t have a job to return to tomorrow. Shiloh spent the next hour watching a really horrible movie and munching on some popcorn from the dollar store. When she was finally tired enough to sleep, she fell into bed and prayed that things would look better tomorrow. Who the hell was going to hire her?
****
Drake used the webcam on his laptop to Skype with his brother. He knew it was early morning for Dallas, but the bar had been closed at least an hour, which meant his brother’s responsibilities were over for the night. He looked haggard, and Drake worried about him. Dallas was always full of life and ready to take on any challenge, but for the first time since their parents died, he seemed a little worn around the edges.
“Not getting enough sleep?” Drake asked.
“Just dealing with something. A friend is going through a hard time right now, and I’m not sure how to help her.”
Drake smiled. “You have to stop taking in these damsels. You’re going to get a rep as a white knight, and then they’ll all be flocking to your bar wanting a handout.”
“If only money solved everything.” Dallas shook his head. “Forget about me, how are you holding up over there?”
Drake shrugged. “About as well as can be expected. I only have three months until I get to come home, and I am counting the days!”
“It will be really great to have you home. For good this time, right?”
“Yeah, it’s for good. My soldiering days are over, or close to it. I’m ready to get a regular job, work my way through all the eligible ladies, and just kick back with some beers. Hell, I may even stop for some fun on the way home from the airport. No sense coming home empty handed.”
Dallas looked troubled by his comment.
“You’re not going to get all brotherly on me and tell me that I’m fucking up my life, are you? Because sleeping my way through the surrounding towns isn’t really a bad way to go. It’s been three fucking months since I got laid and I have the worst case of blue balls.”
“We need to talk when you get back. Might be best if you put those plans on hold for a night or two.”
“Everything okay with the bar? With Rebecca?”
“My life is just fine, brother. Yours…” Dallas shook his head. “It can wait until you’re back home. Just come back in one piece, will ya?”
“You bet.” Drake smiled despite the uneasy feeling in his gut. Something was going on at home, and for whatever reason, his brother didn’t want to discuss it. He couldn’t think of anything that would cause his brother to lose sleep other than the bar or his fiancée, and since Dallas said it wasn’t either one of those things…
“Take care of yourself,” Dallas said. “You have a lot to live for.”
He was half-owner of the bar and shared a place with his brother. What exactly did he have to live for? Dallas wasn’t making any damn sense.
“I’ll see you soon,” Drake said. “I’ll try to Skype again in a week or two, just to check in.”
“See that you do. Miss you.”
Drake’s throat tightened. “Miss you too.”
They signed off, and Drake shoved the laptop away. Whatever was going on with Dallas, he couldn’t focus on it right now. He was in the middle of a war, and while he didn’t know if they would ever win, he did intend to go home in a few months, and not in a body bag. If he didn’t keep his head in the game, someone was going to blow it off.