Chapter Three
Shiloh hiked her purse over her shoulder and tugged on her denim skirt and brushed off her off-the-shoulder blouse. It wasn’t fancy, but it was the nicest thing she had. So far, she’d been turned down for every job she’d applied for. It had been two weeks since Dallas let her go. The library said she wasn’t qualified, even though their ad said no experience necessary. The Stop ‘N Go didn’t feel comfortable with an expectant mother handling the night shift, in case of a robbery. She’d even stopped by the newspaper office to see about delivering papers, but they’d deemed her car a hazard and unfit for the job. There weren’t too many options for employment around Gulch Springs, but it seemed that every door was slamming in her face.
She stared at the trailer on the construction company’s latest job site. When she’d called the main number, she’d been assured the owner would be here and could see her at eleven. It was now three minutes to eleven, and she wiped her hands on her skirt. With a hesitant knock on the door, she waited for someone to answer.
A burly guy in a hard hat, stained t-shirt, and threadbare jeans opened the door. If he was the owner, she wasn’t sure she wanted the job. He eyed her from head to toe, paying a little too much attention to the girls, who had grown considerably during the pregnancy. She was about two seconds from popping out of her top, but she couldn’t exactly afford a new wardrobe right now, so what she owned would have to suffice.
“Can I help you, sweet thing?” he asked before taking a bite of the cheeseburger in his hand.
Shiloh prayed she wouldn’t throw up on his shoes as she watched him chew with his mouth open. Her stomach rolled, and she pressed a hand against it, praying that she could keep it together just long enough to either get the job or a send-off.
“I’m here to see Mr. Latimer.”
He gestured toward the inside of the trailer. “He’s in the office in the back. Go on through.”
She smiled and tried to squeeze past without touching him, and then wandered down the short hall to the office in the back. A man in his late thirties or early forties sat behind a metal desk, strewn with papers and discarded cups of coffee. His hair was turning silver along his sideburns, and he looked a little harried.
“Mr. Latimer?” She ventured a little further inside. “I called earlier about the ad in the paper, for a general office clerk.”
He looked up, skimmed her head to toe, and then his gaze held steady on hers. “You ever worked for a construction company before?”
She shook her head. “I’ve mostly waited tables. Diners. Bars. But I’m really good with people, and I know if given a chance that I could do this job. I learn things quickly.”
“This job is fast paced and stressful. You don’t look like you could handle either of those things. What makes you want this job so badly?”
“The truth?” She tugged on her purse strap. “I’m pregnant, and I’ve been without a job for two weeks. Rent is due soon, and my pantry is about empty. I need a job in the worst way, and I’ll do whatever you ask.”
“When can you start?”
“Is today too soon?” She smiled.
“You’re not even going to ask about pay or benefits?”
“Any pay is better than none, and I didn’t have benefits at my last job. I will need maternity leave in about six months, though. Is that going to be a problem?”
He shook his head. “I could hire a temp while you’re out. Why don’t you fill out an application? While you wait up front, I’ll call and check your references, and then we’ll see where we stand.”
“I don’t really have any references except for Dallas Edwards and Rebecca Taft.”
Mr. Latimer sat back in his chair. “I know Dallas rather well. If he vouches for you, then you’re hired.”
“Thank you.”
He handed her an application and a pen. Shiloh went to the desk out front and sat down to complete the form. She hoped her tendency to leave jobs after a few months wouldn’t hurt her. If Dallas hadn’t fired her, she’d have stayed at the bar for as long as possible. Deep down, she knew he was right. The bar wasn’t a good fit for her anymore. She only hoped being around all that smoke for the last three months hadn’t harmed her child. The moment she’d realized she was pregnant, she’d stopped drinking.
When she finished filling out the blanks, she picked up the application and carried it back to Mr. Latimer. He accepted it with a smile and told her to wait out front while he looked things over. Shiloh fought the urge to bite her nails as she waited, hoping that he’d give her the job. He hadn’t mentioned pay, and she didn’t much care what it was, as long as she could afford rent, utilities, and food. Anything else was just extra.
“Miss Anderson?” Mr. Latimer appeared by her side. How she hadn’t heard him, she’d never know. “Why don’t you come back to my office and we’ll discuss a few things.”
She nodded and followed him down the hall, claiming the chair across from his.
“Dallas told me how the two of you met and that you’ve done a wonderful job at his bar. He also explained that he had to fire you because of your condition, for your own good. From what I’ve heard, and what I’ve seen on the application, I’m willing to give you a chance. Ninety days’ probation, during which time I can fire you without penalty if things don’t work out. I’ll start you at nine dollars an hour, which I know is a little low, but if you make it past the ninety days, I’ll increase it to ten.”
“Thank you.”
“The job is forty hours a week, seven to four. You get an hour for lunch. There are health benefits, as well as holiday pay. Once your probation is over, I’ll give you five days of sick time and five days of vacation. Just make sure you ask for the vacation at least a few weeks in advance so I can plan accordingly.”
“You’re really giving me the job?” she asked.
He smiled. “Yes, I am. You can start tomorrow. The desk out front where you were sitting will be yours. When this job is finished, the trailer will move to another job site, and you’ll report there.”
Shiloh bolted out of her seat, a wide smile on her face. “You won’t regret this, Mr. Latimer. I promise to work hard.”
“I’ll see you at seven tomorrow.”
She paused. “About the dress code?”
“Jeans are fine. Try not to wear anything too revealing. Some of these guys can be complete horn dogs. Even your pregnancy won’t keep them from hitting on you. If anything, it might make it worse. There’s just something about a pregnant woman that makes a man think impure thoughts.”
Shiloh shook her head. “I’m sure I’ve handled worse at the bar.”
“If you have too much trouble, you just let me know.”
“Thank you, Mr. Latimer.”
He smiled. “Shiloh, I’m not that old. Mr. Latimer is my dad. Just call me Charlie.”
“Thank you, Charlie.”
He winked. “I’ll see you bright and early. We’ll start out slow until you get the hang of things. Enjoy your last day of freedom. Oh, paydays are every Friday, but there’s a week lag. So, whatever hours you work this week will be paid next Friday.”
“It will be nice to have some money coming in again.”
“If you get in a tight spot before your first check, you let me know. A pregnant lady shouldn’t do without.”
She thanked him again and went back out to her car. It was a little embarrassing when it took six tries before the door shut and then another three minutes before the engine turned over. The car backfired, and a black plume of smoke came from the muffler as she pulled out of the space and headed back toward her trailer. Maybe after she worked on getting a better rental, she could focus on getting a better car. It wasn’t safe to drive her pregnant self around in the car, much less a newborn.
At her trailer, she raided the cabinets until she found a can of SpaghettiOs. She pulled a plastic bowl from the cabinet next to the sink, dumped the pasta into the dish, and then microwaved it for two minutes. It wasn’t the lunch of champions, but it would stop her stomach from growling. Although, she was hungry an awful lot lately. She knew it wouldn’t be long before she was starving again, and there was hardly anything left to eat.
A knock sounded at the door, and she abandoned her food to answer it. Rebecca stood on her stoop, laden with plastic grocery sacks. Shiloh crossed her arms and stared her friend down. She’d told Rebecca several times that she would be fine and didn’t need any help, and now that she had a job, things were looking up. It was only a week and a half until she was paid, even if it wouldn’t be a full week of pay.
“What are those?” Shiloh asked with a pointed look at the sacks.
“Just a little something from Dallas and me, and before you send me away, think about the baby. I know you’re not eating enough. Despite the fact you’re several months pregnant, I think you’re actually losing weight.”
“I’m fine, Rebecca.”
“Are you going to let me in?”
Shiloh sighed and took a step back. Rebecca went straight to the kitchen and set the sacks on the counter. Shiloh reached into a bag and pulled out a bunch of bananas and a bag of grapes. She also found some apples and oranges in the sack. It had been a while since she’d been able to afford this much fruit. The cheap stuff at the store was all the crap that was bad for her, while the yummy fruits and veggies would break the bank.
When they finished putting things away, she had a bunch of yogurt, some applesauce, milk, orange juice, and her freezer was filled with meat. Rebecca put the last of the canned goods away and stuffed the empty sacks under the sink. She leaned against the counter and studied Shiloh.
“I know you’re probably going to say no, but I thought I could take you to my favorite salon. We could get your hair and nails done before your job starts tomorrow. Have a girls’ day.” Rebecca smiled. “My treat. I want to do something nice for you.”
“Rebecca, y’all spent enough on food. I’m sure there’s about two hundred dollars of crap in my cabinets and fridge now. While I appreciate the fact Dallas and you want to look after me, I need to stand on my own two feet.” She leaned against the wall and slid down until her knees pressed against her chest. “How can I take care of a baby if I can’t even feed myself? I’m only going to bring home around $300 a week.”
Rebecca kneeled in front of her. “Hey. You’re doing great, Shiloh. Really. If I were pregnant and alone, I’d be freaking the fuck out. You could have taken the easy way out and had Dallas talk to Drake, tell him what’s going on, but you want to go it alone. I respect that, but I think you should hold Drake accountable. This child isn’t just yours. It’s part of Drake too, and even if he doesn’t want to be there every day for the two of you, you should at least accept some financial support from him. It’s the least he can do.”
Shiloh didn’t want to admit that her friend might be right. How was she supposed to tell some stranger that she was pregnant with his child? They hadn’t even exchanged names that night. She was just some nameless woman who had crashed in his bed, and she’d hoped it would remain that way. There was a chance he’d recognize her when he came home, but what if he didn’t? How weird would it be to confront him about the baby if he didn’t even remember being with her?
“You have three months to figure it out,” Rebecca said. “But the moment Drake sees you, he’s going to put two and two together. He’s not stupid, Shiloh. Well, not usually. What he did that night definitely counts as stupid, though. I still can’t believe he slept with you, didn’t get your name, and then snuck out while you were sleeping. He was definitely a douche that day.”
Shiloh cracked a smile. “I didn’t exactly introduce myself or ask for his name, although I was pretty sure he was the brother Dallas had mentioned. I knew when I chose that room there was a fifty/fifty chance that I would end up in the wrong bed, but I was too drunk to care.”
“I know you have your pride, but think about the baby. Drake may not be rolling in money, but he’s made enough in the Army that he can take care of his child. Make him do his part.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Rebecca nodded. “Now, how about that salon day?”
Shiloh shook her head. “You aren’t going to give up, are you?”
“Nope.”
“All right. I’ll go.”
Rebecca smiled widely and helped her to her feet. They rode together to Rosa’s Hair & Nails. The sign wasn’t fancy, and neither was the name, but everything in the salon was top notch. The vivacious Hispanic woman who owned the place whirled through the shop like a dervish, or maybe a social butterfly. She flitted from one place to another, checking on everyone. The girl assigned to Shiloh seemed young, but she had plenty of confidence as she studied Shiloh’s mop of hair.
“I don’t want it short,” Shiloh said.
The girl lifted the heavy mass. “What if we took about four or five inches off? It would still hit the middle of your back. We could even add some highlights. Nothing too dramatic, unless you’d like some color?”
“My hair is already red. Are highlights really necessary?”
“Highlights would just brighten the color a little.”
“I think you should wait,” Rebecca said. “I don’t know if you should color your hair while you’re pregnant.”
The girl standing behind her gave her a horrified look in the mirror. “You’re not even supposed to be in a salon around all these chemicals if you’re pregnant. We have a special room in the back for expecting mothers, away from all the fumes. I can cut your hair back there.”
“She was getting a mani/pedi too,” Rebecca said.
“We can do that back there too,” the girl said. “It’s not a problem.”
“Go on,” Rebecca said. “You’ll enjoy a little pampering. I’ll be waiting when you’re finished.”
Shiloh followed the stylist into the back room and sat in the chair in front of the sink. She let the girl wash her hair before moving to the chair where it would get cut. Shiloh closed her eyes as she listened to the snick of the scissors and prayed the girl knew what she was doing. It was the first time in years she’d had her hair cut, and she was more than a little nervous. There wasn’t a clock in the room, but it felt like hours had passed before she was handed a mirror and the chair was spun.
There was a hint of curl to her hair now that it was shorter and lighter. The red tresses were at the middle of her back, which would be more manageable when the baby arrived. Even the front looked good with some longer layers that framed her face. Overall, she was very pleased and wished she’d thought to get her hair cut a lot sooner.
“It looks great,” Shiloh said.
The girl beamed. The next hour was spent on her mani/pedi, and when she was finished, Shiloh felt like a new woman. If only she could afford some new clothes too, but that would have to wait. Even though her kitchen was now well-stocked, she still wouldn’t get a full paycheck for about two weeks. The good news was the rent was paid until the first. She’d have to tackle one problem at a time and get on some sort of schedule to make sure everything was paid, now that she didn’t have tip money coming in every night. Weekly checks would take some adjustment, but it was worth it to have a nice desk job during the daytime. Things were looking up.
Rebecca was waiting for her when she stepped back out front.
“Wow. You look fantastic!” Rebecca smiled. “Drake won’t know what hit him when he comes home. You were gorgeous before, but now you’re absolutely stunning.”
Shiloh snorted. “By the time he comes home, I’ll be the size of a whale.”
“You’re barely showing. I bet you’re going to have one of those pregnant figures that men just salivate over. With my luck, I’ll be the size of a house, all swollen and puffy, and waddle everywhere I go.”
“Are you…”
Rebecca shook her head. “No, but we’ve talked about it. Dallas wants to wait until after the wedding, and I can respect that. I’m not getting any younger though. I’ll be thirty-two this year, and while I have plenty of friends who haven’t had kids yet, I’ve heard the closer you get to forty the harder the pregnancy can be.”
“I’m twenty-four, and trust me, it’s no picnic. Morning sickness is a myth. I have all day sickness.”
“I wish you’d see the doctor. You know Dallas would cover the cost of the visit.”
Shiloh shook her head. She hadn’t told anyone, but she’d gone to the free clinic for a check-up the other day. The doctor had taken her to task for her weight gain, or lack thereof, and written her a prescription for prenatal vitamins. Apparently, the ones over the counter weren’t good enough, but she hadn’t had the money to get it filled yet. She knew Dallas would pay for it if she told him, but she didn’t want to feel like a charity case.
“What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?” Rebecca asked.
“Seven.”
“Wow, you’re going to need an early bedtime if you’re going to get any rest. Do you have time to stop for an early dinner before I take you back home? We could just pop in the diner down the street. I’m sure there’s stuff you need to go prep for tomorrow.”
Her stomach rumbled, but she wasn’t about to let Rebecca buy her dinner after everything else she’d done for her today.
“I think I’d rather go home,” she said. “Besides, you brought all that great food to me today. I might as well make something with it.”
“We didn’t put any meat in the fridge though. It’s all frozen.”
“I’ll figure something out. Really, Rebecca. You’ve done too much for me already. I’ll probably eat something light and get some sleep. I’m pretty worn out. The last two weeks have been stressful while I hunted for a job.”
Rebecca nodded and drove them back to Shiloh’s trailer. Shiloh waved to her as she opened the front door and slipped inside. The air from her window unit cooled her heated skin. She might be roasting now, but by winter she’d be freezing her ass off if she didn’t move. The place hadn’t come with working heat and air. She’d bought the window unit with her own money a few weeks after moving in. It had been a great investment, but it was definitely going with her when she moved. If she moved. At this rate, she had no idea how she was going to save for another place before her ninety days were up. If her calculations were right, she’d make around twelve hundred a month at her new job. That wasn’t going to go far with a baby in the house. She didn’t want to be one of those parents who had to work two jobs and never saw their kid. Maybe Rebecca was right, and she should accept a little help from Drake, assuming he didn’t turn tail and run for the hills the moment he found out.
Only one way to find out. Waiting was no longer an option, not if she wanted to provide a safe home for her child.
Shiloh shot off a text to Dallas, asking for Drake’s contact information. A moment later, her phone pinged with an email address. Thankfully, she had her email on her phone. A laptop had been a luxury she couldn’t afford, at least not right now.
TO:
FROM:
RE: The night you left
Sgt. Edwards,
You don’t know me. Well, you actually know me rather well, but we didn’t exactly exchange names the night before you shipped out. I’m the woman you found in your bed. I hate to do this through email, but I don’t know how else to reach you. My name is Shiloh Anderson, and I worked for your brother at the bar for the last three months. The night you found me I’d been abandoned in town by someone I trusted. Dallas has been great, but I can’t ask him to lie to you, even by omission.
I guess I should just come right out and say it.
I’m pregnant. And you’re the father.
I realize you’re overseas and you’re fighting in a war. I’m not expecting you to hop the next plane home and come rescue me. I have a job at Latimer Construction and my own place, even if it’s not much. It didn’t seem fair to wait until you returned home to tell you about the baby. I’ll be six months along by then.
You can have as little, or as much, to do with the baby as you want. I’m not giving it up. I went to the clinic the other day, and they estimate my due date for March 7th.
I hope you don’t find this news too upsetting. Please stay safe.
Shiloh
As an afterthought, she snapped a picture of herself and attached it, just in case he was a little fuzzy on what happened that night. Maybe seeing her face would trigger something for him. Before she chickened out, she hit send, and then chewed on her bottom lip as she wondered if she’d done the right thing. She hoped like hell this didn’t come back to bite her in the ass.
****
Drake felt ready to drop by the time he made it back to his bunk. The first thing he was going to do was wash all the damn sand off his body. Then he was going to get a bite to eat before checking to see if he had any messages from his brother. He gathered a change of clothes and his shower gel that doubled as shampoo and headed for the showers. He really loved the care packages Dallas and Rebecca sent.
Lingering in the shower wasn’t a luxury he was afforded, not until he returned home.
By the time he was clean, dressed, and fed, his body was begging for some sleep. Before he crashed for a few hours, he pulled up his email and frowned when he saw an address he didn’t recognize. Clicking on it, he read the email and felt his breath freeze in his lungs as his heart thumped out of control.
Oh, he remembered his last night at home all right and hadn’t been able to get the passionate woman out of his head. He hadn’t realized the Shiloh his brother had mentioned was the same woman, and he sure as hell hadn’t known she was pregnant—with his kid. What the fuck? Why hadn’t Dallas said something?
Drake stared at the screen, frozen. Was he supposed to email her back? What the hell should he say? He was halfway around the world and couldn’t exactly pop home for a visit. His fingers dug into his scalp as his heart raced out of control. He’d never really thought about having kids before, but if he’d gotten Shiloh pregnant, it was a little late now.
Panic gave way to anger. Just because she claimed the kid was his didn’t mean it was true. The kind of woman who spread her legs for some random stranger probably got around. Despite the fact she had his brother fooled, Drake wasn’t going to just take her at her word. He was going to need something more than a home pregnancy test to tell him he was a daddy. If she expected any sort of compensation from him, she’d better have a damn paternity test done. He might not be rich, but he was comfortable enough that some barfly probably thought he would be a good payday.
His teeth ground together as he emailed her back.
TO:
FROM:
RE: RE: The night you left
Miss Anderson,
You’ll have to pardon me if I don’t accept your word that you’re carrying my kid. A woman who sleeps with a random stranger has probably made the rounds. If you’re expecting some sort of compensation from me, I’m going to have to demand a paternity test. This isn’t something I can deal with right now.
If I’m the father, I’ll do right by you and provide for my son or daughter. I left a toothbrush at the apartment that Dallas can use for my DNA. Unless you’re lying, you shouldn’t have any reason to avoid having the test done. And if you are lying, I’d appreciate it if you’d leave my family the hell alone. They don’t need this kind of shit dropped at their door.
Sgt. Edwards
He hit send before he could change his mind. The voice in his head was kicking his ass for possibly upsetting a pregnant woman, but he needed to know if she was a gold digger out for an easy ride. She couldn’t be making that much and had to be looking for an easy way out. After that email, he’d either be free of her, or he’d be making plans to buy baby furniture when got home. The thought nauseated him a little. Babies scared the crap out of him.