With most of the family staying in Burlington through Thanksgiving, Ella and Charley left after seeing the baby to stake out a room at the lake house.
“Max seems good,” Charley said after they’d put their stuff in the room they usually shared.
“I hate that he’s so worried about what’s going to happen with Chloe now that the baby is here.”
“I wish she didn’t have to act like he got her pregnant all on his own. I mean look at him . . . She was probably a more than willing participant.”
“I’m sure she was. No one ever thinks it’s going to happen to them.”
“I just hope it doesn’t get ugly.”
“I hope so, too.” Ella put her long hair up in a ponytail. “Mom said she brought everything she’d bought for Thanksgiving. Want to make the pies with me?”
“Sure.”
They were rolling out piecrust when the others began to arrive. Will built up the fire in the huge stone fireplace while Colton carried in more wood. Lucy and Cameron joined Ella and Charley in the kitchen while Nolan insisted Hannah take a nap.
“Only if you come with me,” she said to her husband, who followed behind her with a dopey smile on his face.
“I want a nap,” Charley said.
“Keep rolling,” Ella retorted.
By the time their parents got to the house a couple of hours later, they had four pies cooling on the counter, twenty pounds of potatoes had been peeled by Will and Colton, who’d protested the entire time, stuffing had been made and the turkey prepared for baking.
“Oh my goodness, girls,” Molly said. “You did everything!”
“Will and I peeled the potatoes,” Colton said. “Don’t let them tell you otherwise.”
“Thank you, Colton.”
“And Will,” Will called from the living room, where he had found a football game to watch on TV.
“And Will.”
“How’s the baby?” Charley asked.
“He’s beautiful,” Molly said. “I got to give him a bottle before I left.”
“She’s not breastfeeding?” Hannah asked.
“She said the baby wasn’t interested in breastfeeding, so the nurses set him up with a bottle.”
“How hard did she try?” Hannah asked.
“I wasn’t in the room, so I don’t know. She’s been crying a lot. I think she’s in a lot of pain.”
“Poor thing,” Hannah said. “She’s so young.”
“And all alone,” Molly said. “How any mother can stay away when her child is in labor is beyond me.”
“And me,” Hannah said. “I want my mommy right there with me when my time comes.”
Molly patted her daughter’s shoulder. “And she’ll be there.”
They made deli sandwiches for dinner, popped corn in the fireplace and even found the makings for s’mores left over from when Colton and Lucy had been there last summer. It was a great night with most of the family there.
“Who wants to go out drinking?” Landon asked around ten.
“Ohhh, college girls,” Lucas said, scrambling to his feet. “Count me in.”
“I’ll go, too,” Wade said.
“Take a cab, boys,” Molly said.
“Yes, Mother,” they said in unison.
“Feels like old times,” Molly said, leaning her head against Lincoln’s shoulder. They were sharing a sofa with Elmer while the others were scattered about the room, some on the floor. Cameron was using Will’s belly as a pillow.
Ella leaned over to quietly ask if she could borrow Cam’s phone.
“Sure.” She wiggled it out of her back pocket.
“Hey,” Will said. “Watch the merchandise, woman.”
Cameron giggled at him. “Sorry, I’ve got plans for your merchandise later. We can’t have it getting injured.”
“Ewww,” Landon said. “Mom, tell them that’s not allowed.”
“I’ll do no such thing. They’re married and can do whatever they want.”
“So can we,” Colton said to Lucy, “ ’cuz we’re engaged.”
“No comment,” Molly replied, making the others laugh.
“Too bad Hunter and Megan can’t be here,” Elmer said.
“They’re off running your diner and making Thanksgiving for the masses,” Molly reminded her father.
“And they’re doing a fine job of it.”
With Cameron’s phone in hand, Ella slipped out of the room undetected, or so she hoped. She couldn’t wait another minute to talk to Gavin. It felt like a year rather than hours since she’d last seen him.
He answered on the first ring. “There you are.”
“Hi there,” she said, filled with relief at the sound of his voice.
“Well, what’s the good word? Boy or girl?”
“A boy named Caden Lincoln Abbott. Eight pounds, twelve ounces, twenty-one inches long.”
“Oh wow, that’s great, Ella. How’s Max doing?”
“He’s elated and emotional and thrilled. The baby is so cute.”
“How about his girlfriend?”
“Sore and grumpy from all accounts, but I suppose that’s to be expected.”
“You wouldn’t be. Grumpy, I mean.”
“How do you know that? I’ve never pushed a nine-pound baby out of my body. I might be a raging bitch afterward for all we know.”
“You wouldn’t be. I know you wouldn’t. You’d be all glowy and sparkly and happy. Am I allowed to say that?”
“Yeah,” she said gruffly, overwhelmed by the picture he painted. “You’re allowed.”
“I want to see that someday. I want to see you holding our baby after giving birth.”
“Gavin . . .”
“Too much?”
“No.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, you just make me want things when you talk like that.”
“I want the same things.”
“I’m fanning myself right now. It’s getting warm in here.” His low chuckle made her smile. “How was your day?” she asked, steering the conversation into safer terrain.
“It was actually not bad. We finally got the repairs completed up north in time for everyone to come home for the holiday weekend. We’ll get them back up there Monday to hit it hard. We’ve got some lost time to make up for.”
Ella swallowed hard, hoping he wasn’t about to say that he needed to be up there with his men next week. She couldn’t wait to tell him about the trip so she could stop worrying about all the many ways it could go wrong. “I’m glad you got it fixed.”
“Me, too. Huge relief.”
“Now you can relax and enjoy the holiday.”
“Yeah.” That one word was so tinged with sadness that Ella heard it through the phone.
“You can try to enjoy it? Lots to be thankful for this year.”
“You’re right about that. The holidays are tough . . . It’s hard to pretend everything is okay when someone is missing.”
“I know. Do you want me to come home early? I could have dinner with you and your parents. That would be fine with me.”
“You need to be with your family. You don’t have to do that.”
“What time are you eating?”
“My mom said around four or so. How about you?”
“Two. I’ll head home right after dinner. I’ll meet you at your mom’s.”
“Are you sure?”
“Gavin,” she said, laughing, “don’t you know by now that I’m very, very sure?”
“Yeah, baby, I know, and that makes me feel so lucky. I wish you were here right now.”
Ella settled into bed, under the covers where it was warm and cozy. “What would we be doing if I were there?” She tucked the phone between her ear and the pillow.
“More of what we did this morning and last night.”
“This morning was amazing. I thought about it all day.”
“So did I.”
“It was different, wasn’t it? Than the other times?”
“It was incredible,” he said in that gruff, sexy voice she loved so much. “It always is, but that was something extra special.”
“We need to stop talking about what we can’t have.”
“I vote for talking more about it.”
Charley knocked on the door and came in. “Is it safe in here? You’re not having phone sex, are you?”
“No, Charley, I’m not having phone sex.”
“Yet,” Gavin said, laughing.
Charley grabbed a sweatshirt out of her bag and scurried toward the door. “I’m outta here.”
“She’s gone,” Ella said.
“Now about that phone sex . . .”
“Stop.”
“I don’t want to. I want to talk about how soft you are, how responsive. Your sweet nipples—”
“Gavin! Stop! I can’t have phone sex with you on Cameron’s phone.”
“It’s not like she’ll know.”
“I’ll know.”
“Such a good girl.”
“That’s right, and don’t forget it.”
“You’re not always a good girl. Sometimes you’re very, very bad.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, and that prim, prissy tone . . . Do you have any idea how hard that makes me?”
“I have to go.”
“You do not.”
“I’m having a sleepover with most of my family. You’re like the devil at the pajama party.”
“You love me.”
“Yes, I do.”
“I’m going to hate sleeping without you tonight.”
“Me, too. I’m addicted. But we can get through one night, right?”
“As long as it’s only one.”
“What’re you doing tonight?”
“Sitting around watching football and wishing you were here.”
“So you’re staying in?”
“Yes, Ella, I’m staying in and behaving myself while you’re out of town.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
“It hasn’t even been two weeks since you picked me up at a bar, so it doesn’t offend me that you’d be worried about that.”
“Haven’t things changed since then?”
“Everything has changed since then.”
His assurances warmed her all the way through.
“Don’t worry, El. I’m on my best behavior. I have promises to keep. Important promises.”
“I love you, Gavin. And I love being able to tell you I love you.”
“I love you, too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you then.” She waited for him to end the call. “You’re supposed to hang up now.”
“Not until you do.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Neither do I.”
Ella smiled widely. “Let’s hang up together. One, two, three . . .”
“You first.”
“I’m going now.”
“So am I.”
“Night, Gavin.”
“Night, Ella.”
Their phones clicked off at the same time, and Ella lay there for a long time afterward thinking about him, wishing she were with him and counting the minutes until she could see him again.
Everything about this Thanksgiving felt different to Ella from every other one that came before it. For one thing, it was the first one they’d spent in the lake house. For another, the family football game happened on the beach rather than in the field next to the barn. It was strange not to have Hunter and Max with them, which was also a first. It was the first Thanksgiving in which they’d taken turns going to the hospital to visit Max and Caden, who’d had a good first night.
It was the first Thanksgiving that Ella had somewhere else she’d rather be—or rather the first time she wished she could be in two places at once. It wasn’t unusual to see Lucas and Landon nursing hangovers, but it was unusual to see Wade in the same condition.
Ella plopped down next to him on a blanket on the beach. A chilly wind blew in off the lake, but the bright sunshine kept the day from being too cold to be outside. “You’re looking rough.”
“Gee, thanks,” Wade said with a wan smile. “Remind me not to try to keep up with those two buffoons.” He gestured to Landon, who was showing off his backflip skills. “If I did that right now, I’d puke all over the place.”
“Not like you to get loaded.”
“Maybe it’s more like me than you think.”
“Wade . . . That’s not going to make anything better.”
“Actually, for a short time last night, it did make things better. I was with the chick magnets and had just enough booze in my belly to forget about why I wanted to get drunk in the first place.”
“Did you meet someone?”
“Nah. Nothing like that. It was fun, though.”
“I’m glad you had fun.”
“Not so fun today, though. Can’t remember the last time I was this hungover.”
“Thanksgiving dinner will soak up the booze and make you all better.”
“I’m counting on that.”
They were sitting down to dinner an hour later when Max came in, seeming upset. “Am I too late for dinner?”
“Right on time.” Molly jumped up to get another place setting while the others made room for him at the table. “How’s the baby?”
“He’s great.”
“And Chloe?”
“Miserable as usual lately. Motherhood hasn’t changed that.” He loaded his plate with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole and the other sides. “I’ve got to be back in an hour. I don’t want to talk about her. But I’ve got lots of new pictures.” He passed his phone around so everyone could see the pictures.
“He’s a beauty,” Elmer said proudly.
Max put down his fork, bent his head and seemed to be trying to control his emotions.
“Max, honey,” Molly said. “What is it?”
“Chloe’s being impossible. She doesn’t want to take care of him, but she doesn’t want me doing it either.”
“What do you mean she doesn’t want to take care of him?” Hannah asked.
“She doesn’t show any interest. She says she’s in pain and she’s tired.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “But everything I do for him is wrong. I had to get out of there for a minute. Now I’m thinking I shouldn’t have left. What if she ignores him the whole time I’m gone? And how will I leave them to go to work not knowing if she’s going to take care of him or not?”
“Don’t worry about work,” Colton said. “Not now. That’s the last thing you need to think about.”
Charley, who was sitting next to Max, put her arm around him. “She’s probably freaking out, but she’ll get it together. What choice does she have?”
Max drew in a long deep breath, seeming to summon the fortitude he needed for the situation. “I should get back to the hospital. They’re letting her stay for one more night because she’s in such bad pain.”
“Do you want to take dinner back to her?” Molly asked. “I could have it ready in a minute.”
“Sure, thanks, Mom.”
“We’ll be here in Burlington for as long as you need us, son,” Lincoln said. “You’re not alone in this.”
“Thanks,” Max said, his jaw tight with emotion. “I appreciate you guys moving the holiday over here on my account. Sorry I can’t stay longer.” He looked over to Will and Hannah. “Hope you have fun on the trip and at the wedding.”
“We will,” Hannah said, “but we’ll be checking on you, too.”
Max nodded, then accepted the bag that Molly handed him and a hug from her. “It’s all going to work out fine. I promise.”
“I sure hope so.”
“We’ll be over to check on you in the morning, and I’ll borrow a phone to check in with you later.”
“Okay.”
After he left, the gathering was considerably more subdued.
“I hate that he’s so torn up when this should be the happiest time in his life,” Will said.
“You speak for all of us,” Colton said. “It sucks. What is it she wants from him anyway? He’s been right by her side through it all.”
“She probably doesn’t know what she wants,” Molly said. “In addition to the fact that she’s twenty-one, she’s full of hormones and her family has turned its back on her. I can’t imagine what she must be going through. What’s important is that Max is doing the right thing by her, even if she can’t see it at the moment.”
“Mom’s right,” Lincoln said. “As long as he’s doing all he can to support her and the baby, his conscience can be clear. And we’ll be here for at least a week to make sure they have everything they need.”
Ella helped clear the table and pack up the leftovers before she went into her room to grab her stuff. To Charley, she said, “I’m going to head back to Butler now. Do you want to come or hang here for a while?”
“I’ll go back later with Will and Cam. Good luck with everything tonight. I hope the surprise is a huge hit and that you have a great trip.”
Ella hugged her sister. “Thanks for the support and for covering for me at work.” After saying her good-byes to everyone else, Ella headed off to Butler, pressing a little harder than usual on the accelerator because she was so eager to be with Gavin.