Chapter Seven
Piper couldn’t believe she’d done it again. Did she have zero self-control where it came to Eli?
Less than an hour ago, they’d been fighting. She’d been angry with him, and for good reason. His cavalier advice had gotten Tristen suspended. But it seemed all Eli had to do was touch her, and she was lost.
Sixteen years ago, she’d known it was wrong to sleep with Eli only hours after breaking up with Lucas. And now she knew it was wrong to further complicate their already hopelessly complex situation. But in both cases, she’d given in to her lust for Eli. And both times their lovemaking had been fantastic.
But great lovemaking was no excuse. She had to be stronger.
Chase and Lucas had moved to the kitchen, their voices a distant drone around her. Maddy was picking up Riley’s toys here in the great room.
Piper should help Maddy. She should straighten up the great room, and then go upstairs and get a good night’s sleep. And then maybe she should get away for a while. She should find an excuse for a trip somewhere.
She could go back to Deadwood and check on the print shop. It wasn’t vital that she check on the shop. But it couldn’t hurt either. And it would keep her away from Eli long enough to let her hormones stabilize.
She had to get her hormones to stabilize.
When Eli had walked into the house half an hour ago, he’d looked so strong and sexy and compelling that she’d wanted to throw herself right back into his arms. She hadn’t even heard what Lucas had said to her. Lucas had smiled, so she’d laughed. But her brain had been completely hijacked by the sight of Eli.
“Piper?” Maddy appeared beside her and suddenly clamped on to Piper’s arm. Her voice sounded strained.
“What?” Piper asked, taking in Maddy’s pale face. “What’s wrong?”
Chase and Lucas were still talking together in the kitchen.
“It hurts,” Maddy whispered. Her hand went to her stomach.
“The baby?” Piper asked, fear taking hold of her.
“I don’t know.”
“Chase,” Piper called out.
The two men were there in an instant.
Maddy was doubled over.
“Honey?” Chase asked, his arm going around Maddy’s shoulders.
She looked up at him in obvious terror.
“I’ll get a truck,” Lucas said.
“Should I call an ambulance?” Piper asked.
“It’ll take too long.” Chase lifted Maddy into his arms and carried her toward the front door.
“Riley,” Maddy gasped over her pain.
“I’ve got him,” Piper said. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him.”
Maddy groaned, and Chase increased his pace.
Piper rushed past him to throw open the door.
Lucas met them on the porch, a pickup truck behind him with the engine running and the passenger door open wide. “You want me to drive?”
“I’ve got it,” Chase said. “Can you help Piper with Riley?”
“Absolutely,” Lucas told him as Chase bundled Maddy into the front seat. “Call if you need anything. Or…you know…call anyway.”
Piper stood next to Lucas as the taillights disappeared down the driveway, dust obscuring their glow.
“This is terrible,” Piper whispered. She found her hand going to her own stomach in sympathy. She remembered being pregnant with Tristen. She remembered how very precious he felt growing inside her.
The dust slowly settled in the glow of the yard lights.
“Let’s not borrow trouble,” Lucas said. “She’ll probably be fine.”
“Oh, I hope so.”
The pickup disappeared completely, and Lucas gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze.
“Hello, Lucas.” Eli’s voice was cool as he approached from behind them.
“There you are,” Lucas said, dropping his arm from Piper as he turned to face his brother.
Piper turned to see Eli’s dark blue eyes glittering hard. “I was upstairs with Tristen.”
“Maddy’s having some pains,” Piper said to Eli. “Chase just took her to the hospital.”
Eli’s expression immediately turned from annoyance to concern. “What kind of pains?”
“Her stomach,” Piper said. Then her throat turned raw and she swallowed against it.
“The baby?” Eli asked in a hushed voice.
“We don’t know anything yet,” Lucas said.
“Should we go to the hospital?” Eli asked.
“I offered,” Lucas said.
“We have to take care of Riley,” Piper said.
“Right.” Eli looked at her again.
His expression was remote, all the earlier intimacy stripped from it.
She told herself it was for the best. He was smart to do that. He was strong to do it.
He’d clearly concluded the same thing she had—that they needed to stay out of each other’s way more so now than ever. They were dangerous together.
“Where’s Tristen?” Lucas asked.
“I told him he wasn’t grounded,” Eli said to Piper.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She would have liked to have been part of the discussion.
Eli must have seen the indecision on her face. “If you want to ground someone, ground me.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she said, not appreciating him making a joke about it.
“Ground you for what?” Lucas asked as he started for the door, re-entering the house.
“I got Tristen suspended from school,” Eli said.
Lucas looked surprised as he closed the door behind them. “What did you do?”
“Told him to hit a guy back.”
Lucas gave a nod, clearly believing he understood the situation from Eli’s terse explanation. “Stuff happens.”
“He needs to understand the seriousness of his actions,” Piper said.
She thought she understood Eli’s perspective, and she had to admit it wasn’t totally without merit. But she didn’t believe violence was the best choice in this or any other circumstance.
“He got pretty beat up,” Eli said to her. “And he got suspended for three days. It’s not going to be a picnic working here. I think he understands the seriousness of the situation.”
“He lost the fight?” Lucas asked with an air of disbelief.
“The other guy went down. Tristen didn’t.”
Lucas gave a grunt that to Piper sounded like approval.
She felt completely outnumbered. “I’m going to check on Riley. I should probably sleep in their suite tonight—at least until Chase and Maddy get home.”
“I can sleep in their suite,” Lucas said.
“With Piper?” Eli asked.
Both Lucas and Piper stared at Eli in disbelief.
“Instead of Piper,” Lucas said. “What on earth is wrong with you?”
“I misunderstood,” Eli said.
“Get a grip,” Lucas said.
Piper left for Riley’s bedroom, trying to wrap her head around Eli’s pithy comment. Was he suggesting she’d jump into bed with anyone? Is that what he thought of her?
Outside Riley’s bedroom door, she took a deep breath, steadying herself as she slowly opened it. Riley was asleep in his bed, his head on a sky blue pillowcase, with a planet comforter covering him up. A tiny nightlight shone in the corner of the room, illuminating his little face.
She came closer and crouched down. He was such a perfectly wonderful little boy.
She suddenly felt hollow, and her hand went to her stomach. Then she instantly felt guilty. She should be worrying about Maddy, not feeling sorry for herself because she’d only had one baby.
It was Maddy who mattered tonight. Maddy who needed their thoughts and prayers—both Maddy and Riley’s little brother or sister.
“Hang in there, little baby,” Piper whispered to the night, sliding down to sit on the floor next to Riley’s bed. “We’re all here waiting for you.”
*
Eli could tell the moment Tristen spotted Lucas in the living room. Tristen hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, and Eli was reminded that Tristen had barely met Lucas. He also remembered that Tristen knew nothing about the history nor the undercurrents of Lucas, Eli, and Piper.
“Tristen,” Eli said to him. “You remember my brother Lucas?”
Tristen came forward and Lucas rose from a hunter green leather armchair, offering his hand. “Nice to see you again, Tristen.”
“Hello, sir.”
“You can call me Lucas.” Then Lucas glanced to Eli and back to Tristen. “Or do you use uncle for Wyatt and Zane?”
“He doesn’t,” Eli said. It had seemed like an awkward title to ask a sixteen-year-old to use on strangers.
“Then Lucas it is,” Lucas said easily, sitting back down. “I hear you won a fight.”
Tristen glanced around, obviously looking for Piper and unsure what to say in front of her.
“Your mom’s in with Riley,” Eli said. “Maddy wasn’t feeling well, so Chase took her to the hospital.”
Tristen looked concerned, but he didn’t probe for details.
Eli wasn’t sure if Tristen was being polite, or if he was worried about what sort of personal information he might learn about Maddy.
“We’re sure she’ll be all right,” Eli said.
“You look bigger than last time I saw you,” Lucas said.
“He’s hit a growth spurt.”
“Probably taller,” Lucas said to Tristen. “But broader too, across the shoulders. Your dad been working you hard?”
“Not too hard,” Tristen said. “I’ve been eating a lot.”
Lucas chuckled. “I remember that phase. Did you come down here for a snack?”
“I didn’t have dinner.”
Eli immediately felt guilty for letting Tristen go hungry while he was with Piper. “Things got a little off the rails at dinnertime,” he said to Lucas.
“My mom was mad about me getting into the fight,” Tristen said bluntly.
“Moms are like that,” Lucas said.
“I doubt she meant for you to skip dinner,” Eli said, realizing it had been nearly three hours since Piper had sent Tristen to his room.
“Let’s go see what we can find,” Lucas said.
“I’m in,” Tristen said.
“You guys get started,” Eli said. “I’m going to check on Piper.”
Lucas gave Eli an odd look, but didn’t ask any questions. Good thing he didn’t, because Eli had no intention of discussing Piper with Lucas.
Eli cut through Chase and Maddy’s sitting room to find Riley’s bedroom door open. Inside, he saw Piper sitting on the floor, her head resting on Riley’s bed, her eyes closed.
Riley stirred, but Piper didn’t move. She was obviously asleep.
Eli took a moment to gaze on her unguarded expression. It was hard to fathom a woman could be so beautiful. But she was.
Riley kicked his legs and cried out in his sleep.
Eli went around the bed, lifting Riley from the opposite side. “It’s okay, Riley,” he whispered in Riley’s ear. “Uncle Eli’s got you.”
Riley muttered something unintelligible then his head lolled onto Eli’s shoulder. Eli rubbed Riley’s back, letting him settle back into sleep. There was an armchair in the corner of the room, so Eli sat down, cradling Riley and watching Piper sleep.
“Bad,” Riley mumbled. “Bad, bad bull.”
“Shhhh,” Eli whispered. Chase had told him that Riley sometimes had nightmares. “The bull’s all gone now.”
“Gone,” Riley mumbled, and his body relaxed.
Eli looked back at Piper to see her eyes open.
“What happened?” she asked.
“You fell asleep. I think Riley was having a bad dream.”
Piper shifted her position. “Have we heard from Chase?”
“Nothing yet.”
Piper’s eyes were sorrowful in the soft nightlight. “Maddy will be devastated if anything happens to the baby.”
“We don’t know anything is going to happen.”
Piper’s gaze rested on Riley. “Babies are so precious.”
“They are,” Eli agreed, giving Riley a gentle kiss on the head.
“Did you talk to Tristen?”
“Yes. He and Lucas are getting something to eat. You must be hungry.”
Tristen wasn’t the only one who’d skipped dinner.
She pulled her knees up to her chest as if she was protecting herself. “Eli, about…us. Can we please…”
“It’s already forgotten,” he said. He focused his attention on Riley. He couldn’t look Piper directly in the eyes and lie. “Like it never happened.”
He realized that the last thing he wanted to do was make her feel more upset or more uncomfortable. And he sure didn’t want to fight with her again.
“Thank you,” she said, a slight quaver in her voice.
“Will you tell me one thing?” he asked without look up.
“What?”
“Is there anything between you and Lucas?”
“What do you mean?”
She hadn’t said no. Eli hated that she hadn’t immediately said no.
“You were really upset when he broke up with you that night.”
“That was over sixteen years ago.”
“Some things die hard.” Eli’s feelings for Piper were apparently one of them.
“It’s not like that. I hadn’t thought about him in years,” she said.
Eli couldn’t help but notice she still wasn’t saying she had no feelings left.
He dared to look at her. “Have you thought about me?”
“I had Tristen.”
Again, a non-answer. Either she didn’t understand, or she was being deliberately evasive.
“Is that a yes?” he asked.
She came to her feet. “I thought about telling you, Eli. Honest, I did. Especially at first. I’d think I should, but then I’d get scared. I’d imagine Lucas…”
Lucas again.
So you did think about him, Eli wanted to shout. But he didn’t dare. It wouldn’t do him any good anyway. Their past was their past, and there was nothing that could change it.
“Wyatt and I are going to check out some bulls,” he said. “I’ll be away again for a while.”
“Yeah?”
Eli didn’t want to hear the relief in her voice. But it was there.
“We’ll make sure Maddy’s okay, but then I’m taking off.”
“Okay.”
Eli stood up, carrying Riley back to his bed. He bent over, gently laying the little guy back down, covering him up.
It was clear that Piper wanted Eli gone.
Maybe she hoped Lucas would stick around.
Maybe Eli would go stark raving mad.
*
Piper dreamed she was sleeping with Eli.
She was warm and cozy. She could hear him breathing, felt the bed shift beneath his weight. She reached out and touched him.
“What the hell?” he shouted, springing from the bed.
A light came on, blinding her.
“Piper?” It was Chase’s horrified voice. “What are you doing here?”
Reality flooded back. She was in Chase and Maddy’s bed.
“I was worried Riley might wake up.” She sat up, shaking herself awake. Her nightshirt was modest, a soft cotton black-and-white checkerboard pattern that came to her knees. “I wanted to be here for him.”
Chase, on the other hand, was in nothing but his navy blue boxers. He grabbed for a pair of jeans. “Well…thanks.”
“Maddy?” Piper asked, worried since Chase had come home alone.
“They wanted to keep her overnight,” Chase said, stepping into his jeans. “They don’t know what’s causing the pain, so they want to watch her.”
“Okay.” Piper nodded. She’d take no news as good news. She rose out of the bed. “Can I go see her in the morning?”
“She’d like that.” Chase dragged up his jeans.
The bedroom door burst open, and Eli was two steps into the room before he checked himself up. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his confused gaze going from Piper to Chase and back again.
“They’re keeping Maddy overnight,” Piper said.
Lucas appeared in the doorway behind Eli.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Chase said, zipping his fly.
It took Piper a moment to figure out what he meant.
“Nobody thinks that,” she said to Chase. “Good grief.”
“Nobody thinks that,” Lucas echoed. There was a thread of amusement in his voice.
Eli didn’t look remotely amused. “How’s Maddy?”
“They can’t see anything wrong,” Chase said. “But they can’t explain the pain, either. So they’re going to watch her for a day or so.”
“Daddy?” Riley appeared beside Lucas dressed in superhero pajamas, his hair mussed, rubbing his eyes.
Lucas quickly moved out of the way.
“Everything okay, buckaroo?” Chase asked.
“There was a bull in my dream,” Riley said.
Chase dropped down on one knee and held out his arms. “You want to sleep in here for a while?”
Riley nodded and trotted forward into Chase’s embrace.
Chase kissed the top of his head, and Riley settled his cheek into Chase’s shoulder.
“Where’s Mommy?” Riley asked.
“She’s not here right now,” Chase said.
“Okay. Can I have cinnamon pancakes for breakfast?”
“Sure.”
Piper’s chest went tight, and her throat closed up. Riley might be Chase’s stepson, but the two adored each other. If anyone deserved more children, it was Chase. Maddy and the baby simply had to be okay.
“I’ll get out of your way,” Piper said to Chase, moving toward the door.
“Thanks for this,” Chase said.
“Sorry I scared you,” she said.
“You surprised me is all.”
“Hard to scare a bull rider,” Lucas said.
“I probably should have texted to let you know I was here,” Piper said.
Chase lifted Riley into the bed. “I probably should have turned on a light.”
“Lessons for us all,” Lucas said.
Piper risked a glance at Eli, wondering why he was so quiet. The brothers bantered together all the time. It was sport for them.
His attention was on Riley, and guilt hit her once again. A sick feeling flowed through her.
“Good night,” she said to everyone in general.
As she headed through the sitting room and into the great room, she realized Eli was behind her.
“What happened?” he asked.
“With what?” She started up their staircase.
“With Chase.”
“What do you mean?”
“He crawled into bed with you?”
Piper wasn’t sure how to take that question, but she was vaguely insulted. “He didn’t know I was there.”
“I know. It’s just—”
“It’s just what, Eli?” She stopped short of entering their sitting room, turning to face him, taller than him because of the stairs. “You think because I jumped into bed with you I’m easy?”
“No. Not at all.”
“Then why bring it up?”
“Chase was getting dressed when I got there.”
“You’re worried I saw your brother-in-law naked? Seriously? Your pregnant sister is in the hospital, and that’s what’s on your mind?”
Guilt flashed through Eli’s eyes. “I’m worried about Maddy. Of course I’m worried about Maddy.”
“So am I,” Piper said. “I couldn’t care less about seeing Chase naked. And, I’ll go out on a limb here, I don’t think Chase could care less if I saw him, either.”
“It wasn’t Chase I was thinking of,” Eli said.
“You actually thought my delicate sensibilities would be upset by seeing a grown man naked?”
“I thought he’d seen you.”
Piper glanced reflexively down at her nightshirt. “I wasn’t naked.”
“He was dressing. I thought maybe you had been dressing…” His voice trailed off.
“I wasn’t. And we’re both adults. And we both love Maddy.”
“I never thought anything was going on.” Eli was emphatic this time.
“Good. Lucas had the right reaction. It was kind of funny. If we hadn’t been worried about Maddy, it would have been nothing but funny.”
Eli looked astonished. “Nothing but funny?”
“Lighten up, Eli. It was farcical. Chase denies it, but I scared the heck out of him. One day, when Maddy’s fine, when the new baby is home healthy and happy, we’ll all have a good laugh about it.”
“I don’t want Chase to see you naked.”
“Neither do I. Probably neither does Chase. I’m going to bed now. I’m going into town to see Maddy in the morning. Maybe I’ll pick up a couple of red flannel onesies to wear to bed just in case anything like this happens again.”
Eli’s glance swept across her checkerboard nightshirt, leaving a heat trail of desire behind.
“Good night,” she firmly told him, turning and rushing to the safety of her room.
*
Maddy was sitting up in her hospital bed looking healthy and in good spirits when Piper arrived.
“Please tell me you brought a snack,” Maddy said. “I’m starving.”
Piper grinned. “That has to be a good sign.”
“They’re waiting on the results of some blood tests and a second ultrasound before they’ll let me go.”
“So you’re feeling better?” Piper asked.
“Whatever it was, it’s all gone now. Chase wanted to come in, but I told him you could give me a ride home.”
“Of course I can.”
“With Eli leaving…”
Piper held her expression at the mention of Eli’s name, making a show of pulling a chair into place next to Maddy’s bed.
“…it’s better for Chase to be at the ranch,” Maddy finished.
“Tristen’s watching Riley,” Piper said as she sat down.
“So, there’s a silver lining to the suspension?” Then Maddy seemed to stumble over her words. “At least for me, I mean. I didn’t mean to suggest his suspension was a good thing.”
“I’m through being angry,” Piper said, tired of being the wet blanket. “Everyone else seems delighted that Tristen got into a fight and got suspended.”
“Boys will be boys,” Maddy said philosophically. “I hate to tell you, but it’s all true. I grew up with four of them.”
“I guess I’d hoped they could also be rational.”
“They can be… Sometimes… I guess.” Maddy grinned. “Did you see the twin boys in the nursery?”
Maddy’s room was in the obstetrics and gynecology ward. The Marietta hospital was relatively small, so the nursery wasn’t always full.
“Can you imagine raising two of them at the same time?” Maddy asked. “I bet my mom was glad I was a girl so she didn’t have twin Zanes.”
“Good thing she was experienced when you two were born.”
“That she was,” Maddy said. “Three boys boom, boom, boom. Then seven years’ rest before me and Zane arrived.”
“I could do it,” Piper said. “I’d take twins, boys or girls.”
“I don’t suppose you’d have much choice. If it happens, it happens.”
“At my age, it would be an efficient way to go.”
Maddy’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not that old.”
“Thirty-two. If I want to have more, I can’t waste any time.”
“Do you—” Maddy seemed to stop herself.
Piper sighed. “I’m not really in a position to have more babies. I’m grateful for Tristen, of course.”
Maddy’s hand went to her stomach. “I’m sorry if—”
“Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t you dare. I’m thrilled that you’re pregnant.”
“I don’t want to make you sad.”
“I’m not sad. I’m excited. Tristen will have a new cousin. I’ll be an auntie. Well, sort of an auntie.”
“You’ll be an auntie,” Maddy said with conviction. “And that means babysitting duty.”
“Anytime.”
A nurse came into the room. “How are you feeling?” she asked Maddy.
“No more pains,” Maddy said.
The nurse went to the opposite side of the bed and held a thermometer to Maddy’s forehead. “No fever. Your blood tests looked good. Your iron is a little low.”
“Back to the steaks and burgers, I guess,” Maddy said.
“The doctor left a prescription for prenatal vitamins. That should solve the iron problem.”
“And the ultrasound?” Maddy asked.
“The radiologist gave you both a clean bill of health.”
Piper squeezed Maddy’s hand.
“I can go home?” Maddy asked.
“You’re free and clear. Your clothes are in the locker. Do you need any help getting dressed?”
“Not a bit.” Maddy was already getting out of bed.
“I’ll meet you in the hall,” Piper said. “Or do you want me to bring the car to the front door?”
“Do I need to take any special care?” Maddy asked the nurse.
“Not unless the pains return. If they do, call your doctor right away or come straight into emerg if they’re acute.”
“In that case, I’ll meet you in the hall,” Maddy said to Piper. “It’ll be nice to take a walk to the car in the fresh air.”
Piper left Maggie to change and wandered down the hall to the nursery window. The twin boys were there, and a brand-new baby girl had joined them. A man was outside the window with a toddler in his arms.
“Your sister,” he was saying to the girl who looked about three.
“Yours?” Piper asked him.
He beamed. “Only six hours old.”
“She’s adorable.”
“Baby sister,” the toddler said, tapping her palm on the glass. “Teeny, little baby.”
“She’s tiny, all right,” Piper said. Her chest seemed to expand and tingle as she gazed at the pink bundle. She could almost feel the warm baby in her arms, smell its scent, hear its cooing little voice.
“Hey.” Maddy arrived and rubbed Piper’s shoulder.
“There’s another one,” Piper said to her.
“Congratulations,” Maddy said to the man.
“Thank you.”
“Are you ready to go?” Piper asked Maddy.
“Are you okay?” Maddy asked her.
“I’m good. It’s all good.”
Piper pushed herself away from the glass and started for the elevator. A lab technician wheeled a cart past them, and a nurse hustled past in whisper-quiet shoes.
“I never knew you felt this way,” Maddy said.
“Everybody loves babies,” Piper said.
“Not everybody.”
“Mostly everybody.” Piper pressed the elevator call button. “I feel…so guilty when I think about what Eli missed.”
Maddy seemed to give Piper’s words some thought. When she spoke, her tone was gentle. “You know you’ll have to get over that.”
“I know.”
“You can’t go back and change it.”
“I know that too.”
“Has…” Maddy paused. “Has my brother said something about missing out with Tristen?”
“No.” Piper thought back to Eli’s words. “Not exactly. I told him I felt guilty, and he said I shouldn’t expect him to make me feel better.”
The elevator pinged, and the call button went out.
“I’m so sorry about that,” Maddy said.
“He’s right. And you’re right too. I can’t go back. None of us can.”