Soon To Be Brides

“That’s what I was getting at. It’s obviously worth a great deal of money, and I’m afraid I might bump it, send it toppling to the floor, harm it in some way. Don’t you think it would be a good idea to take it home during this time you’ll be away from the hospital?”

Matt shrugged. “I suppose I could but… No, I’ll just move it to the bookshelves against the wall. I like to be able to see it, and this is where I spend the majority of my time.”

Matt picked up the scale, crossed the room and set it carefully on a shelf on the bookcase.

“There,” he said. “Feel better?”

“Much,” Homer said, nodding. “Is it a family heirloom?”

“No.” Matt stared at the scale. “My grandfather chose it especially for me. He selected special gifts for each of his grandchildren. I’ve heard the story behind some of the presents, the fact that our grandfather was delivering an important message to the recipient with the gift.

“In my case, there’s no hidden message as far as I can figure out. It’s just an extremely rare and terrific present.” He looked at his watch again. “I’m out of here. Take good care of my baby while I’m gone.”

“Your…what?”

“The hospital. It’s where I direct all my energies, like a parent would toward a child and… Never mind. Bye.”

Matt strode from the room, leaving a rather bemused Homer behind.

Caitlin frowned at her reflection in the full-length mirror on the inside of her closet door.

Satisfied now? she asked herself. This was the third outfit she’d tried on. Well, she wasn’t changing her clothes again. Jeans, tennis shoes and a peach-colored string sweater. That was it. Except… maybe the blue knit top would be better because…

“You are acting like an idiot, Caitlin Cunningham,” she told her reflection, “and I’ve had enough of this nonsense. This isn’t a date, it’s a mission, the purpose of which is to complete the nursery for your daughter.”

Caitlin spun around, snatched her purse off the double bed and left the bedroom. In the living room she placed her purse on an end table and sank onto the sofa.

Matt MacAllister, she fumed, had driven her crazy the entire day. Every time she looked at the match pictures she’d placed on the corner of her desk at work, the image of Matt inched its way into her mental vision.

In a way, that made sense. She needed to get the nursery ready.

Matt was going to make it possible for her to accomplish that, so when she gazed at the photographs of Miss M., it stood to reason that Matt would trek right in front of her mind’s eye, too.

So, okay, it made sense…to a point. What didn’t compute was why when she thought about Matt she got a funny flutter in her stomach and a sharp remembrance of Matt’s strong-but-gentle arm encircling her shoulders last night. Thinking about that caused a strange heat to begin to swirl within her and… No doubt about it…Matt was driving her right over the edge.

Well, in all fairness to herself she was admittedly in the midst of an emotional upheaval because she was about to become a mother. After all these months, the hope, the dream, the prayer had finally come true. She was momentarily off kilter as she attempted to adjust to the wonderful, albeit a tad terrifying, news, and so she was overreacting to things she would normally just take in stride. Like Matt.

“Caitlin,” she said aloud, “that was nothing short of brilliant the way you figured all that out. Thank goodness that mishmash is solved.”

The doorbell rang and Caitlin jerked at the sudden noise, her heart racing as she hurried to the front door.

Matt stood on Caitlin’s front porch and nodded in approval.

Nice place, he thought. Caitlin’s home was small, as were the other houses on the block, but the neighborhood exhibited a great deal of pride of ownership. Caitlin’s cottage…now, that had a nice ring to it…was painted country-blue with decorative white shutters edging the windows. The minuscule front yard was a lush carpet of green grass, plus a tall mulberry tree. When he’d pulled in to the driveway, he’d gotten a glimpse of a wooden fence enclosing the backyard. That was good. Miss M. would have a safe place to play. Well, so far, the outside of the house suited Caitlin. If she answered the door and let him in he’d get a glimpse of the inside.

Matt pressed the doorbell and a moment later Caitlin opened the door.

“Hi,” Matt said. Oh, hey, what Ms. Cunningham did for a pair of snug jeans was something to behold.

Caitlin smiled as she stepped back to allow Matt to enter. “Come in, Matt.” Matt MacAllister in jeans and a black knit shirt was causing that funny little flutter to slither down her spine again. Darn it. “How are you?” She closed the door.

“Fine.” Matt swept his gaze over the living room. “Well, as fine as anyone could be after spending the day with an attorney who writes down everything, including what he had for lunch.” He paused. “This is a very nice house, Caitlin. I like oak furniture myself and your colors are pretty…mint-green, and what would you call that? Salmon?”

Caitlin laughed. “I think I would call those colors a mistake for sticky toddler fingers. I didn’t know when I made these selections that there would be a busy little girl living here. I’ll worry about that later. Nothing can dim my excitement about becoming a mother.”

“Good for you.” Matt wandered across the room and looked at some of the titles of the books in a tall oak bookcase. “We have similar taste in authors, except I can’t remember the last time I actually settled in and read a novel. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.”

“Perhaps you’ll find the time while you’re off work during this month or so Bud sentenced you to.”

“Maybe, but I doubt it. I’ll be in China for a couple of weeks, then when I get back I have a feeling I’ll be on the phone more often than not with the guy who’s taking my place for now. He doesn’t exactly evoke a great deal of confidence in being able to handle what needs to be done. Man, when I think about the messes he could create while… Nope, erase that. I’m not supposed to think about it.”

“I imagine that’s impossible for someone like you to do.”

Matt turned to look at her. “Someone like me? Somehow that doesn’t sound like a compliment.”

“I just meant that you’re obviously focused on your job, dedicated to your career to the exclusion of just about anything, or anyone, else. To suddenly just shut off your mind and stop thinking about it would be extremely difficult, impossible, in fact.

“Putting thousands of miles between you and the hospital will help, but even so, I would guess that part of your thoughts will be at Mercy. You won’t be totally there with all of us.”

Matt frowned. “Is this the voice of experience I’m hearing? Have you been completely centered on your career in the past?”

“Me? Heavens no.” Caitlin shook her head. “I enjoy being a copywriter for the fashion magazine. It’s very challenging and the work is continually fresh and new, but when I come home at night I don’t think about it again until I report for duty the next day.”

“I see. The slight edge to your voice says you don’t approve of my 24/7 approach to my career 0Caitlin..”

“I’m sorry if I gave you that impression, Matt. It’s certainly not my place to approve or disapprove of the way you conduct your life. Goodness, I don’t even know you.” She paused. “I think it would be best if we changed the subject. Even better, why don’t we go have our pizza.”

“Sure, we’ll go for pizza, but let’s change the subject first. Why did you decide to become a single mother?”

“Gosh, Matt, don’t hold back, just ask me any personal question that pops into your head.”

Matt chuckled. “I’m sorry. I guess it is rather personal, isn’t it? But I’m interested in why you came to this decision. Not that you’re obligated to tell me, of course.”

“Let’s just say that I believe this is the very best choice for me…personally. End of story. Subject closed. Shall we go?”

Matt nodded and followed Caitlin out the front door.

Oh, yes, he thought. The lovely lady did, indeed, have secrets that she didn’t intend to share. So many questions surrounded Caitlin Cunningham, creating so many answers he intended to discover, one by one.

The pizza restaurant was popular and crowded, and Caitlin and Matt had a short wait before a booth became available. They decided on what toppings they wanted on their pizza and what they would drink, then Matt went to the counter to place their order.

“It’ll be about fifteen minutes,” he said, returning and sliding in across from Caitlin. “So. Have you made arrangements for day care for Miss M.?”

“I’m going to be working at home. I’ve already reached an agreement with my boss about it, and I’ve changed the third bedroom in the house into an office. Later, when Miss M. is ready to play with other children, I’ll consider day care. Even if I had been matched with an older child, I planned to stay home with her at first because she’d have so many adjustments to make.”

“Don’t you think you’ll get cabin fever working at home?”

“No, I don’t believe so. I’ll have my daughter with me, remember? Plus, she and I will be going back and forth to the magazine office to pick up and deliver work, connecting with other people. Once we get into a routine I should have a healthy balance during a given day.”

“I hope it all goes the way you have it planned. Life has a way of throwing us curves when we least expect them at times. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you and Miss M. for smooth sailing ahead.”

“That was a rather pessimistic statement.” Caitlin frowned. “Life has a way of throwing us curves? Are you referring to yourself?”

“Me? No, no, not at all. My life is set up exactly the way I want it. I’ve hit a momentary glitch with this enforced-vacation bit, but things will get back to normal for me soon.”

Caitlin nodded.

“The reason I said that about the throwing of curves,” Matt went on, “is because I just saw a woman who reminded me of my cousin, Patty. She’s going through a rough time right now and got more than her share of nasty curves, I’m afraid. I wasn’t implying that anything would go wrong with your plans.”

“Oh, I see.” Caitlin paused, then looked directly at Matt. “You know, we seem to be just on the edge of getting into arguments no matter what topic we touch on tonight. There’s a…I don’t know…a tension between us that isn’t very pleasant.

“If you’d rather not go shopping for baby supplies I’ll certainly understand. We were all on such emotional highs last evening and… Anyway, we can have our pizza and forget about the other if you’d prefer.”

Matt leaned forward and covered one of Caitlin’s hands with one of his on the top of the table.

“No, Caitlin, I’ve been looking forward to this outing all day. I’m sorry if I’ve been shorttempered, or whatever. Hey, let’s start over from right now.”

“I’ve been a bit brusque with you, too, and I apologize.” She smiled. “All right. Hello, Matt, it’s nice to see you again and I certainly thank you for your help with my grand endeavor this evening.”

“Hello, Caitlin,” he said, not releasing her hand. “I’m glad to be of service.”

She had to get her hand back, Caitlin thought frantically. There was a tingling heat traveling up her arm and across her breasts, causing them to feel strangely achy as though needing a soothing touch. Now Matt was pinning her in place with his incredible brown eyes and her heart was beating like a bongo drum.

“That’s our number,” Matt said. “I’ll be right back with a gourmet delight.”

Thank heaven for pizza restaurants that called out lifesaving numbers, Caitlin thought, drawing a steadying breath. Darn it, she had to get a grip on herself, stop this nonsense of being thrown so off kilter by Matt MacAllister’s blatant masculinity. He touched her, she melted; he gazed at her, she dissolved. This would never do.

They were going to be together on a daily basis soon, and she couldn’t fall apart every two seconds because Matt was close to her. Well, she’d probably be fine over there because she’d be focused on the baby. Her precious daughter.

Matt returned with a huge pizza and a pitcher of soda, then trekked back for plates, glasses and napkins.

“There,” he said, sitting down. “I think I have everything we need…except…” He smiled at Caitlin.

“Except?” she asked.

“You don’t happen to have the pictures of Miss M. in your purse, do you? I sure would like to see that munchkin again. She’s already stolen a chunk of my heart. I’m going to be putty in her tiny hands when I actually see her. Do you? Have the pictures?”

Oh, Matt just didn’t play fair, Caitlin thought as unexpected and unwelcome tears stung her eyes. Why did he have to be so sweet, so endearing, on top of everything else he had going for him in the plus column. How many men would ask to see baby pictures as he was? Not fair at all.

Focus on the minus column, she told herself. This was Mr. I Work 24/7/365. He wouldn’t be caught up in cute pictures of babies and putting cribs together if he weren’t being forced to take a vacation. Matt was just filling idle hours with anything available. Remember that, Caitlin. Don’t you dare forget it.

“Of course I have the pictures.” Caitlin smiled. “I never leave home without them. I took them to work today and Marsha and I drove everyone nuts poking our photographs under their noses.” She handed the two pictures to Matt. “Here she is.”

“Hey, kiddo. You’re just as cute today as you were last night. That is wild hair. Maybe we should take her some of the goop, that styling-gel junk, that people use.”

We? Caitlin thought. We should take the baby some styling gel? Where had that we come from? Well, now, don’t go crazy, Caitlin. Matt had been drafted into being her luggage handler or whatever his title was. Her partner, per se, because her friend couldn’t go. So, it was natural that he’d see himself attached to her and the baby during the trip, in a manner of speaking.

Okay, she had that one figured out, but if she didn’t quit analyzing and overreacting to everything that Matt said and did she was going to fall on her face from exhaustion. Food. She needed food.

“Food,” she said, and reached for a slice of pizza.

Matt set the two pictures on the end of the table so both he and Caitlin could see them. They each ate a slice of pizza, and took a second one.

“This is delicious,” Caitlin said.

“Mmm. You know, that one sleeper Miss M. has on looks okay, but the other one is really faded, worn. You can see how thin the material is in spots.”

“I know.” Caitlin glanced over at the photographs. “The orphanages in China have to make due with what they can get. Miss M. is healthy, so that means she made it through the winter months after she was born without getting seriously ill. The weather in China now is much like it is here…warm, sunny. That makes me rest a little easier about the condition of that sleeper.”

Matt chuckled. “Maybe that’s why she’s frowning in both pictures. She’s all girl and isn’t satisfied with her wardrobe.”

“Oh, okay, I’ll go with that theory, rather than one that says she’s unhappy about something…like a tummyache or…oh, don’t get me started. I’ll worry myself into a sleepless night. I hope Carolyn calls soon and says we’re scheduled to leave. I just want to go get my baby, my daughter. Marsha agrees with me that even though we’ve waited all these months, now that we’ve seen the pictures this is agony.”

“No joke. I wish she would have smiled in at least one of those photos. Nope. Whoa. We won’t dwell on why she looks so grumpy.” Matt narrowed his eyes. “New topic. Sort of. Have you settled on a middle name yet?”

Caitlin nodded, raised one finger as she chewed, then swallowed a bite of pizza. “Her middle name is going to be Olivia, after my mother. I not only love my mom but I also respect her more than I could ever begin to tell you. She conducted herself with such class and dignity through some very difficult years and, well, I thought that naming my daughter after her would really convey how I feel about her.”

“I think—” Matt cleared his throat “—I think that your mother must be very, very honored, Caitlin. I’d like to believe that I might have a daughter someday that thought that highly of me. What did your mother say when you told her?”

“She got all weepy, and Paulo, my stepfather, said it was a beautiful gift to give to her. My mother was a widow when she married Paulo last year. She met him during a trip she made to Italy, and it was a whirlwind courtship. Paulo is a delightful man who is crazy in love with my mother and they’re so wonderful together. I’m thrilled for my mom. She deserves to have that kind of happiness.”

“You said your mother was a widow when she met Paulo.”

Caitlin nodded. “Yes, my father died when I was sixteen.”

“Whew. That’s rough. I’m sorry. Do you still miss him? Especially at a momentous time like this in your life when you’re about to become a mother?”

“No. I don’t miss him at all.” There as a sudden sharp edge to her voice.

“Oh,” Matt said, frowning slightly. Something wasn’t quite on the mark here. There was a…a shadow hanging over the memory of Caitlin’s father. Why? There he was again, stacking another question about Caitlin on the teetering tower. “You said last night that Paulo is ill?”

“Yes. They’re running tests because they’re not certain what is wrong and I’m very concerned about him. I’m praying he’ll be fine and that he and my mother will be able to come to the States soon and meet Miss M.”

“Who will be smiling by then,” Matt said.

“Yes, she’ll be smiling by then.”

And then Caitlin and Matt were smiling as their gazes met, warm smiles, special smiles born of sharing the personal, meaningful story of why Caitlin had chosen the baby’s middle name. The restaurant disappeared into a strange mist that surrounded them, the noise and the people simply no longer existed in the haze that swirled around them.

Their smiles faded as heat began to churn and thrum within them, pulsing, hot…so hot. They couldn’t move, could hardly breathe, in the place they’d been transported to. It was so strange. And exciting. And terrifying. And…

“More to drink?” a voice said, snapping both Caitlin and Matt back to reality with a thud. “It’s all-you-can-drink night, refills free.”

“It’s who?” Matt said, staring at the young girl standing by their booth.

“Like…soda…ya know,” the waitress said, pointing to the pitcher. “The drink? Free refills, like, twenty times if you want or whatever?”

“Oh. Sure.” Matt nodded jerkily. “You bet. Fill it right up. Thank you. Nice of you to offer.”

“Yeah, it’s awesome,” the girl said, snatching up the pitcher and eyeing Matt warily. “Back in a flash.”

What had just happened between her and Matt? Caitlin wondered, fiddling with her napkin to avoid looking at him. She had never in her life experienced anything so…so unexplainable, so incredibly sensual and…

She wasn’t going to address this. No. She’d just pretend that it hadn’t happened. For all she knew, Matt hadn’t even been aware of the strange… whatever it had been that had… It was over. Gone. Forgotten.

“So!” Caitlin said to a spot just above Matt’s left shoulder. “Have you figured out how to pack enough for two weeks into one suitcase and…”

“Caitlin—”

“I’ve got to scrunch tons of diapers into my suitcase, along with baby clothes and bottles and… It certainly will be a challenge, that one suitcase, won’t it? Yes, it definitely will and—”

“Caitlin—”

“What!” she said much too loudly.

“I felt it. You felt it, I know you did. What… what was that?”

Caitlin plunked one elbow on the table and rested her forehead in her palm.

“I have no idea. And I don’t care to discuss it, nor try to figure out what it was.”

“Why not?”

Caitlin raised her head. “Why not? Because it was… was man-and-woman…stuff, and I don’t want that in my life, complicating things. I am focused on mommy-and-baby…stuff, and that’s all I can handle.

“I wish I could think of a more sophisticated word than stuff, but I’m a bit jangled at the moment. Whatever that was, Matt, it’s in the past already, poof, gone.” She lifted her chin. “Please don’t refer to it again.”

“You don’t want me to refer to the fact that we’re attracted to each other,” Matt said, his gaze riveted on Caitlin. “That there was suddenly such heated sexuality weaving back and forth between us that it’s a wonder the pizza didn’t burn to a crisp?

“You don’t want me to tell you that during that strange moment out of time it took all the will-powerI had not to come around this table, take you in my arms and kiss you until neither of us could breathe? Am I understanding you correctly?”

Caitlin opened her mouth to reply in the affirmative, only to discover she had no air in her lungs so she could speak. She nodded her head.

“I see. Well, I’ll certainly respect your wishes on the above-mentioned subjects. But, Caitlin? That doesn’t mean I won’t be thinking about what just happened here. Thinking about what it would be like to kiss those very kissable lips of yours and—”

“Soda refill,” the waitress said, plunking the pitcher onto the table.

“Oh, I am so glad to see you,” Caitlin said to the young girl. “I’m just delighted that you’re here… right now.”

“Got it,” the girl said slowly. “I don’t mean to be, like, rude or anything, but you folks are borderline weird. Bye.” She hurried away.

Matt laughed. “Borderline weird, is it?”

“At least she was more articulate than me saying stuff,” Caitlin said, smiling. “Oh, this is silly. Let’s just finish up so we can get ready for Miss M.’ s arrival. I am one hundred percent into my mommy stuff and I intend to stay there, Mr. MacAllister.”

Chapter Four

The crib and changing table were white to match the other nursery furniture Caitlin had purchased. Matt insisted on buying Miss M. a crib mobile with brightly colored, puffy felt clowns that pranced around in a circle to the tune of “Rock-a-Bye, Baby.”

They loaded the large boxes into Matt’s SUV, then trekked back into the mall to select blankets, crib sheets, sleepers, several two-piece outfits and a pretty, red dress.

Carolyn had said that it was traditional for all the children being adopted to wear red on their last night in China, as it was the Chinese color for health, happiness and prosperity. Matt refused to leave the clothing department until he found a pair of white socks with red bows to go with the dress.

The next stop was for diapers, bibs, bottles, formula and a pacifier that Carolyn had said the babies would need on the airplane because of the cabin pressure.

In each department Caitlin showed the saleswoman the pictures of Miss M. for advice as to what size to buy.

“It’s a bit difficult to tell how big she is,” one saleswoman said, “because no one is holding her for reference. She looks small for six months, I think, but better to have the clothes and diapers a little big than too small. Oh, she is so cute. What proud new parents you must be.”

“Well, we’re not…” Carolyn started.

“Not coming down off our cloud number nine for a very long time,” Matt finished for her.

“Good for you,” the woman said. “Now, let’s get you what you need.”

“Why did you allow her to believe that we’re married and the parents of this baby?” Caitlin whispered to Matt as they followed the woman.

Matt shrugged. “That’s what she assumed and it was easier just to go with it.”

“Oh,” she said, nodding.

That made sense, Caitlin thought as she placed packages of diapers in the cart. Why get into a lengthy explanation about how Matt was helping because her friend got hurt and couldn’t make the trip and…yes, it was simpler to let it go. She and Matt looked the same as Marsha and Bud must as they were doing the same type of shopping, as well as the other people in their group.