His Baby Surprise

But no matter what reasons Alexis had for keeping her pregnancy a secret, Tyler Braden did have a son. And he’d be damned before he sat idly by and watched another man take his place in raising the boy.

For all he cared, the very squeamish, thoroughly inadequate Fred Hatfield could take a short leap off a tall cliff.

As long as it was in his power to prevent it, history would not repeat itself. Unlike Ty, Matthew was going to know his father and never feel the social inferiority that Ty had always felt.

He placed a kiss on the baby’s forehead and made a solemn promise to himself and his son. “You’re going to know I love you and that I’ll always be there for you.” He hugged the baby close. “And I’ll walk through hell before I let Fred Hatfield or your mother stand in my way.”

Lexi woke with a start, her heart pounding. She sat up and frantically searched the dimly lit room for the wicker bassinet Martha had placed Matthew in after he finished nursing.

It was nowhere in sight.

Panic tearing at her insides, Lexi reached for the call button, but her hands trembled so badly she couldn’t engage the switch. Tossing it aside, she threw back the sheet and tried to get out of bed.

Her sore body protested the rapid movement and her knees threatened to give way when she stood, but she ignored the warnings. She had to find her baby.

By the time she crossed the room and made it down the long corridor to the deserted reception area, her flagging strength was all but spent and she had to lean against the wall for support.

“Martha—”

“Lexi, what in the name of all that’s holy are you doin’ out of bed?” Martha sent her swivel chair skating backward as she rose and hurried to Lexi’s side. “I told you the first time you got up, I had to be there in case you needed help.”

The room began a sickening swirl and Lexi felt herself start to sag. “Where’s…my baby?”

“Doc, get out here,” Martha yelled when Lexi leaned heavily against her. “Now!”

Just before Lexi lost her battle with the dark curtain closing around her, strong arms scooped her up and lifted her to a wide chest. Her nostrils filled with the essence of the man holding her. He smelled of spice cologne and…baby powder.

He must have been holding the baby when Martha called for help. The thought instantly cleared her fog-filled head.

Strength flowed from Ty’s body to hers as he cradled her to him, and Lexi squeezed her eyes shut against the wave of emotion welling up inside her.

“Please, put me down.”

“No.”

“I can walk,” she insisted.

“Yeah, right.” Ty laughed, but the sound held little humor. “Trying to walk is what damned near had you kissing the floor.”

Without another word, he carried her down the corridor to her room and tucked her into bed. At the loss of contact, Lexi suddenly felt cold and abandoned. It was a ridiculous feeling, considering the circumstances, but it was still very real.

With calm efficiency, Ty wrapped a blood pressure cuff around her upper arm, pumped air into it, then slowly released the valve as he listened with his stethoscope. Apparently satisfied with the reading, he took her pulse, recorded the numbers on her chart, then folded his arms across his chest to stare down at her.

“It isn’t called labor for nothing, Alexis,” he said, his voice stern. “Your body had to work very hard and use a lot of energy in order for you to give birth. And although I don’t advise a patient staying in bed more than a few hours following a routine delivery, I do expect her to listen to orders.”

Lexi ground her teeth to keep from screaming that it was his fault she’d gotten up, that she’d had a terrible nightmare in which he’d taken her baby. But caution forced her to remain silent. In no way did she want to arouse Ty’s suspicions.

“As you recently found out, feeling faint is not uncommon the first time a woman tries to walk after giving birth,” Ty continued to lecture. “That’s why you were told to wait for Martha’s assistance.”

Lexi glared at him. “Are you quite finished, Dr. Braden?” When he gave her a slight nod, she asked the question foremost on her mind. “Where’s my son?”

“He’s right here,” Martha said, wheeling the bassinet to the side of Lexi’s bed. “He’s been visitin’ with Doc while you took a nap.” Turning to Ty, she asked, “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?”

“Go ahead, Martha,” Ty said, nodding. “I can handle things from here.”

“Doc Fletcher always wanted me to be here when we had an overnight patient,” she said, clearly miffed.

Ty shrugged. “Dr. Fletcher had a wife to go home to. I don’t. Besides, I’ll be here anyway. I have to get caught up on some paperwork and it’ll take most of the night to get it done.”

Hoping Martha proved to be as stubborn as always, Lexi’s heart sank when she saw Martha hesitate. “Are you sure?”

“I promise I’ll take good care of them,” Ty said, smiling. “Now go home and get some rest.”

Lexi watched with growing horror as Martha finally nodded and walked toward the door. “If you need me, you’ve got the number,” Martha said, waving goodbye.

The very last thing Lexi wanted was to be left alone with Ty. In fact, she didn’t want to be anywhere near him. The more time they spent together, the bigger the chance he’d realize he was Matthew’s father.

As if to draw attention to that very fact, the baby let loose with a lusty cry.

“It appears somebody wants his dinner,” Ty said. He picked the infant up, but seemed in no hurry to place him in Lexi’s outstretched arms. “You said his name is Matthew?”

“Yes.” Her apprehension intensified as Ty smiled fondly at the angry baby he continued to hold.

“Have you and Fred picked out a middle name?” he asked without looking at her.

Watching him stare down at the baby, Lexi frowned. “Did you meet Freddie this afternoon?”

“No.” Ty chuckled when Matthew tried to find nourishment from the tip of his little finger. “I was with a patient. Maybe Fred and I will have the chance to get acquainted when he comes to take you and the baby home.”

“Maybe,” Lexi agreed.

All she had to do was keep the two from meeting. It shouldn’t be hard, Lexi decided. She was quite confident that Freddie would be more than happy to wait outside the clinic.

“So, does this little guy have a middle name?” Ty asked again, interrupting Lexi’s thoughts.

She searched his face, but his expression gave no indication of what he might be thinking. “Scott,” she answered cautiously. “Why do you want to know?”

Ty finally handed the baby to her when Matthew found Ty’s finger to be less than satisfying. “I need his full name for the birth certificate.”

Relieved, Lexi managed a weak smile as she held her son close. “His name is Matthew Scott Hatfield.”

“Of course,” Ty agreed. Then, to her immense relief, he turned and left the room.

His son cradled to his chest, Ty sat in the darkened room, his eyes fixed on the sleeping woman in front of him. The months since she’d left Chicago had done nothing to lessen the effect she had on him. From the first time he’d laid eyes on her that day in the elevator, Alexis had taken his breath away with her beauty, had made his heart skip a beat when she spoke. She still did.

And earlier, when he’d carried her back to bed, the bittersweet memories of their night together had been overwhelming. The feel of her softness against him, the sweet smell of her honeysuckle-scented hair where it brushed his cheek, had made him feel as if he’d go up in flames.

But Alexis was off-limits now, married to another man. A man she was trying to pass off as Matthew’s father. His jaw tightened involuntarily. Ty didn’t think he’d ever forgive her for that.

He gazed down at the baby he held. Alexis may have replaced him with someone else, but Ty would never stand by and watch his son call another man “Daddy.”

He smiled as his tension eased. He fully intended to let Alexis know he was aware of the truth.

And Ty knew exactly how to go about telling her.

Lexi’s nerves were stretched to the breaking point. Time was slipping away. Fast.

If Freddie didn’t show up soon to take her and the baby home, Ty would be back from his house calls. Her whole plan hinged on being gone before that happened.

When Martha walked into the room carrying an armload of fresh linens, Lexi tried to keep the anxiety from her voice as she asked, “Is Freddie out in the reception area?”

Setting the sheets on the bedside table, the older woman shook her head and began stripping the bed.

“Ain’t seen hide nor hair of Freddie. And unless I miss my guess, we won’t either.”

Martha was right.

The smell of antiseptic and Freddie’s delicate stomach were a dangerous combination. It would take a matter of life or death before Freddie Hatfield risked coming anywhere near the inside of the clinic.

Lexi walked over to the window on the far side of the room and parted the calico curtains. The sight of Freddie pacing uncertainly between the car and the clinic door made Lexi smile with relief. “I wonder how long Freddie’s been out there.”

Martha came over to peer out the window. “No tellin’.” She laughed when Freddie stopped, glanced at the clinic door, then shook her head and started pacing again. “Goin’ back and forth like that, Freddie’s gonna wear a trench in the pavement.”

As they watched Freddie’s obvious dilemma, a shiny, red four-wheel-drive pulled into the parking lot. When the driver got out, pulled a black bag from the back seat and walked over to where Freddie stood looking helpless and forlorn, Lexi’s blood turned as cold as ice.

Ty had returned and it appeared he was going to exchange polite conversation with her “husband,” Freddie.

“Is something wrong?” Ty asked the obviously nervous woman.

“No,” the blonde answered. A rosy glow tinged her cheeks when Ty’s expression turned skeptical. “Well…sort of.” She pointed a shaky finger at the clinic door. “I need to go in there…but I can’t.”

“Why not?” Ty asked, confused. “The clinic is open to everyone.”

Her blush deepened as she struggled to explain. “It’s…well, you see…I have this problem.”

“What is it?” he gently coaxed. “I’m Dr. Braden. Maybe I can help.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, her ponytail swaying from side to side as she vigorously shook her head. “I’ve tried to get over it. Really, I have.” Her eyes pleaded for his understanding. “But there isn’t anything I can do about it. It’s a curse.”

“What makes you think you’re cursed?” Ty asked. He made a mental note to check the list of psychiatrists in Chattanooga. He just might be sending one of them a referral.

The woman closed her eyes, took a deep breath and blurted, “Aw, hell, Doc. The place makes me sick.”

Ty wasn’t sure what explanation he’d expected, but this wasn’t it. “Excuse me?”

“It’s the smell of antiseptic,” she explained, clearly embarrassed. Her anxiety increasing, she twisted her hands into a tight knot. “Just one whiff of that stuff and I’ll hurl in all directions.”

Ty coughed to keep from laughing at her impassioned description. “I can see where that would present a problem,” he agreed. “But I can’t examine you out here in the parking lot.”

“Oh, I’m not here to see you,” the woman said hastily. “When I need a doctor, I go see Granny Applegate up on Piney Knob.”

Ty frowned. Every time he heard the old woman’s name or thought about her approach to medicine, he envisioned black cats and a steaming caldron of witch’s brew. How could a young, seemingly intelligent woman place herself in the care of a quack like that?

“If you’re not here to see me, then—”

“I’m here to take my sister-in-law and her new baby home,” the woman interrupted. She gave the building a nervous glance. “But I can’t let her know I’m here unless I go inside. And if I do that—”

“You’ll get sick,” Ty finished for her.

She seemed pleased he understood. “If you could just tell Lexi I’m here, I’d really appreciate it.”

“Sure,” Ty said, heading for the clinic entrance.

His disgust for Alexis’s husband grew by leaps and bounds as he thought of the pretty blonde’s dilemma. Evidently queasiness plagued the whole Hatfield family. Good old Fred had to have known the kind of anxiety his sister would suffer.

But did the man care how much hell he put the women in his life through? No. The ever-concerned Fred was a complete washout in the sensitivity department. How could any woman be attracted to a jerk like that?

Ty shook his head as he entered the clinic. There were some things about women he guessed he’d just never understand. He was beginning to think he didn’t even want to.

Lexi turned away from the window, walked over to the bassinet and picked up the baby. In a few minutes Ty would be in to confront her with what he’d learned about her “husband.” From there, it would be easy for him to figure out the rest of what she’d tried so hard to keep hidden.

She drew in a shuddering breath as she lowered herself into the rocking chair and, holding Matthew close, set the chair in motion.

It wasn’t that she wanted to keep Ty in the dark forever about his son. She’d never wanted that. But fear had kept her silent through the long months of her pregnancy, and now she needed time to come to grips with all that had happened. How was she supposed to tell a man who never intended to have a child that he’d fathered one?

“Lexi, do you feel all right?” Martha asked, concerned. “You look like you’ve seen a saint.”

She wished what she’d just witnessed had been an apparition. At the moment, seeing a ghost sounded far more appealing than facing Ty.

“I’m fine,” she answered, her voice far more calm than she felt. “I just want to take Matthew and go home.”

“Can’t say I blame you. Everybody rests better in their own bed.” Martha finished tucking the corners of the sheet. “I’ll get the birth certificate and a discharge paper for you to sign. Then you and that little angel can be on your way.”

“I’ve taken care of it, Martha,” Ty said, walking into the room.

Martha propped her hands on her ample hips. “If you keep doin’ my job for me, we’re gonna be havin’ another long talk.” Her menacing glare never wavered as she breezed past him.

“Great,” Ty muttered, drawing Lexi’s attention. “Another lecture.”

Lexi’s breath lodged in her throat at the sight of Ty, her fears and anxiety fading as she watched him cross the room.

Ty was, and probably always would be, the sexiest man Lexi had ever seen. In a suit and tie he was sexy. But in jeans and a T-shirt, the man was downright sinful. The knit fabric, stretched across his wide shoulders and upper arms, drew attention to his well-formed chest muscles and bulging biceps. The royal blue color highlighted his deep, azure eyes.

The faded denim of his jeans hugged his long, muscular legs and emphasized his narrow hips. But from her seated position, it put certain other outlined areas on eye level as well.

Lexi swallowed hard when her pulse took off at an alarming rate. She had to have some kind of record-breaking hormonal imbalance. After the ordeal of giving birth not forty-eight hours ago, she shouldn’t want a man within a hundred miles of her—and especially not Tyler Braden.

“I need you to sign this release form before you go,” Ty said, handing her a paper and pen.

He reached down to take the baby and Lexi watched him cradle her son—their son—in the crook of his arm. Ty smiled when he put his index finger close to the baby’s hand and Matthew wrapped his own tiny fingers around it. The sight was so poignant, Lexi had to look away.

Tears filled her eyes as she signed the release form Ty had given her. She wanted to tell him Matthew was his son, wanted Ty to be as happy about the baby as she was. But he’d told her once that he never wanted a child. And he’d been quite adamant about it.

When she’d asked him why he felt that way, his eyes had taken on a fierce gleam and he’d mumbled something about not being good with children. But watching him with Matthew now, Lexi knew for certain that wasn’t the case.

“Your sister-in-law is waiting for you in the parking lot,” Ty said.

Prepared to face the music, Lexi took a deep breath, rose from the rocking chair and handed him the paper. The moment of truth had arrived. She’d known a showdown with Ty was inevitable once he learned Freddie wasn’t her husband. But she’d hoped for more time, hoped to put things in perspective before they discussed their son’s birth and the bizarre circumstances of meeting again.

“Freddie has a real problem with the clinic—”

“I know,” Ty interrupted, his disgust evident. “Doesn’t he realize his sister suffers from a weak stomach, too?”

Shocked, Lexi barely managed to keep her mouth from dropping open. Evidently, Freddie hadn’t introduced herself.

Lexi knew she was opting for the coward’s way out, but at the moment, a hasty exit was far more appealing than a confrontation she wasn’t prepared to deal with.

“I’m, uh, pretty sure Freddie knows the effect the clinic has on her.” Lexi tried to keep her voice even as she reached for her son. “We’d better not keep your aunt waiting, Matthew.”

When Ty continued to hold the baby, their eyes locked for a long, tense moment before he finally said, “You have to wait for a wheelchair.”

“I don’t need—”

“It’s standard policy, Alexis.”

“But that’s ridiculous,” Lexi protested. She waited for Ty to place Matthew in her arms, but when he just stood there glaring at her, she waved her hand to encompass the room. “Look around, Ty. You’re in the Dixie Ridge Health Clinic. This place is a million miles away from the protocol that dictates a big city hospital. Besides, I’m perfectly capable of walking out of here.”

“That may be, but for insurance purposes we have to follow procedure,” he argued.

Martha wheeled the chair into the room, her expression revealing how she felt on the subject. “For what it’s worth, Lexi, I think it’s pretty silly myself.” She gave Ty a withering glare. “Doc Fletcher never got bent out of shape when I let a patient walk out of here on their own steam.”

“I’m not Dr. Fletcher,” Ty stated flatly. He turned back to Lexi. “Now, if you’ll have a seat, I’ll take you and Matthew out to the car.”

Desperation clawed at Lexi’s insides. She didn’t want to run the risk of Ty talking to Freddie again. With each meeting, the odds increased that he’d learn the truth. And although she fully intended to tell him everything, she didn’t want or need the added complication of explaining in front of her sister-in-law.

“Alexis?”

“I told you my name is Lexi.”

“All right, Lexi,” Ty said, emphasizing her name. “Sit down.”

Lexi glared at him. “And if I refuse?”

A gleam of determination lit his dark blue eyes. “I’ll pick you up and carry you out.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.” His smooth baritone carried just enough edge to it that Lexi had no doubt he meant exactly what he said.

Several tense seconds stretched between them before she reluctantly gave in and lowered herself into the chair. “Now are you satisfied?”

He placed the baby in her waiting arms and didn’t even try to hide his smug smile. She felt like punching him.

When Ty moved to take hold of the rubber grips on the back of the chair, Martha shook her head. “I’ll take care of getting Lexi and the baby out to the car, Doc. It’s my job. You’re needed in exam room two, anyway. A thump rod on one of Carl Morgan’s barrels popped loose and he’s gonna need a couple of stitches to close a cut on his hand.”

Ty looked bewildered. “Thump rod?”

Martha winked and Lexi smiled in spite of herself. “You can tell he’s a city boy, can’t you, Martha?”

Laughing, Martha nodded. “Stands out like Harv Jenkins’s big toe when his gout’s actin’ up.”

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Ty said stubbornly.

Relieved Ty wouldn’t be taking her and the baby out to Freddie’s car, Lexi managed to grin. “A thump rod is a part on Carl’s…boiler.”

“It’s a technical term used by people in Carl’s line of work,” Martha added, her eyes twinkling merrily.

Ty frowned. “What line of work is Carl in?”

Lexi glanced at Martha, but the woman just shrugged. How much should they tell Ty? After all, he wasn’t from the mountains and he certainly wasn’t accustomed to mountain ways.

“He raises pigs,” she said, finally settling on a half-truth.

“Then why would he need a boiler?”

“He uses it to cook up pig feed, Doc,” Martha answered. Her air of innocence almost made Lexi laugh out loud.

When Ty didn’t make a motion to leave, Lexi asked, “Was there something else?”

He suddenly flashed a smile that sent a warm, fluttery feeling all the way to the pit of her stomach, then handed her an oversize envelope. “Here’s Matthew’s birth certificate.”

The warmth remained with her all the way out to the base of Piney Knob Mountain. Freddie turned the car off the main highway and announced, “Mary Ann Simmons was right. That doctor is a real hunk.”

“I suppose,” Lexi said, trying to sound completely indifferent. Her attempt failed, but fortunately Freddie didn’t seem to notice.

“He’s real understandin’, too.” Freddie glanced in the rearview mirror at Lexi, where she sat next to the baby’s car seat. “He didn’t even bat an eye when I told him how I couldn’t go inside the clinic because of the place makin’ me sick.”

“That’s nice,” Lexi said absently. Listening to Freddie extol Ty’s many virtues was the last thing she wanted or needed to hear. To distract herself from her sister-in-law’s chatter, Lexi removed the decorative parchment from the large envelope Ty had given her earlier.

Scanning the document, she felt her heart lurch to a stop, then take off at an erratic gallop. It wasn’t the official birth record. That would be filed at the county clerk’s office. But the complimentary certificate did reflect Ty’s intentions.

And they couldn’t have been more clear.

Matthew’s surname had been recorded as Braden. And Ty had listed himself as the baby’s father.

Three

Fall had always been Lexi’s favorite time of year, but as she stared out of the car window, she saw none of the fall colors painting the mountain. One question kept swirling through her mind, screaming for an answer, blinding her with its implications.

What did Ty intend to do next?

By listing himself as Matthew’s father on the birth certificate, he’d let her know—in no uncertain terms—he had something in mind. But what?

He thought she was married. Didn’t he care about the problems his actions could cause if she really did have a husband?

“Lexi, are you all right?” Freddie asked when she opened the car door and peered into the back seat. “You look like you stuck your finger in a light socket.”

Dazed, Lexi looked around. They’d driven up the narrow, winding road to her cabin and parked without her even noticing.

The leaves on the maple and oak trees continued their daily transformation from green to shades of rust and gold. The marigolds she’d planted at the beginning of summer still bloomed heartily despite the crispness of the early fall nights. Birds still sang with the sweet purity of freedom. The chipmunk living under her front porch still scurried about, gathering acorns for the upcoming winter.

When so much in her life had changed, how could everything look just as it had only two days before?

“Oh, Freddie, nothing is ever going to be the same,” Lexi said helplessly.

“Of course it won’t,” Freddie agreed. She unbuckled the seat belt holding the baby’s car seat and lifted it from the back seat. “But don’t worry. I’m sure every first-time mother feels a little overwhelmed at the thought of taking care of her baby.”

Lexi glanced down at the birth certificate she still held. “I wish that was my only worry.”