Last Chance Texas, page 12
“There’s no way you’re going to get my aunt’s property. It belongs to me and truth be told, I need the money more than you do.”
“I doubt that.”
When she saw the smug expression on his face, she felt the urge to slap him.
“Doubt all you want, Nathan. The fact is I’m going to sell off this land to pay for the baby I’m going to have.”
His mouth dropped open as he jumped to his feet. “Jesus, Kelsey. You’re pregnant and you let me make love to you! What the hell were you thinking?”
He frantically began pacing the bedroom, letting out several audible sighs. Part of her wanted to let him suffer, to believe he’d made love to a woman carrying another man’s child. She could be heartless at times, but not this heartless.
“I’m not pregnant, Nathan. Not yet. I want to be, but I’m not.”
He stopped pacing, looked her straight in the eye, and raced over to where she stood. In typical Nathan style, he appeared to be struggling for words. There was a lull in the conversation, and this time when he spoke, his tone was measured, guarded. “You never mentioned wanting a child, Kelsey.”
“We used protection, Nathan.” She realized her voice had practically hissed out the words, but the look on his face was so judgmental, she could barely continue this conversation.
“You told me that you’d been married to Kyle for almost ten years.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” But the split second she said it, she realized where Nathan was going with this.
“I figured if you wanted kids, you’d have had them by now.” When she didn’t dignify the comment, he added, “It never occurred to me that you wanted children.”
He hadn’t asked how she intended to have this child, and while she realized she was under no obligation to tell him anything, she decided to just put it all out there. Things were over between the two of them. Nothing would change that.
Aware Nathan offered her no future she decided to just put it all out there.
“I’m being artificially inseminated. The procedure is costly, and I need every bit of cash I can scrounge up to pay for it. So you see, Nathan, in spite of what you think, I do need the land more than you. And, let’s be clear. I have no intention of giving up my aunt’s land up. Not to you. Not to anyone.”
~ ~ ~
Nathan crossed his arms for the third time, reeling from the bombshell Kelsey had just delivered. He continued pacing the room, trying to make sense of it all. Although it occurred to him that the fact Kelsey wanted to be artificially inseminated was absolutely none of his business, the fact that she’d made love to him under false pretenses infuriated him.
He couldn’t help himself. He had to tell her just what he thought of her decision to undergo the in vitro. “You can’t be serious, Kelsey! This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of.”
“I should have known you’d hate the idea. You’re an old-fashioned guy who believes in doing everything the traditional way.” Kelsey rolled her eyes as she said it, and he suspected the woman thought him to be backward. And that angered him all the more.
“Your aunt’s spinning in her grave about this, Kelsey. Honest to god, it’s not normal. The kid will never even know who his father is. Or if he does, he’ll find out on Facebook.”
“People do this all the time, Nathan. You need to change with the times.” Another indication she considered him out of step with the rest of the world sent him reeling.
“Not people I know!”
“I doubt the traditional bunch you probably hang with does, but as far as people in the real world, in vitro’s done all the time. And don’t spew off this holier than thou crap on me. Lots of women are going this route because god knows there are slim pickins out there, Nathan. I tried the traditional marriage route and believe me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”
He placed a hand on his temple, squeezing on it to relieve the throbbing. As his mind raced back to how his own sister’s decision to undergo in vitro, he wondered if Kelsey had any idea how difficult it was being a single parent. He struggled for just the right words to talk her out of this. Aware his judgmental attitude and angry words were getting them nowhere, he decided on a less caustic approach.
“It’s a big decision being a single parent, Kelsey. And what if they don’t screen your donor carefully enough? You could end up giving birth to a child with health problems.”
“You got a better idea, Nathan?” She glared at him as she finished dressing.
“Please rethink this, Kelsey. Once you do it, you can’t go back.”
“Not everyone marches to the beat of the same drummer, Nathan. You’re probably the guy who always does only what people expect. I get that. But the marriage route didn’t work for me, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to go through that again just to have a baby.”
“It’s unnatural, Kelsey. I don’t care what you say, it’s just not right.”
She stared at him in total disbelief, before launching into her attack. “I can’t believe you just said that. As men go, you are utterly clueless.”
“No use getting ugly about this, Kelsey. I’m just trying to help here-to keep you from making a huge mistake.”
“I don’t need your help, Nathan. I’m doing just fine on my own.” She looked away from him again and stared out the window. When she turned back to face him, the color had drained from her face. His comment about the in vitro appeared to have stung.
She stood facing him now, her hands on her hips. But while her body language reflected a woman who refused to be dissuaded from what she felt was the right thing to do, the expression on her face was nearly unrecognizable now. The twinkle in her eyes had dulled now, and when she began chewing on her lower lip, he feared she was about to cry. And while he detested her decision to do something he couldn’t wrap his mind around, he felt sick to his stomach because he’d caused her so much pain.
Although he didn’t support her decision to have a child this way, he wished he hadn’t gone off like that. He had his reasons. Still, he could have been more tactful. But then, tact had never been his strong suit.
“I didn’t mean to go off like that. It’s just that—”
“We’re done here, Nathan.” There was a deafening finality in her tone, almost like when Pastor Dan had given Michele’s eulogy before saying some final words and lowering the casket.
It really was over, all of it. The woman who’d turned his world upside down in three short days was leaving.
When he didn’t respond to what she’d said, she continued shooting the daggers of hate. “And don’t flatter yourself, Nathan. What happened between us meant nothing. It was a one-night stand. That’s all.”
~ ~ ~
Kelsey scurried about Nathan’s bedroom, picking up anything she’d left from the previous evening. The last thing she needed was to leave something there and have to traipse back and get it. Once she left his place, she’d never look back.
After her last remark, Nathan had stormed out of his bedroom, slammed the door behind him, and raced out to the barn. Her comment about him being a one-night stand appeared to have struck a nerve. But then, what didn’t?
He’d had it coming, strutting about the bedroom, doling out advice on just how she should go about having children. Like he knew anything about that. He’d married into a ready-made family and no doubt nixed the idea of having more kids. And he’d definitely screwed things up with Maura-big time.
Kelsey made a point of not allowing herself to look out the window. Nathan would probably be feeding the horses their morning hay and brushing them. While she had every reason in the world to hate him for his insensitivity about her wanting children, she wished she hadn’t been so insistent that what happened between them had meant nothing. She’d said it to get back at him. Too bad it didn’t make her feel better.
His eyes had clouded when she’d made the remark. And then he’d grown quiet, as though helpless to think of anything to say. She suspected most men would have scoffed at the comment and added something like, ‘I didn’t hear you complain when I was banging the hell out of you.’
But Nathan had said nothing. Of course, he didn’t appear the type to go for cheap shots. He’d stood there for nearly half a minute, as though waiting for her to take the comment back. When she didn’t, that’s when he stormed out of the room.
She wished she’d held her tongue. But the comment had at least stopped his tirade about how wrong it was to have children this unconventionally. The two were from different worlds, and she was a fool to think they could have any type of future.
She quickly scanned the room, looking for any tell-tale signs of her visit. Grabbing her coat, she walked downstairs to wait for Meredith and Rachel to pick her up. When she heard the screen door squeak, she realized Nathan had come back inside.
Walking into the kitchen, she plopped down on a kitchen chair, waiting for the girls to arrive. How the two of them would manage to carry on a civil conversation before Rachel and Meredith picked her up was anyone’s guess.
He glanced over at her, a look of what could only be described as contempt on his face. He began busying himself, retrieving several pots, as though he intended to cook breakfast. Was the guy really intent on making her breakfast after they’d slugged it out just minutes ago?
“What time are the girls coming?” Nathan’s back was to her as he spoke, and she suspected he was too upset to make eye contact with her.
“They should be here in about five minutes.” When he didn’t bother turning around and simply nodded, Kelsey wondered what had possessed him to come back inside the house.
She got up from the chair and began pacing about the room. The conversation about the land was far from over, and she decided that it’d be best for all concerned to just get things out in the open.
He beat her to the punch. “I’m going to fight you for the land, Kelsey. I just thought you should know.”
He turned to face her, and that’s when she noticed the crow’s feet under his eyes. His voice had a monotone quality to it, and she realized that as upset as she was about the way things turned out, Nathan was equally upset.
While she felt some empathy for the guy, she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of winning an argument.
Aware he might not be taking her seriously, might not believe she’d really have the nerve to fight him for the land, she reiterated her stance. “Mimi meant for me to have that land, and I’m going to fight for it. If for no other reason, then for principle.” She prided herself on how politically correct she sounded, as though claiming the land was a worthy cause.
“Have at it, Kelsey. Do whatever you want, but if push comes to shove, I’ll hire a damned attorney. I’ve taken care of that property for nearly five years, and people here know me. They know that I’ve earned every right to that land.”
She almost agreed with him in theory, but he made the pronouncement with such a lack of passion that she seriously questioned whether or not in a court of law he had what it took to convince a judge. He wasn’t good that way. She, on the other hand, was.
And why that notion didn’t please her more than it did, confused her.
~ ~ ~
Nathan paced about the downtown area of Alpine, intent on getting his mind off Kelsey. With church over, several locals had driven over to tear down the flyers. Kelsey had been gone less than five hours, and already, he felt a void.
He glanced at the sea of tiny shops, wondering if he should stop by the Blue Depot for a beer. When he got to the railroad tracks leading out of town, he almost wished he could hop a train and get the hell out of here.
Exhaustion hung over him like a dense, fog. He couldn’t decide which had drained his energy more. Spending half the night making love to her, or the fact that she was going to claim the land. In any event, he was utterly spent.
Sleeping with her had been a terrible idea, particularly since she considered him nothing more than a one-night stand. While Kelsey might have felt that way about the two of them making love, he didn’t share her view. Of course, he hated himself for that. But something about her had stirred something up inside him. He had the distinct feeling he’d never forget the girl with the auburn hair and chocolate eyes.
He’d spoiled any chances he had with her, of course, by speaking before thinking. That comment he’d made about why she didn’t have children if she wanted them so darned much had sent her over the top. She hadn’t answered him but instead, had looked past him, a haunting expression on her face. From the moment she told him about the in vitro, he should have kept his big trap shut. Maybe she’d struggled to get pregnant, or worst case scenario, maybe she’d lost a child.
He hated himself for hurting her.
When he got to the cowboy mural painted on the back of the grocery store, he walked over to examine it. Glancing up at the oversized painting, he stared at the picture of actor of Dan Blocker, Alpine’s claim to fame. “Bet you never had this much trouble out at the Ponderosa.”
Glancing down at his watch, he realized Kelsey would probably be halfway home by now; halfway back to Dallas. He considered calling her, but she would no doubt tell him to go straight to hell; which would beat the heck out of standing here berating himself for being a jerk.
~ ~ ~
Kelsey stared down at her watch, wishing they were already back in Dallas when Rachel glanced over the seat and began trying to smooth things over. The three of them had been on the road for just five hours, and the tension was unbearable. If Rachel didn’t stop trying to be so darn nice, she and Kelsey were going to come to blows.
“You can have shotgun again if you’d like. You’ve been stuck in the backseat for the entire trip.” Rachel peered over the backseat, a look that smacked of pity sweeping across her face.
Here you go again, Rach. Give it a rest.
“No, you girls probably have a lot to talk about. Besides, I need to get some shuteye. I’m pretty tired.” Kelsey wasn’t sure which had zapped her energy more; spending most of the night making love with Nathan, or finding out he’d rather rot in hell than have kids.
“You look exhausted. Mere and I’ll keep things quiet so you can sleep.” Rachel’s voice now dripped with a thick coat of syrup, but Kelsey decided to pretend she hadn’t heard the comment.
Kelsey felt lightheaded now as her adrenalin began returning to normal. The fight in her was gone, replaced by something she couldn’t even define. Placing a hand across her chest, she squeezed on it, trying to dull the ache that consumed her.
“Sweetie, are you okay?” Meredith stared over the seat at her, a look of concern sweeping across her face.
Kelsey feverishly began arranging several items near her feet. “I’m fine. Just a little tired. Guess I’m getting a little old for these one-night stands.”
Rachel had turned around now, and was looking her straight in the eye. “You don’t need to say that on our account.”
“Save the sermon. That’s all it was, you know. Don’t make more of this than there actually is.”
“But I thought—”
Rachel. Give it a rest.
Eager to shift everyone’s attention away from Nathan, Kelsey decided to ask Rachel about Jake. “Jake really seems to like you. Think you’ll see him again?”
Under ordinary circumstances, the question would have sent Rachel into an extemporaneous speech about what a great guy Jake Crenshaw was, but to Kelsey’s surprise, she didn’t take the bait.
Chapter 10
Sarah Wainwright shielded her eyes from the glaring afternoon sun as she watched her brother’s truck barrel down the gravel driveway leading to her double wide trailer. She hadn’t seen Nathan in months, ever since she’d given birth to her son, Will.
Only lately had she and Nathan finally made their peace about her decision to undergo artificial insemination-a decision that had come with a price.
When her infant son stirred in his sleep, Sarah sauntered over to his cradle. Placing a hand on his tiny back, she patted him gingerly-just enough to make sure he was breathing, but not enough to wake him.
“I love you, little Will. Mama loves you.”
She heard Nathan’s familiar knock at the door; three raps. A rush of joy washed over her as she realized in spite of the falling out they’d had, he still remembered.
As she began making her way into the kitchen, she looked down at her son. “Stay right there, big guy. Mama’s going to let Uncle Nathan in.”
She barely got the door unlocked when her big brother bolted inside, scooped her up in his arms, and gave her an enormous hug. “Sare Bear! How the heck are ya?”
Sarah laughed at the nickname he’d given her when they were kids. While she seldom allowed anyone else to shorten her name, Nathan was the exception to the rule. He’d called her Sare Bear from the time she was born, and she cherished it. When he finally released his grip on her, she motioned him into the living room.
As Nathan looked down at Will lying in the cradle, his mood seemed to change. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he studied Will, almost as though he was seeing the child for the first time. It was difficult to get a read on what he was thinking. Of course, with Nathan, that was always the case.
“Will’s had a rough time. He was up most of the night.”
