Part 30 (2/2)
The knock on the door surprised them. They didn't get many visitors and none in the middle of the afternoon. Emma scrambled out of bed and grabbed for the clothes she'd left folded on a nearby willow rocker. Sam made it back into his wheelchair just fine, but he hadn't brought any clothes with him into Emma's bedroom.
”h.e.l.lfire and d.a.m.nation,” he muttered.
”h.e.l.lo! Anybody home?”
Sam grinned. ”That's my brother Luke! He's home from Africa!” He grabbed the sheet from the bed to hide his shriveled legs and said, ”Take your time getting dressed, then come and meet us in the kitchen.”
Emma stood with her bra in her hand and stared at the closed door. Dear G.o.d. She'd hoped she'd be married to Sam before Luke got back. Because he was going to take one look at her and realize there had been repercussions to their brief interlude six months ago.
She'd loved Luke since she was twelve, but he'd never looked twice at her. Until that fateful night, when they'd both been a little drunk.
Luke had realized too late she was a virgin, but her hymen had been intact and there'd been some blood and there'd been no denying it when he'd confronted her. He'd been angry at her for not telling him. Angry that she'd let him make love to her for the first time in the front seat of a pickup. Angry that he'd let himself make love to her when what he'd really wanted was another woman, the girl he'd dated all through high school. The girl whose engagement party they were both attending.
Her first s.e.xual experience had been exactly the way she'd described it to Sam. Painful and awkward and humiliating. But what they'd done had started a child in her. And however much she wished it wasn't true, Sam's brother was the father of her baby.
”I'm not dressed,” Sam called to Luke. ”Come on in and make yourself at home.”
Sam should have realized Luke wouldn't wait in the kitchen. A moment later his younger brother sauntered into Sam's bedroom, looking fit and tanned. He was taller than Sam had been at the same age, and a lot more lanky, with dark brown hair and gray-green eyes that were old beyond his twenty years.
”What are you doing in your skivvies in the middle of the afternoon?” Luke asked. ”If I didn't know better, I'd say you'd been enjoying a little-”
Sam couldn't help the flush. He kept right on dressing as Luke walked up and stood in front of him.
”Talk about a wolf in sheep's clothing,” Luke said with a grin. ”You've got a girl here somewhere, haven't you?”
With his jeans on, Sam didn't feel quite so exposed. He pulled a T-s.h.i.+rt over his head and said, ”Not just a girl. The girl I'm going to marry.”
Luke whistled and clapped. ”Hallelujah and hosanna! My big brother is in love. Who's the lucky girl? Anyone I know?”
”I'm the one who's lucky,” Sam said. ”And it's definitely someone you know.”
”Don't tell me. Let me guess.” Luke named four girls in quick succession who'd all had crushes on Sam when he'd played football in high school.
”Nope. I'll give you a hint,” Sam said. ”Once upon a time she was skinny as a bed slat.”
Luke frowned. ”h.e.l.l if I can remember anyone who-”
”Bright red hair.”
Luke slapped his forehead. ”Emma Coburn!” He stared hard at Sam and said, ”Emma Coburn? How did you two meet?”
”She's been cooking and cleaning for me for the past month or so since Blackjack moved in with Mom.”
Luke scowled. ”I couldn't believe it when you wrote me what was going on with the two of them. That sonofab.i.t.c.h is right where he deserves to be now that he's in jail. How's Mom taking it?”
”She's pretty broken up. She doesn't believe he's guilty.”
”She wouldn't,” Luke said disgustedly. ”When are you and Emma getting married?”
”As soon as we can get the church reserved.” He hesitated, then said, ”She's pregnant.”
Luke's jaw dropped. ”Wonders never cease.” He crossed and picked up Sam's hand and gripped it hard. ”I thought... I mean, I figured you couldn't... I mean, the doctors said you couldn't...”
Sam pulled his hand free. ”I wish-”
At that instant Emma knocked on the door and said, ”Are you two coming out of there anytime soon?”
Before Sam could stop him, Luke hurried to the door and pulled it open. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Emma's belly.
Sam watched Emma's face bleach white as she met Luke's gaze.
Luke's head swung around to Sam. ”I thought you said she'd only been working for you a month. She's got to be-”
”She's six months pregnant,” Sam confirmed. ”I was trying to tell you. The baby isn't mine. It's-”
”Mine,” Luke said in a harsh voice. He turned back to Emma and said, ”Isn't that right, Emma? That baby is mine!”
Sam's heart skipped a beat. Maybe more than one. He was staring at Emma, expecting her to deny it. Needing her to deny it. But she wouldn't look at him. Her eyes were lowered to her hands, which protectively surrounded her belly.
Sam wheeled his chair over to the door, forcing himself between Luke and Emma. ”Is that true, Emma? Is Luke the father?”
”Yes.”
Her voice was so soft he barely heard the word, but it shattered his world. ”Why didn't you tell me?” He saw the desolation in her eyes, but the pain he felt in his own chest was excruciating. How could he marry her now? The answer was he couldn't. She was pregnant with his brother's child, for G.o.d's sake!
A tear dripped off her chin and fell onto her blouse.
”What am I supposed to do with you?” Sam said, rubbing angrily at his stinging eyes.
”Couldn't we go on the way we were?” Emma said.
”No.”
”Why not?”
”Because I couldn't stand to look at you.”
He saw Emma cringe and knew she'd misunderstood him. She thought he hated her, when the exact opposite was true. He couldn't bear to look at her because it would tear his guts out. And he sure as h.e.l.l couldn't marry her. Not now.
”You and Luke should marry,” he said. ”I'll make the arrangements as soon as possible.”
Luke looked at him, startled. ”I'm not in love with Emma,” he said. ”And if she was going to marry you-”
”You're the father of her child. You'll do the right thing and give that child your name, or you're no brother of mine!”
”What about Emma?” Luke countered. ”What if she doesn't want to marry me?”
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