Excerpt: Copyrighted Material
"I don't know who I hate more," Karen Pollack said with a sigh. "Steve or Jake Blankenship." She sat in her friend Melissa's hospital room holding her friend's newborn son, Brady Conner Reed.
"What a nice topic of conversation," Lexie, her other best friend, commented dryly from across the room in the rocking chair.
Melissa released a soft giggle and reclined into the pillows on her hospital bed. Remembering from when she'd had Tyler, Karen knew that the hours following childbirth were very uncomfortable. Melissa's husband, Spencer, lay in the recliner designed for sleeping and snored loudly.
Karen stood, walked to the bed, and lowered the newborn into his mother's arms. As Melissa nuzzled her baby, Karen sat on the foot of the bed.
"So, is it as bad as they say?" Lexie asked with a groan. She'd discovered she was pregnant just two weeks after her impromptu wedding to Max Davis.
"Yes," Karen and Lexie answered in unison. To be honest, Karen had forgotten much of the details of the pain, but she remembered being incredibly uncomfortable.
"Ohhh," Lexie sighed and closed her eyes.
"What happened this time?" Melissa asked, turning the conversation back on Karen's earlier statement.
"I met with my attorney yesterday and he says that the biggest problem with the settlement is because I had an affair with Jake while I was still married to Steve," Karen explained. If she had it to do over again, she never would have jumped into bed with Jake. But she'd been so confused, she couldn't think straight. And in the end, it had been exactly what she needed to finally have the guts to leave her marriage.
"Just tell the judge that Jake took advantage of your vulnerability," Lexie replied with a shrug. Considering Lexie had her issues with Jake and had responded to the domestic call after Steve caught Karen with Jake, she'd listened to the story quite a few times.
"If Karen is one thing, it certainly isn't vulnerable," Melissa said dryly.
"Gee, thanks," Karen muttered. Sometimes it surprised her how well her friends knew her.
Karen looked over at Lexie and saw her friend biting her lower lip. This always meant she tried to avoid saying something that would cause a fight or hurt her friends' feelings.
"Anyway," Karen continued. "Steve and I start mediation next week. It should be interesting."
"Are you still seeing Jake?" Melissa asked with deliberate caution. Considering she held her newborn son, she was somewhat protected from Karen's possible wrath.
"No," Karen said firmly, rolling her eyes. "I've managed to avoid him when he's at the station. And I haven't answered his calls or pages."
A week earlier, Jake had finally gotten the hint and left her alone. A twinge of disappointment shot through her. The jealous instinct told her he'd found someone else and was no longer interested in Karen. After all, Jake prided himself on being a stud. The so called "poster boy" of the Chilhowee Cove Police Department.
It wasn't that she was playing hard to get to make him pursue her harder. She didn't know what she wanted from Jake. Well, she did, but she'd be damned if she'd admit all she needed was a good fuck.
"Is he as good in bed as he claims?" Lexie asked, straightening her neck and gazing at her friend. Lexie had worked with Jake long enough to hear him brag about his track record with the ladies.
Karen shrugged. She wasn't really sure how to describe her couplings with Jake. Maybe it had been simply sex. She'd never taken the time to figure out what her feelings were or wonder what the possibilities were. There'd been no point.
"I just want to do what's best for my son," Karen vowed, steering the discussion away from Jake's bedroom performance. She meant it. Her little boy was the most important thing in her life. That had to be her priority. She had a duty to take care of him and do everything in her power to make sure this divorce didn't destroy him.
"He's all that matters," Melissa agreed, looking down at her own baby boy with a smile. Her friend absolutely beamed with a combination of pride and bliss.
Lexie nodded to indicate she felt the same as Melissa about Tyler being the most important factor. They fell into a silence for a few moments until Spencer awoke with a start.
"Who's all that matters?" He asked, bleary-eyed. Being the city editor for the local newspaper, asking questions was ingrained deep in his soul. He could do it asleep, which was apparent. Even after coaching his wife through childbirth, that instinct remained intact. Melissa had gleefully recounted to her friends that Spencer had called all the relatives relaying information like he would from headquarters of a major election or something.
All three women laughed at the cloud of confusion covering Spencer's face.
"Tyler," Melissa finally answered with softer giggle.
"What about Tyler?" Spencer sat up straighter and raked a hand through his sandy hair. He repositioned his glasses on his eyes, pushing them forward with his middle finger. Karen realized at that very moment that anyone who didn't know Spencer would believe he was giving her the bird. "We're just talking about how he's the most important person to consider with Karen's divorce and all," Melissa explained with a sigh.
"Oh," Spencer said with obvious disappointment.
"You can go back to sleep if you want to," Lexie encouraged him. "We'll keep Melissa company."
"Actually," Melissa said with a loud yawn. "I need some sleep too."
She gently placed Brady back into the plastic bassinet beside her bed. Laying back into her pillows, she gazed at her friends beneath heavy eyelids.
"Okay," Karen agreed. "Lex, why don't we go get something to eat. I'm starved."
With a nod, Lexie stood. By the time Karen got to her feet, Melissa's eyes were closed and Spencer was snoring. Like most newborns, Brady too slept soundly. The small family made a pretty picture. For a moment, Karen's heart ached. Steve hadn't ever curled up in a chair in her hospital room when Tyler was born. He didn't even show up to take her home when they were released. Her mother had to do it because Steve was too busy with a drug bust to take care of his wife and son.
It touched Karen's heart that her best friend had a husband that wouldn't do the same.
Inhaling deeply, she followed Lexie out the door.
"I'm not really hungry," Lexie confessed once they were in the hallway. They started to walk slowly.
"Me neither," Karen concurred with a shrug. "They just need their rest."
"Have you eaten anything lately?" Lexie asked. From the corner of her eye, Karen saw the concern in her friend's face.
"Yeah," Karen said with a sigh. The divorce proceedings had hit Karen hard, especially her appetite. She'd lost ten pounds in the last month. Most of it was related to her stomach staying in such knots that the very thought of food made her ill. She'd joked that it was simply sympathy sickness for Lexie.
But Lexie hadn't bought it and started bringing her a chocolate milkshake every day during the week. That had slowed the weight loss and forced something on Karen's stomach. In the past few days, she'd even found herself hungry again.
Walking silently through the hospital, a montage of emotions surrounded Karen. Her son had been born in this hospital. Her father had died there.
"Just think," Karen finally said. "You'll be back here in another eight months to have your own baby."
"Ughh," Lexie replied. "I'm scared to death."
"You'll be fine," Karen said, placing an arm around her friend's shoulders. "And I bet Max will be as diligent as Spencer." Who would have thought two confirmed bachelors could be such good dads? Maybe there was some hope for Jake after all.
"He's already is driving me crazy."
Karen felt the corners of her lips turn up into a smile. She hoped that when she had her next child, her next husband would be sweet and coddling.
"At least he cares," Karen found herself saying dryly.
Lexie remained silent until they reached Lexie's SUV.
"I'm actually craving a western omelet," Lexie said. Karen could almost hear her salivating.
"The diner is still serving breakfast," Karen reminded her. "And Tyler is spending the night with mom."
"Well, let's swing by there. Max won't be home for a few more hours." It was around seven at night. Because Lexie had been put on desk duty once she'd discovered her pregnancy, she'd started working normal hours Monday through Friday. But since Max continued to work at the jail, his hours were still odd and usually opposite of Lexie's.
It had been fun for Karen to have Lexie in the office with her, though Karen knew it had been hard for her friend to stay on the desk side of police business. She was a damn fine cop and had been an incredible asset to the city's force.
"Is Max going to switch to days?" Karen asked after Lexie pulled out of the hospital parking garage.
"Don't know," Lexie replied with a shrug. "He wants to get on at the police department. I'm also looking at staying home with the baby."
"Really?" Karen was surprised to hear that. "Won't you be bored?" Honestly, Karen would have loved staying home when Tyler was a baby. But Lexie was always so restless that she couldn't imagine her surviving being a stay-at-home mom.
"No," Lexie murmured. "Now that we have the house and all, I'm sure I'll have plenty to keep me busy. Besides if we don't have to worry about paying for childcare, there won't be as much need for both of us to work."
"So, is Max going to take your place on the squad?" Karen asked with a smirk. She knew that the very thought would irritate Lexie--at least it would have once upon a time.
"Don't know," Lexie said evenly. "Guess it depends on Chief Johnson."
Apparently, the thought of Max taking over the job Lexie dearly loved didn't bother her so much. Karen didn't press it and simply gazed out the window as the small town of Chilhowee Cove passed by as they approached the diner.
The sight of a city police cruiser piqued her interest for a moment and she found herself straining to see the number on the front that indicated whose it was.
"Hey, it's Jake," Lexie said with a lift to her voice.
"Yeah," Karen grumbled. She purposely looked through the front windshield to avoid making eye contact with him as they zoomed past him. From the corner of Karen's eye, she saw Lexie wave at Jake. "I thought you hated him?" Karen asked. Jake had been the point of contention between Max and Lexie during the early days of their relationship because Jake couldn't keep his mouth shut about them.
"Well, he and Max made up and they've actually become better friends because of it," Lexie said with a shrug. "Besides, Jake doesn't seem to be gossiping as much anymore."
"'Cause it turned on him," Karen groaned. Everybody in the county knew of Karen and Jake's affair. He had become the subject of gossip instead of the one spreading it, which brought a unique perspective. Something Karen had learned herself.
Lexie apparently sensed Karen's displeasure with the situation and said no more about Jake. Therefore, they continued to ride in silence.
* * * *
"Man, what am I going to do?" Jake Blankenship asked Max Davis as they sat on their stools drinking draft beer at Dugout. They'd met up after getting off for the evening.
"Don't know," Max replied, taking a sip.
"I think I really like her." Slowly, he darted his gaze to the right to look at Max, who'd arched his eyebrows upwards.
"Karen?" Max questioned for obvious clarification.
"Yeah. Karen." God, he hadn't been able to get it up in the weeks following the end of their affair. Somehow the thrill of picking up women and the parade of one night stands lost its luster.
They'd mutually agreed to call it quits for awhile. Karen had to sort out the dissolution of her marriage and take care of her son. But it had given Jake time to get more and more confused about what had transpired between them.
"Dude, just give her some space," Max urged. "If you crowd her, you won't have her in your life at all. Not even as a friend."
"I know," Jake grumbled in agreement. But patience wasn't one of his strengths. Especially when it came to Karen Pollack. She was so...
"You know, as much as you've whined about her in the last two months, you've never told me how this started to begin with." With his thumb, Max wiped away the mist covering the cold beer glass.
Jake shrugged. How had it started? That was a tough one. He'd always flirted with Karen. All the guys did. It was the same with Lexie. It didn't really mean anything. But somewhere along the way, such flirting with Karen had felt like so much more. He found himself swinging by the front office more in search of excuses to talk to her. Then, while he was on graveyard shift and Steve was away from the house, he started stopping by to see her or call her. She'd always talked about how lonely she felt in her marriage. It had touched his heart and drawn him in. Somehow, the harmless flirting had slowly turned into something a little more.
Then on Christmas night, she'd called him after he'd gone to one of his favorite blonde's houses. Steve had left to go out of town with one of his mistresses and Tyler was spending the night with his grandmother. After two glasses of wine, she'd called Jake in tears.
So, he'd left the blonde and gone to his friend. Once she'd calmed down, he noticed how beautiful her eyes were even with the swollen skin around them. He'd started to leave and pulled her into a hug. And then suddenly, his lips had taken control of hers. From there, they'd ended up having hot and heavy sex on her living room floor. There hadn't been time to think or even breathe. It had just happened. Way too quickly.
The affair continued for a few weeks until Steve walked in on them in bed. Although Karen had already decided to divorce Steve, she'd stayed in the house to give her son some normalcy for awhile. But the blowup had not only made Steve call the cops--with Lexie responding to rub salt in his wounds--but encouraged Karen to end the relationship for the moment.
"So, how's the new house?" Jake asked, changing the subject. No point in dwelling on what might be simply history now.
"Great," Max replied taking a sip. "Lexie is already picking out paint for the baby's room."
Jake found himself smiling. He'd always wanted to be a dad. But since he'd run from commitment for so long, he was in his thirties with no prospect of becoming a father.
"So, what do you want? A boy or a girl?"
"Don't really care as long as its healthy," Max replied with the cliché comment all prospective parents uttered. "But," he said with a whisper. "I wouldn't mind a little girl."
"As long as she doesn't look like you," Jake muttered. He took a sip of his beer and let the cool liquid flow down to his stomach. It felt good, but not as good as being with a woman. Beer was no match for sex.
Max slapped Jake on the back and stood. "Guess Lexie's not going to join us."
"Can't blame her since she can't drink and all."
"Yeah, but she's been complaining that we won't be able to go out now with the baby on the way. I wanted her to get out and at least have a soda or something where we had our first date."
"That was a date," Jake said with exasperation.
"Okay, fine, it's where we hooked up." Max's lips curled into a smile as he looked over his shoulder. Dugout was perfect for people looking for love in the wrong place. Max and Lexie had lucked out and it had been the right place for them. "Speaking of which," Max leaned in and whispered. "The blonde you left with that night is coming up."
"Shit," Jake groaned. Candy was the last person he wanted to see. "Don't go just yet."
With a nod, Max stood as a shadow for a moment. Jake looked over his shoulder and saw Candy approaching. For the first time, Jake realized she looked like a Barbie doll. Boobs that never moved--thanks to silicone implants--and hair too blonde to be real. It had been appealing once upon a time. Not anymore. He wanted a real woman. With real tits. Even if they were small and only filled his hand. Like Karen's.
"Hey, Jake," she greeted him.
"Hey," he replied.
"Got plans for later?" She edged between Jake and Max and planted a kiss on Jake's face. He wiped it away, finding red lipstick on his hands, which she'd left behind.
"I gotta take my man Max home," he explained. "Sorry."
Candy shrugged. "Call me later. Let's hookup sometime."
With that, she left. She wouldn't have trouble finding someone to keep her company for the night. She never had.
"Why'd you lie to her?" Max asked, puzzle clouding his eyes. "My bike's outside."
"I don't want to go home with her." Jake groaned. "Besides, I got other plans."
"What?" Max pulled some bills out of his wallet and tossed them to the bar.
Jake stood. "I'm going to get Karen to talk to me."
Max shook his head, but Jake simply turned and headed towards the door. Maybe if he talked to her, he could get her out of his system once and for all. Or at least they could finish this thing once and for all. Then he could get back to his life and not be so hung up on a woman he couldn't have.
* * * *
Max walked into the house he'd just moved into with Lexie, to find her curled up on the couch reading What to Expect When You're Expecting with a scowl painted across her soft lips.
"Hey babe," he greeted her.
"Hey," she replied blankly.
"Why didn't you come by Dugout?" He'd invited his wife to join him while he had a beer with his friend. Of course, she would've had to drink a soda.
Lexie shrugged and closed her book. "I had Karen with me. And it didn't appear that she wanted to see Jake."
"He certainly wants to see her." Max tossed his duty belt to the table and leaned down to claim his wife's lips.
Lexie rolled her eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of."
"Uh oh."
"What?" Lexie stood and wrapped her arms around Max's waist. He snuggled his arms around her and kissed the center of her forehead.
"Jake was going over there to talk to her."
"Ugghh," Lexie sighed and pressed her face into Max's chest.
Patting the back of Lexie's head, he tightened his grip on her. "Aren't you glad you don't have to worry about the sexual politics of being single anymore?"
"Yes," Lexie said against his chest. "Now, don't you go and leave me high and dry with this kid to raise." She looked up at him with a slight smile painted on her lips. She knew he wouldn't ever leave her.
"That's something you'll never have to worry about," he assured her with a kiss on the tip of her nose.
"I know," she agreed.
"So, how's the baby?" he asked, changing the subject to a happier topic. He pulled Lexie down with him, setting her in his lap as he folded into the recliner.
"Good," Lexie crooned. "I'm just scared to death of giving birth." She wrinkled her entire face.
"You have several months left, you know," he teased.
"Yeah, but what if I can't get the epidural in time. Can you imagine how much that will hurt?"
"I'm sure you'll be screaming enough to let me know," he said, feeling the corners of his mouth go up into a smile. She swatted against his chest and started to get up. He kept her on his lap and pulled her closer to him. "Don't worry about it," he laughed.
"Mmmm," she sighed. He felt her muscles relax beneath his hands. "But I am looking forward to see if junior looks like his daddy."
"It could be a girl," he crooned.
"No, it's a boy," she insisted. "And he'll be just as mischievous as his father."
"I want a girl," he said.
"Too bad," she said with a smile. "I'm the one having the baby."
"Well, I guess we'll just have to keep trying until we have a little girl. I want a smaller version of you to spoil rotten."
"Yeah, they say that little girls love their daddies more," she said.
"Well, maybe we'll have twins--one of each." He patted his wife's still flat stomach.
"Don't even joke about that," she warned by pointing her index finger in his face. "I can't imagine having two babies in there." She looked down at his hand on her stomach. "I'll be huge."
He took the very edge of her earlobe in his mouth and started to nibble it lightly. As usual, her skin tasted like a sweet vanilla dessert he couldn't get enough of. He'd love her if she ballooned up to three hundred pounds. And he knew she was well aware of that.
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Hot From Scandal by Erin Katz
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Rated » 3 Stars of 4 by reviewer Christy H. on May 1, 2006
Reviewer said » "...you have to love a guy who finds the one woman for him and waits for her."
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