The Texan's Surprise Baby (Bell Family 2)

“I wonder if he’s still going to be so grateful to me when he finds out I’m the father of your child,” Andrew murmured when he and Hannah were alone again for those few moments. “Could be my butt that will get whupped.”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, thinking that she was going to have to find a chance to tell her family the truth very soon. All these secrets and subterfuges, in addition to work, her uncertain future with Andrew and wondering just how crazy her ex-father-in-law had become were starting to fray her nerves. She still wasn’t looking forward to the pressure that would be put on Andrew to “do the right thing b

y her” or on herself to let him, but she’d handle that when it came up.

“I’m going to work,” she announced, needing something to do.

“You haven’t had breakfast,” Andrew reminded her.

“I’m a little queasy this morning. I’ll have some crackers at my desk.”

He nodded and carried his coffee cup to the sink. “I’ll drive you.”

“I can—” She sighed when he gave her a look over his shoulder. “Fine. Let’s go.”

* * *

“So, Shelby has postulated another of her theories,” Aaron commented an hour later from the passenger seat of Andrew’s car. “I know her family sometimes makes fun of her vivid imagination, but you have to admit she’s often right.”

“I’ve always respected Shelby’s instincts,” Andrew agreed somewhat absently. His attention was divided between his driving, his pleasurable memories of the night before and his concerns about his future with Hannah and the baby. Shelby’s latest brainstorm was low on his list of interests at the moment, though he made an effort to keep up his part of the conversation. “Does her new theory have anything to do with who’s been harassing Hannah?”

“No, she pretty much agrees with everyone else on that. Thinks it’s probably Chuck Cavender. Though her new suspicion does concern Hannah. And you.”

Andrew’s fingers tightened reflexively on the steering wheel. Aaron had his full attention now. “Does it?”

“Hmm. As in...she’s wondering if you and Hannah have seen each other at least once since you left the resort last August.”

Andrew would not lie to his twin, but he’d made a promise to Hannah that he wouldn’t share their secret just yet. So he remained quiet.

Aaron read that silence perfectly. “Damn, Shelby’s right, isn’t she?”

Andrew shot his brother a look, taking in his stunned expression before turning his eyes back to the road ahead.

Aaron turned sideways in the passenger seat. “You’re the father of Hannah’s baby. You’d have already denied it if you weren’t.”

“Which direction do I turn at the intersection?”

Impatiently, Aaron consulted the notes in his hand. “Turn right. I assume Hannah has forbidden you to tell? But from what I think I’ve learned about her, I bet she didn’t order you to outright lie in response to a direct question. Are you the father of Hannah’s child?”

Aaron was right of course, that Hannah wouldn’t expect him to blatantly lie to his brother’s direct question. She would never ask that of him.

“Yes.” The relief of finally sharing the truth with his twin was immediate. “She’s going to tell everyone else soon. In the meantime...”

“I won’t give it away,” Aaron promised, sounding stunned. “I won’t even confirm Shelby’s theory to her—well, unless she asks me outright of course.”

Andrew shrugged, figuring Shelby would know within ten minutes of their returning to the resort. It would probably be the first thing she asked Aaron upon seeing him again. He sent a silent apology to Hannah, but he’d warned her that the longer they waited the more likely it was that the secret would come out anyway.

“Wow. So you’re going to be a father. And I’m an uncle,” Aaron marveled. “Mom and Dad are going to freak.”

Swallowing hard, Andrew muttered, “Um, yeah. Probably. Let’s just say it’s been a momentous week for me.”

“No kidding. So you and Hannah have been seeing each other since you worked for them last summer? Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“We haven’t been seeing each other. It was only the one night,” Andrew admitted. “I hadn’t even heard from her since.”

He needed to think of a better way to phrase that in the future. He didn’t want anyone thinking he and Hannah had indulged in a cheap one-night stand. It had been much more than that—for him at least—though he had yet to come up with an explanation that made sense. Probably because he still didn’t know why she’d spent that night with him when she was only going to shoot him down afterward.

“Hey, wait a minute. Am I the one who told you Hannah’s pregnant? You really didn’t know until I mentioned it on the phone the other day?”