ever happened. I
shouldn’t have even thought of dragging you into this. I’m sorry.” He turned
and started to walk to his car, but her words stopped him.
“Evan, I will think about it, okay? No promises. I have to
be sure. This isn’t something to take lightly.” Her hand stroked across her
expanding baby bump. “I have a child to consider, too.”
His eyes watched her hand and he nodded. “I’ve always
wanted to be a daddy.”
She smiled. “We’ll see.”
They were married in a quiet civil ceremony a few weeks
later and moved into one of the new houses on Mirror Lake, just down the road
from the stables.
To quiet the rumors at the precinct where Evan was
stationed, Briann insisted on having a back yard pool party and bar-b-cue and
inviting his fellow officers and their families over.
Shelly arranged for help with the cooking and serving,
knowing her sister-in-law was reaching the stage in her pregnancy where her
wish to do things might outweigh her abilities.
Although Evan warned her that she would be subject to a
great deal of teasing from his co-workers, Briann was still surprised at their
ribald jokes and sexist humor. Where they had been suspicious of Evan before,
now that he had not only a wife, but an obviously pregnant one, they crowed
loudly about his manhood and since there was almost fifteen years difference in
their ages, he was patted on the back while being teased for having robbed the
cradle.
Briann overheard that remark and couldn’t resist a quick
comeback. “Well, he had to get me out of the cradle so we’d have someplace to
lay this baby.”
Having exhibited spunk as befitting a policeman’s wife, she
was accepted and the teasing abated.
Evan still saw Pete, but even though the marriage caused a
temporary rift between the two of them, Evan insisted on keeping that part of
his life separate from his family life.
In spite of their reservations concerning her marriage, when
Aunt Poog and Uncle Mike came to visit, they couldn’t help liking Evan. He did
everything in his power to show them how much he valued his wife and how he
looked forward to becoming a father.
Mike couldn’t hide his disapproval of Evan claiming
fatherhood of Slade’s baby, but there was nothing he could do about it, so he
kept it to himself, and grudgingly accepted the fact that Evan would probably
be a very good father.
Evan took pictures of Briann almost daily and anyone could
see his excitement growing as her time drew nearer.
Briann knew Evan saw Pete regularly and didn’t begrudge him
that. He was always considerate of her and discrete in his relationship with
Pete. She was sure that Pete resented the marriage, but Evan seemed happy and
that was the important thing to her.
He insisted that they see a lawyer and set up a trust fund
for the baby and for Briann in case of his death. He opened a checking account
in her name and made sure a generous amount would be deposited into it monthly.
She couldn’t believe how thoughtful he was.
When he began talking about hiring a household staff, she
put her foot down.
“I’ll be grateful for someone to come in once a week and do
the heavy chores, like mopping, washing windows, and whatever, but I’m
perfectly capable of cooking our meals and doing our laundry. I’m not planning
on sharing my beautiful home with strangers and I don’t want my child being
raised by nannies.” She couldn’t help remembering how needy the silver-spoon
quad-set had been when she’d first met them. They didn’t even know how to
saddle their own horses. Now they helped some of the younger kids at the barn
and were looking forward to taking turns caring for the baby while Briann gave
lessons once she was able to go back to work. Briann was very proud of them.
Shelly was almost as excited and Briann and Evan. She
helped pick out furniture for the nursery and insisted on going along on the
doctor visits.
When the doctor
shouldn’t have even thought of dragging you into this. I’m sorry.” He turned
and started to walk to his car, but her words stopped him.
“Evan, I will think about it, okay? No promises. I have to
be sure. This isn’t something to take lightly.” Her hand stroked across her
expanding baby bump. “I have a child to consider, too.”
His eyes watched her hand and he nodded. “I’ve always
wanted to be a daddy.”
She smiled. “We’ll see.”
They were married in a quiet civil ceremony a few weeks
later and moved into one of the new houses on Mirror Lake, just down the road
from the stables.
To quiet the rumors at the precinct where Evan was
stationed, Briann insisted on having a back yard pool party and bar-b-cue and
inviting his fellow officers and their families over.
Shelly arranged for help with the cooking and serving,
knowing her sister-in-law was reaching the stage in her pregnancy where her
wish to do things might outweigh her abilities.
Although Evan warned her that she would be subject to a
great deal of teasing from his co-workers, Briann was still surprised at their
ribald jokes and sexist humor. Where they had been suspicious of Evan before,
now that he had not only a wife, but an obviously pregnant one, they crowed
loudly about his manhood and since there was almost fifteen years difference in
their ages, he was patted on the back while being teased for having robbed the
cradle.
Briann overheard that remark and couldn’t resist a quick
comeback. “Well, he had to get me out of the cradle so we’d have someplace to
lay this baby.”
Having exhibited spunk as befitting a policeman’s wife, she
was accepted and the teasing abated.
Evan still saw Pete, but even though the marriage caused a
temporary rift between the two of them, Evan insisted on keeping that part of
his life separate from his family life.
In spite of their reservations concerning her marriage, when
Aunt Poog and Uncle Mike came to visit, they couldn’t help liking Evan. He did
everything in his power to show them how much he valued his wife and how he
looked forward to becoming a father.
Mike couldn’t hide his disapproval of Evan claiming
fatherhood of Slade’s baby, but there was nothing he could do about it, so he
kept it to himself, and grudgingly accepted the fact that Evan would probably
be a very good father.
Evan took pictures of Briann almost daily and anyone could
see his excitement growing as her time drew nearer.
Briann knew Evan saw Pete regularly and didn’t begrudge him
that. He was always considerate of her and discrete in his relationship with
Pete. She was sure that Pete resented the marriage, but Evan seemed happy and
that was the important thing to her.
He insisted that they see a lawyer and set up a trust fund
for the baby and for Briann in case of his death. He opened a checking account
in her name and made sure a generous amount would be deposited into it monthly.
She couldn’t believe how thoughtful he was.
When he began talking about hiring a household staff, she
put her foot down.
“I’ll be grateful for someone to come in once a week and do
the heavy chores, like mopping, washing windows, and whatever, but I’m
perfectly capable of cooking our meals and doing our laundry. I’m not planning
on sharing my beautiful home with strangers and I don’t want my child being
raised by nannies.” She couldn’t help remembering how needy the silver-spoon
quad-set had been when she’d first met them. They didn’t even know how to
saddle their own horses. Now they helped some of the younger kids at the barn
and were looking forward to taking turns caring for the baby while Briann gave
lessons once she was able to go back to work. Briann was very proud of them.
Shelly was almost as excited and Briann and Evan. She
helped pick out furniture for the nursery and insisted on going along on the
doctor visits.
When the doctor
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