Her Unexpected Hero Read online

  “Get up!” Hank hollered.

  He grabbed her hair and yanked, trying to drag her to her feet. Her eyes firmly shut, Alyssa locked herself into a ball and hoped to heaven that he’d give up. With her head pounding and her scalp aching, she couldn’t concentrate on fighting him. Tears stung her eyes.

  When he let go of her hair, she cringed, waiting for the next blow. But it didn’t come. Instead, she heard a groan and then what sounded like snapping twigs.

  “You worthless son of a bitch! How dare you assault a woman!”

  Alyssa opened her eyes and looked over to see Jackson’s fist slamming into Hank’s jaw. The man dropped, then lay on the ground in a heap.

  “You broke my arm,” he whined.

  “I should break a lot more.” But instead of following through on that, Jackson dashed over to Alyssa. “Are you okay?” he asked, then shook his head. “Of course you’re not okay. I’m sorry I didn’t get out here sooner. I only just found out you left.”

  A moan caught his attention, and that’s when he saw Cody. “Ah, Alyssa, you and the kid? That bastard better get some major jail time for this.” Jackson grabbed his cell phone and dialed the sheriff.

  “Send an ambulance, too,” he said before disconnecting the call.

  “Where do you hurt, Alyssa?” he asked as he felt her arms and legs.

  “My . . . my head is pounding, but I think I’m fine. Please check on Cody. He got hit hard.”

  “Dammit! You got hit hard, too. You’re going to have a black eye and a bruised cheek. I want the paramedics to check you.”

  “I’m fine. Please, please check Cody,” she insisted. She felt a stirring in her stomach and knew her baby was okay. A couple of Tylenol and her head would be all right. She hoped the same could be said about Cody.

  “He’s fine, I’m sure. I’m more worried about you,” Jackson said, though he looked over at the boy as if torn.

  “Cody . . .” she insisted, and Jackson let out a frustrated breath.

  Several people came out of the bar at that moment, then froze at what they saw. “See how Cody’s doing,” Jackson ordered, and they ran over to the kid. “He’s not alone now.”

  Alyssa watched as Cody began to stir. “I tried to protect her,” Cody choked out as blood sprayed from his mouth.

  “That’s right, Cody. You tried. You did good,” someone assured Cody.

  Alyssa sagged with relief when Cody spoke. He was going to be just fine. She began to tremble as the reality of the situation settled in. This could have been so much worse. Sure, she and Cody would both feel a bit of pain, but it didn’t look as if there would be major injuries.

  When the ambulance pulled up, one man rushed to Cody and one moved over to Alyssa. “Where do you hurt, ma’am?” the paramedic asked after he kneeled down and began taking her pulse.

  “My head is throbbing, but I’m sure I just need Tylenol,” she said shakily, then looked over at Jackson, who wasn’t going anywhere. She needed them to check the baby, but she didn’t want to say it in front of him. Still, she couldn’t risk her baby’s health just to keep her secret. “Please make sure my baby is okay,” she practically whispered, refusing to look in Jackson’s eyes. She was hoping he wouldn’t hear, but there was no way that was possible, not with how close he was to her.

  The paramedic did an exam on her and, after about ten minutes, said everything sounded good. They could take her to the hospital if she wanted, but if she would rather go to her regular physician in the morning, that would probably be fine.

  “I’ll go to my doctor tomorrow,” she said, still not looking at Jackson.

  What was going to happen next? Fear now overwhelmed her, but at least it made her physical pain less acute. The ambulance finally departed after Cody refused to go with them, and the sheriff took statements from her and Cody and then arrested a groaning Hank, Alyssa found herself sitting on Jackson’s tailgate, wondering what she was going to say next.

  “We have some serious talking to do, Alyssa,” Jackson said, his brows furrowed.

  “I’m so tired, Jackson. I really just need to sleep,” she pleaded. Now was not the time. She had to regroup.

  Before he could say anything else, Alyssa watched headlights approach and sagged with relief when her father’s truck pulled up. Her parents jumped from the cab and rushed over to her.

  “What happened? Samantha phoned and said someone attacked you.”

  “I’m okay, Mom, but I want to go home,” Alyssa said as she climbed down from the tailgate.

  “Of course, darling. We’ll talk after you’ve rested.”

  Jackson wasn’t able to say a word as her parents led her to her father’s truck. She knew she had to tell him something, but for right now she had a reprieve. And she needed that time, because she had no idea what her next move was going to be.

  Alyssa awoke the next afternoon to find herself alone at last. Her mother had been hovering since the night before, then through the drive to the doctor’s office and back that morning, but she still hadn’t questioned Alyssa on the pregnancy. That showed how worried her mom must be.

  What must her parents be thinking? Tears filled her eyes. She’d done this all wrong. She’d done everything wrong. She should have talked to them, told them what was happening in her life. Instead, it took a beating for her to confide in them just the smallest amount. She’d had to admit her pregnancy, but she wasn’t ready to admit who the father was.

  The baby was okay. That was all that really mattered. Her shame and embarrassment shouldn’t factor into any of this. She rubbed the small bump in her lower abdomen. The baby was a part of her, and she would do whatever it took to keep the fetus safe until he or she was ready for this big world.

  Little slivers of light stole through the closed blinds of her bedroom, telling her it must still be day. Hearing a noise, she turned to find her mom walking into her room, carrying a tray.

  “Your coloring is looking better already, Alyssa.” After getting her daughter and the tray settled nicely, Teresa sat down in the chair she’d slept in the night before.

  “I’m sorry, Mama. I . . . just didn’t know how to tell you,” Alyssa said, fighting back tears as she finally said the words she should have said last night, should have said in the car earlier.

  “You know better than that. You can tell me anything. I would have been thrilled to find out I was going to be a grandmother, whether you’re married or not. I love you—you know that.” Teresa took her hand and a tear fell down her soft cheek.

  “I just didn’t want you to be ashamed of me,” Alyssa said as she fiddled with her fork.

  “Nothing you could ever do would make me feel that way. You’re my baby girl and I love you more than you could ever know. Until you have a baby of your own you won’t fully understand that kind of love—but it appears you’re well on your way to knowing the worry a mother feels when all is not right with her child.”

  “I’m pregnant and not married. I didn’t know how to tell you.”

  “Do you speak to the father? Is he taking responsibility? Is it that ex-manager of yours?” Of course her mom would ask the most difficult question for her to answer.

  “It’s . . . uh . . . complicated, but it’s not my old manager,” Alyssa said.

  “It can’t be that complicated, baby girl,” said her father, who walked through the door and joined them. “He either does the right thing or he’s not a real man.”

  “Not everything is so black-and-white, Daddy.”

  “It sure is,” Donald said. “He either wants to take care of his baby or he wants to run and hide and pretend it didn’t happen—keep his head buried in the sand. I can’t imagine you would be in the company of a man who would shirk his responsibilities.”

  “You’re the perfect man, Daddy. No one could ever measure up to you.” Alyssa knew her dad was one of a kind, and her mother had been blessed to find him. Not everyone was so lucky.

  “I just know what’s right and what’s wrong,�
�� he said, brushing off her compliment as usual—he’d never been good at accepting praise.

  “I know you do. I just really don’t want to talk about the father right now.” She knew it was unfair of her to ask them to remain in the dark, but she was so confused right now.

  “We won’t push you,” Teresa said, then looked down at Alyssa’s tray. “You need to eat your lunch, darling. When you’re done, I’ll help you get cleaned up.” She stood and kissed her daughter on the forehead.

  When they left her alone, of course her thoughts returned to Jackson. She hadn’t spoken to him since the previous night when she’d left him standing in that parking lot. She wasn’t a good liar, and she feared she’d end up blurting out to him that he was the baby’s father.

  If she knew him better, knew that he wouldn’t try to take her child, she would be more than willing to share the responsibility of the baby with him. She wasn’t a fool. She knew how difficult it was going to be to raise this child on her own.

  But what if she told him and he decided he didn’t need her at all? Yes, he desired her. That was more than obvious, but desire did not equal love. It wasn’t like she was in love with him, either. She’d had one night with him, one fantastic night, and then she hadn’t seen him again for months.

  Sure, he’d been with her almost every day for the last two weeks, but he’d also made it more than clear that he was around because he wanted her in his bed and nothing more. Passion would fade. It always did—always. Unfortunately, she hadn’t forgotten even a minute of their night together. Even months later, her impulsive night with Jackson had left her with an ache in her body that refused to go away.

  When nighttime hit, she was grateful to feel herself drifting off toward sleep. At least that meant a few hours that she didn’t have to worry, didn’t have to make decisions. But such freedom would inevitably end too soon. One thing she knew for sure was that Jackson would come to her. She hoped she knew what to say when he did.

  Pacing the long front deck of Alyssa’s parents’ house, Jackson felt as if he’d need to be admitted to the nearest hospital if somebody didn’t answer the door, and soon. He’d barely managed to get any sleep the past two nights, and he wanted some answers.

  How was Alyssa feeling? Was she going to the doctor? When had she gotten pregnant? Was there a man in her life? Why hadn’t she said something sooner to him? What was the big secret? If there was someone in her life, he sure as hell hadn’t met him, and Jackson had been around Alyssa nearly every day since he’d discovered she was in Sterling.

  “Yes?” Jackson stopped and turned as he realized the door had opened and her parents were both there staring at him a bit skeptically. He must look slightly crazy, his hair mussed from the number of times he’d run his hands through it, dark circles beneath his eyes, and his clothes thrown on quickly, without his usual care.

  “I want to see Alyssa,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound crazy, too.

  “How do you know our daughter?” her father asked.

  “We met months ago . . . and she works for me now, but there’s more to it. It’s . . . uh . . .” He didn’t want to lie to the two of them, but he didn’t know how to finish that sentence, because he really didn’t know what was going on between him and Alyssa.

  Her father looked at him for several long assessing seconds. “Donald Gerard,” he finally said, sticking out his hand. “And this is my wife, Teresa.”

  “Jackson Whitman,” Jackson answered, too tense to say anything else.

  “Are you one of Martin’s boys?”

  Of course they knew the name. Everyone in Sterling, and half of Billings, knew the Whitman name, since his family was the largest employer in the town.

  “Yes, sir, I am,” Jackson replied.

  Her father continued looking at him, obviously trying to size up the young man. Jackson didn’t know what the verdict was going to be, but one way or another he was getting into this house to see Alyssa. He’d been the first one on the scene. He’d been the one to hold her when she’d been knocked to the ground. He had to see her, had to assure himself that she was fine. And he had to get some answers about the baby she carried.

  “You can come in,” her father said just when Jackson was figuring the man wouldn’t speak again. “I work for your dad. Your father is a fine man.”

  “Yes, he is,” Jackson said, but he had to grit his teeth. He didn’t want to make small talk about his father; he wanted to see Alyssa.

  “Well, then, I guess it would be okay for you to visit.”

  Jackson thanked her parents and then went up the stairs after they told him her door was the second on the left. Stopping before he entered the room, he took a deep breath. He needed to be calm before speaking to her. For that matter, he didn’t understand why he was so upset. Sure, he’d watched that asshole pull on her hair, and had seen the blood on her face. He would be concerned about anyone who’d gone through something like that. But what he was feeling was beyond concern. Jackson just couldn’t figure out why.

  Enough of this. Her door was open, so he stepped up to it and then felt his stomach churn when he saw how pale she looked. When she turned and saw him standing there, her eyes widened, but no words came out.

  He walked slowly to her bed and took a seat in the chair her mother must have been warming earlier. Then, carefully, he picked up her hand. “Are you feeling any better?”

  Her fingers trembled against his, but she didn’t pull them away. “I’m just scared, but I’m not hurting anymore.”

  “Everything will be fine. Hank is in jail, where hopefully he’ll stay for a while. He was cursing at everyone the other night, but the next morning was a whole other matter. He couldn’t believe what he’d done. It doesn’t excuse his behavior, but I think he’ll stay far away from you. My dad is friends with the judge, and I think he’s going to have to take mandatory rehab.”

  “That’s good to hear,” she said. “Some people just shouldn’t drink.”

  “I should have had security out in the parking lot. I’ve already called, and starting last night, there is a guard on every night shift.”

  “Jackson, this is in no way your fault. I’ve worked there four months and nothing like this has happened before. Hank just got out of hand . . .” She trailed off at the gleam in his eyes. It was obvious there would be no changing his mind about this.

  Jackson sat there a few moments longer, debating whether or not to mention the baby. She just looked so fragile right now, that he didn’t want to upset her. But he needed to know what was going on.

  “Is the baby’s father still in your life?” he blurted out. What if the guy came through those doors now? Jackson wanted Alyssa desperately, but he’d bow out if she was in love with another man and having the guy’s child. It was the right thing to do. But he hoped to heaven the man wasn’t in the picture, though he didn’t want to think about how selfish that made him.

  She gaped at him, and Jackson held his breath. It looked as if she didn’t even want to talk about the guy. That meant he was long gone, right?

  “Um, no. He’s not a part of my life,” she finally said, her cheeks turning pink.

  “He’s a fool, Alyssa. A real fool. I wouldn’t leave your side if you were carrying my child.”

  “I thought you said you would never marry again, Jackson.”

  “What does marriage have to do with it?”

  “So, if you got a woman pregnant, you would do . . . what?”

  Jackson squirmed in his seat. It wasn’t something he’d ever thought about. He didn’t plan on getting a woman pregnant. He always used protection, so it was a moot point, wasn’t it? She was silent, though, waiting for his answer.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “I just wouldn’t get someone pregnant.”

  Alyssa let out a sad sigh. “Not everything is that simple, Jackson.”

  “Well, is he stepping up or not? If he made a baby with you, he should be here.”

  She shifted nervously. “I don’
t want to talk about it,” she said, her voice just above a whisper.

  “This isn’t something that goes away just because you don’t want to talk about it.”

  “I can take care of myself, Jackson. I’ve been doing it for a long time.” She clearly didn’t like his patronizing attitude. She wasn’t a weak female and she didn’t want him to think she was.

  “Yes, of course you can. But it’s not easy to be a single mother.” He paused, then something inside him seemed to blossom and he sat up a bit straighter. “I’ll take care of you, Alyssa.” He was almost as shocked as she was when he said those words.

  “What are you talking about?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

  Hell, even he didn’t know what he was talking about. How was he going to explain it to her? What he should be doing was backing out of her room and running as far as he could. His fascination with her should have stopped the moment he found out she was pregnant.

  “You need to be taken care of. I can’t seem to stop thinking about you, wanting you, so really, it’s a simple solution,” he said, as if that solved all their problems. A lightbulb seemed to have flashed on in his brain.

  He wanted her desperately, with a passion that bordered on obsession. She was pregnant. It wasn’t easy to go through a pregnancy alone. He would take care of her through the pregnancy, through the birth, and then . . . and then, he was sure by that time, he’d be ready to let her go.

  He wouldn’t have to feel any guilt over it, because he could tell himself that he’d done a good thing, that he’d stepped in when she was most vulnerable, when she needed him most. It wasn’t as if he’d be the only one getting something out of the . . . relationship. Fear lodged in his throat when he even thought of that word, but he gulped it down. He knew that if he left now, he’d regret it.

  “You’re an ass, Jackson. Just when I think you’re starting to show some hint of a real person inside that thick skin you wear, you say something like that.”

  Now he was confused. “What’s wrong with admitting that I still want you? This is the perfect solution. I get what I want and so do you.” He smiled, thinking he’d just had a marvelous epiphany.