She's Expecting

Mandy looked on the new job as a positive sign. She’d been miserable the last four months at her job in Denver, in the building department where Marc worked as an inspector. Running into each other from time to time was unavoidable. He had totally ignored her since she’d refused to get an abortion. In fact, he seemed to make more of a point to flirt with other women when she was around.

She hadn’t been able to turn off her feelings as easily as he had, though by the end of the third week of his rejection, she had grown contemptuous and then angry. Had he had any genuine feelings for her to begin with? She’d once thought he hung the moon. How quickly that illusion had been shattered.

She tried to shake off the feelings of inadequacy that plagued her whenever she thought of that last scene with Marc. He hadn’t wanted anything to do with her or their baby. A wife and child had no place in his plans for life.

Had that been how her own father had felt? Was it a man’s instinctive reaction to being tied down, to being responsible for another life? Her parents had never been married. Once her father discovered a baby was on the way, he’d taken off fast enough. Mandy could still vaguely remember her mother complaining, before she herself dumped Mandy with social services one day and took off. Mandy had been about five, but still remembered how lost she felt, and how scared.

Yet she saw families all the time—happy families. Fathers who seemed to love their wives and children. Who laughed and smiled during shopping trips to the mall or outings in the park. Even at the building department, some men kept pictures of their families on their desks, had love shining on their faces as they joked about babies teething or waking them in the night.

But the happy family scene seemed to escape Mandy. She’d never mastered it when she was a child, nor found it as an adult. Now she planned a new direction.

The prospect of a good, well-paying job on a site two hundred miles from Denver had given her new hope for the future—a future she planned to build for herself and her child. No more ventures into romance; no more trying to fit in with other people’s plans and goals. She would depend on no one but herself! Would make her own decisions and be independent.

The salary offered proved to be much higher than what she’d been earning—higher than usual to attract and hold good workers, the employment agency had told her.

There weren’t a lot of amenities. The nearest town was thirty miles away. Nonetheless, the job had seemed heaven-sent, to Mandy. She would mind her own business, keep to herself and save her money like crazy.

As she parked her car, she vowed she’d prove herself to Jeff—and Jackson Witt. They didn’t have to worry about their fifty-three other employees. She was here to work and get on with her life, not be a distraction.

Jackson glared at Moose Higgins. The man was one talented crane operator—except when he stopped paying attention. “That’s the fourth time I’ve told you to watch the edge of the cleared space. You just missed whacking those trees. I can’t afford to have that crane go out of commission. We’re already almost a week behind.”

“Hey, boss, lighten up. I didn’t hit anything. Came close, but close only counts in horseshoes.”

Jackson wasn’t appeased. “Don’t do it again.”

Moose shrugged and set the heavy crane into slow motion. He was as big as his name implied, but handled the heavy equipment with the delicate skill of a surgeon.

It wasn’t Moose’s fault, Jackson reluctantly admitted as he watched the skillful man maneuver the huge machine, beginning the intricate process of moving a twenty-five-foot beam into place.

The fault was his. He was angry at Jeff and taking it out on Moose. Dammit, what had his partner been thinking? They were behind on the site work, behind on the paperwork, and already out several thousand dollars, thanks to Pete’s embezzlement. To top things off, Jeff had to go hire a petite, feminine woman!

It was already September. Before long, the winter snow would start falling, forcing them into a hiatus until spring.

He needed someone who could unjam the logjam, seriously kick some butt and get the local officials off their collective duffs to grant their building approvals. Not some blonde who looked as if a strong wind would knock her over.

This was a hard-core construction site. Men responded to men. Not to some petite blonde with wide blue eyes, dressed in gauzy pink dresses.

Leave it to Jeff to be attracted to a pretty face, hear a sob story and offer her a job, her performance of which would undoubtably set them back even more.

Jackson didn’t have time to interview a bunch of people himself. He was needed on-site. Jeff knew that. It was the reason he’d been charged with hiring someone while on the buying trip to Denver. Had he gone crazy, or just been bowled over by bright blue eyes?

Jackson scowled. Blue eyes were blue eyes. He was lucky he’d even noticed the color. She was too young, too small, too feminine to work on a construction site.

He tried to ignore the face that seemed to dance before him as he watched Moose swing the beam. Her sunny smile had dimmed when he’d told Jeff to get rid of her. Her shoulders had slumped slightly for a moment, then straightened up as if she were ready for battle.

Jackson gave a cursory glance around and headed back to the office. There wasn’t going to be a battle. He’d told Jeff to send her packing. End of discussion. Now it’d be at least another week before he could interview anyone. He’d better go through the pile on the secretary’s desk himself and see what he could handle. Paperwork was not a part of the job he liked, but he’d do it if he had to. And Jeff could do more himself.

It wasn’t that his partner didn’t pull his weight, but lately Jeff…

Opening the door, Jackson frowned when he saw that the trailer was empty, the phone ringing off the hook. Where was Jeff? Jackson snatched up the phone and looked out the window.

“Witt,” he said curtly. He saw the woman’s car parked beside the third trailer. What was she doing here? And by the empty trailer?

An uneasy thought sprang to mind. No! Jeff wouldn’t—

“Witt, Barton here. We’ve run into a snafu with your latest lumber order,” the voice on the other end said.

Jackson switched gears. He’d deal with the secretary situation after he settled with Miles Barton about the latest problem.

“This’ll do fine.” Mandy looked around the small trailer. It was like a tiny apartment. The living room segued into a dining nook and galley kitchen. The hall-way mimicked the one in the office, leading to a bed and bath.

From one window, she saw the trailer next door. From the back, however, she had a stunning view of the mountains rising majestically around her. And caught a glimmer of the lake.

Best of all, it was free—part of the compensation package. And she still got a healthy salary—how lucky could she be? Jeff’s partner was not driving her away from this job!

“I know it’s far from the city and all. In your condition, you sure you’ll be okay here? The trailers don’t have phones, but I’m right next door. And we agreed we’ll be shutting down operations for the winter long before you’d start your maternity leave,” Jeff said, sounding worried.

Mandy nodded, wanting to pat Jeff’s arm and reassure him she was fine. She wasn’t used to people taking such an interest and showing so much concern in her life. She’d been on her own since she turned eighteen—nine years ago. It was sweet, but not something she’d grow to expect, or trust.

He was her boss. One of her bosses. And she knew enough not to step over that line.

“This will suit me perfectly.”

“I’ll bring in your things.”

She swiftly put away the perishables, while Jeff helped her put away canned goods and packages. He carried her suitcases and two cardboard boxes into her bedroom.

“I’ll unpack later,” Mandy told him. She didn’t want help unpacking. Or in anything else. The less she depended upon others, the less likely she was to be disappointed when they walked away. “I’m anxious to get started on the job.”

“Don’t you want to rest up after your trip?” he asked.

“Not necessary. I did nothing but drive, which meant sitting the entire way. Now I’d like to get to work. That’s what you’re paying me for.” And she didn’t want to provide any reason for his partner to fire her. Despite what Jackson Witt said, she’d come to this job in good faith. He couldn’t fire her merely for being a woman. Only if she messed up. Which she didn’t plan to do.

Jeff handed her a key as they left the trailer. He watched as Mandy carefully locked her door.

“It’s not that we have a lot of crime here,” he said when they began walking toward the office, “but with all the men around, you’ll need to be a bit careful. Some of these guys are mavericks.”

“I’ll keep to myself,” she said. Her door would not be opened to anyone coming to visit. She wanted time alone and expected to get it.

“Up to walking?” he asked.

“Sure.” She smiled, wondering how to set Jeff straight. It couldn’t be more than a hundred yards to the office. “I’m pregnant, not sick. Walking is good exercise. I usually do a couple of miles a day.”

“Not many places to walk around here.”

“Are you kidding? There are hundreds of acres of pristine forest land. Not to mention the shore of the lake. I can’t wait to explore that. And if I want a longer ramble, I can always walk back up the road a piece.”

“Not in your condition.” He looked appalled.