LOVING ELLIE by Lindsey Brookes

emotions.
    Adoption? 
    When Ellie had blurted out her decision to give her child up for adoption, his gut reaction had been to follow her into the house and pound on her bedroom door, demanding to know how she could even consider such a thing.  To give up the son she had created with his brother.  A man she’d agreed to wed.  To love and grow old with together.  But Lucas had held back.  Giving them both some space.
    Besides, what would he have said to her?  Told her she had no right?  The baby was hers, and without Jarrett there to object she had every right.  No, he had to stay calm.  As calm as a man could be while his gut twisted unmercifully inside him, and find some way to talk some sense into her.
    Grief made people do all sorts of crazy things.  He knew that better than anyone.  But Ellie giving up her son?  That was beyond crazy. 
    He couldn’t bring himself to look at her as they drove into town.  Neither of them spoke a word, leaving tension to hang thick inside the confines of the Jeep.
    Lucas forced himself to concentrate on the slick roads, relieved Ellie hadn’t insisted on attempting the drive herself.  He had enough riding his mind without adding her safety that morning to the mix.
    His grip tightened on the wheel as he turned onto the main street of town.  It felt like forever since he’d been there.  A lifetime ago.  He pulled up in front of what used to be known when he lived there as The Coffee Bar.  The sign painted across the center window at the front of the tiny shop now read - Ellie’s Place.
    Ruffled swags hung inside each of the large plate-glass windows and a vase of flowers sat centered on each of the windowsill between them.  The coffee shop looked more warm and welcoming than it had before, something he attributed to the feminine touches Ellie had added to it.
    How could someone give such warmth to a place of business, yet be so cold when it came to the child they carried?  What he wouldn’t give to have the child he’d lost along with his wife.  How could Ellie not realize what a gift her son was? 
    He turned to her, handing her the piece of paper he’d scribbled his cell phone number on before leaving the ranch.  “Give me a call when you’re ready for me to come get you,” he said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. 
    “I could have driven myself,” she muttered with that stubborn tilt of her chin, avoiding his gaze.
    “I’m sure you could have,” he said, trying to keep the anger he felt from his voice.  “Thanks for humoring me.”
    “Don’t get too used to it,” she replied with as she grabbed her purse from the seat and let herself out.
    He watched her go, thankful the sidewalks had been cleared of snow since she was bound and determined to do everything on her own.  Truth was he wasn’t even sure he could have brought himself to leave the jeep to walk her to the coffee shop door.  That would mean having to step out into his past, something he wasn’t prepared to do just yet.  Returning to the ranch again had been hard enough.
    On top of hearing Ellie’s announcement that she intended to give her son up for adoption, he had to drive through town where so many things reminded him of his life before.  Stores he and Anna had shopped in together.  Seeing people moving about the main street that had been to their wedding.  To her funeral.   
    Emotion clawed at his throat and anger surged through him at the unfairness of it all.  He stepped on the gas and sped out of town.
    Forty-five minutes later he was still sitting in the Jeep, staring out over his brother’s ranch.  Just as he’d expected when he booked his flight home, his past was quickly bulldozing over his emotions.  The last thing he wanted was to be sucked back into that deep void he’d been caught up in before leaving Eagle Ridge all those years ago.
    Looking around, he took in the canopy of white that coated the treetops above him.  Anna should be there to see the