Luke nodded at the ATVs. “Well, maybe a ride on these bad boys will change her mind.”
“Maybe,” Mia said doubtfully.
“Let’s see if they still work!” Luke said.
With Jamison tucked into a backpack, Sophie headed into the cold winter air. Barren trees spread their branches over her as she entered the woods behind the house. This had been her childhood playground. Here she and Chloe had scaled the trees, built forts around the fallen stumps, and played countless hours of hide and go seek. She couldn’t wait to share her love of the outdoors with Jamison. But Jamison would never have a sister or a brother. She blinked back tears and tried not to think of his lonely childhood. They would have each other. That would be enough.
While Jamison grabbed handfuls of her hair and babbled, Sophie headed to where the blue firs grew. She stopped when she heard someone gagging.
“Hello?” she called.
Silence answered.
Sophie turned to where she thought the sound had come from and found Paige braced against the tree. With tears streaming down her face, Paige leaned over and vomited all over a knee-high fern.
“Paige—you’re sick!”
Paige straightened and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’ll be okay,” she said.
“You don’t look okay.”
Paige closed her eyes and leaned back against the tree. “I’ll be fine in about seven months.”
“You’re pregnant?” Sophie didn’t know why she was whispering since there wasn’t anyone around. In the distance, the ATVs’ engines roared, letting her know that Luke and Mia would never be able to hear them talking.
Paige nodded and slid down until she sat with her back braced against the tee. She sniffed. “I came here this weekend hoping I could get Luke to sleep with me.” Holding up her hand, she stopped Sophie’s interruption. “I know it was wrong, but I also knew he would marry me if I told I was expecting his child.”
“Are you in love with him?”
“This wasn’t about love, but yes. I’ve been half in love with Luke my entire life. But then I saw him with you. I saw the way he looks at you. And he’s smart. Even if I’d been able to trick him into marrying me, it wouldn’t be long until he grew to hate me.” She hung her head. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Sophie skirted around the vomit-drenched fern and sat beside Paige. “Do you want to keep it?”
“I can’t be a single mom. I’m not like you.”
“I didn’t think I could be a single mom, either. I’m still scared. At least once every day I’m terrified that I’m somehow going harm him, or screw him up. But he loves me anyway.”
“I’m not ready.”
“What about the dad?”
“He’s…not worthy.” She closed her eyes and leaned back against the tree. “So not worthy.”
“He’ll still want to know.”
“I have a restraining order against him. I filed it even before I knew I was pregnant.”
“He was violent?”
She nodded. “And he was dealing.”
“Drugs?”
She looked away. “I didn’t know it. I found out later. All I knew was he was really, really rich…and he liked to spend money on me.”
“My nonna used to say that a man isn’t a financial plan.”
“I could really use a financial plan right now.”
