Her heart thumped at the memory of Colt’s text messages over the last twelve months. The phone calls she hadn’t answered. The visits she hadn’t been home for.
But she’d had to focus on herself. So much of her had been scared that seeing him again might put her right back where she’d started. It would bring back all the failed IVF attempts.
And not a lot else had changed, either. His mother was still his mother. He’d still been in the military.
But now he’s out, a voice whispered in her head.
Not just out, he was here in Amber Ridge. He’d been back home in Montana for almost a month.
She’d booked this meeting at the fertility clinic before she’d known he was coming home. She was almost thirty-five, with a ticking clock when it came to her fertility.
Even after telling herself she’d never do IVF again, she felt like she owed it to herself to give it one final go.
But could she actually go through the process again? This time with a sperm donor?
Time would tell.
She was halfway home when her phone rang, Clara’s name flashing on the screen. She put her cousin on speaker. “Hey, can you hear me?”
“You’re muffled. Are you using your car’s Bluetooth?”
She cringed. Crap. She hadn’t told Clara she’d sold her car. She hadn’t told anyone. They’d ask questions and probably work out that she was having money problems, something she absolutely did not want, because then everyone would step in offering help. And she was not taking money from family.
“No. You’re on speaker.” She cleared her throat. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just wanted to check on you before your appointment.”
Those nerves took off in her belly again.
“Are you doing okay?” Clara asked softly.
“Yeah, I’m doing okay. I mean…it’s just an information appointment to find out about the process of using a sperm donor. I’m not committing to anything.”
“It’s still a big deal. I know I’ve already offered, but I’m more than happy to come with you.”
Indie was shaking her head before Clara had finished speaking. “No. You’ve been through so much this year.”
“Indie, I’m fine now.”
It had been less than a month since Clara had been chased down and shot at. “I’m okay to go by myself. But I appreciate the offer.”
“Fine, but if you change your mind—”
“You’ll be the first to know.”
“Good.”
There was a long pause, and Indie could almost hear her cousin thinking. “Say it.”
“Say what?”
“Whatever you’re trying to work up the courage to say.”
Clara sighed. “I was just going to ask if you’d seen him yet.”
She sucked in a breath of air. “I haven’t seen him.” Although, that probably had everything to do with her sudden need to become a recluse.
“Is that because, in an effort to avoid him, you haven’t been going out?”
