“I’m going back for seconds,” said Greg, picking up his plate.
“We just sat down!” said Sandy wide-eyed as she looked at his empty plate.
“I’m hungry.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek before walking back inside.
Sandy’s cheeks turned pink. I could see the love they had for each other in that small gesture. I couldn’t ignore the tinge of jealousy I felt inside me, wishing I could have that one day.
“He’s a glutton,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
I laughed out loud.
“You know, I don’t know if it’s this balmy summer day, but you’re positively glowing,” said Sandy, tilting her head as she looked at me.
“Am I?” I asked, nearly choking.
My heart came to a full stop. Did sheknow?
“It’s probably all the sun and sweat. Gotta love a heat wave in New York.” I laughed nervously.
“Hmm,” she said, seemingly unconvinced. “Are you a vegetarian?” she asked.
I lifted a piece of bacon and took a bite. “I would be a poor excuse for one.”
“Oh!” She laughed, putting her hand to her mouth. “It’s just I noticed you didn’t hit up that lovely spread of deli meat at the charcuterie table.”
I swallowed hard. Sandy was an observant woman, and seemed to be on to me. Maybe it was mother’s intuition. I just wonderedhowgood that intuition was and if she was on to me and her son.
“Come to think of it…you didn’t help yourself to any of that fine champagne…”
I felt my body start to heat up, nerves budding in my stomach as I watched her piece me together.
“I don’t mean to overstep…but are you pregnant?” she asked.
My mouth opened slightly, taken off guard that she would flat-out ask. I didn’t think it was with ill intent, I just thought it was because she was an older woman who was a little too curious. I felt my eyes tear up and Sandy’s eyes filled with worry. I couldn’t say anything, but I didn’t have to because I just gave myself away.
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry,” she said, reaching for my hand and giving it a squeeze. “I’m just a nosy old woman with a love for babies.”
“It’s okay,” I said softly, wiping a tear from my cheek, looking around nervously. The last thing I needed was Chandler to see me crying with his mother. “It’s just been a lot. I’m so confused…”
She nodded and looked out toward the golf course, lost in thought. I wondered how much she knew about me and Chandler, if anything. He didn’t seem like the type to talk to his mother about his affairs, but the knowing look in her eye earlier said she somehow had put two and two together.
“It can be scary,” she said, her eyes distant. “But it would be an awful thing for a father not to know his baby…”
Was this woman a psychic or something?
“It would also be an awful thing for him to find out from someone else.” Her light brown eyes drifted toward me and locked with mine.
I was too stunned to speak. She was basically telling me that if I didn’t come clean, she would tell her son herself. I snapped my mouth shut and nodded slowly. She gave me a weak smile before standing from the table.
“I better go find Greg before there’s nothing left…”
I watched as she walked into the ballroom, finding Greg at the omelet station. She leaned in close and whispered something in his ear. He jerked his head back and looked to where I sat, my body now shaking. It felt like the walls were closing in, even as I sat outside with nothing around but grass and trees for miles. I wiped my mouth with my napkin and set it on the table before pulling myself to my feet, praying my legs wouldn’t give out on me. I had to find Chandler.
Chapter 26
Chandler
“It’s been a record-breaking month,” said the board of directors as he laid a firm hand on my shoulder. “Thanks to you, our shares are up, and you’ve made for one very happy board of investors.”
