“I can barely hear you. It sounded like you said your period’s late.”
“You heard right.”
“But you’re always as regular as clockwork... Wait just a hot damn minute. Are you saying what I think you are?”
Lana pictured her friend, face aglow with excitement. For the first time since she’d realized she might be pregnant, she smiled. “I’m sitting in the drugstore parking lot, about to pick up a couple of pregnancy tests. Will you come over after work and keep me company while I take them?”
Kate didn’t even pause before answering, “Definitely.”
Chapter
Fourteen
It’d beenanother exhausting day, but to Sly’s relief, it hadn’t rained. The weather experts predicted a long dry spell, which was bad for crops, but good for Sly. No more mud for a while. This would be a good time to install that new drainage system—if only he had the funds. He wished Carpenter would hurry up and pay him what he owed. Otherwise, he’d be forced to take out a loan. The thought weighed heavily on him, and by the time he wandered into the mudroom at sunset, he was grouchy, dirty, and running on empty.
His belly rumbling, he wandered into the kitchen, where Mrs. Rutland was slipping into her jacket to go home. He set his worries aside to focus on more pressing needs. “My mouth is watering. What’d you make?”
“Beef stew. It’s simmering, but should be ready in about half an hour. Be sure to soak the pan. I’ll wash it in the morning. Your salad and a coconut cream pie are in the fridge, and that loaf of homemade bread on the counter is still warm.”
Sly licked his lips. “What would I do without you?” he asked, and he was dead serious.
“Either learn to eat your own cooking, live on fast food, or get married. But I don’t want to talk myself out of this job. I’ll be here bright and early tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Mrs. R.”
After a quick shower, he stepped into clean clothes.
Barefoot, he took the stairs two at a time. In the kitchen he helped himself to a generous portion of stew and a thick slab of bread slathered with butter and jam.
As always, the food was delicious, but as much as he relished his solitude, tonight he wanted company to take his mind off his troubles. Female company, and not just any woman. Someone who’d listen and understand, without making any demands on him. Lana. He imagined packing up the meal and bringing it to her place to share. She’d insist she was full, then steal a piece of his buttered bread. She’d talk about her day and ask him about his.
He wasn’t about to analyze his emotions. He knew what he wanted and that was that.
So what if they couldn’t date or enjoy a short-term relationship? Who cared if their feelings for each other were too hot for friendship, or that they wanted different things? He could still drop by with dinner and say hello—if she was home.
He picked up his cell phone to find out.
“What if I’m pregnant?” Lana asked, propping her chin heavily on her fist. “What if I’m not?”
Several cartons of Chinese food from her favorite takeout sat between her and Kate on the table in the breakfast nook. Normally she relished every bite and often had seconds. Tonight, she was too wound up to do more than pick at her meal.
“Which would you rather be—as if I didn’t know?” Kate asked.
“Pregnant.” Lana wanted that with her whole being. There was only one problem. “If I am, I’m going to have to tell Sly.”
“Since he’s the daddy-to-be, that’s only fair.”
“True, but he won’t be happy about it.”
“He’ll certainly be surprised, that’s for sure. I’d want time to absorb a bombshell like this.”
“Of course there’s that. But once, when we were discussing having kids, Sly said he didn’t want any. He raised his brother, and apparently that didn’t turn out so well. He said that’d been enough fathering for him.”
“I’m guessing it was probably just talk.” Looking thoughtful, Kate picked a crispy noodle from her plate and popped it into her mouth. “But suppose he doesn’t want a child. What’ll you do then?”
Lana had already decided that. “The same thing I’ve been planning to do for months now—raise him or her by myself. That is, if I’m pregnant and stay that way till delivery time. What if I’m not?”
“Here we go again,” Kate muttered. “There’s only one way to find out. Take. The. Test. You’ve been stalling since I walked in the door.”
