by Brenda Novak
“What’s wrong?” her brother repeated, when Liz didn’t give him an answer.
“Nothing,” she said. She’d already decided she wouldn’t tell him about Gordon tonight. She needed to ponder how she’d handle the fact that the man who wasn’t really her father had just moved to town. She wanted Isaac to have a good relationship with Gordon, told herself it would be petty to hope for less. And yet, if she was being perfectly honest, she was frightened by the thought of the two of them growing close and somehow increasing her sense of isolation.
In any case, she figured she could give herself one night to sort out her emotions before dealing with Isaac’s reaction to the news.
But, as usual, he could tell that something was going on. He’d always been able to read her so well. “You seem upset.”
“Just tired.”
“Is it the shop? Because school will be out soon, you know, and I plan on helping you clean up whatever’s left.”
“You’ll be working on your book, remember? You spent all that time in Africa. You need to publish your research before it’s out of date.”
“I will, but I can still help. And I know Carter will help, too.”
Carter had promised he’d fix the shop the moment he returned. But she didn’t know when that would be. “I’ll muddle through,” she insisted.
“Do the police have any idea who’s responsible?” he asked.
Liz shook her head. “I called them earlier this afternoon, just after we heard the news about Gabe, but Officer Orton didn’t have anything new to tell me. He said he’s been trying to track down the stranger Mary saw in the parking lot. He’s been asking around to see if anyone might know him, but so far, he’s come up empty.”
“Mary was probably trying to throw you off the track,” he muttered.
“Maybe,” Liz said.
Reenie, finished with wiping off the counter, joined them.
Catching his wife’s eye, Isaac jerked his head toward the hallway. “Should we tell her?” he whispered, his change in tone and manner indicating they were talking about a whole new subject.
Liz glanced over at the children. Jennifer, Angela and Isabella hadn’t moved since she’d returned from the shop. They were completely engrossed in the movie. Her own children had finally managed to put on their shoes, but they were sitting on the floor, watching, too. “Tell me what?” she asked Isaac.
“We have a little secret.” Reenie smiled widely. “And we’d like you to be the first to know.”
Liz put the jacket and sweatshirt she was carrying on a chair along with her purse. “What is it?”
Reenie tugged on her arm. “Come in here. We don’t want the kids to know until we’ve had the chance to tell my parents. And we were waiting to do that until we knew how Gabe was going to fare.”
“Have you heard from him?” Liz asked, as she followed them both into the small living room that looked out over a wide expanse of lawn.
“Hannah put him on the phone just before you got back. The painkillers have made him loopy. His words were so slurred I couldn’t understand him. But at least I heard his voice. And Hannah said he’s doing better than the surgeon anticipated. If he recovers as quickly as planned, she should be able to bring him home in another week.”
“How will you explain such a long delay to your parents?” she asked.
Isaac closed the door separating the living room from the family room. “When Gabe’s able to speak coherently, Hannah plans to have him call and tell them about the operation. Kenny and Brent too. It’s in the past, and he pulled through, so there’s no reason to be upset.”
Liz remembered Lucky saying Gabe would require a series of operations, but she figured she didn’t need to mention future hurdles. For the moment, they could take heart in the fact that Gabe was okay. “Won’t they be angry that he didn’t tell them?”
“Of course,” Reenie said with a wave of her hand. “But that’s between them. I’m going to play dumb and stay out of it.”
Liz guessed the fact that Reenie had known all along would come out at some point. But she knew the Holbrooks would deal with it. Right now, she was more interested in the other secret they’d mentioned. The one they seemed so excited about—especially because she was fairly certain she’d already guessed what it was. “So what’s going on?” she asked eagerly. “What did you want to tell me?”
Reenie slipped her hand inside Isaac’s. “You tell her.”
His face filled with pride and excitement. “Reenie’s pregnant,” he said. “We’re expecting our first baby together.”
Liz had been right. It was a baby. Covering her mouth so she wouldn’t squeal and draw the children’s attention, she hugged Reenie. “How wonderful,” she said. “I’m so excited for you both. There’s nothing like having a child.”
“We tried to get pregnant for months, but it never happened,” Reenie explained. “Then we got so busy we gave up hoping and counting the days and making sure we timed everything right. And just a few weeks ago I realized that it had been almost two months since I’d had a period.”
“Have you been to the doctor?” Liz asked.
“No, but we’ve confirmed it with one of those over-the-counter tests.”
“Twice,” Isaac added.
“And I’m always regular.”
Liz was regular, too. Like clockwork. With Mica and Christopher, she’d been able to tell right away, almost the day she conceived—
Suddenly, her knees went weak and terror shot through her chest like a javelin.
“What is it?” Reenie asked.
Liz couldn’t speak. She was too busy thinking, trying to remember. When was the last time she’d had a period? She’d been inactive for so much of the previous two years that she’d gotten out of the habit of keeping track. But it had certainly been more than her usual twenty-eight days….
“Liz?” Isaac prompted, a heavy dose of concern in his voice. “Maybe you should sit down. You look like you’re about to pass out.”
Because she was. A buzzing sound inside her head, what sounded like a horde of bees, seemed to be growing louder by the second.
Her period should have started several days ago. Deep down she knew that, even if she didn’t want to admit it. But several days weren’t so many. Maybe she’d miscounted. Or she was only late. She’d been under a lot of stress lately. There was her father, and Gabe’s operation, and the shop, not to mention having Mary copy everything she did and Keith constantly pressuring her to reconcile.
Then there was Carter, of course.
He was the real problem, wasn’t he? He’d been inside her several times. They’d always used a condom, but in the middle of the night they’d been half-asleep. Had they been as diligent as they thought they’d been?
And even so, a condom was no guarantee…
“Liz, you’re scaring me,” Reenie said, her voice reflecting her worry.
Convincing herself that there had to be some other reason for her body’s tardiness, she managed a feeble smile. “It’s nothing.”
“That’s not true,” Isaac said. “I know you too well. We know you too well.”
“I’m thrilled for you, really.” She hated how reedy her voice sounded.
“But…” Reenie said.
Liz told herself to breathe, to smile, to lie as convincingly as she’d ever lied in her life. But she wasn’t particularly good at pretending, especially when she was reeling as though someone had just blindfolded her and run her around in circles. So she used the only excuse she could think of that might cover for her strange reaction. “Dad’s moved to town,” she said. “He’s leased a trailer not far from here and he plans to stay.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
LIZ SAT IN HER LIVING ROOM alone, with all the lights off, thankful that Mica and Christopher were finally asleep. Because she couldn’t pretend to function normally any longer. Not since she’d checked the calendar.
She’d had her last period the day she went in to help with Chris�
�s class. She remembered because she’d had to run to the store on her way to school to pick up some tampons. And that was thirty-five days ago. Thirty-five!
She needed to buy a pregnancy test. Only she couldn’t do it in Dundee. Marge over at Finley’s Grocery would tell everyone in town. Besides, Liz was too frightened of what the truth might be.
What would she do if she was pregnant? She and Carter barely knew each other.
With a helpless groan, she imagined herself eight months along, trying to prepare for the arrival of a baby while running the shop and taking care of her two other children—and nearly broke into a cold sweat. How would she explain the situation to Mica and Christopher? To everyone else?
She’d be a pariah in this conservative town. And she couldn’t move away. She’d just opened The Chocolaterie. Besides, where would she work if she was pregnant? And where would she go? Back to L.A. to face Dave?
No.
She buried her head in her hands, trying, without luck, to avoid the worst thought of all—telling Carter. What would he say? He wasn’t even planning to stay in Dundee, let alone become a father.
The phone rang. Liz eyed it suspiciously, then picked up the receiver. She was fairly certain it was going to be Reenie or Isaac. They’d asked her to call once she got home and was settled in for the night. They still believed she was upset about having Gordon in town.
“Hello?”
“There you are.”
She let her breath seep out very slowly. It was Carter. “How’s it going?” she asked, gripping the phone far too tightly.
He hesitated for a moment, which made her fear he’d already read something amiss in her voice. “Good. You?”
“Fine.”
“You sound tired.”
“It’s been a long day.” And then, because she didn’t have anything else to say, she added, “Gabe underwent surgery in Boston.”
“I thought he was on vacation.”
The sarcasm in his voice would’ve made her smile, had she been capable of it. He’d known they were harboring a secret all along. She’d seen it on his face that night at the Holbrooks’. He was so perceptive, which only increased her anxiety. There was no way he could guess the truth—was there?
“He didn’t want anyone who might tell his parents to know,” she said, hoping to keep him talking about other things.
“So how’d he do?”
“He’s still alive. That’s all we know so far.”
“That man doesn’t give up easily.”
Liz curled her fingernails into her palms. She was willing to bet Carter was a lot like Gabe in that way. “No.”
“Reenie must be relieved.”
“She is.”
“Is that where you’ve been? At her place?”
“Yeah. Have you been trying to reach me?”
“I’ve called a few times. I tried the shop, too—and I couldn’t believe it when Gordon answered the phone.”
“He’s back,” she said simply.
There was another lengthy pause. “Is that why you’re so subdued?”
Hoping to improve the blood flow to her brain, Liz put her head between her knees. She was subdued because she might have gotten herself into the biggest mess of her life. She was almost sure of it.
“I guess,” she managed to say. She would’ve asked him where he was and when he was coming back. That was what she’d been wondering since he’d left. But if she was pregnant, there was little point in that. Once he found out about the baby, he’d feel trapped and the relationship would be over.
“Liz?”
“What?” she replied, but she was only half listening. She was too busy remembering a snatch of conversation they’d had the first day they’d been together at The Chocolaterie.
Do you have children?…A little boy?…Maybe a girl, as well?
Did I bring any children to town?
They could be with their mother.
You were certain at the restaurant that I’ve never been married.
Some men have children without ever marrying.
Not me.
Not him. He’d said it so matter-of-factly. So positively. Which meant the relationship wouldn’t be over. He’d marry her whether he wanted to or not. Or maybe he’d ask her to get an abortion. But for Liz that wasn’t an option.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Really.” Her second line beeped and she immediately latched on to the excuse it offered. “I’m getting another call.” She hoped he’d say she could get back to him later, but he didn’t.
“I’ll hold. I have some news on the vandal that’s been giving you so much trouble.”
He had news? He’d been gone since right after the break-in. And the police certainly hadn’t been able to tell her anything.
“Okay, um, just a second.” She bit her lip and switched over. “Hello?”
“Liz?”
It was Dave. Did everything have to go wrong at once? “Now’s not a good time, Dave.”
“Fine. If you won’t talk to me over the phone, I’ll fly out there.”
“No!”
“What else can I do? You won’t even give me the chance to speak to you.”
“It’s not that. It’s…it’s been a horrible few days.” She felt tears burn the back of her eyes but refused to succumb to them.
“Why?”
“For starters, someone broke into the shop and nearly ruined it.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No.”
“Is it the same person as before, the one who ripped the sink from the wall?”
“I think so, because they did the same thing again. And a lot more. They spray painted the walls, poured water all over my inventory, broke a few cases and shelves, upended the sugar and spread it all over the floor. I haven’t been able to open since.”
He cursed under his breath. “I guess Dundee’s not so different from L.A., huh?”
“The worst part of it is that I can’t name even one enemy. So…who’s doing it?”
“It has to be Keith.”
Keith had been angry over Carter when he’d left that night. But he seemed so sincere when he said it wasn’t him. “Maybe.”
“I’m sorry, babe,” Dave said. “I know how that must’ve felt. When you figure out who’s doing this, I’ll come up there and kick some ass.”
“If I figure it out,” she said glumly.
“Do you want me to help you clean up the mess?”
“No, I’ve got it. Anyway, I’ve got to go. Reenie’s on the other line,” she said so she could get off the phone with him more quickly.
“Call me back?”
And say what? That she was probably pregnant with another man’s child? “Dave—”
“Please?” he said. “Come on, Liz. If you care about me at all, you’ll do that much.”
Biting back a sigh, she promised she would and returned to Carter. She thought he might ask about her caller’s identity, but he didn’t. She didn’t know if that meant he respected her privacy, he wasn’t easily threatened or he didn’t care. He’d once let her know that he didn’t like having competition, but he hadn’t mentioned Dave since, so maybe that had changed.
“Do you have any connection to a Rocky Bradley?” he asked.
“Who?”
“Rocky Bradley. He’s an ex-con living in Boise, currently on parole for grand larceny. But he’s done time for drugs, assault—a variety of charges.”
“I’ve never heard of anyone by that name. The only people I know who live in Boise are the Howells. They moved from here last fall.”
“Do they have any reason to dislike you?”
“None. I spoke to them occasionally when I worked at Finley’s Grocery. That’s it. Why?”
“Rocky Bradley is the stranger Mary saw in the parking lot.”
“How do you know?”
“She told me he was drinking a beer, and I retrieved the beer bottle from the Dumpster. His prints are all over it
. Besides that, his mother told me he drives a 1985 red Toyota truck, without a bumper. And he fits Mary’s description of a tall, lanky man who wears baggy clothing.”
“So it’s not Keith who keeps breaking in.”
“I don’t think so.”
“And Mary was telling the truth.”
“About a stranger.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Since there’s no apparent connection between you and Bradley, I’m guessing she or someone else hired him to do what he did.”
She leaned her head back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. “Have you talked to him?”
“He wasn’t there when I called. He’s living with his mother. I’m planning to drop by their house when I fly into Boise tomorrow.”
“You’re coming home?”
“Early in the morning.”
“Where are you now?”
“My sister’s place.”
She tossed a lap blanket over her legs because her toes felt like blocks of ice. “You went to New York to visit your family?”
“No, I had unfinished business here.”
Liz wanted to ask if that business included the woman whose picture was on his cell phone. But she knew that would probably come off as too possessive, and she definitely didn’t want to sound like a jealous lover. Especially if she was pregnant. Relations between them would soon become difficult enough.
How was she ever going to tell him?
She wasn’t, she decided. Not yet. First she’d pray that she started her period.
“Have a safe trip,” she said.
“Liz?”
Her breath caught at the way he said her name. Before, he’d been all business, trying to figure out who had broken into The Chocolaterie. It was easier to keep him at an emotional distance when he spoke that way. But this sounded as if he was about to get more personal. “Yes?”
“Will you be okay having Gordon around?”
It touched her that he was concerned. But at this point, she felt as if anything would be okay—so long as she wasn’t having a baby. “He’s the least of my worries.”
