by Lietha Wards
In the end, her father had come through for her—not just in this, but everything. She desperately needed a new start, and her father pulled some strings so she would be accepted to one of the most prestigious law schools in North Carolina. Although she knew she could only complete one semester, it would be a start. After that, she planned to go live with her aunt in Phoenix until the baby was born. She had enough money to last her for a while without needing to work, because she’d earned a steady paycheck from Jason for almost two years and never bought anything expensive or had to pay rent. After that, she thought she would learn through correspondence. Her aunt was retired and had said she’d help her out by babysitting if she needed it.
As for her family, they took things well. She never told them who the father was, and they never asked. Obviously, they already knew or suspected because of the unspoken rule about Alex. Furthermore, they definitely knew she’d only ever gone out with one man, and that was him.
After the initial shock of hearing about the pregnancy, her mother was beside herself with excitement. Her father was more reserved, but surprisingly, he hugged her and told her he would help the best he could. She’d worried about him the most, especially with his temper. Apparently, the thought of being a grandfather overruled it. She couldn’t thank Seth enough for being there for her. She was so ashamed of what her family would think of her, but they were very understanding. Deep down, she wished that Alex was holding her hand and that they were telling her family together.
The pain in her chest from just thinking about him made her angry. It had been three months, and she still wasn’t over him.
The hardest part of it all was getting her family to promise they would not tell a soul. Prissy acted as if it would be easier to kick a drug habit than not tell the world that she was going to be an aunt, but she promised to remain quiet, albeit reluctantly.
Even though Angel was going to be a mother, it didn’t fill the hole in her heart. She missed Alex terribly, and she really wanted him to be part of this baby’s life. She knew he would be an amazing father. As Seth said, Alex loved kids.
Alex’s whole engagement was so sudden. It wasn’t in his nature to act in such a way. Even after all these months of reflecting on his actions, they still didn’t make sense. She couldn’t even fathom the possibility that he was seeing another woman at the same time he was seeing her, but what if he had done so? He’d told her himself once that he didn’t have much use for women or marriage, so what the heck had brought on this sudden marriage? Was it because of the child that he’d finally relented? Had he known that he had a son with Lucy? Or was it a surprise and he was doing the honorable thing?
She cleared the top steps and went into the hallway, then stopped cold.
Alex was leaning against the door of her room, his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans. He was looking down the hall in the opposite direction. She took a deep breath and walked down the hall towards him. Alex turned his head at the sound, spotted her, and straightened up as he watched her approach.
“Angel,” he acknowledged her with a pleasant greeting.
“What are you doing here?” she asked abruptly while rattling the key in the lock of her door anxiously. She finally got the door to open while she was still trying to ignore the sound of her name on his lips. God, he could still make her name sound like a caress when he said it, and he wasn’t even trying.
Angel felt his fingers brush her nape and she flinched away from him, shooting him a glare. “Don’t touch me, Alex.” She couldn’t take it. She was already on the verge of tears just from seeing him again. Nothing had changed—not her feelings, and not the way she reacted to him. She was still in love with him, and he was marrying another woman in less than a month. Her mother had told her that they were going to have a Christmas wedding. It didn’t help that she was pregnant and had raging hormones that brought her to tears easily.
He lowered his hand and nodded. He hadn’t realized he’d made the gesture until she jumped back. “Your father is caught up with a difficult heifer birthing a calf. Your mother is helping my mother decorate for her party next weekend, and Priscilla said she didn’t want to drive all the way here. So, George called and asked if Seth or I could come get you. Seth was working, I wasn’t,” he explained.
It was odd, actually—especially considering the fact that George had threatened to shoot him several months ago. Angel’s father had actually been pleasant on the phone, although his voice seemed slightly strained. Needless to say, he didn’t bother asking the man to explain the change. Alex doubted very much he could have reacted with such restraint. He’d probably have shot the man who broke his daughter’s heart.
His eyes ran over her. Just looking at her after these few months made him realize that she was still able to bewitch him as no other could do. Following her into her room, he removed his hat and set it on her desk, and then he scanned her room. “No roommate?”
“No, I lucked out.” She looked up at him and made a mental note to disown her family. She wasn’t that stupid. They had done this on purpose, but she would never understand why. It only hurt her even more. “Please tell me you didn’t bring your other family.” She saw his eyes darken in anger, but he glanced away and then turned back to her with his composure restored. Usually, he’d goad her or say something that would rile her up, but not this time. It was almost as if his anger wasn’t directed at her.
“They’re at home.” He took a step towards her, and she backed up as if she was about to be scorched. “Stop it, Angel. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“It’s a little late for that,” she said coolly.
He ran a hand through his hair. “You wouldn’t talk to me. I wanted to explain as best as I could.”
“About your affair—” she started to ask, but he interrupted her words. This time, there was no mistaking the anger in his voice or the darkening of his expression.
“There wasn’t an affair! I told you before that I don’t work that way, Angel, and you should know me better than that. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen or heard from Lucy.” He paused. He was insulted that she’d even think that, but then again, she was hurt. He needed to consider what he’d done to her. “Look. What happened between us—between you and I—wasn’t expected.” He meant the day they were together. Everything else, he’d expected. He had fully intended to follow through with his intentions, but then things changed. She wouldn’t be so devastated if he hadn’t taken advantage of her feelings for him, and he felt like the worst person in the world over it.
She hugged her middle and turned her head away, unable to meet his gaze. “No, it wasn’t.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you, Angel,” he said more softly this time, and then he boldly took another step towards her. “Look at me, honey.”
“I can’t,” she said in a voice that cracked with emotion.
He reached out and tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “I can’t be accused of admitting that I’ve done wrong before in my life, but if I could take back the pain I’ve caused you, I would.”
“Don’t marry Lucy.” She did cry this time.
“You don’t understand. I have to. Quit crying, you’re breaking my heart,” he said roughly, pulling her tightly into his embrace. He almost groaned at the softness of her body. Holding her this way was entirely selfish, but he desperately needed to touch her, even if only for a moment.
Join the club, she thought, not having the strength to resist him. He smelled heavenly, and she’d missed him so much it made her ache all over again. However, she still found it in her not to touch him or hug him back. She nearly lost herself as his arms tightened around her, so with a final burst of resistance, she pulled away from him. “You shouldn’t do this.” She turned away and grabbed her bag while wiping at her eyes. “Just wait outside—please. I’ll find the truck myself. It’ll only take a minute for me to pack.” He didn’t answer her, but she heard him shut the door as he left the room.
The four
-hour ride home to Reidsville went by in complete silence. Even small talk was out of the question. She was finally able to control her emotions, but he seemed to know that she would begin to cry if he started speaking to her again. What the hell was wrong with her? She was sure other women didn’t weep at the drop of a hat after they were dumped for other women. Was she really that naïve? How long did it take to get over a first love? If this were any indication, she would never fall in love again—ever.
Unfortunately, there was a week break in between semesters, and that meant she would be home for a week before she left for her aunt’s place. She decided that she would stay as busy as she could. Not going to Bea’s party wasn’t an option, however. It would be disrespectful, and she couldn’t do that to Bea because she loved her like a second mother. She also refused to look like a victim. Fortunately, not many people even knew they had been a couple, and very little attention would be on her.
Alex finally pulled up in front of her family’s house, and of course, no one was home. She grimaced.
“I’ll help you with your bag,” he said, tossing a long arm over the seat to retrieve it from the back.
“No, I’m fine.” She quickly took it from him. “Thanks for the ride,” she said without looking at him.
“Angel, we can still be friends.”
She turned to look at him after she got out of the truck. “I’m sorry, Alex, I can’t. You may be able to deal with this day-to-day while only running into me every now and then, but I’m not as tough as you. I’m not coming home again for a long time after this semester.”
“Why? Where are you going?” he asked with piqued interest.
“I’m going to live with my aunt in Phoenix.”
His gaze darkened. “Is this just to get away from me? You’re moving halfway across the country? Angel, things aren’t that bad.”
Not bad! She gaped at him. It had been three months of torture for her, and seeing him again brought back all those emotions that she’d desperately tried to get under control. He was marrying another woman, but she loved him. She had given herself to him thinking they had something between them.
Angel straightened herself up, feeling anger seep in. “Not for you! And don’t assume that this is about you. Like you said, I’m destined to grow old with my cat. I want a change. Living here doesn’t give me any options.”
“You lie terribly,” he returned, not affected by her outburst. “You need to talk to me.”
“Go to hell!” she said and slammed the truck door. He might have been calm before, but he certainly wasn’t after that. Muffled curses reached her ears as she turned towards the house, followed by the sound of a truck door opening. Knowing Alex, he was stomping mad, and she was right. His voice was loud enough to go right through her.
“God dammit, Angel!”
“Go away!” she snapped without turning around, knowing damn well he was closing the distance between them with those long legs of his. Rough hands grabbed her and spun her towards him.
“You need to get over this! It’s not the end of the world!”
Angel faced him with her own fire and hurt. “You say that as easily as if you were just going to the grocery store and picking out more fruit! I, however, fell in love with someone who I thought genuinely cared for me, and I—I—let you—oh God! Let me go!” She tore out of his grasp, ran up the steps, and darted into the house, quickly slamming and locking the door before he could burst in after her. Thankfully, he didn’t try. She leaned back against the door and took several deep gulps of air, trying to calm herself, but then she sank to the floor and cried.
Outside the house, Alex thrust his hands in the pockets of his jeans and looked heavenward for a moment, almost as if praying for help. Then his hazel eyes lit back on the front door, showing an emotion that had never been visible before on his handsome face. He slowly and reluctantly turned and went back to the truck.
Angel waited until the sound of Alex’s truck faded to nothing before she picked herself up and went to her room. She needed a shower. For some reason, warm water pouring over her made her feel better. She got undressed and stepped under the hot stream. After a moment, she started to feel nauseous and reached for the tiled wall to steady herself. Then a discomfort began in her abdomen after the nausea started to pass. Dread began to creep in, and then panic. She jumped out of the shower and ran to her phone.
***
Less than an hour later, Seth pulled the Navigator up in front of the Stanfords’ house, grabbed his bag, and rushed into the house without knocking. He saw Angel sitting on the stairs in the foyer. Her hair was wet, and she wore a thin, damp bathrobe. That wasn’t what caught his attention. It was the ghastly look on her face. She was absently chewing on her nails and visibly trembling.
“Tell me everything,” he said softly, setting down his bag. It had taken him less than forty minutes to get to their house from his clinic in town. He was sure he’d set some speed records after receiving Angel’s frantic call.
“I-I—” she stuttered.
“Okay,” he said in his calmest voice, “don’t panic, Angel. Let’s find out exactly what’s going on. Are you spotting?” She shook her head. That was a good sign. “Did you have any sort of cramping like this before?”
She shook her head, then paused and nodded once.
“Was it as severe?”
“No,” she finally managed without stuttering. “It was a bit of pressure. Not even to the point of discomfort.”
“Okay.” He picked up his bag and held out his hand. “Let’s go to your room. I’ll examine you more carefully. I need you to lie down.”
As if in a trance, she accepted his hand and let him lead her upstairs.
***
A short time later, Alex was on his way home from town, and he glanced at Angel’s house as he drove by. His foot hit the brake hard and the truck slid at an angle as it came to an abrupt halt on the gravel road, causing road dust to billow around it. Then he shifted the truck into reverse and backed up. He’d spotted a familiar vehicle. That was their Navigator. Seth had driven it to work that morning.
What the hell was Seth doing at Angel’s house? He’d barely left her a few hours ago, and she didn’t look sick. Could he have upset her more than he’d originally thought? Even worse, maybe they had something going on together. A burst of jealousy went through him. Had she called Seth for a shoulder to cry on?
At the same time that Alex pulled to a stop at the end of the driveway, Seth removed the stethoscope from his ears and covered her bare belly back up by bringing the edges of the robe together. “Baby sounds fine,” he said with a smile.
Her eyes widened in wonder. “You can hear his heartbeat?”
“Yes, and it’s strong.” This brought a brilliant smile from her. “However, I want two days of bed rest as a precautionary measure, and I’ll speak to your parents about it. This is your first pregnancy. I may seem like an overbearing uncle, but I want him healthy.”
She sat up. “Is there a risk, Seth?”
He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down, giving her an amused smile. “There are always risks with babies. However, I’m sure it’s just your body training for the baby’s birth. Now, the only other thing that could have set off a reaction like that is stress. Was there any stress right before you had the cramping?”
Alex.
She shook her head a bit too quickly, and Seth’s gaze narrowed. “Angel, you need to be truthful with me.”
She nodded, took a deep breath, and told him the truth. “Alex picked me up from college. We said some things—oh Seth, we were horrible to one another,” she admitted in a rush. “We yelled, and I got so angry at him…”
He patted her hand. “It’s fine, Angel.” He might have said the words kindly, but he was raging inside. “I think it’s better for both of you to stay away from one another for a while.” Until I have words with my brother, he thought to himself.
“I agree.”
He wrote something on a pad he took from his bag, then tore off a slip of paper and handed it to her, “Here’s my mobile number. I want you to call me, no matter what time of day or night, if you have any more symptoms, or—” He paused and met her eyes. “—even if you just need to talk. Understand?”
“I can’t thank you enough, Seth.” She nearly choked on the words. He was very understanding, and she didn’t know how she could have made it so far without him.
“Nonsense. That’s what friends are for.” He gave her a reassuring smile, packed up his bag, and stood up. “I’ll check on you before I go to work in the morning.”
“Seth, that’s not necessary. You said so yourself that I’m fine, and—”
“It’s no bother, Angel. I’ll speak to your parents about this so you don’t need to. That way, you won’t feel like you’re being fussed over.”
She laughed for the first time in what seemed like forever. “You know me well.”
“I mean it about bed rest for the next few days. Besides, Mother will have a fit if you’re too ill to come to her birthday party. She loves you two more than Alex and I.”
She laughed again.
“Get some rest, honey,” he said again before he left, shutting the door behind him.
Seth was surprised to see the ranch truck parked on the side of the road facing him as he pulled out of the driveway and headed for home. Obviously, Alex had seen the Navigator in front of the house and had waited for him. He pulled alongside the other vehicle and rolled down the window. Alex was behind the wheel, smoking. The engine was off, so Seth knew that he’d been there for a while. Several cigarette butts were on the ground outside his window.
“Seth, you told me several months ago that she had the flu. Is it something badly wrong? Is Angel ill?”
