Her Pregnancy Surprise

by Kim Lawrence

  Matt stood waiting at the elevators when she stepped into the lobby. He had never not been there, even yesterday when she’d come down five minutes early. That had to be a good sign, didn’t it?

  His smile set her pulses pounding again. She took a deep breath, hoping he’d ask to see her again. What if today was the last time they were together?

  “I thought we’d walk over to the pancake house, splurge on a big breakfast we’ll then have to spend the day walking off,” he said, reaching out for her hand.

  “Sounds great.” She laced her fingers through his, a standard practice. Everything they had done together had been special—because he’d been a part of it.

  “Sure you don’t want to try skiing?” he asked.

  It might be her last chance. They’d done everything else the area had to offer—why not? She’d still be clumsy and he was probably an expert. But it was something he liked. She could end up loving it.

  “Okay, I’ll give it a try.”

  He squeezed her hand in approval as they headed for the pancake house. “You’ll love it. And I’m an expert teacher.”

  No sooner had their breakfasts been served than his cell phone rang.

  Sara couldn’t help hearing his side of the conversation and her heart dropped. There would be no skiing today. He was being called to some emergency.

  “Sorry, Sara, I have to go,” Matt said clicking off the phone a few minutes later.

  “An emergency, I got that from your side of the conversation,” she said evenly, thought she wanted to rail against fate. “Do you have to leave immediately?”

  “I can finish breakfast. Let me call the hotel and see if I can catch Dex before he hits the slopes. I need him to get me to Reno. They’ve already booked me on a flight from there.”

  Sara could scarcely eat her pecan pancakes. Usually her favorite, the food stuck in her throat every time she tried to swallow. Only a few more minutes before he left. The refrain echoed in her mind.

  As soon as she finished, they hurried back to the hotel. She could already feel the distance growing between them. He was focused on the tasks ahead. While not quite forgotten, he was still holding her hand, his attention no longer concentrated on her.

  She had known they would say goodbye today. She had just expected it to be later. After he’d asked for her home phone number.

  Dex met them in the lobby. “They’ve confirmed your space on the 12:15 flight to Denver. You change there for Boston, and then have a red-eye to Amsterdam. You have your passport with you, right?”

  Matt nodded. “And laptop. I could use some other clothes, but will pick something up in Amsterdam. I’ll go up and pack. Can you take my suitcase back with you?”

  “Sure enough.” Dex looked at his watch. “We need to get going to make that flight from Reno.”

  “Give us a minute, will you?” Matt asked. He drew Sara to the elevators and punched the button.

  “You don’t need to walk me to my room, Matt. I know time is short. You have to pack your things. We can say goodbye here. Thanks for such a special vacation.” She kept her voice level, steady. She would not burst into tears as she wanted. They had never talked about the future, nor made any promises. He was free to go where he had to, as was she.

  He turned her toward him, resting his hands on her shoulders. “You’re one special lady, Sara. Next time I take a vacation, I want you to share it with me.” He kissed her again as if they were the only two people in the world and not a couple in the midst of a bustling lobby.

  The elevator arrived.

  “Go pack and catch your flight. Do some sight-seeing in Amsterdam for me,” she said when he looked at the opened door. She gently pushed him away and watched the doors close behind him. Her vacation was over.

  Damn! Matt thought as he rode to his room. He couldn’t believe the timing. Why did the program have to fail at this point? Now it was up to Matt to repair the damage, not only to the computer, but also to the good will of the company. He played hard, but he worked hard, too. He and Dex and Tony had started the company seven years ago. It had expanded beyond their wildest dreams back then. And all of them, and the other employees they’d hired over the years, wanted to keep it on top. He was a major player in keeping them in the forefront. But today he wished someone else could have been sent to Amsterdam.

  He wanted to stay with Sara.

  Frowning, he entered his room and began to pack. Where had that thought come from? He loved traveling. He had decided long ago when living with Uncle Frank that given the chance, he would travel the world and never look back. He had done just that. And relished every assignment. Going off into the unknown sure beat a routine nine-to-five job that would have bored him in no time. He never wanted to end up bitter and complaining as Uncle Frank had been. Tied down, unhappy in his work, in his life, the old man had never hidden his resentment at the unfairness of his life.

  Matt had left Frank’s place at eighteen to work his way through college. He’d known an education was the key to getting out of the rat race his uncle complained about. And he had. He’d visited all the major cities of the world. Vacationed in some of the most exotic and exciting locales known to man.

  But this time the adrenaline rush was missing. He would have rather stayed with Sara.

  She had been the perfect companion. Each day had been special. His only regret was he hadn’t pushed harder to spend those nights together as well. Lively, fun, and enchanted by mundane things, she gave a new view to everything. The days had flown by. Now he had to leave before he was ready. A first. Usually he was raring to go to a new city, face new challenges.

  They had made no promises.

  Damn! He realized he hadn’t even gotten her phone number in San Francisco. What if she had an unlisted number? He lunged for the phone and punched in her room number. The phone rang and rang, finally clicking over to voice mail. Wouldn’t do any good to leave a message, he wouldn’t be here for her to call back.

  Maybe she’d stayed downstairs to talk to Dex. If she had, he could ask her then.

  If not, he’d get Dex to find out when he returned from dropping him at the airport. Best he could do. He threw a few things in the carry all, including his laptop. The rest went into the suitcase for Dex. He’d have to buy some clothes in Amsterdam. At least they didn’t expect computer experts to dress up.

  Forty-five minutes later Dex dropped him at the curb at Reno Airport.

  “Don’t forget, get her phone number. Tell her I’ll call her as soon as I get back to San Francisco,” Matt said.

  “Hey, old buddy, you’ve only repeated yourself a dozen times on the ride here. I couldn’t possibly forget. I’ll have the number for you today. Look at your e-mail when you get to Amsterdam. If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you’ve fallen for the pretty lady,” Dex said. He waved and drove off.

  Matt stared after him. Fallen for Sara?

  Sara saw no reason to stay once Matt had gone. She finished packing, checked out early and headed for home. There were wedding presents in the trunk of her car Amber had asked her to take back for her. The kids would be coming home later this week. She’d want to hear all about the honeymoon.

  Would Amber ask about her stay in Tahoe? And if she did, what would Sara say? I met the most wonderful man in the world? We had a fabulous four days, then he left for Amsterdam? If Sara had her way, it would be the first of many days together. But Matt had not said a word about the future.

  Better not to say anything. She’d hold the memory of their special days to her heart. But practicality reasserted itself the closer she came to San Francisco. It had been a vacation fling. He had not even asked for her phone number. Never even given her the classic brush-off line of I’ll call you. Saying he wanted to spend his next vacation with her was even more vague.

  Darn it, she had loved every second with Matt. She’d gladly spend all her vacations with him. And he hadn’t even asked for her phone number.

  By the following Friday Sa
ra had made some changes to her life. She wanted to plunge into sweeping changes, but found work too hectic. She had stopped off twice at the travel agency near the office—to gather packets and brochures of exotic places. She was planning to splurge on her next vacation and take one of the trips she longed for.

  The frantic tax season had grabbed hold with a vengeance. Some companies had still not closed their book for the previous year. Others had audits that required readjustments to stated expenses or capital improvements. Others were looking for creative ways to defer some of the money owed until their cash flow improved. Any trips would have to wait until after April, but she could start planning now. When one of the new accountants asked her out, she said yes—once tax season was over. He had never seemed to notice her before, had the makeover at Lake Tahoe caused him to see her differently?

  Amber came over Saturday night—alone. Jimmy was on duty. While happy in her new married life, she was a bit miffed things weren’t going just as she’d expected.

  “He’s still living on base. He plans to come over when he can, but it’s as if we are still dating. I hate this limbo. We don’t even know where we will be living after this tour. And he’s returning to Germany in another couple of weeks. If he gets posted to a U.S. base next, we want to see if I can get into a nearby college. But I should apply soon if I want to get in by fall,” Amber complained.

  “You can always apply once you know, and list the extenuating circumstances. The worse case would be wait a semester before enrolling.” Sara didn’t like that idea, but it was the best she could offer to cheer up her daughter. At least she was in school this term and wasn’t flying off to Germany.

  “What did you do after we left? Did you go to the spa like you talked about?” Amber asked as she began to make a salad to accompany the spaghetti Sara was preparing.

  “I did.” And on the way met the most fantastic man.

  “Was it fun?”

  “Yes.” To both.

  “I like what you’ve done to your hair. You know, Mom, you could start dating again. I know I held you back. You should get married and have your own life now.”

  “You never held me back. I have a wonderful life just as it is,” Sara said quickly, trying not to think about her initial thoughts after the wedding—that she was once again free to do whatever she wanted. She loved her daughter.

  But she was a woman and wanted the attention of a special man. Matt. What would it be like to be married to him?

  Fantastic, of that she had no doubt. They’d travel, visit exciting cities she’d only been able to dream about. Maybe she could learn some of the languages he spoke, to better fit in when they stayed in Madrid or Rome.

  “But it’s different now. I’m gone. I have my own apartment, am married. Once Jimmy knows where he’ll be next, I’ll be moving there. You’ll be alone,” Amber persisted.

  “I have lots of friends.” And lots of plans. But she didn’t want to share them with anyone just yet. She enjoyed daydreaming about how she was going to change her life.

  “I know, but it’s not the same,” Amber said.

  She was right about that. For four glorious days, Sara had been part of a couple. She and Matt had been practically inseparable. She loved being part of a couple. It had been so long since she’d done that, it seemed completely new and different. Of course, Matt made it memorable. She definitely planned to start dating, to seeing if there was someone out there with whom she could share her life. Doing things with another person sure beat doing it all by herself.

  But not just yet. She suspected no one could measure up to Matt.

  “We’ll see. Right now isn’t such a good time. Tax season, remember?” Should she tell Amber about Matt? Or the invitation from the man in her office?

  “I know. But come the end of April would be a terrific time. Think about it, Mom.”

  The problem was, Sara couldn’t stop thinking about her and Matt. The days at Lake Tahoe seemed like some fairy-tale story. She remembered the walks along the beach, the fun they’d had just talking. She especially remembered the kisses.

  But as one week drifted into two and she heard nothing from him, she knew she had to let that dream go. He would have returned to San Francisco long ago. Did he even remember the time they’d spent together? Or was she only one in a long line of women he dated?

  She looked up Aste Technologies in the phone book. It was located on Montgomery Street, not too far from her own office. She had not resorted to seeking him out. He had given her no indications he wanted to see her again. Not that knowing that stopped her from looking closely at every dark-haired man she passed on Montgomery Street. But she drew the line at deliberately walking by his company in the hopes of running into him.

  Late Wednesday afternoon Sara asked her secretary to order in a sandwich for her before she left for the day. She had scads more work to do and there was no one waiting at home. If she had something to eat, she’d be good to go for another few hours. She leaned back in her chair, resting her tense shoulders and gazing at the colorful poster she’d hung of Greece. She’d much rather be strolling along the ruins of the Parthenon than doing taxes for Herberty Construction. This weekend, she planned to buy a few things to wear when she went to Greece. Or to take that cruise to Alaska, she thought as she looked at the other poster—this one of deep blue seas, and glorious glaciers.

  Her phone rang. She picked it up, sighing as she returned to reality.

  “Do you have any idea of how many Simpsons there are in San Francisco?” a familiar voice asked in her ear.

  “Matt?” Her heart rate sped up.

  “I forgot to get your phone number. You’d checked out by the time Dex got back to the hotel. So I’ve been making calls ever since I got on the flight home. I tracked down your daughter a little while ago and told her I was a friend. She gave me this number. God, I’ve missed you.”

  Sara couldn’t say a word. It was Matt! She’d given up all hope of hearing from him again.

  “I can’t believe it,” she said softly. “You’re back now? I thought you got back days ago.”

  “Nope. The problem turned out to be bigger than we thought. Then since I was already in The Netherlands, I took an assignment in Antwerp. But now I’m back and wanting to see you. Have dinner with me. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  “It’s only five-thirty, a bit early for dinner,” she stalled. The stack of work on her desk had not magically shrunk while she talked. But for the first time since she had been hired, she didn’t care. Dinner with Matt, she couldn’t refuse!

  “I didn’t tell Amber about you,” she said, wondering what her daughter thought when a stranger called and asked about her mother.

  “So I found out. She’s a bit skeptical. I bet she calls you in a minute to make sure it was all right to give me the phone number. But I convinced her it was safe for me to call you at work, rather than trying to get your home phone number. Which I do want, by the way.”

  Sara gave it to him, and then ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m not dressed for dinner.”

  “I don’t care how you’re dressed, or even if you’re dressed. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” The line went dead.

  Sara gave a soft laugh of excitement. Matt was back and wanted to see her! She almost danced from the office. She had no other responsibilities to get in the way. Imagine going off on such short notice. She loved this empty nest life!

  She told Stacey to cancel the sandwich order, then dashed to the ladies room to repair her makeup. She wished she’d worn something besides black slacks and a primrose silk blouse. Perhaps one of her new dresses, or something sexy to get his attention. Matt said he didn’t care. And she didn’t dare take time to go home and change. She couldn’t wait to see him.

  Exactly nine minutes later she stepped out on the sidewalk in front of her building. The traffic moved as it did every day at rush hour, with stops and starts. She heard the toot of a horn and saw the low-slung sports car swerve to the curb.
Matt climbed out, his eyes finding hers in an instant.

  “Sara.”

  “Matt.” For a moment, she couldn’t speak. He looked just as gorgeous as he had in Lake Tahoe. She longed to touch him. Wished he’d kiss her. Giddy with happiness, she smiled. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  Not very sophisticated, but heartfelt. She just wanted to stand and take him all in. She hadn’t realized exactly how much she’d missed him, exactly how much she’d been afraid she’d never hear from him again. The intervening days since they’d been together vanished. It was as if they’d just seen each other yesterday.

  “I brought you something from Antwerp,” he said, walking around the rear of the car. He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Get in before some cop gives me a ticket for illegal parking.”

  She slid into the soft leather interior, feeling as shy as a teenager. “You’ve just stopped, you’re not parked.”

  “Think that’ll hold up as a defense?” he asked, going around to climb into the driver’s seat.

  “Where would you like to go for dinner?” he said when they started moving.

  “Wherever.”

  “London?” he suggested.

  She laughed. “Yes! Except I don’t think we can get there before I starve to death.” No one else she knew would suggest London for dinner. Oh how she wished they could.

  “I know a great Italian place in Columbus Square,” he said.

  “I love Italian,” she said, watching as he competently merged the car into the traffic. Dinner with Matt sure beat a takeout sandwich at her desk. Any meal with Matt beat that. For a fleeting second she considered all the work awaiting, then promptly pushed the thought away. She was taking time with Matt, she hadn’t seen him in too long! There was a limit to how much she wanted to give to the office.

  “Tell me about your trip,” she invited, wanting to know how he spent every moment. Had he missed her at all?