David had been uncharacteristically silent during the drive home, so Christy hadn’t had to worry about making small talk. But the moment they walked through the front door, that changed. His gaze met hers and when he said he’d make some hot chocolate and then they could talk, her heart clenched.
A few minutes later she leaned back in the kitchen chair and swirled a marshmallow in her cup with the tip of her finger. “What do you want to talk about?”
“I think you know.”
Had he finally decided to tell her the truth? A part of her hoped he would. The part that wanted to believe if they were open and honest they could find a solution. Lauren needed David. And Christy had to make sure that nothing, and no one, stood between them.
She slowly licked the sticky sweetness from her fingertip. “I don’t think I do.”
David’s jaw tightened, but it wasn’t anger that filled his eyes but something else. “Let’s start with the reason you came to Sara’s party.”
“What are you talking about?” Christy’s voice reflected her surprise.
“I’m talking about Sara’s party in March,” he said with exaggerated patience. “Why did you come?”
“Because you asked me to come?” Christy said. What in the world did this have to do with Lauren?
“You came—” David spoke slowly, emphasizing each word “—because you wanted the publicity.”
“I wanted to be with you,” she said.
He raked his fingers through his hair and exhaled a harsh breath. “C’mon, Christy. Just say it. You came because you knew Entertainment Today would be there.”
“Okay, maybe I did come initially because of that, but—”
David waved her silent. “You lied to me, Christy. What I can’t understand is why.”
Christy shifted her gaze to the cocoa and stifled the desire to defend herself. Though it was hard to bear the disappointment in his eyes, she had to let him believe the worst. She had to keep silent.
After she’d spoken with Lauren, Christy had worried that when she told David she was leaving him he wouldn’t let her go. Or he’d try to convince her to stay and she’d weaken and give in. If she played this right, he’d want her to go.
“Tom said you’d be traveling a lot next year,” he said, surprising her by changing the subject.
“Yeah, isn’t that great?” Christy forced some enthusiasm into her words. “If I want to, I can do more seminars next year than I’ve done in the last two years combined.”
It was a frightening thought, but the truth.
“And do you want to?” David’s voice was low and strained.
“Sure.” Christy deliberately lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug. “I know I talked about cutting back, but Tom has convinced me that I need to travel to hit the big time. The way I look at it, I don’t have a choice. At this point, my career has to come first.”
“I thought you were different.” David spoke so softly that his words were but a whisper.
Though the resignation and disappointment in his tone tore at Christy’s heartstrings, she reminded herself that a baby’s life was at stake. Compared to that, nothing else mattered.
She held her breath and waited for him to say that if that’s the way she felt, their marriage was over.
He drew a long, shuddering breath. “If that’s the way you feel, I guess…”
Christy braced herself.
“…we’ll just have to find a way to make it work.”
Christy’s eyes widened. Her heart gave an absurd little leap. He really did love her. Dear God, why now? His willingness to compromise only complicated matters.
“I don’t think you understand.” It took everything Christy had to keep her voice steady. “I had some surveys done, and a divorce won’t affect my career as much as I first thought. And this is a good time for me to make those changes. I realize it might not be as good for you, but if your grandfather gives you any trouble, blame it all on me.”
“Are you saying you want a divorce?” His face blanched.
Christy swallowed hard, forced a smile and nodded. “That’s what I’m saying.”
“I love you, Christy,” David said.
Christy wanted to tell him she loved him, too. She wanted to pull him to her and feel his strong arms wrapped around her. She wanted to tell David that the only place she wanted to be was by his side.
Instead, she bit her tongue and thought of that innocent little baby.
“I’m sorry, David.” She rose to her feet. “It really is best if we end it now.”
“But Christy—”
“Like I said, I’m sorry.” She paused. “We never were right for each other. It would have been better if you’d married Lauren, like you’d planned.”
“I don’t want Lauren,” he roared.
She ignored him and headed up the stairs, praying that with her out of the picture he would want Lauren. And her baby.
Chapter Eighteen
David shoved the papers on his desk to the side with a sweep of his arm. He didn’t care about reports or proposals.
Why had she left him?
Sure, he might have been a little angry about her lying to him, but was that a reason to call it quits? He’d thought she was committed to making their marriage work.
He heaved a resigned sigh and leaned back in the chair. His thoughts drifted back to all that had happened since Las Vegas.
Initially he’d been the one who’d wanted out. At least, that’s what he’d said. But deep down he had to admit that from the time he’d been seventeen, Christy had been the only woman he’d ever wanted. Now she was gone.
And David wished to God he knew why.
Diplomas and awards lined the walls of the doctor’s office. Christy read each one thoroughly while she waited for Dr. James to come in and tell her what was wrong.
The doctor had listened carefully as she’d detailed the various symptoms that had been plaguing her for months. As she’d talked, she’d watched carefully for any reaction. Was that a frown when she’d mentioned the overwhelming fatigue that had only recently started to lessen? And was it only her imagination or did his pen pause when she’d talked about having an appetite that would put a truck driver to shame?
At the end of her litany, he’d only said in that no-nonsense voice of his that it was definitely something that needed to be checked out. A nurse had come in and drawn some blood before sending her to a tiny bathroom for a urine sample.
Once that had been accomplished, Christy had been shown to a lavender exam room filled with posters about Breast Self-Exam and Preventing Sexually Transmitted Diseases and had been told the doctor would be in to do an exam.
He didn’t seem to be much of a talker, but she desperately wanted to know what he was thinking. At the end of the exam, he’d finally spoken, but not to her. Turning to the nurse, he’d grunted something about setting up a time for an ultrasound.
Christy’s blood ran cold. When she’d lived in Chicago, a neighbor had been fighting a losing battle with ovarian cancer. Christy was almost sure that Brenda had said an ultrasound was one of the first tests they’d done when they were trying to find a diagnosis. Now Dr. James wanted her to have one?