“Just tell me.”
“Christy approached me at the party. From the way she was talking I got the impression you’d told her about my plans,” she said. “But when Sara came to me about the rumors, I realized that maybe that’s what Christy was really asking me about. And thinking back on my answers, I realized she might have gotten a totally wrong impression.”
“And what impression would that be?”
“That I was pregnant with your baby,” Lauren said in a rush. “And that I was thinking of having an abortion, since I didn’t want to raise a child alone.”
“But how would she get that idea?” David frowned. “What did you say to her?”
“We just talked. She asked me a lot of questions, but I thought she was referring to the artificial insemination, and then when Sara told me what people were saying, I thought she…” Lauren waved a dismissive hand. “Since she’s not upset, that obviously wasn’t the impression she got. But I’ve been worried about it since yesterday when I talked to Sara, and I just had to make sure that everything was okay between you two.”
“Everything is fine,” David said firmly. And it was. Now he knew why Christy had walked out on him. Now he just had to find her and get this whole mess straightened out.
Chapter Nineteen
Christy couldn’t help it. She knew she shouldn’t put herself through such torture by going to a place that held memories of David, but she needed to think and the hotel room where she’d spent the past three nights held no appeal.
The tiny park close to Warner Enterprises where she and David had often met for lunch was strangely appealing. It was after two-thirty and the lunch crowd would be long gone. There was no chance she’d run into David, since he always preferred to take an early lunch and keep his afternoons free for meetings.
The parking lot next to the park was deserted except for a new Saturn parked at the far end. Christy shut off the car and reached for the turkey sandwich and carton of milk she’d picked up at the deli after she’d left the doctor’s office. Dr. James had told her it was best for her baby if she ate regular nutritious meals.
Christy’s gaze fell and she lightly stroked her abdomen through her cotton dress.
A baby.
She wanted to laugh and cry all at the same time. A week ago she would have been ecstatic. Now the news only brought up more questions. More decisions.
When should she tell David? If she told him now, he might refuse to give her a divorce. A chill traveled up her spine at the thought of what would happen to Lauren and her baby if that occurred.
Unlike Lauren, Christy would never consider terminating her pregnancy. If she had to raise this baby alone, she would. She was grateful she’d already told Tom she was going to cut back on her travel next year and that the contracts she’d signed were mostly in the Midwest.
Tom had warned her that such a decision could seriously impact her career, but Christy knew she’d made the right decision. Despite what Tom thought, she didn’t want to spend the next few years of her life on the road.
It would have been wonderful if things had been different. If she could have been hurrying through this gilt-edged gate to tell David he was going to be a father.
Christy wiped the sudden tears away with the back of her hand and headed down the sidewalk. If she’d been paying closer attention, she might have heard the footsteps. Instead, deep in thought, she followed the walk as it curved to the left and bumped smack into a firm, broad chest.
“I’m so sorr—” Her head jerked up and her breath caught in her throat. “David.”
“Chrissy.” He breathed her name and for an instant the look in his eyes turned her insides to mush.
“I’d better get going.”
The familiar feminine voice pulled Christy back to reality with a crash. Her gaze shifted to her husband’s companion.
Lauren.
Heat rose in her cheeks as if she’d been slapped. It was what she’d wanted, but when she met David’s gaze she couldn’t keep the hurt from her eyes. A pain sharp as any knife sliced her heart.
“I’m sorry.” Lauren brushed past Christy and took off down the sidewalk as if a dog was nipping at her heels.
“Christy, let me explain….” David took her arm.
“Don’t touch me!” She pulled from his grasp, her breath coming in short puffs. Her lunch sack dropped unnoticed to the ground. The sobs were rising in her chest and she knew if she didn’t get away soon, she’d end up falling apart.
She turned on her heel and started down the same path Lauren had disappeared down only a moment before. Christy had gone only a few steps before David caught her. But this time he wouldn’t let go.
“Listen to me.” David’s hazel eyes flashed. “Lauren was just telling me that—”
“It’s not my business anymore.” Christy averted her gaze. “You don’t need to explain anything to me.”
“I think I do,” he said softly.
She couldn’t help it. Christy turned her head and met his gaze. “Maybe I don’t want to hear it.”
“Lauren’s not pregnant.”
“Oh, no.” Christy’s hand rose to her throat. “She didn’t have—”
“She’s never been pregnant.”
“Don’t lie to me, David,” Christy said softly, narrowing her gaze. “She told me herself—”
“She’d told me she was going to have a baby by artificial insemination,” David said. “That’s what she thought you were talking about.”
She couldn’t help it. A tiny shred of hope rose inside her. But no matter how much Christy wanted to believe him, the evidence was just too overwhelming.
“But the women in the rest room said she was pregnant with your baby.” Despite her resolve not to cry, a few tears slipped past her lids and ran down her cheeks.
“I don’t care what they said,” David replied. “It’s not true.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’ve never made love to Lauren,” he said, wiping her tears away with his fingers. “Since I’ve been seventeen, there’s only been one woman for me.”
Christy swallowed hard against the sudden lump in her throat.
“I’ve never loved anyone but you.” His gaze met hers and the depth of emotion in his eyes took her breath away. He took a step closer, reaching up with one hand to push a strand of hair gently back from her face as he brushed her lips with his own.
Christy wasn’t sure who made the next move, but it took just a fraction of a second for her to fall into his arms. He kissed her again, longer this time, letting his mouth linger. It was still as sweet, though, still as gentle.
“And when the time comes,” he said softly, “there’s only one woman I want to have my babies.”
A comforting warmth filled her body and Christy couldn’t keep the smile from her lips. “Is Thanksgiving too soon for you?”
“Thanksgiving?” David said with a puzzled frown.
“You said when the time comes—” her grin widened “—and I’m saying Thanksgiving is going to be that time.”