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“You’reworking on your next book.” She protested, automaticallyputting the piece of pie into her mouth. Her eyes widened as theymelted on her tongue. “My God! This is incredible.”
“What did Itell you?” Brian came up behind them, a huge grin splitting hisface. “I thought you’d like it, so I boxed up some slicesfor you.”
“I’mgoing to kiss you right now!”
“I want to dothe right thing and say that I’m a married man, but look atyou.” Bending at the waist, he offered his lips, and sheplanted a big one on there.
“Ah, that willtide me over for a long time.” Grinning at his friend, he madehis way over to the tiny bar.
“I see yourappetite is back.” Caleb smiled at her.
“For now.”
Chapter 10
Her stepbrotherstared at her in shock. She was heading into three months now andaware she had to tell him and her sister-in-law, as well as Kane.“You’re pregnant. I didn’t know you were seeinganyone."
She’d calledand asked them to pop by the restaurant. The booth she’d chosenfor them to have a meal was private. Besides, at this time of theday, the crowd wasn’t that bad. The holiday rush had bled intoValentine's Day activities. March had come storming in with badweather and piles of snow, making the longing for spring all the morepotent.
"I wasn’t."She puffed out a breath and fussed with the table napkin. She wassick most of the time and miserable. The pregnancy wasn’t goingvery well. There was no way she could put off telling Kane about it.
"It was a stupidindiscretion."
"We’vebeen trying for years, and you have a one-night stand, and now you’recarrying a baby." Marlene's tone was bitter, and who could blameher? Life was certainly unfair.
"I’msorry."
"Who’s theguy?" Jason demanded.
"I’dprefer not to say."
"So, he’smarried?"
"No!"Lifting her hands, she pressed them to her face and felt the headachebrewing. Her life had gone from normal to chaotic in an instant. Ittook everything in her to get out of bed in the morning, and shewasn’t sleeping well. "No. It's just complicated. Look, Iknow how this looks-"
"It looks as ifyou weren’t even trying, and now you’re pregnant."
"Marlene."Jason placed a hand over his wife's and squeezed.
"She is entitledto her opinion," Chantelle said with a shrug. "I’mtrying to adjust to everything. I just wanted to tell you even thoughI dreaded doing so."
"We shouldn’tproject our disappointment on you." Jason reached forward withhis free hand to comfort her.
"This should bea happy moment. We have some news of our own." He glanced at hiswife, and she nodded. “We’re in the process of adopting.There’s a young woman who’s almost due. She’shaving a boy and has chosen us to be the parents."
"Oh, honey,that's wonderful." She felt like weeping. "I’m sohappy for you. When is she due?"
"End of March,so a couple of weeks away." He stared at her in concern. "Youshouldn’t have been afraid to come to us, Chan. I’m yourbrother, and if you need anything-"
"No." Thetears clogged her throat. "I’m fine. Caleb has been atower of strength."
"I’m sorryI jumped down your throat like that," Marlene murmured. "Ihad no right to project my disappointment on you, and, as Jason said,we’re finally getting some good news."
"We haven’tasked how you’re feeling."
She smiled at herbrother. "Sick all the time and extremely tired. I have a gooddoctor, though, and she is very thorough."
"Come for dinneron Sunday. We haven’t done that in a long time."
