“You guessed it.” Seemed like all she thought about, these days.
“Still haven’t decided how to tell your mom?”
She’d been ignoring her mother’s phone calls.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Tell them the truth… you’re pregnant. Maybe they won’t ask any questions.”
“When I tell them the due date, they’ll figure out the baby isn’t yours. They’ll want to know why we got married.”
“Let them believe it was a whirlwind romance, like I announced at the press conference. It’s no secret we got married fast because the show was about to start filming. You don’t have to lie to them at all. There’s no reason to mention the divorce until it happens.”
“I guess you’re right. Is that what you’re going to tell your folks?”
He scrunched up his face. “I think that would be best. In the long run, my mom will be a lot more upset. At least, when you tell your mother about the divorce, she won’t be losing a grandbaby.”
It was on the edge of her lips to say Janet could see the baby if she wanted. But that would mean continued contact with Cole, something Brooke knew she couldn’t handle. It had to be a clean break.
“Maybe she won’t care, since the baby isn’t yours, anyway.”
“You’re talking about the woman who adopted me. She doesn’t think that way.”
“You have a point.” She picked a piece of lint from her pants. “Do you regret getting married?”
He kept his gaze on the road—a good thing, considering the traffic. “Not at all. As far as I’m concerned, breaking the news to my folks is the only drawback. It’ll be hard when that happens, but we’ll be okay.”
“Especially if this means you’ll be willing to get married again and have kids of your own.”
The enthusiastic tone in her voice hid the fact that her stomach was churning. What was wrong with her? The scenario she’d described was the best possible outcome for both of them. If he had a wife and children, she wouldn’t have to worry that he would change his mind and decide to fight for custody. In spite of the contract, her anxiety lingered.
“I don’t think this is enough for me to change my mind about marriage,” said Cole. “I thought it might be, but I still need… no, I want to talk to my birth mother. I can’t make myself forget about it, even though the chance of it happening is zilch.”
“What’s going to change if you talk to her?”
“If I knew exactly what happened and why she made the choices she made, I think I could learn to trust women.”
He was so agonized about his mother. Maybe she could secretly find out some information and see if there was anything she could ethically pass on to him. Probably not, but it was worth a try. She made a mental note to check into it the next week when she was at work.
“It’s hard to believe all this distrust is based on what she did or didn’t do,” she said. “Especially when you have a great relationship with your adopted mother and your sister.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m not saying anything. I’m asking if it’s possible there’s more to it.” She watched his fingers tighten on the steering wheel, his knuckles blanching. “Because most trust issues have to do with giving up control.”
After a moment, he answered, his muscles flexing along his jaw. “You’re right. I like to be in control, and that’s not going to change.”
“But if you love someone, it’s not like that. You gain so much more than you give up.”
His eyes narrowed and she knew she’d hit a nerve.
“It’s not something I need,” he muttered.
“That’s the saddest thing I—” She gasped and grabbed her belly, feeling a sudden flutter.
“What’s wrong? Should I call Dave?”
It was cute how easily he panicked. She’d better watch out, though, or she’d end up in the emergency room.
“No, I’m fine. But I think I felt the baby move.”
“Really? Can I feel it?”
“I don’t think so. It’s only a little flutter on the inside.” She hated to douse the little-boy excitement on his face. “But in a few weeks, I think you’ll be able to.”
This seemed to placate him, and he smiled, humming along with the songs on the radio. They each sat, lost in their own thoughts.
“I’m not saying it’s impossible,” he said after a while, as if she’d been listening to the conversation in his head.
“What’s not impossible?”
“That someday… a long time from now… I might consider a real, long-term marriage.”
Brooke smiled.
It’s time to invite my sister for a visit.
CHAPTER 18
