Page 29 of Hometown Cowboy

The fact that Emma hadn’t pressed for details spoke volumes.

And it also warmed her. Emma trusted her enough to know she’d come to her if she needed to talk.

The tests mocked her, sitting on the vanity just within sight. Their bright, shiny newness boasted instant results, instant knowledge of whether a tiny life was sparking inside her.

If she did them, that is. If she didn’t do them, she couldn’t be pregnant, right?

If only it were that simple. She laughed and shook her head. This wasn’t exactly quantum mechanics and Schrödinger’s cat wasn’t really applicable.

A roiling nausea had taken up residence deep in her belly. One that wouldn’t go away until she knew one way or the other.

Anticipation was a bitch.

The main thing that bothered her about the entire situation was, if she reallywaspregnant, how on earth would she tell Ryan?

Sure, she could rock up to his house and hop out of her car, stroll on up to his doorstep and blurt it out.

She dropped her head to her hand. Shock wouldn’t come close to how he’d react. He was going to be completely astonished and most likely horrified beyond belief.

For herself, she didn’t know if she was hoping she was, or wasn’t. In all honesty, the idea didn’t scare her as much as it could have. Once the initialhell nohad worn off, the possibility didn’t seem so bad.

She narrowed her eyes and glared at the offending boxes on the vanity.

Now to wait for morning and see if her life had changed irrevocably.

Chapter Fourteen

Ryan placed themagazines on top of the newsagency counter and glanced around, frowning.

Had he forgotten something?

“Is that all this morning, Ryan?”

Ryan looked up into the friendly eyes behind the counter and smiled. “Yeah, I think so. Although I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve forgotten something.”

Mali laughed and ran the barcodes in front of the scanner. “I can’t help you there. Do you want your mum’s magazines as well?”

Ryan nodded. Mali glanced around the store, the action noticeable even to him. She stopped scanning the magazines and bit her lip, looking worried.

“I heard some interesting, ah, news this morning from Miss Appleton. To be honest, I asked her to stop repeating it. At least until she is certain she is correct.”

Ryan laughed. “When has that ever stopped her?”

“True.” Mali’s concerned gaze connected with his. “She’s saying that Darby’s pregnant.”

Every single thing that he could’ve thought Mali would say disappeared into a puff of disbelief.

He opened his mouth to speak, but nope, nothing. Nada. He couldn’t even breathe.

He sucked in a deep breath and tried to get himself up to speed.

“That was my reaction too. She blindsided me with that one, that’s for sure.” Mali’s friendly smile broke through his shock. “Her reasoning was that she caught Darby buying a pregnancy test. Ifyou’rethat shocked, then I’d say she’s definitely got the wrong end of the stick. I mean, if anyone would know, it would be you.”

A pregnancy test. For herself, or Emma? “Why would I know?” he asked without thinking.

Mali looked at him strangely. “Because she’s your friend? Isn’t that what friends do? They know things.”

Ryan nodded, almost comically. “Yeah, ah, sure.” He gestured to the pile of things that he’d bought and picked them up. “I’d better go. I’m running late this morning. See ya later, Mali.”

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