Page 66 of Love and Memories

“I’m glad there are people in the world like you,” she said.

He turned to her with the first smile she’d seen since he left to visit his parents. It was as much of a lingering glance as he could give her before he needed to turn back to the road, but she wanted more.

Travis was a good friend to her, but it was never enough. Every day, her heart wanted more.

She pressed a hand to her still-flat stomach. Whoever fathered her child was someone she didn’t know–at least not anymore. Travis was here, and she was quickly falling for him. It wasn’t fair to ask him to not only love her but also another man’s child.

Allowing any thoughts of what could be between them was dangerous, but ignoring her heart was becoming impossible.

25

TRAVIS

Travis stopped beside Anna’s car and shifted into park. “Sorry about the detour. You could have been home already if you’d waited for Anna.”

“It’s fine. Your cracker stash saved me.” Bella tossed the box into the back seat and reached for the door. “Will you stay and have lunch with me?”

“Anna is here,” Travis said. If Bella didn’t want to be alone, that base was covered. Still, a part of him hoped she wantedhimto stay.

“She’s working on her social media content. That’s what she does every Sunday afternoon.”

He should let her go. He should keep the distance between them and quit wishing for things that weren’t meant for him.

But he was weak when it came to Bella, and he couldn’t deny her anything she asked. “Okay.”

He followed her inside. Anna’s place was filled with whites and pastel colors. The open windows brightened every corner.

Bella’s heels clicked on the floor as they stepped into the kitchen. A casserole dish covered in foil sat on the granite-tiled island.

“Looks like Anna had leftovers,” Bella said as she uncovered the dish. She inhaled a deep breath and hummed. “Italian chicken. Anna is such a good cook. I’ve learned a lot from her, but I’ve also gained five pounds.”

Travis found the plates and grabbed two. “You’re probably supposed to be gaining weight.”

He hadn’t commented on her weight before, but her doctors had mentioned she was on the verge of malnourishment during her hospital stay. She’d been little more than skin and bones two months ago, but she’d been careful to eat at every meal she could since finding out about the pregnancy.

Bella scooped potatoes, green beans, and chicken onto a plate. “My doctor said I’m almost on track for a healthy weight for the pregnancy. The morning sickness has eased up too which should help me keep up.”

Travis watched Bella as they ate. Her smile was bright as she talked about helping Anna with wedding plans and cleaning out a shed with Tammy while he was in Seattle. All traces of the scared woman she’d been when she woke up in the hospital were gone.

She didn’t mention any more memories, but was that a good thing? Every day she didn’t piece together her old life was another day he spent sinking deeper and deeper into her grasp.

Who was he kidding? He was a goner with or without her memories. It just might be easier to let her go if she did it sooner rather than later.

The phone in Travis’s pocket rang, and he pulled it out. His brother’s name lit up the screen, and he silenced it.

“Do you need to take that?” Bella asked.

“Nope.” Travis almost had the phone shoved back into his pocket when it rang again.

Travis swallowed a growl. His brother never called him, so there was a chance it could be important.

“Sorry,” he said as he lifted it up.

“Go ahead,” Bella said as she gathered their empty dishes.

Travis’s stomach rolled as he answered the call. “Hello.”

“Mom is driving me crazy, and Dad is almost as bad. Were they like this when you were here?” Greg asked.

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