Page 29 of Single Chance

“You got your one-night stand’s number?” Presley asked.

“Something like that.” I stood, suddenly feeling like I was going to come out of my skin. I paced from one side of the living room to the other. “I guess I’ll have to tell him eventually.”

“After the doctor confirms,” Chloe said. “He deserves to know.”

“And help pay,” Presley added.

I shut down on thoughts of Chance for now. It was too much.

“I need to get health insurance,” I said with a start.

“You don’t have insurance?” Presley asked.

“I had to drop it after I quit teaching.” My own healthcare had inadvertently taken a back seat once I started caring for my grandmother. Thankfully I hadn’t had any emergencies. I’d never intended to go so long without it, but I’d been in over my head with Gram’s care from day one, and then money became a problem.

“Ours through work doesn’t start until you’ve been there six months,” Chloe said regretfully, “but you can get an individual policy.”

“Yeah. I need to make that a priority.” I knew it wouldn’t be cheap. Nor would a place to live. Or all the baby gear. I wasn’t sure my previous teaching salary would’ve covered it all, and I was making less now.

A wave of nausea came over me again, this time from overwhelm instead of food.

“I need to go,” I said, then realized it was abrupt. “You guys have been a godsend. Thank you. For the dinner date and the tests and the support. I need to let this sink in.”

“Of course,” Chloe said. “We’ll be here.”

“Whatever you need.” Presley leaned her head into me and side-hugged me again. “If you want someone to go with you to the doctor or need someone to buy more tests or want help researching insurance…anything…call me.”

My eyes teared up with gratitude. “Thank you. I don’t know what I need other than time to process.”

“Understandable,” Chloe said.

“If you start freaking out in the middle of the night, you can call me then too,” Presley said as we all stood.

“I will. But I hope I’m asleep by then.”

The three of us hugged again, and I held on tight to them, so thankful I’d reconnected with Presley at the exact right time.

“You two are the best,” I said, meaning it. “I’m sorry to run off. I just…need to be alone.”

“We get it,” Chloe said.

I slid my coat on. “I’m going to call my doctor’s office in the morning to see how soon I can get in.”

“Let us know,” Presley said. She threw her arms around me again. “You’re gonna make an awesome mom.”

My throat closed up with emotions, so I just nodded and waved at them both as I stepped outside.

On my way to my car, I sucked in deep breaths of ice-cold air, trying to level out the queasiness. I couldn’t let my brain land on any of the thousand thoughts spinning through it.

Almost there, almost there, almost there. The words beat through my head with every step, my breaths in time with the rhythm as well.

By the time I got into my car, my eyes were a watery mess, my stomach was a bubbling volcano, and I raced to get the keys in the ignition.

Chloe and Holden’s cute little house was only a mile from the inn, but halfway there I had to pull over. I scanned the street, grateful it was deserted, opened my car door, leaned out, and threw up everything in my stomach.

Chapter Ten

Chance

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