Page 16 of Unexpected Union

Audra banged the frying pan on the stove,amazed at herself. It was no longer any of her business how MitchWells lived his life. She’d severed the right to care when she’dpacked her bags and left.

Shivering, she brushed her hand over theback of her hair, almost feeling Mitch’s touch. It wasn’t the firsttime she’d cried since leaving. But it was the first time in frontof him. And Mitch had been kind.

That was the only reason she was stillthinking about him. Not because of the feeling of being safe she’dexperienced in his arms. Not for the rippling excitement thatdanced across her skin when he was near.

And not for the honest bewilderment he’dshown when she started crying. He truly could not understand herposition.

She almost laughed. Great, from tears tolaughter. Being pregnant certainly disrupted hormones.

As if on cue, the baby moved. Kicking orrolling over, Audra wasn’t sure which. She stopped and put herhands on her stomach. A surge of love and devotion centered on theprecious life she carried. She’d wanted to start a family almostfrom the first. Yet she had held off talking about it withMitch—always waiting for the right time. Odd how things worked out,she thought, wondering if he’d ever be happy about their baby.

If she’d known she was pregnant before sheleft, would she still have taken that step? Or would she havestayed and continued to try to change things?

Futile thinking.

As the meat browned, she tried to imaginethe coming event, but her mind returned to Mitch. His body was hardand fit. His arms, even with the cast, had held her as if toshelter her from the dangers of the world. For a moment they seemedto connect. Or was it only wishful thinking?

The next week dragged slowly by. Audrastayed as far from Mitch as she could. Which wasn’t hard as heseemed to be avoiding her at all costs. Sharing the place hadn’tproved a hardship after all—unless one counted feeling like she wasbalancing on a rim, of never feeling comfortable or content, onefalse step from disaster.

She resented those feelings. She wassupposed to be relaxing, instead she felt constantly on edge.

Mealtime was the worst. She quietly preparedher own meals, but it seemed Mitch often heard her. He’d stepinside the kitchen and lean against the counter, watching her untilshe’d finally offered to add enough for two.

Twice he went to the lodge to connect withhis secretary and stayed to eat dinner there.

Tonight, he’d come in as she began to cookstir-fry and hung around until she asked if he wanted some. Theyate on the porch enjoying the coolness as the temperaturedropped.

“With no television, what do you do in theevenings?” he asked.

She already knew he had enough reports andbriefs to read that he’d never run out of things to do.

“I like to sit by the lake. I brought somebooks, but it’s so beautiful here I want to fully experience that.I like the tranquillity. Sometimes I see some deer or araccoon.”

“Maybe I’ll walk down with you, tonight. Ihaven’t seen the lake yet except from the porch.”

Audra’s heart skipped a beat, then resumedits normal tempo. It was the first suggestion he’d made for them tospend time together. Had he gotten over some of his anger about herkeeping the baby a secret?

“If you like. I want to do the dishes first.It won’t take long.”

“I’ll clear, you have to wash,” he saidholding up his cast.

“I can manage.”

She rose and picked up her plate. He rose atthe same time and picked up his.

“You know our rule—that the person whocooked doesn’t have to clean up. Obviously I can’t do the disheswith the cast, but I can pull my own weight.”

Audra nodded remembering when he’d firsttold her about the rule he and his father and brother had. It hadbeen one of the few snippets of information he’d given about hischildhood. Normally Mitch never spoke about his family and whatshe’d learned had been mostly from Thomas and Tessa.

Including the fact their mother had walkedout on her family when Mitch had been five.

In light of her own situation, Audra couldunderstand a woman leaving her husband—given enough provocation.Hadn’t she done that very same thing?

But to leave her babies? Never. Her heartwent out to a little five-year-old boy who probably still wonderedwhere his mother was and why she hadn’t come home.

Did he still think about that?

Once the dishes were put away, Audra headedfor the stairs. “I’ll run up and get a jacket and be ready in asecond.”

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