Page 4 of Unexpected Union

“I’m staying here. Did you do this onpurpose?”

“What, you can’tstay. I’mstayinghere.”

“I meant, did you deliberately getpregnant?”

She shook her head vehemently.

“I guess no birth control is foolproof. Youhave to admit the timing is terrible—a single woman, no husband inthe picture.”

“Because ofyourdeparture.”

She shrugged. “We could argue the point allnight. But first you need to find other accommodations.”

“Thomas and Tessa booked this place fortheir vacation. When he got that assignment in Europe and decidedto leave early to vacation there, he offered me use of this place.I don’t have to go anywhere.”

Offered was a euphemism. Thomas hadpractically forced it down Mitch’s throat. But Audra didn’t need toknow that. She’d forfeited her right to know anything about him.Wasn’t that the way she wanted it?

He frowned, was that the way she felt thathe had no right to know about her? Was that why she hadn’t told himabout the baby?

“Tessa offered the place to me. I wanted toget away and this was perfect,” Audra said in dismay. “She didn’tsay anything about your coming here.”

“Maybe Thomas didn’t tell her.”

Or maybe his brother and sister-in-law hadplotted what they saw as a perfect setup to get Mitch and Audratogether to see if they could patch up their marriage.

Only neither of them knew the fullsituation. There was no marriage left to patch up.

“Well, I’m sorry, but I’ve been planningthis for a while. You’ll have to make other arrangements,” Audrasaid shortly.

“How could you have been planning this forlong? They just learned a week ago about the trip to Europe.”

The day before the car crash that had brokenhis arm and given him a concussion.

“I’ve been planning time off from work formonths. This was a perfect start to my maternity leave. Tessasuggested this place to me last week.”

“If you’re close enough to delivery to go onmaternity leave, what are you doing out here, miles from thenearest hospital?”

If she didn’t have sense enough to take careof herself, she should at least think of the baby.

“I have enough time, there’s more than sixweeks before the baby’s due. I’ll be back in Boston in plenty oftime to deliver. I checked with my doctor, she said it was allright.”

How many other people had known about thebaby? Mitch wondered, anger still churning. How could all of themthink it was better that the father not know?

Audra appeared nervous, he recognized thesigns. Well she should be. He hadn’t been this angry when she’dwalked out. The knowledge he was about to become a father wasoverwhelming. She’d had months to get used to the idea of becominga mother—he’d been denied that time.

“Where are you living? Do you need help withthe baby?”

“A little late for that, don’t youthink?”

“And whose fault is that? Darn it, Audra,you should have told me!”

“And what would you have done?” shechallenged, hands on her hips as she glared at him.

Bravado, he suspected. He could tell she wasputting up a front. Feeling guilty, maybe, for withholding thenews?

“Made sure you were home where youbelonged,” he said, stepping closer.

He could smell the fragrance she always woreand memories ached. It had been too long. Without thought, hepulled her into his arms and kissed her.

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