Page 6 of Unexpected Union

He looked surprised, then swayed, reachingout to grasp the porch column again.

“Are you all right?” she asked, taking astep forward.

“I received a concussion in the wreck andstill get dizzy spells. According to the doctor, they’ll stop oneof these days.”

“Why don’t you sit down? Want a cup oftea?”

She reached out to him as if to place herhand on his arm. His look had her dropping her arm and steppingback. Nothing could be clearer—he didn’t need her or want her.Hadn’t she learned that when they were together?

Mitch walked carefully to the nearestchair.

She hovered nearby, wishing she still hadthe right to fuss over him.

The accident had scared her. Before thatshe’d never imagined a world without Mitch in it—even if they hadseparated. She wished she could tell him that. But the words didn’tcome. Just a weary acceptance of the way things had gone and thefact there was nothing to do to change the past.

Mitch leaned back in the chair and closedhis eyes. The dizziness was starting to fade but he didn’t want towatch Audra. He shouldn’t have reacted so strongly to discoveringshe was pregnant.

And he for sure should not have kissedher.

“I apologize, Mitch. I should have told youabout the baby as soon as I found out,” she said stiffly.

The anger simmered. He slitted his eyes,seeing her lean against the porch column, gazing sadly out towardthe lake. She still moved with such grace despite her pregnancy.He’d always liked watching her. She was so very feminine.

Not for the first time he began to wonderwhat his life would have been like had his mother not deserted herfamily. Or if his father had remarried a loving, giving woman,instead of growing into the bitter, withdrawn man he’d become.

Maybe then he would have known how to holdon to his wife, how to stay married.

Closing his eyes again, he reminded himselfhe’d made it thirty-four years without a woman in his life, hecould manage the next thirty-four. The months he and Audra had beenmarried didn’t count.

Though, he corrected himself, technically,they were still married.

And now had a baby on the way.

“Did you think I’d make a lousy father, isthat why you didn’t tell me about the baby?” he asked when thesilence stretched out.

“No, not a lousy father, merely an absentone. When would you see the baby?” She shrugged. “I guess I didn’tthink your knowing would have changed anything—especially yourworking hours.”

He motioned to the chair opposite. “Sitdown. We have a situation to deal with.”

She sat gingerly on the edge of a chair.

“I don’t expect anything from you,” she saidquickly.

“It’s my baby, too, right?”

Nodding her head emphatically, Audra lookedfar calmer than he felt.

“Do you need anything?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Last month I moved intoa two-bedroom apartment, fixed up the second bedroom for the baby.We’ll be fine.”

He didn’t like her answer. But what could hesay? She’d made her feelings clear when she’d left.

“And about the cottage–”

She watched him warily. “There might beanother cottage available you could use,” she offered.

“Or one you could use.”

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