Page 31 of A Baby to Make Her His Bride

Orlin Caulfield was ousted without ceremony and was quoted as being “very concerned” and “cooperating fully.” He was also still out of the country. Vienna knew it must gall Jasper that the man was literally getting away with murder.

And whose fault was that?Hers.

With a whimper, she threw her arm over her eyes where she lay on the couch.

The guilt was killing her, but it was exacerbated by the knowledge that Jasper would never forgive her for ruining his plan. If they had managed to keep their relationship under wraps, they could have at least parted as friends. Maybe, at some later time, they might have come together again, but that was never going to happen now. She doubted he would so much as give her the time of day.

She was so mortified and agonized over what she’d done, she couldn’t even face him. Amelia had invited her to come visit and Vienna had demurred, making excuses because she knew Jasper was living in Vancouver. She didn’t want to see him.

She didn’t want to see his antipathy and blame up close where it would be undeniable and real.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this! They had agreed to a harmless fling. Not something that would torture her to the depths of her soul forever.

The little she had read on relationships after divorce claimed they were often very intense and sexual and also that they stung like hell when they ended. She might have believed this was nothing more than a textbook case of rebound melancholy, but the way she felt went beyond the emotions that were forming a bleak aura around her. She was exhausted. Anemic, maybe. Her stomach wasn’t quite right, either.

She had tried to dismiss it as stress-related, but yesterday, her divorce had been finalized. She had signed the papers and Neal was out of her life for good. She ought to be over the moon.

Maybe she needed to see a doctor. Given her travel and stress, she had probably picked up a virus. Maybe she’d been bitten by a deer tick when she’d been hiking through the woods in Tofino. Maybe a mosquito had given her some new exotic fever.

Ugh. She hated the idea of doctors so much. The mere thought of making an appointment gave her trauma flashbacks to all those invasive procedures trying to address her fertility issues. The last thing she wanted was to get poked or prodded or patronized again.

Wait.

She sat up so fast, her head swam. Her stomach twisted in hope and dread before she had fully done the math on her last cycle.

She dropped her head into her hands, trying to think through her ricocheting thoughts.

Her last one had been before Tofino. Two weeks before. She clearly remembered having a horrific backache when she went to see her lawyer. That date had been one year on the dot from when she had begun living away from Neal, marking the required year of separation.

It’s not possible, she reminded herself. Doctors had said so. More than one.

But it was—technically—possible. The condom had broken.

No. Being pregnant right now, by Jasper, would be a disaster. He had been upset by the broken condom. He hadn’t wanted the riskbeforeshe’d sent his plans off the rails. He wouldn’t want a baby with her. No way.

Which was exactly the backhanded luck that convinced her to entertain the idea that maybe she could be pregnant.

Her heart began to flutter in an unfettered mix of excitement and trepidation.

Did she still have a test in the bathroom?

Her pulse slammed so hard that she was afraid to rise in case she fainted.

It’s not possible. It’s not possible.

After a few deep breaths, she rose to find out.

“Your divorce is final! That must be why you’re glowing.” Amelia swayed and patted Peyton’s back while Vienna set out the clothes and teething toys she had bought for her niece in Germany.

Vienna didn’t confess what was really lighting her up from the inside. The baby’s father deserved to be the first to know—even if he was liable to be furious.

It didn’t matter how he reacted, she assured herself. She was absolutely prepared to raise the baby alone. She was only telling him because their close alignment through family meant he would be aware of her baby and she didn’t want him blindsided by any surprises in the future.

Of course, she might have dragged her feet a little if Amelia hadn’t mentioned that Jasper was leaving for Santiago within the week.

“Oh? Do you have commitments with him before he leaves? I was thinking to finally take you up on a visit this weekend,” Vienna had said, as if it was unrelated. “I want to hear all about Bora Bora and see my favorite niece.”

“Bora Bora was all theS’s. Sun, sand, swim, sleep. Maybe that otherSthat goes along with a honeymoon.” She winked through the camera. “I’ll invite Jasper to come for dinner while you’re here.” Amelia’s voice had dipped with curiosity. “I’m sure he’d like to say hello.”

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