Page 2 of By Your Side

“All Scott ever wanted was to be a father and now he’s gone and will never get the chance. If he hadn’t married Adeline, he would probably have a couple of children and still be alive.” Hilary’s voice comes closer, and I hear her go into a stall.

A tear falls, the anger I feel at her mixed with the grief of where I am. How dare she say this shit about me and Scott when she doesn’t even have a clue. She had no interest in being in her son’s life.

“I know. He wanted it so bad, shelling out who knows how much money for IVF. And he refused to give up on her, even though he could easily find someone who could give him what he wanted.” The second voice is clearer, and I almost drop the pregnancy test.

Lizzie?!

My best friend of nearly eight years—and this is what she’s saying?! The woman I confided in, cried to about negative pregnancy tests.

The woman I thought would always have my back. And she knows Scott said this round would be our last with IVF, saying he was happy with how our life was and that we didn’t need a baby to be fulfilled.

I push my fingers through my hair and pull on the strands until the tears stop. Smoothing my hair as I hear Hilary leave the stall, I tuck the pregnancy test in my purse, stand and open the door.

They turn, gasping as they see me, their faces draining of color. At least Lizzie has the grace to look ashamed. Hilary quickly puts on a front, but before she can say anything, I hold my hand up and shake my head. After washing my hands, I walk straight out the door.

Finding a quiet alcove away from all the people, I move to pull the pregnancy test from my purse, dropping it to the floor.

Glancing down, the face is up, a negative result glaring up at me.

Grabbing the test, I stuff it in my purse. My lungs feel restricted, the stuffy air of the reception hall too much. Sneaking out the back door, my eyes burn as the constant ache in my chest pulses, relieving only slightly when I get to my car and sit inside and allow the torrent of tears to fall from my eyes.

one

June

Adeline

Swerving as a horn blares, my phone flies out of my hand and I barely miss the truck parked on the side of the road next to a tractor with steam flowing from its engine.

Heart pounding, I stare out my windshield as a man gets out of the truck and walks in front of my car before making his way toward me.

The low baseball cap resting on his head shadows his gaze. My eyes lock on the firm line of his full lips. Lowering my eyes, I clench my fists, my heart pounding. He reaches my door, towering over my car as he bends down and signals for me to lower my window.

I hit the button as I look up at him, my breath catching as I take in his face. He is striking despite the roughness of his appearance. Dark stubble covers his jaw, which is all hard lines. His lips are full, but there is no hint of a smile. Despite this, he has a kind face with the beginnings of laugh lines at the corners of his eyes. From those lines, it looks like he may have a good sense of humor. Not that there is any hint of humor in the amber depths of his eyes holding me in their glowering power.

“Texting and driving are going to get you killed. Or worse, you will kill someone else.” His tone is censuring. My hands loosen their vise as I shiver. Despite the rough edge, his rumbly voice is turning the knots in my belly into a whirlwind that sets my heart beating even faster. “Tourists.” That last bit is under his breath, but I don’t miss it.

“I’m not a tourist, I’m just lost. I bought a farmhouse around here, but my GPS is taking me in circles.” My voice shakes a little, mortifying me as he continues to stare. I never look at my phone when I’m driving. This situation is a perfect example of why. Clearing my throat, I search for my phone. After finding it on the floor, I pull up the address and turn the screen toward him. “Do you know where this is?”

He holds my gaze a moment before glancing at the screen. His lips purse even more as he points up the road. “Second driveway on the right. But if I were you, I would turn that car around and head back to the city.” He looks me up and down, taking in my strapless sundress and strappy sandals. “You’re not cut out for that house.”

Jerking my hand back, I narrow my eyes and glare at him, annoyed by not only the words and disdain in his voice but also by the heat flowing through my body at his appraisal. “You’re wrong. But thank you for the directions.”

Closing my window as I stare straight ahead, I drive away. Unable to help myself, I glance back at him in my rearview mirror. It’s hard to tell, but it looks like he’s laughing.

“Jerk.”

The second driveway on the right boasts a gravel road leading to a set of rusted gates. Even with my relatively untrained eye, I can still see the years of neglect in the overgrown entrance to my new home.

Shifting my SUV into park, I take a deep breath as I try to catch my first glimpse of the house, but I can’t see it through the trees. Saplings are sprouting up amongst the overgrown grass on the driveway, further blocking my view of the property. I knew I was in for some work, but the state of even the driveway is shocking. Despite this, something about the land calls to me.

“Come on, it’ll be an adventure.” Scott’s voice is full of humor as we drive away from the house we just viewed. If you can even call it that. “Think of all the skills we will learn.”

With a shake of my head, I point at the next house on the list, the one that I’m really excited to see. “No, that place is barely standing. This next place, we can move in and just enjoy.”

He smiles at me indulgently and I know we will get the house I want, because Scott will always make sure I’m happy.

My lips twitch when I look at the worn piece of paper with the listing for my new home—a rundown farmhouse with one photo of the house from the outside, the price, and a phone number. Not long after Scott’s funeral, I called the number and made my offer. Sight unseen.

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