Love and Secrets - Kit Morgan Page 0,34

she was a teenager, she was a woman now. Things were different. She had a life she loved, her own business …

And an empty apartment waiting for her.

Was she lonely? She thought about it as she watched the Brodys eat their dessert and talk about Sophie’s new stroller.

Would it matter if she was? Zane wasn’t someone to set her eyes on. Who knew what was going to happen? He might wind up going to New York and never looking back. Better to play it safe and not go there at all.

Dessert done, she helped Mrs. Brody with the dishes, then joined Zane in the living room. “Someone’s sleepy.”

Zane sat in a rocking chair holding a yawning Sophie. “I should put her to bed.”

Holly’s brows shot up. “Do you have a crib?”

“No, he doesn’t, and he needs one,” Mrs. Brody announced. “Which is why you and I are going to go to Stone’s and get one.”

Holly gaped at her a moment. “Me?”

“Of course, you’ve already been stroller shopping. Why not a crib? Unless Katie still has one. Does she?”

Oh. So that’s what this was. “No, I don’t think so. Maybe you could check with another member of the church?” she suggested.

“Well, a used one would be nice, but I suppose a new one nicer,” Mrs. Brody said. “Did you see any at Stone’s while you were there?”

“Yes, but we didn’t price them,” Zane told her. “Did you happen to notice what they were, Holls?”

“A lot. Those things aren’t cheap.” She gave her attention back to Mrs. Brody. “Do you still want to go?”

“Yes, I think we should.”

Holly stared at her a moment. Why would Mrs. Brody want her along? Other than the fact she’d helped Zane out. “All right. I can get off a little early and come pick you up if you’d like.”

“Fine. I’ll be waiting.”

Her eyes flicked to Zane and back. He was cuddling Sophie. Did his mother know he was leaving in a week? Probably not. Should she tell her? No, that was Zane’s department.

Oh, bother, but was she ever going to be able to keep her heart in check? It was getting harder and harder. Should she tell Mrs. Brody she changed her mind and can’t accompany her? “What time should I pick you up?” she heard herself say instead.

“Does four o’clock work for you?”

Holly smiled, nodded, and wondered how much deeper this would put her. But deeper in what, exactly? She couldn’t possibly already be falling in love with Zane, could she? But had she ever fallen out of love with him? They were in high school. It had been years…

But stranger things had happened.

“Look at this one,” Mrs. Brody said as she headed for the nearest baby crib.

Holly followed. It was the first one she’d noticed the day before. White with a pretty pink and blue design on both ends. “I guess they don’t make these with the jail bars on all four sides anymore.”

Mrs. Brody laughed. “They get fancier every year. It’s pretty, but too impractical for Zane.”

“He’s not the one that’s going to be sleeping in it.”

Mrs. Brody made a scoffing sound. “And do you think Sophie cares?”

“Well, no, but …”

“You’ve got a lot to learn about parenthood, Holly.” She ran a finger over the rail of the crib, as if inspecting for dust.

Holly tried not to sigh in frustration. She knew she shouldn’t have come along, but it was too late now. She knew Zane’s parents were still stressed out about their son’s situation. Heck, so was she. But she was sure his parents didn’t feel as inadequate as she did when it came to the day-to-day are of a child, especially a baby. It may have been years since Mrs. Brody took care of one, but she had a son. She had experience. Holly didn’t. Being reminded only solidified the fact she wasn’t cut out for motherhood. Not now, anyway.

The sooner she backed away from this situation, the better. The last thing she needed was to fall for a guy that needed a mother for his child. Which she was not.

“What about this one?” Mrs. Brody headed for a light-colored oak crib. She looked at the price tag. “Never mind.” She headed for the next.

Holly let go the sigh she’d been holding and followed. “Mrs. Brody?”

“Call me Janet.”

She stopped. “Oh, well, okay. Janet … maybe you’d better talk to Zane about this.”

The woman turned to face her. “Why?”

“On account he’s leaving for New York in a week?”

Janet gave her a blank