an ulcer.”
She followed Cade inside to the family room, where a makeshift kitchen had been set up. Star filled a mug with hot water from the food service cart and added a tea bag.
“Your stomach?” Cade asked, taking a sip of his coffee. “You’d tell me if your period was late, right?”
Star looked at him as if he were crazy. “My period is not going to be late. I know my body. The premenstrual signs are there, the bloating, the exhaustion. I’m crabby.”
“Still,” Cade said, “you’d tell me, right?”
“Of course.”
“I know the thought of being a parent terrifies you, but it doesn’t scare me. As much as I want you in my life, I’ll take the baby without you.”
“Are you saying you’d want me to carry the baby to term, then just walk away?” Star asked, incredulous.
“That would be your choice,” Cade said. “It’s not what I want. If you are pregnant, I want us to raise the baby together.”
Star remembered the feel of Will’s kick when he’d been inside Brandi. To feel the baby inside her, to nurture it, to bring it into the world, she couldn’t walk away and leave the baby with Cade, could she?
“I don’t want a baby,” she said, the words low, for his ears only. “You know that. I’m not pregnant.”
“I don’t want a baby either,” Cade said, “but if you are pregnant, we have to deal with it.”
Star set her tea down on the table. “Stop it. We’re talking about something that hasn’t happened yet.”
“Okay,” Cade said, his tone gentler now. “Okay. But I want you to know I’m here for you.”
Star nodded. She didn’t reply, she couldn’t. Her insides were in a knot. Her period was a day late. A day. Not out of the norm for her. She could count on being a day or two early or late most months. Yet, she didn’t confide in Cade. She refused to freak out.
She was in line for a promotion. Her life was on track, perfect. There was no room for a baby, no room for Cade, or his kids. She didn’t want a baby. Not now, not ever.
* * *
Later that afternoon, Star found Frank in the living room where he was watching Bret Parker, the host of Update This! do an on–air interview with Cade.
Her boss stood out of camera range, his arms folded across his chest. His brows were drawn together, and Star could see the tension on his face. He hadn’t calmed down yet. His fight with Vivienne still bothered him. Vivienne was still fired, but Star thought Frank would hire her back eventually. She was too good, too much of a ratings favorite.
Star watched Cade. He sat on the couch, a camera in his face. She stayed in the doorway, out of the shot. Frank noticed her and put his hand up, palm out, the gesture telling her to stay put.
“It’s the end of day four,” Bret said to Cade. “How do you think it’s going?”
“Fine.” Cade’s forehead creased. “It’s not easy to watch the place being torn apart, but everyone seems to know what they’re doing.”
“You don’t sound like you have a lot of faith in the team,” Bret said, goading Cade, no doubt hoping for a negative reaction.
“Time will tell,” Cade replied, keeping his cool.
“I guess it will,” Bret agreed. “What do you think of the colors, now that the walls are painted?”
“I’m not sure about all the red,” Cade said. “The color is strong.”
“It is,” Bret agreed. “Do you have anything to say to Carrie? It’s her design after all.”
“I trust her,” Cade said, looking directly at Star.
She gave him a small smile.
“Have you given any thought to how you’ll respond when the mail from the female viewers comes pouring in? A widower like you, three adorable kids, the ladies are going to eat you up.”
“Not really,” Cade said, and Star knew he’d agreed to play along with the single guy looking for a wife premise the show was based on, but he had no intention of following through, and Frank let him get away with no dates, in exchange for using the house.
“You’re a good looking guy,” Bret said. “You’re going to get more offers than you can imagine.”
“I guess I’ll think about that when the time comes.”
“A good diplomatic answer,” Bret said, giving the camera the dimpled grin that had earned him a female following of his own.
Cade nodded.
“Well, you heard him, folks,” Bret said directly to the camera. “Cade’s willing to trust