hooked up.”
“That was months ago!” Audrey said. I recognized her doctor's gaze as she looked me over. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I am an Ob/Gyn,” she muttered the last as if she was put out.
“I’m seeing Dr. Seymour. I didn’t come to you because there’s no way I could have my bestie staring at my lady parts with my feet up in stirrups.”
She rolled her eyes then nodded. “Yeah, that makes sense.”
“I didn’t tell anyone because, you know—my life is a mess right now,” I added. I looked to Marina and Willow and realized they knew nothing about my fiasco with Todd. I gave them the short version of how Todd had behaved in the marriage and my reason for leaving.
“Asshole,” Marina muttered, grabbing a stuffed mushroom and popping it in her mouth.
“That’s what I’ve been dealing with. Besides, twenty percent of first pregnancies end in miscarriage. I didn’t see the point in, well, facing it, until I was sure it would stick.”
“Clint didn’t know?” Marina asked, whispering. Her excitement was palpable—she practically bubbled over with enthusiasm, which made me feel much better about my deceit.
I shook my head. “Not at first. The first time I saw him since your party was the other day. I puked on his shoes at the grocery store.” I tossed out a rueful smile as they gasped. “I didn’t tell him then. The next night, actually. Well, I didn’t tell him. He figured it out.” I flushed, remembering our lovemaking that night. How he’d recognized the changes in my body. How he’d made me feel beautiful despite them.
They whooped and laughed, knowing what I meant.
“So you’re not taking the relationship seriously, but I’m guessing Clint is?” Audrey asked, eyeing me carefully.
Willow and Marina watched me, too, hanging for my answer. I got the feeling they knew something I didn’t. Something I should know—about Clint.
“I did meet his parents, but that’s not the reason for your question. What makes you ask?”
Marina jumped up and arranged some more cheese popovers onto a plate. Willow refilled Marina’s glass then went to a little mini-fridge in the corner for another bottle.
“Why do I feel like you guys know something I don’t?”
“Oh, we know these ranch boys, that’s all,” Audrey said quickly. “I’m pretty sure Clint’s just like the Wolf brothers—fiercely protective and completely loyal. You’ve seen them. I mean, you remember how Colton and Boyd crashed the bachelorette party. I guess Clint did too now that I think about it. Don’t worry, the guy’s not going to shirk his responsibility when it comes to a baby.”
Responsibility.
I didn’t like that word. It was one of the reasons I hadn’t told Clint in the first place. I didn’t want to get tangled in a relationship just because we were having a kid together. I wasn’t one of those people who believed having a kid out of wedlock was a sin, even though my parents did. I believed marrying the wrong person was a sin.
One I’d been paying for… for years.
They were all watching me again, so I offered them a fake smile then owned up. “I’m sure the baby will appreciate that, but I’m not jumping into a relationship just because a condom didn’t work. You know what I mean?”
Marina’s eyes widened slightly, like she was taken aback.
“I don’t want to just be Clint’s responsibility. I want to be… more.”
Audrey jumped to my rescue. “Of course, you do. I know you’re still in the middle of a tricky divorce.” She covered my hand with hers. “I’m sure this seems like terrible timing.”
My bank account had been wiped out, and I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to pay the rent this month. Sure, I’d have the money with my next paycheck, which I’d have to get cashed then give the landlord money in an envelope to ensure Todd didn’t get his mean fingers on it. I frowned at how much of a pain that would be. Yet I had no extra money. I literally had nothing to my name. Wasn’t that fucking depressing?
I nodded at Audrey, a lump in my throat forming.
“I hope you don’t feel like Clint is pressuring you. These ranch guys come on strong—we can all attest to that.”
Marina and Willow nodded.
I released a watery laugh. “He definitely comes on strong. I told you about why I’m divorcing my ex, but not the latest with him. Todd is causing all kinds of trouble right now. Clint caught him looking in my bedroom window,