Shotgun Groom. Kristin Morgan

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СКАЧАТЬ Jack to do her just this one, big favor?

      Besides, if he didn’t want to, all he had to do was say no. She would accept that. She would have to.

      Taking a deep breath, Beth mentally prepared herself for the battle ahead. “Jack, you know, of course, how I’ve always said I wanted to have a child of my own.”

      Keeping his hands placed on his hips, he gave her a hesitant grin. “Sure,” he said. “It’s been your dream in life since... well... since forever. Why?”

      “I’m not getting any younger, and that dream still isn’t a reality. Therefore, I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands,” she continued, pausing briefly for a breath. “I’ve come up with this terrific plan—”

      Jack rolled his eyes. “Oh, no. Not another one of your plans. I knew it. I bet it involves me, right?”

      His abrupt manner stunned Beth and she looked him square in the face. Finally, in a voice held tight with emotion, she said, “Yes. You could say that.”

      “I knew it,” he exclaimed. “I knew the moment I walked through your front door that you had me involved in something. What is it this time?” he asked. He seemed so proud of himself for having been one step ahead of her.

      Beth couldn’t really blame him for being so skeptical of her motives. Over the years her ideas had gotten him involved in some pretty wild schemes. But convincing him to let her tag along with him and his date the night of their senior prom when her own date had come down at the last minute with a bad case of poison ivy paled enormously in comparison to what she now had in mind for them. So did the time ten years ago when she’d convinced him to let her go along with him and a couple of other guys on a whitewater rafting trip. She’d almost drowned them all—or so Jack had said at the time. All she’d done was accidentally knock one poor guy out of the boat, but they’d gotten him back inside right away. He had forgiven her ages ago. It was time that Jack did, too.

      Still, she grimaced at the thought that he was on to her already. “This time is different, Jack, really it is.”

      He had dropped his hands down to his sides, but he immediately brought them back up to his hips and gave her an impatient glance. “Okay, Beth, I’ll take the bait. What exactly does different mean?”

      Anyone else would have probably been intimidated by his cocky manner, but not Beth. In fact, she found herself following his movements and thinking of what nice hands he had. His palms were wide, his fingers long and lean and, of course, his nails were trimmed neatly. Knowing Jack as she did, she had little doubt that they were the kind of hands that were strong, yet gentle when he made love to a woman. She had always secretly hoped that her Knight in Shining Armor would have hands like Jack.

      She took a deep breath after swallowing the sudden lump in her throat. “I’ve decided I want to get pregnant.”

      “Pregnant?” he replied, dumbfounded. A moment later, he smirked. “You’re kidding me right?”

      “No, I’m not,” she replied.”

      A stunned expression framed his face. Tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans, he rocked back on his heels. “Jeez, Beth, when did you decide all this?”

      “A couple of weeks ago. Right after you left town on business.”

      “Why didn’t you tell me when I called the other night?”

      Without meeting his eyes, Beth shrugged. “You were still overseas in France. It just didn’t seem like the right time.”

      He ran his fingers through his hair. “This is rather sudden, don’t you think? For heaven’s sake, you’re not even married.”

      “I know,” Beth replied. “But I plan to remedy that. The fact is, Jack, whether or not you like my idea, I’ve already made up my mind to go through with it. I can’t just sit back anymore and wait for Fate to take its course. I have to take charge of my life now, before it’s too late.”

      “Okay,” he said. “I can understand if you’re feeling that way about your life. We all do at times. But some things in life just naturally take time.”

      “There’s nothing natural about not having my dreams come true. And as far as time is concerned, I’m quickly running out of it, even as we speak. I know I’ve already told you this before, but if I follow in my mother’s and grandmother’s footsteps, there’s a good chance that I’m going to go through menopause at a young age. All I may have left are two—possibly, three—good years. I can’t just allow those years to roll past me without even making an attempt to do something about it.”

      Jack stepped back and regarded her intently. “Look,” he said, “I wish as much as you do that the guy of your dreams had shown up by now. But that doesn’t mean that he won’t. Who knows, he might be just around the next corner.

      Beth gave him a dispassionate glare. “Come on, Jack, you know as well as I do that it’s unlikely he’ll ever show up in my life. And even if he were to show eventually, it would probably be too late by then for me to have my own child. I simply won’t let that happen. That’s where you come into my plan, Jack.”

      Jack took a step back. “Me?” he said, as though surprised. A moment later, an enlightened gleam settled in his eyes. “Oh, I get it,” he said. “You need me to help you find a reputable sperm bank.” He shook his head affirmatively. “Well, don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll take care of that part. If you’re that determined to go through with this, it’s the least I can do to help you out.”

      Beth swallowed the lump in her throat. “Jack, I’m not exactly planning to use a sperm bank.”

      It took him a moment, but after giving her an astounded-looking grin, he finally said, “I don’t understand, Beth. Just how are you planning to get pregnant?”

      Her heart began pounding with anticipation. “The good old-fashioned way.”

      Jack’s grin widened. “What are you saying exactly?”

      “I’m saying that I plan on getting pregnant by sleeping with a guy. Of course, he and I will have to get married first.”

      “What?” Jack said, pulling his shoulders back.

      Before he could say anything more, Beth hurriedly cut in. “And then as soon as the job is done,” she answered, “he and I will get a divorce. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it?”

      “Sounds crazy, you mean,” Jack exclaimed in his next breath. “Beth, have you lost your mind?”

      Beth licked her lips. She had known this wasn’t going to be easy. “I know it sounds crazy. Karen already told me as much. But, frankly, it makes perfectly good sense to me.”

      “Well, Karen’s right,” he said. “You can’t do something like this.”

      “And why not?”

      “Because...well...because it isn’t like you.”

      “You know something,” she exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips, “maybe I’m tired of being like me. Maybe I want to be different. Maybe I want to be someone who is willing to take a chance in order to get what she wants in life.”

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