The Friendship Pact. Tara Quinn Taylor

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СКАЧАТЬ had already opened a bottle that night,” Bailey said now.

      “One my folks sent home with us.” Kora nodded, sounding relaxed, as though they could talk about wine for the rest of the night. But her focused expression told Bailey she was waiting for more than wine conversation.

      Or maybe Bailey was just reading her thoughts. Had Kora known that Danny opened the wine from her folks after he’d put Bailey’s bottle down in the cellar? Bailey had heard the cork pop.

      But didn’t want to say anything negative about Danny. She didn’t even want to think anything negative about him.

      He really was a great guy. Bailey just couldn’t seem to live up to his expectations of her. Hell, he’d rather lie than drink her wine. He’d hurt her feelings. And if Kora knew, it would cause problems between them. Which was why she hadn’t said anything about it then, or later. Kora and Danny were the perfect couple. Bailey needed them to be happy.

      “You going to stand there all night or are we going to talk?” Kora’s glass of wine was half empty.

      Bailey decided she should have brought the bottle in.

      Setting her glass on the nightstand, Bailey settled onto her side of the bed, resting back against the headboard.

      She took a deep breath. And another.

      “What is it, Bail?” Kora leaned over, her knee pressing into Bailey’s, and grabbed her hand. “You’re scaring me.”

      The change in her tone of voice increased Bailey’s own fears. She couldn’t lose Kora. And she couldn’t not move forward with her life, either.

      “What?” Kora asked, giving Bailey’s fingers a hard squeeze. Turning over her hand, Bailey squeezed back.

      “I...need your support on something,” she said, choosing her words more carefully than she usually did when speaking with her closest friend.

      “Okay...Of course, if it’s important to you, you’ve got it.” The wide-eyed worry shining from Kora’s face was reassuring.

      Maybe it really was that simple. Yeah, she was probably making a bigger deal out of this than it needed to be...

      “I don’t think you’re going to like it,” she said now. Actually, she was certain Kora wasn’t going to like it. Kora jerked, and the wine in her other hand spilled. She didn’t even seem to notice. “You’re not moving away are you?”

      “No.” Pulling a tissue from the box on the nightstand, Bailey dabbed at a wet spot on her friend’s thigh. “Of course not. I couldn’t leave you. You know that.”

      “Okay,” Kora grinned. “Good.” She sipped her wine. “So, what’s up?”

      “I want to have a baby.” Kora and Danny had been trying for almost a year and every month, when Kora was hoping not to have a period, and Bailey had lain awake at night praying for her friend’s fertility, she’d found herself feeling an emptiness of her own....

      “A baby?” Kora frowned, shook her head. “You’re pregnant?”

      “Not yet.” She sat forward, grabbing Kora’s hand in both of hers. She couldn’t do this without Kora. And she had to do it. “I realize this sounds sudden, but it’s not, Kor. I just...I know this is the right thing. Just like I knew law school was. You know how I am. I don’t care about a lot of things, but when I do, when I’m certain something’s right, it is.”

      Kora, who was still staring at her, nodded. “But...a baby?”

      Bailey nodded back. There were so many things she could say, about her heart, her life, her upbringing and her emptiness, but Kora already knew all that.

      “You’re talking like after you get married, right?” Kora asked, but Bailey knew that her friend wasn’t really asking. She knew better. But was hoping, anyway.

      Bailey shook her head.

      “I thought you hadn’t spoken to Jake since March.”

      Stomach churning again, Bailey said, “I haven’t.”

      Hurt filled Kora’s eyes and then was gone. “I didn’t know you’d met anyone else.” There wasn’t any accusation in Kora’s tone, but...

      “I haven’t!” Bailey quickly confirmed.

      “Then you’re talking about sometime in the future...”

      “No.” Bailey shook her head again, felt the effects of the alcohol she’d consumed, and reached for her wine glass, taking another sip. “I found a clinic that does artificial insemination,” she said in a rush. “I went there today, Kor, and this place is great. The people are great. The woman I met with was so supportive. She totally understood me, where I was coming from. She said I’ll need to consider everything carefully, including the fact that I’ll be bringing a child into the world, possibly a son, who wouldn’t have a father figure in his life, but I figured with you and Danny and Papa Bill...”

      “You went to a fertility clinic?” Kora’s gaze wasn’t horrified, but it wasn’t pleased.

      “Yeah. I have another appointment for next week and I want you to go with me, Kora. I told them you’d be there as my next of kin. They know about you and Danny and your folks and...”

      “No, Bail...” There were tears in Kora’s eyes as she shook her head. Bailey hadn’t expected tears. “You can’t do this. Please don’t do this...” Kora kept shaking her head. You’re going to ruin your chances at the family and home you’ve always wanted. It’s like saying you don’t want to be my friend, and breaking up with Jake because you fell in love with him. You want a family, but this... You’ll be alone as a parent and—”

      “I can’t do it without you.”

      “I know. But I can’t... If you’d been in love and your husband died, or he was an invalid or even if you were gay, then fine, I’d get it and I’d be with you all the way. But this...” Leaning back, Kora put her wine glass down, then scooted closer to Bailey, leaning back against the headboard to pull Bailey over, holding her, Bailey’s head on her shoulder, as they’d done so many times in the past.

      “You’re just scared because of Jake,” she said, her voice soothing. And Bailey wanted to sink into the comfort and go to sleep. To rest peacefully, as she’d done so many times at Kora’s house, with her friend close by to chase away the ugliness that always seemed to be on Bailey’s heels. Or to call in Kora’s parents when it was too big for the two of them to handle alone.

      “You’re panicking and jumping into something....”

      Was she? Kora knew her better than anyone. So maybe she had a point. But... “Just come with me,” she said. “If you still think I’m nuts, then I’ll listen to you, but just come with me to the appointment. Hear what they have to say....”

      “Of course I’ll come, sweetie. I won’t let you down. I’ve always been there for you and always will. No matter what. And remember, Bail, I’m just keeping my word to you. I promised I’d always tell you what I see—just like I expect you to do for me. You know your insecurities can blind СКАЧАТЬ