Pregnancy Countdown. Linda Wisdom Randall

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СКАЧАТЬ at her and made sounds that she hoped meant “Congratulations” and not “No way am I sharing my toys!”

      “Now I just have to figure out how to tell Mark. Not right away, of course. I have to get used to the idea myself first.” She suddenly groaned. “Oh no! Everyone is going to jump all over this piece of news. Another Walker brother turns into a surprise daddy. First Jeff, then Brian and now Mark.” She buried her face in her hands. “He’ll never live this down.” Tears that threatened to fall were halted when Brumby scrambled up onto her knees in his attempt to offer her doggie kisses. She hugged him tightly as he continued to lick her face. “We’ll do fine, sweetie. Once I figure out how I’m going to handle all this.”

      An hour in the park of playing Keep Away with Brumby cleared Nora’s mind and raised her spirits. She was still smiling during their walk back to the house. Her smile wobbled a bit when she saw a familiar truck parked in her driveway and an equally familiar figure seated on her front steps. He stood up as she and Brumby approached him. The dog woofed a couple of times and strained at the leash. Nora dropped it as he waddled toward Mark.

      “You must be feeling better,” Mark greeted her.

      “Just something I ate.” She almost choked on her lie.

      He frowned. “Ginna said you haven’t been feeling good lately. That has to be more than just something you ate.”

      “I’ve learned what foods to avoid. Why are you here, Mark?”

      He looked away and mumbled something.

      Nora felt tired and not in the mood to act nice. Not to mention, she was afraid he would just look at her and guess her secret. Mark might not be a doctor, but he was a paramedic. He had told stories of his delivering babies that weren’t going to wait to reach the hospital. She hoped it didn’t mean he could diagnose pregnancy by just looking at a person.

      “What did you say?”

      He turned back and kept his eyes trained on her face as he said, “I said I wanted to make sure you were all right.” There was no doubt of his sincerity. She didn’t want him caring about her. She wanted him to go on with his life the way she planned to go on with hers. She knew after their breakup he’d gone on with his life with the help of a public relations assistant named Daisy who worked at a local advertising firm. After Daisy came Kate, then Joanna. Nora wouldn’t be surprised if he worked his way through the alphabet. She was proud of herself for not once asking Ginna about Mark. That didn’t stop Ginna from occasionally dropping comments about her brother’s social life. Nora had always been grateful Ginna had never asked Nora her reason for breaking up with Mark. Nora had never admitted just how much it hurt to realize Mark was just like her father. The last thing she wanted was to be with a man whose eyes wandered too much.

      She refused to re-create her mother’s life. Nora thought she was safe because marriage had never been brought up when they dated.

      She walked over to the steps and sat down beside him. He shifted his body so that he was facing her. Brumby ambled up to plop down between them. He groaned happily when Mark scratched him behind the ears.

      “Mark, you don’t need to be the good guy here,” she said softly. “I told you that first morning that I wouldn’t be the clinging vine or expect anything from you. No strings. You’re safe.” She was surprised by the slight frown creasing his forehead.

      “And you told me the same thing the second time around. You’re not a one-night stand, Nora.”

      “No, I’m a two-night stand,” she said slowly and deliberately, not missing his wince at her blunt choice of words. “You happened to be there when I was feeling vulnerable. I didn’t wake up hoping for bouquets of roses and impassioned declarations.”

      “Some would say you’re protesting too much.” He stood up and held out his hand. She placed hers in it and he pulled her up. He didn’t let go of her hand as he started down the driveway toward his truck. A sharp-edged whistle had Brumby on their heels.

      “What are you doing?” She tried to hang back, but he was having none of it.

      “I’m taking you out to dinner. I bet you haven’t had a decent meal in days.”

      “I have so.” She couldn’t believe he’d guessed her lunch was a container of orange-crème yogurt. It seemed to be the only thing her touchy stomach could handle. At least the doctor’s news had cleared up that mystery. She watched him pick up her dog and put him in the back seat. “Last I heard, dogs weren’t allowed in restaurants.”

      “They are if you go to Syd’s Place where dogs are welcome on their patio,” he told her.

      “Mark!” She tried digging in her heels but didn’t get very far. Plus, he already had her dog in the truck. He gave her an ungentlemanly push up into the passenger seat. As if he guessed she still might try to bolt, he reached over her and pulled the seat belt across her chest and fastened it.

      “I have plenty of food in my refrigerator,” she argued.

      “You’ve cooked for me twice. Since cooking isn’t one of my better skills, I’ll take you out.” He jumped into the driver’s seat and started up the engine. The Rolling Stones immediately filled the cab. He quickly turned down the volume.

      “Brumby will drool all over your clean seats.” Nora tried another argument.

      “As long as he’s not toxic, I’m not worried.” He stretched his arm along the back of the seat as he half turned while backing down the driveway. “I hope you’re hungry. Wednesday is chili night at Syd’s.”

      “Just don’t give Brumby any,” Nora warned.

      “You can pick something from the dog menu.”

      She knew it was time to give up. For some reason, Mark was determined to take her out to dinner, so she may as well let him. A tiny smile touched her lips. She was hungry and she was eating for two.

      Though the light was dim, Mark didn’t miss Nora’s smile. At least she had stopped arguing with him. Damn, the dog was drooling all over the back seat! He tightened his jaw and concentrated on the road.

      “How do you know Syd’s Place? You don’t have a dog,” Nora pointed out.

      “Brian mentioned that he and Gail go there a lot since they can take their dog,” he replied. “Seems the baby loves the beach. They like to stop there to eat before heading home.”

      Nora saw the comparison between Mark and Brian much too clearly. She didn’t expect any impassioned declaration of love from Mark or an insistence on doing the right thing. It wasn’t his style. It was a well-known fact he didn’t like to be tied down.

      She knew how he would react as well as she knew how his family would react. His parents, Cathy and Lou, would welcome a new grandchild and his grandmother and grandfather, Theo and Martha, would boast about the newest great-grandchild.

      She knew her baby would have the joy of a large family. Something Nora hadn’t had as a child. She knew she wouldn’t keep the baby from them. The older Walker clan was never happier than when they spent the day together with family and friends.

      She gave herself a mental shake. She was looking ahead to perhaps a year from now. She needed to concentrate on getting through dinner without divulging news she was СКАЧАТЬ