Expectations. Brenda Novak

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СКАЧАТЬ went back to the pleasant memories of his days with Jenna, remembering her carefree laugh that time he’d given her a ride on his buddy’s motorcycle. Afterward, she’d insisted on driving, gave it too much gas and popped a wheelie. They’d gone down the street on one wheel, then two, again and again, until she finally crashed and bloodied his knees, as well as hers, and they’d limped home, laughing and pushing the bike before them.

      Chuckling, he wondered if she still remembered ruining her new pair of jeans that way. Fortunately holes at the knee became fashionable after that, so he still got to see her in those great-fitting jeans.

      And then there was the day she’d baked him a strawberry dessert, which she spilled in her aunt’s car when she tried to bring it over to him. They’d spent the better part of the night trying to clean it up….

      Whoever was using the bathroom was sure taking a long time. He could hear his grandfather’s snores throughout the private part of the inn and knew that Pop, at least, was sleeping soundly. It could be Gram or Ryan in there, but after overhearing Dennis’s call, Adam suspected it was Jenna.

      Slipping out of bed, he put on the pajama bottoms he usually left in his leather bag and headed out into the hall. A light glimmered beneath the bathroom door, but the occupant seemed to be sick, not merely upset.

      He knocked softly.

      “I’ll be out in a moment.” Jenna’s voice sounded oddly breathless.

      “Are you all right?” he asked. “Is there something I can get you?”

      A few seconds passed before she answered. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine in the morning.”

      In the morning? What about now? He paused, wondering what to do. Considering how she must feel about him, he figured she could be seriously ill and still not let him help her. “Do you want me to get Gram?”

      Another long pause. “No. Please don’t bother anyone. I’m sorry if I woke you.”

      Adam smiled to himself. She had kept him awake, but not in the way she thought. “I couldn’t sleep, anyway. Would you please unlock the door so I can see you’re as fine as you say you are?”

      “No.” This time her response came quickly and the toilet flushed right afterward. To cover the sound of her retching?

      “Jenna? Are you throwing up?”

      No answer. He rattled the knob. “Jenna, open this door, or I’m going to wake the whole damn house.”

      “Just a minute.”

      He heard the tap water turn on and off. After another lengthy silence, she opened the door and flipped the light off at the same time.

      “I’m fine, see?”

      Blinded by the instant flood of light and then the sudden darkness, Adam couldn’t see anything. He thought he glimpsed a tired and unusually pale face, but her voice sounded better.

      “What was wrong in there? Have you started throwing up when you get upset?”

      Forced cheer edged her words. “No. Why would I be upset?”

      Because your ex-husband just threatened to kill you. Adam nearly blurted it out before he caught himself. He had no right to barge into her personal affairs. No right to hear as much as he had. But damned if he didn’t want to help Jenna in some way, if only to make up for hurting her so long ago.

      He changed tactics. “I was about to go down and make myself some tea, thought it might help me sleep. Would you like a cup?”

      “No. I’ve got a big day tomorrow. I’d better go back to bed.”

      That’s what you said two hours ago, but it doesn’t look like you’ve gotten much sleep.

      “Sure.” He moved aside, catching a trace of her perfume as she slipped past. He didn’t recognize it as one of the more expensive brands he’d smelled on some of the women he’d dated, but it was perfect for her: spicy, warm, rather exotic.

      “Jenna?”

      She turned back when she reached her door.

      “I was sorry to hear about you and Dennis.”

      She stepped into her room and he wondered if she was going to answer him.

      “Divorce is never pretty,” she said at last. Then, with a decisive click, she closed the door.

      JENNA BROKE OUT in a cold sweat as Adam’s steps receded. She couldn’t even move. She stood in the middle of the floor, hugging her body, rocking back and forth.

      She’d felt nauseated, she’d thrown up, she’d felt better—just the same as last night. But that cycle was exactly what worried her. The flu struck for at least a day. With food poisoning, you threw up until your system cleansed itself. Her nausea hit about the same time each night and always occurred on an empty stomach.

      Just like it had when she was pregnant with Ryan.

      Dropping her head into her hands, Jenna began to knead her temples. Oh, God, please, I can’t be pregnant.

      After Ryan, she and Dennis had tried and tried to have another baby. When she hadn’t conceived after four years, they visited a doctor, who told them Dennis’s sperm count was too low. They were given the name of a fertility specialist, whom they’d never called, partly because Dennis seemed to lose interest—he had his boy and was satisfied—and partly because he’d started drinking.

      Jenna took a deep breath and managed to stumble back to her bed. Climbing under the covers, she shivered and wondered if she’d ever be warm again. Just when Dennis and the divorce were almost behind her, she could be pregnant.

      A new baby. A huge responsibility. Dennis’s child.

      A sob escaped her as she tried again to count the days since her last period, but she couldn’t remember exactly. Dennis had forced himself on her almost three months after the divorce was final. She’d submitted because she hadn’t wanted to wake Ryan with another of their fights, and after sharing her bed with Dennis for thirteen and a half years, she hadn’t thought one more time would make a difference.

      But if she was pregnant, it made a huge difference.

      She thought of Adam asking her if she threw up when she was upset, and tried to calm down. He’d unwittingly offered her an alternative explanation. Stress did strange things to the body, causing headaches, stomach ailments, insomnia, all kinds of things.

      Besides, her symptoms could result from fear. What she needed was to buy a pregnancy test at the grocery store and find out for sure. If it turned out negative, she could relax.

      If it turned out positive…

      Jenna closed her eyes. Sleep, she ordered herself. Ryan was depending on her and so were the Durhams.

      But who could she depend on?

      Adam. His name leaped into her mind, and for one sweet instant she let herself pretend. Then reality doused her like an icy ocean wave.

      “I СКАЧАТЬ