A Baby In The House. Pamela Bauer

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СКАЧАТЬ guess that means you haven’t worked things out.”

      “No, and we aren’t going to.”

      “I’m sorry. I thought…with the baby…” She trailed off, looking a bit self-conscious.

      Krystal reached across and gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m the one who should be apologizing. I should have told you before now that Roy isn’t the father of my baby.”

      Dena tried not to look shocked, but Krystal knew she was. Although she’d dated many men, Roy had been the only serious relationship she’d had since living at 14 Valentine Place. It was only natural that people would expect that she was carrying his child. Krystal knew it was what most of her friends would think when they learned of her pregnancy.

      “Have you told the father?” Dena asked in a quiet voice.

      Krystal shook her head. “Not yet. I want to, but it’s complicated.” She wished she could tell her just how complicated it was, but she couldn’t. Not with the wedding only weeks away.

      “Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, you’ll let me know, right?”

      Krystal nodded. “Thanks for caring, but I’m afraid the only thing you can do is not mention to anyone that I’m pregnant.”

      Dena held up her hand. “That goes without saying. I won’t say a word.”

      “What about Quinn? He was the one who found my home pregnancy test in the bathroom,” she reminded her.

      “Yes, but I’m not sure he even realizes it was yours. At the time I told him it could belong to any one of a number of your friends who’d stayed with you. Don’t forget. He’s lived upstairs so he knows how popular you are.”

      “I usually do have people coming and going, don’t I?” she said, hoping Dena was right about Quinn.

      “Yes, but if you’re worried, I can speak to him about it.”

      “Would you mind?”

      “No, not at all. Now, back to my request,” Dena said with an endearing smile. “Will you be my bridesmaid?”

      As tempting as it was to decline her request, Krystal could see by the look on Dena’s face how important it was to her. “If you’re sure you want me, then yes, I’d love to be in your wedding.”

      Dena leaned over to give her a hug. “Thank you. It’ll be so much easier for me to do this whole wedding thing knowing you and Maddie will be there.”

      Easier for Dena maybe, but more difficult for Krystal. “How many people are coming?”

      “We wanted to keep it small, but that’s not easy to do when your fiancé is a professional hockey player.” She flipped open her day planner. “Here’s what’s been decided so far.”

      They spent the next two hours discussing everything from what music should be played at the church to what lingerie Dena should take on her honeymoon. It was exactly the kind of girl talk Krystal needed and she appreciated the fact that Dena made no other references to her pregnancy.

      “So now you know why I’m so nervous,” Dena said as she stacked her day planner on top of the bridal magazine. “By the time this wedding is over, I’m going to be a basket case and you are going to be happy to be rid of me.”

      “I most certainly will not be. I hate the thought of you leaving,” Krystal said sincerely. “I’m glad you decided not to move out until after the wedding. Do you know if Leonie has found someone for the third floor?”

      “You haven’t heard?” When Krystal gave her a blank look, she continued. “I thought you would know all about it. You see more of Garret than I do.”

      Krystal frowned. “Know what?”

      “Your plan worked.”

      Krystal was puzzled. “What plan?”

      “Going with him to the hospital ball to make his old girlfriend jealous. It must have worked.”

      Krystal had a bad feeling in her gut and it had nothing to do with morning sickness. “He’s seeing Samantha again?”

      “He must be. Why else would she be moving in here?”

      Krystal gasped. “No! Oh please, tell me it isn’t true!” she begged.

      “Isn’t she the one you said had so many ruffles on her dress at that party that she looked like she could set sail if a gust of wind came up?” Dena asked.

      “Yes, and it’s too bad it didn’t,” Krystal retorted.

      “Wow! You really don’t like her, do you?”

      Krystal could see the curiosity in her eyes and knew she needed to give an explanation. She would have liked to have told Dena the real reason she hated to see Samantha Penrose move into the house, but the bride-to-be didn’t need to get drawn into the melodrama her life had become.

      So instead she said, “Don’t pay any attention to me. I’m just in a witchy mood. This early stage of pregnancy is like having PMS 24/7.” She brushed the hair from her forehead and sighed.

      “It’s all right, I understand,” Dena assured her.

      “Will you please just forget I made a fuss, because I shouldn’t have said anything. That night of the hospital ball I hardly spoke to Samantha. For all I know she could be a very nice person.”

      “I don’t think Leonie would have rented the apartment to her if she didn’t think she would fit in here. You know how she is about her tenants,” Dena pointed out.

      Krystal nodded. “I’m just surprised she gave her Quinn’s old place. I didn’t think Leonie liked her because of what she did to Garret. You do know that she was the one who left him.”

      Dena nodded. “If Leonie had any hard feelings toward her, they’re gone. She spoke very highly of Samantha when she mentioned her to me. Said she was lovely and that she thought we’d get along with her just fine.”

      Krystal had to stifle the laughter that nearly spilled out of her. Fortunately Dena’s cell phone rang at that moment.

      “I’m sorry, Krys, but I have to take this. It’s Quinn. You don’t mind, do you?”

      Krystal shook her head, excused herself and went up to her room. As she climbed the stairs, her legs felt like undercooked pasta. The first thing she did when she got inside her apartment was to collapse on to her bed and stare at the ceiling, stunned by what Dena had told her.

      Samantha Penrose would soon be living above her.

      If it weren’t so tragic it would be funny, Krystal thought. She threw her shoe at the ceiling and groaned in frustration. This couldn’t be happening to her. Was fate so cruel or had her life suddenly become a black comedy?

      She could only wonder what the lovely Samantha was going to say when she found out her new neighbor was pregnant with her boyfriend’s baby.

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