Cautious (8 page)

"Not when I can stay here and get woken up like that." He grinned.

"Who says I plan to wake you up like that every morning?" She climbed off him and he groaned from the lack of warmth her body had given him. "You're being presumptuous again."

"I'm optimistic," he said watching as she put on her bathrobe and tie it around her waist. God, she was so beautiful. Her eyes were hazy with post-coital bliss, her auburn locks were disheveled, and her face was flushed. Aaron reached for her and pulled her back onto the bed. "I was thinking we could spend the day on the boat."

Misty groaned. "I can't," she said giving his lips a soft kiss. "I have something to do with Mandy today."

"Oh, okay." He wasn't going to lie. He was really disappointed. It'd been his intention to take her to a little secluded spot he'd found a few miles away from the main shoreline and spend the day skinny dipping and making love.

"I'm sorry. She's going through a lot right now and she needs me. How about tomorrow?"

"I have to be at the station all day tomorrow." He smiled. "It's okay. We have plenty of days to spend on the boat."

Misty smiled. "Thank you for understanding."

Aaron caressed her cheek before taking her chin into his thumb and forefinger and giving her a lingering kiss. "Anything for you, baby." He didn't realize it until he'd said it, but he meant it. He really would do anything for her.

"I'm starving," she said touching her grumbling stomach and standing. "How do omelets sound?"

"Good. Just don't catch the stove on fire again."

Misty grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. He laughed and once she left the room he got out of bed and dressed. It had been too long since he'd felt like this—happy, carefree, excited about what the day would bring. And it was all thanks to Misty.

Amanda sat in the waiting room nervously bouncing her leg up and down. Misty was ready to slap her. "Will you please relax? It's going to be okay," Misty said.

"I'm having second thoughts," Amanda blurted out, her body stilling.

Misty was shocked. Amanda had been adamant in wanting to have an abortion and now that they were at the clinic, minutes away from Amanda's appointment time, she was having second thoughts? Unbelievable. "Well," Misty said clearing her throat. "You'd better make a decision before it's too late."

"I know." Amanda covered her face with her hands and began to cry. "It's just, I thought this was the right thing to do, but now I'm wondering…right for who? Me? Scott? The baby's father?"

"Okay, come on." Misty stood and took her sister's hand. "Let's go get some fresh air." Once outside, sitting on a wrought iron bench beneath an oak tree, Misty turned to her sister. "Where is this coming from, Mandy? Two days ago you were absolutely sure this is what you wanted."

"It is. I mean it was." Amanda sighed. "I don't know. Scott has made it very clear that no matter what I do about this baby, we're finished."

Misty hugged Amanda. "I'm so sorry, sweetie. You know you can stay with me for as long as you need."

"Thank you." Amanda sniffled. "Will you go to Arizona with me to get my stuff from Scott's place?"

"Of course. Just let me know when you're ready."

"Now. I want to go now," Amanda said her voice a bit frantic.

"Now? You can't be serious. What about your appointment?"

"I can't do it, Misty. I can't kill my baby." Amanda was in full blown tears now and it was becoming increasingly difficult to understand what she was saying.

"Take a deep breath, Mandy and calm down."

Amanda took several deep breaths until her sobbing had subsided. "I thought it was the right thing to do, but now that I'm here, I just can't go through with it. There's a baby growing inside of me. It's a part of me and I can't…" Her words trailed off into soft sobs.

Misty sat with her arm around her sister and let her get it all out. Misty couldn't imagine what her sister was going through—to have lost the love of her life, to find out she was pregnant with another man's baby, and to be facing the prospect of being a single mom. It was scary.

"Sorry," Amanda mumbled.

"Don't be sorry; be happy that you figured this out before it was too late."

Amanda laughed. "Thank you, Misty. I really don't know what I'd do without you right now."

Misty smiled and stood. "Well, we'd better get going if we're going to make it to Arizona tonight."

"All right, I'm just going to let them know I've changed my mind," Amanda said.

Misty used the opportunity to call Aaron and let him know she'd be out of town for a day or two. She was smart enough to know that it wouldn't be a quick trip. Surely Amanda would try to talk to Scott again, and Misty would have to pay her mother a visit. She just hoped she could make it there and back without running into Richard. While waiting for Aaron to answer his phone Misty had seriously considered asking him to go with her, but she knew he had to be at the station tomorrow and she wasn't sure she was ready to introduce him to her family just yet. They'd only been
seeing each other for a few days and she refused to rush things.

"Hey, beautiful," he said causing her to smile. "Miss me already?"

She laughed and refrained from admitting that she did miss him. "Something has come up, Aaron and I have to take Mandy to Arizona. We're leaving within the hour."

"Is everything all right?" he asked his voice laced with concern.

"As right as they can be considering the circumstances," she said with a sigh.

"I don't know what that means."

"I know. I promise I'll explain everything when I get back."

"Which will be when, exactly?" he asked.

"Two days, maybe three."

"That long?" he teased with a chuckle. "Promise me you'll be safe."

"Of course I will. And I'll call as soon as I get there." Misty was beyond pleased with his response. He not only understood, but he was genuinely concerned about her safety and he was eager to have her return as soon as possible. She said goodbye and disconnected the call as Amanda returned. They went home, packed an overnight bag, and headed toward Arizona. Amanda rested her head on the window and fell asleep before they got on the highway, leaving Misty alone with her thoughts. She couldn't believe how much had changed for her within the last month. She'd gotten away from Richard and all the shit he did to her, she had her own place for the first time ever, her relationship with her sister was better than it had ever been, and she'd found the most amazing man who was clearly just as into her as she was into him. Aaron Price. He was a godsend. Strong, sexy, confident, caring, and man did he know how to treat a woman in bed. God, she missed him already.

Despite her best intentions to take things slow and guard her heart, she was falling for Aaron. Every waking moment she wasn't with him, she was thinking about him and wishing she were with him. Of course, she'd felt the same way about Richard in the beginning. Slowly that had faded into hatred. She didn't want that to happen with Aaron. She didn't want to grow to hate him as she had Richard. Then again, Aaron was nothing like Richard. Maybe things with Aaron would be different.
She really hoped so because she really liked him. And as much as she was loathe to admit it, she was falling in love with him. She must be crazy—falling in love with a man she hasn't even known a week. Sure, they were having fun and the sex was incredible, but there was no way Aaron shared her delusional feelings of love. She was setting herself up for heartbreak.

"I have to pee," Amanda said disrupting Misty's thoughts.

Misty laughed. "I'll pull over at the next rest stop. Feeling better?"

"Yeah." Amanda yawned and stretched. "How long have you been driving?"

"A couple of hours. We should be there soon. Do you want to go straight to Scott's?"

"No, let's go to Mom's first then I'll call Scott to let him know I'm coming."

"Okay," Misty said pulling off the highway and into the rest stop parking lot. They both used the restroom, grabbed a bite to eat, and then they were back on the road within twenty minutes. "Are you going to tell the baby's father?" She hadn't meant to be so blunt, but it'd been weighing on her mind. Amanda obviously knew who the father was. He had a right to know and Amanda had a right to get support from him--if not emotional then definitely financial. It wasn't fair that Amanda had to go through this all alone when he got off so easily.

"I called him this morning and told him I needed to talk to him. He's going to pick me up at Mom's tonight," Amanda said staring out the window.

"That's good, Mandy."

She nodded. "I figure I can tell him tonight and then tomorrow I can get my stuff from Scott's."

"What're you going to do if this guy decides he wants to have a relationship with you and raise the baby together?" Misty asked glancing at her sister.

Amanda laughed. "Trust me, that won't happen."

They drove the rest of the way in silence. Misty had a bad feeling Amanda wasn't telling her everything. How could Amanda be so sure the baby's father wouldn't want anything to do with them once he learned the truth? For her sister's sake, Misty hoped that this guy would do the right thing. Time will tell, she thought.

Arriving at their Mom's house just past seven, Misty and Amanda were greeted with hugs and the smell of homemade beef stew and garlic biscuits. Misty's stomach growled. "Smells great, Mom," she said.

"Well come on in and help yourselves," she said ushering them into the kitchen. "It's so great to see you girls getting along."

"Mom," Amanda said as she filled her bowl with stew. "This isn't purely a social visit. There's something I have to tell you." Amanda sat and put a spoonful of food into her mouth.

Misty helped herself to a large bowl and then took a seat beside her sister. Their mom, Bev, could go either way when she learned the truth. Bev was known to be impulsive and her moods as unpredictable as the ocean. Misty prayed that she wouldn't overreact.

"Well, get on with it then," Bev said.

"I'm pregnant, Mom."

Bev giggled and clapped her hands. "I'm going to be a grandma? It's about time one of y'all did it."

"Let me finish," Amanda said with a sigh. "It's not Scott's baby. I had an affair and he kicked me out. I’m staying with Misty for a while."

Bev just stared back and forth between them. "Misty leaves her husband for no apparent reason and you go and get knocked up by some stranger? I thought I raised you two better than that." She pounded her palms on the table before getting up and walking out of the room.

"Well that went better than I thought," Amanda said after a few moments.

Misty laughed. "She'll come around. She always does. Just give her some time, Mandy."

Amanda sighed. "I really don't know if I care. I've got too much else to worry about right now."

Misty knew Amanda was just putting up a brave front. Amanda had always been close to their mother and that Bev's support and approval meant the world to Amanda. Misty would try to talk to Mom later when Amanda was out; try to get Mom to understand what Amanda was going through. She didn't know if it would do any good, but she had to try. Maybe while she was at it she could explain why she'd left Richard and the hell he'd put her through.
The doorbell chimed. "I'll get it," Misty said standing. She went to the door, swung it open, and came face to face with the one person she never wanted to see again. "Richard?"

"Hello, Misty," he said with cool indifference.

"What the hell are you doing here? You know you're not welcome," she said her voice full of anger and hatred.

"I'm here for Mandy."

Misty felt as if she'd been sucker punched in the gut. "Excuse me?" She must've misheard him. There was no way Richard was here for Mandy because that meant…

"I said I'm here for Mandy," he repeated.

"Mandy!" Misty shouted her voice wavering a bit. She took several deep calming breaths that only served to make her angrier.

"What the hell are you doing here, Richard?" Amanda said her eyes wide with shock.

"You called and asked me if I would pick you up because you had something important to tell me," Richard said.

Misty knew that tone. Richard was getting annoyed. She didn't care. She was too pissed. "Him?" she said to Amanda while pointing at Richard. "He's the—"

"Please!" Amanda said cutting Misty off. "Please don't say anything. I swear I was going to tell you after I talked to him. I swear I was." Amanda was crying.

"I cannot believe you, Mandy!"

"Someone care to tell me what the hell is going on?" Richard said.

With rage in her eyes she glared first at Richard then at her sister. She'd never felt so betrayed in her life. All this time Misty had been feeling sorry for Amanda. Misty had offered her a place to stay, support, friendship, and love and this is how she's repaid? By learning that the man Amanda had been having an affair with, the man whose baby she was carrying, was Misty's ex-husband?
She drew a shaky breath. "You two deserve each other," she said before looking at Amanda pointedly. "And you can find a new place to stay. I'm out of here."