LITMIR.BIZ

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wondered what her aunt Jane and cousin Molly would think when they found out about the broken engagement and the pregnancy. She had almost called them yesterday but decided she wanted to have a better idea of what she was going to do before she told them what had happened. Not calling the two people who’d been her only family for a long time was one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do, but she wanted to be sure she wouldn’t break down when they talked. She didn’t want them worrying about her. This was her problem, not theirs.

      The sky was showing its first blush in the east when she arrived at the reluctant conclusion that she wouldn’t be able to remain in Riverton. Not if she wanted to keep her baby away from the Hopewell family. Riverton was too small a town. If she continued to live there, the Hopewells were bound to find out about the baby, and then who knew what would happen? They might try to discredit her in some way or, worse, try to take the baby away from her.

      No. She absolutely couldn’t risk it, no matter how much it hurt to think about leaving her aunt and cousin. There was no alternative but to move. Thank goodness she could work anywhere. As the owner of her own Web design and marketing business, all she required to service her clients was her computer and a telephone.

      Sighing, she got up and headed into her office. After settling down at her desk, she pulled out her ledger, logged on to the Internet and accessed her bank account.

      For the next hour, she did some calculating. When she was finished, it was clear that if she did what Todd had so coldly suggested and sold her engagement ring she ought to have enough money to cover a move from Riverton, as well as the expenses she’d incur by having the baby on her own. It would be close, but she’d be able to manage without touching her savings. She heaved a sigh. She wished she had the luxury of throwing the ring in Todd’s face. But she had to be practical. Pride was important, yes, but the well-being of her child was even more important. So her pride would suffer a little. So what?

      She wondered how long she had before she started showing. So far nothing about her body looked different. Maybe her breasts were slightly swollen but not noticeably. She did some mental calculation. It was the middle of May. She figured for at least another month or so, she would be okay, especially if she wore tops a little roomier than usual. But she imagined by the middle of July or certainly by the first of August, she’d no longer be able to hide her pregnancy. So she would need to move fairly soon—probably by the first of July. Which meant she had about six weeks to make all her arrangements. Since she’d already been planning to move from her townhouse to Todd’s place after the wedding, at least her landlord already had his notice. Now that she’d made some decisions about her future, she felt better.

      After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, she figured it was late enough to call at her aunt’s without waking them up.

      “‘Morning, Chloe,” her aunt said.

      Chloe could hear the smile in her aunt’s voice. “Hi, Aunt Jane. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

      “Of course not. I’ve been up since six, and Molly just got out of the shower. Did you want to talk to her?”

      “No, actually I thought I might pop over to talk to both of you. That is, if you don’t have plans.”

      “No, no plans. I might work in the garden later and, as you know, Molly always has a ton of errands on Saturdays, but both of those things can wait. You’re always welcome. Is … there anything wrong?” Now her voice was laced with concern.

      “No, not exactly wrong. I just, um … I’ll tell you when I get there, okay?

      “Okay, honey. I’ll put a fresh pot of coffee on. Have you had breakfast yet?”

      Chloe smiled. “Do a few crackers in the middle of the night count?”

      Thirty minutes later, Chloe pulled up and parked in front of the small bungalow in one of the oldest sections of Riverton, where her aunt had lived ever since Chloe could remember. Everywhere she looked were good memories. The huge maple tree that sheltered the left side of the house had held a tire swing that Molly and Chloe loved, and its strong branches were just made for climbing. They’d roller-skated on the sidewalks and had tea parties with their dolls on the wide front porch. Sadly, she thought how much she would miss coming here as often as she did now. But it couldn’t be helped.

      When her petite aunt—looking almost as young as her daughter, dressed as she was in cropped denim pants and a bright red T-shirt—opened the front door, her welcoming smile warmed Chloe. Jane’s brown eyes reflected her trepidation, though, and Chloe knew her aunt was worried by her uncharacteristic request to come over this morning. Normally Chloe would just drop in without calling. The fact she’d asked had sent a signal.

      They hugged, and Jane said, “Molly’s in the kitchen. And there are corn muffins in the oven and bacon in the microwave.”

      Chloe smiled. “My favorites.”

      “I know.”

      Suddenly, Chloe’s eyes filled with tears. Her aunt, who never missed anything, saw them.

      “Oh, hon, what is it?” She put her arm around Chloe’s shoulders and squeezed.

      Chloe shook her head, upset with herself for getting emotional. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t, that she’d simply tell Jane and Molly the facts about what had happened and then talk practicalities. The last thing she wanted was to upset them.

      Molly, hands encased in oven mitts, was sliding a muffin tin out of the oven as they walked into the sunny kitchen. The smile on her face faded as she saw Chloe’s expression. Putting the tin down on the stove, she walked over and enfolded Chloe in a hug. “Is it Todd?” she asked.

      Chloe nodded, then managed to get a grip. Sighing heavily, she extricated herself from Molly’s embrace and sank onto a kitchen chair. The smell of the cooked bacon permeated the kitchen. Molly took off the oven mitts, tossed them onto a counter and took a chair opposite her. “Tell us,” she demanded.

      “The engagement is off,” Chloe said.

      “Oh, Chloe,” her aunt said. She was already pouring a mug of coffee, which she handed to Chloe.

      “What happened?” Molly asked. Her brown eyes, the exact shade of her mother’s, were filled with worry.

      Chloe grimaced. “What happened? He married Meredith. Even now they are on their honeymoon. In Fiji.”

      Molly’s mouth dropped open, and Jane gasped. “Married!” they both exclaimed at once.

      “What a dirtbag!” Molly said. “How did you find out?”

      “He sent me a letter. Via FedEx.”

      “Via FedEx!” If anything, Molly’s voice had risen an octave. Her eyes now flashed fire and outrage.

      Jane shook her head. “I am so sorry, honey. That must have hurt.”

      “You could say that.”

      “Are you okay?”

      “I’m going to be. I’m determined to be, actually. I don’t think Todd is worth wasting too many tears on.”

      “You can say that again,” Molly said indignantly. “I never did like him.”

      Chloe couldn’t help it. She laughed. “You did so.”

      “No, I didn’t. He’s altogether too good-looking and too sure of himself. I don’t trust men who have everything. They always think they’re somehow entitled. He seemed … I don’t know … weak, the way he never stood up to that mother of his. And you said yourself that he’d had some problems finding himself.” She rolled her eyes. “Finding himself. That’s a good one.”

      “You never said anything.”

      Molly shrugged. “You were so happy. I hoped I was wrong.”

      “I wasn’t crazy about him, either,” Jane said quietly.

      “You

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