LITMIR.BIZ

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many lost boys. And he was extra lucky because he was one of the eight New Horizons students she’d officially adopted. “You remember Heather Fox?”

      “Of course. You’ve brought her to many a Sunday dinner over here. But you told me she was with someone else now.”

      “Scott Mullins.”

      “That’s right. Is that what this is about? You haven’t been in a fight with him, have you? You told me you were glad Heather had moved on, that you were hoping she’d marry Scott. You—”

      “I haven’t been in a fight.” He broke in to stop her before she could go any further down that road. “And I wasn’t lying when I said I was glad she’d moved on. That’s part of the problem.”

      “So you’re not sad?”

      “No.”

      “Whew! Then what’s the rest of the problem?”

      He didn’t see any way to break the news gently, so he blurted it out. “She’s pregnant.”

      Silence. Then his mother said, “I see. But...what does that mean for you? Are you upset that she’s having a child with Scott?”

      He could tell it was a leading statement. Aiyana was beginning to catch on to what this call was all about. “I’m upset that she might be having my child.”

      “She told you it was yours?”

      “She told me it might be. She doesn’t know for sure.”

      “She slept with you both that close together?”

      “She probably went straight to his house after I broke up with her. That next week, she tried hard to make me regret my decision, to evoke some jealousy. I saw them everywhere together.”

      “I see. So...when will you be able to find out?”

      He stared up at the ceiling. “Not until after she has the baby.”

      Aiyana sighed deeply.

      “It’s been a long time since I’ve run up against something that threatens my peace of mind like this,” he said, putting her sigh into words.

      “You didn’t use any birth control?”

      He could hear the disapproval in that statement. “Of course we used birth control, Mom. It didn’t work.” He didn’t mention why. He wasn’t going to blame Heather for what’d happened. He was fairly certain she’d believed they were safe.

      “So what are you going to do? Is she still with Scott?”

      “No. They broke up tonight. I can’t imagine he was happy to hear that she might be pregnant with my child.”

      “I can’t, either.”

      “Now she wants to get back together with me.”

      “She told you that?”

      “Yes. She was waiting for me here at the house when I got home from my gig tonight.”

      “How do you feel about the idea?”

      “Between you and me? I’m not excited about it.”

      “Did you tell her that?”

      “Of course not.”

      She sighed again. “It’s going to be a long nine months.”

      “Seven—she’s at two months already. Not knowing will be terrible. I keep hoping that all of this panic and concern will be for nothing. But if the baby is mine, I could use seven months—and then some—to prepare for such a big responsibility.”

      “You’ll be a good father,” she said.

      He drew a deep breath. Maybe that was what he’d needed to hear. Maybe that was why he’d called her. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

      “You know your brother and Cora have been trying to have a baby, how excited and hopeful we’ve been for them.”

      He did. But Elijah was married to the love of his life. Gavin’s situation would be entirely different.

      “Damn it.” He’d thought he had his life all figured out. Sure, he battled a few demons late at night, especially if he drank too much, which was why he usually didn’t. But anyone who’d been left at a park at six and then raised by a family who’d only taken him in for the stipend they received from the state would have a few scars. If only he hadn’t gone back to Heather that last time, he would’ve escaped cleanly...

      “Gavin...”

      “What?”

      “If it is your baby, you’re going to love him or her with all your heart. This isn’t the end of the world.”

      “Right.” Just the world as he knew it. “Thanks, Mom,” he said. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

      “Gavin...”

      He could tell she was reluctant to let him go. “I’m fine. Just tired.” As he disconnected, he forced himself to get up. He needed sleep. But as he walked to his room, pulling off his clothes as he went, he thought of his new neighbor. He’d been excited to get to know her. Not only did he find her attractive, she seemed different from any of the other women he’d dated. Unusually pure-hearted. Wise for her age.

      Tragedy had a way of tempering people. Maybe that was why he liked her. They’d both faced unusual challenges.

      But with what was going on in his life now, he knew he’d be crazy to pursue her. She’d be much better off if he just left her alone.

       6

      Elijah, the oldest of the eight ranch students adopted by Aiyana, woke Gavin the following morning by barging into his bedroom and letting the door bang against the inside wall. “Hey, you! It’s past noon. Are you ever getting out of bed?”

      Gavin rolled over to gaze up at his brother. He never bothered to lock his house, not when he was home, so it wasn’t any wonder that Eli had been able to get in. It was much more of a surprise that he’d show up out of the blue—and alone. These days he was usually with Cora, his wife. “What’re you doing? You never drive all the way out here.”

      “Why would I? We see each other all the time.”

      They both worked at the ranch, and Eli lived there, too. It used to be that they also met in town quite a bit. But that didn’t happen much anymore. Since Eli had gotten married, Gavin was left at loose ends on the evenings they would’ve spent together. Fortunately, he’d started gigging, which helped to fill that hole. But the fact that he hadn’t yet found anyone he enjoyed hanging out with as much as his brother made him think that maybe it was time for him to settle down, too. He’d actually been feeling that way for a while.

      Maybe having a baby with Heather would force his hand. She wasn’t a bad person. Surely, he could come to love her—now that he knew he might not have any choice. Then everything would end well.

      “You haven’t answered my question,” Gavin said. “What are you doing here?”

      “I came out because my calls kept going straight to your voice mail.”

      Gavin covered a yawn. “Did it ever occur to you that I might’ve turned off my phone for a reason?”

      “It did. That reason is why I skipped going to LA with Cora to visit her folks and came over here instead.”

      He groaned. “Oh. I get it. You’re worried. Mom told you about Heather.”

      “Was it a secret?”

      “I’d rather not have the news spread all over town.” But Gavin had a sneaking

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