bells and lace with a partner who was tender and passionate and who loved with all his heart a fairy tale that could never come true for her?
At thirty-two, she was too old to believe in fairy tales.
The house that Tessa and Vince had bought to begin their married life was a fixer-upper. But along with the first coats of paint and Vince’s newly mastered skill of hanging wallpaper, the newly weds filled the house with love.
On Saturday afternoon, Emily carried a tray with dishes of chicken salad and fresh fruit onto the wraparound porch.
“Where did Vince take the kids?” Emily asked as Francesca brought a smaller tray with their drinks outside also.
Tessa had arranged napkins and silverware on three side tables beside each rocking chair.
“The new fast-food restaurant has a play gym,” Tessa explained. “He insists the kids have to have fast food at least once a month because it’s an inalienable right.”
The women laughed.
“How’s Sean’s shoulder?” Francesca asked.
“It’s coming along. We knew it would be slow. He could be three or four before he has full use of his arm again. But he’s a trooper. We do exercises with him every day.”
When Vince had lost his best friend in an automobile accident, Sean’s shoulder had been injured. Vince had brought the baby home to Sagebrush because there was a physician in Lubbock who specialized in that particular type of shoulder injury. The little boy’s surgery had been a success, but recovery would take a long time.
“When are you going back to your practice?” Emily asked her.
“Not until February, at least. And then, it will only be part-time. Actually, Rhonda can’t wait because then she’ll have care of the kids again.”
Emily knew Vince’s housekeeper, Rhonda Zappa, was a wonderful nanny. She’d taken care of Sean full-time until Vince and Tessa had married.
“What’s she doing with herself? I know someone who could use her right now.” Emily suspected Rhonda would be wonderful with Jared’s daughters.
“She’s visiting her son in Austin. She decided to stay for two months and be Grandma every day for a while, instead of just on holidays.”
“Speaking of taking care of children, tell us about Jared Madison’s daughters.” Tessa’s tone was bland, but an arched brow asked lots of questions.
“They’re wonderful. Definitely into the princess craze. Jared’s a terrific dad and—” She stopped.
Tessa eyed her shrewdly. “Is there something you’re not telling us?”
“No, not really.”
“Emily…” Tessa prompted.
Emily had confided her whole story to Tessa and Francesca earlier this summer, so there was no reason to hold anything back now.
“I like him,” she said in a rush. “I know I shouldn’t, but there’s this connection between us or something. He doesn’t want to get involved and I shouldn’t even be thinking about it. But whenever we’re alone together—”
“Fireworks?” Tessa suggested.
Emily nodded, and then realized how absolutely quiet Francesca had been. She hadn’t eaten a bite of her chicken salad. She was sipping a glass of water and staring out across the lawn as if deep in thought.
Emily laid her hand on the arm of Francesca’s chair. “Is something wrong? You’re quiet today.”
Francesca looked from Tessa to Emily and took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”
Emily was too surprised to speak. Francesca had been single for so long, except for one steamy June night with saddle maker Grady Fitzgerald.
“How can that be?” Tessa asked bluntly. “You said he used protection.”
“I don’t know how it happened. We did use protection. Maybe the condom broke. I missed my period. I let it pass, thinking it was just my busy life and work. I’ve never been regular. Last week, I felt a little dizzy…I haven’t been hungry, my breasts felt tender and all the symptoms came together. I used a pregnancy test and…I’m over two months pregnant.”
“Are you upset or happy?” Tessa asked.
“I think I’m still in shock. I’m a doctor, for goodness’ sake! How could this happen to me?”
Emily studied her friend’s face. “Shock or not, how do you feel about having a baby?”
Francesca’s face broke into a lovely smile. “I’m beginning to like the idea a lot. A baby to love and hold—”
“And diaper,” Tessa added with a grin.
“And diaper,” Francesca repeated. “My problem is, I don’t know what to do about Grady. We have very different lives… We want very different lives. He’s all about family. I wanted to run away from mine. He loves his work making saddles but he’s a laid-back, no-pressure kind of guy. My career is everything to me…of course with a baby, that will have to change some. But my work with newborns will still be important. It will give me and my child a life.”
“Your child?” Emily asked.
Francesca frowned. “You know I have trust issues. You know I chose badly with Darren. I chose the kind of man I ran away from. How do I know Grady is what he seems? We had one night together.”
She studied the front yard, then added, “I have to tell him, but I don’t know how and I don’t know when. And the truth is, I need time to figure out what’s best for this baby.”
“Do you think he’s the kind of man who will want a say in that?” Tessa asked.
“I have no idea. Just because he comes from a large family doesn’t mean he wants to be a dad. Maybe I don’t want him to be a dad. Maybe I’m hoping he’d rather walk away.”
Emily admired Francesca’s honesty and the way she could analyze her life.
“I never thought I’d find happily ever after, but I have with Vince,” Tessa reminded them.
“You and Vince are different,” Emily proposed. “You fell in love in high school and, although you both denied it, that love never quit.”
“We thought of our past as a burden, not something that connected us. So if Vince and I can be so happy, maybe the two of you need to take a few risks and find out if you can be happy, too.”
Take a risk. Emily almost panicked at the thought. In the past, she’d definitely opted for safe rather than sorry. But what had that gotten her? Life with a man who’d spent their money on a huge house and expensive toys that were supposed to promote his career? She’d supported his dreams and tried to make them hers. But that hadn’t worked.
Could she trust a man to stand by her no matter what? To actually
