his jaw. “You?”
“I’m divorced.”
At her answer, emotion crossed his face. She couldn’t quite decipher it.
At last he nodded. “There’s more we’ll have to talk about, but right now I just want to say one thing. From here on out, this baby ties us together. It would help if you could trust me.”
He hadn’t gotten mad. He almost sounded...gentle. Lina took some deep breaths and remembered the hope she’d felt that morning six months ago, before she saw the wedding invitation. What had he done that was really so awful? Face it, she’d readily agreed to spend the night with him. He had gone so far as to give her an out when he asked if she’d be sorry in the morning, and she knew in her heart he wouldn’t have taken her to bed if she’d said yes, or even maybe.
Not using a condom had been unbelievably stupid, of course, but he’d probably been hungover.
She was making excuses for him.
Well, who was she to talk? The responsibility had been shared. Drowsy or not, she should have thought about a condom, too.
And...he was right. He would forever be her child’s father.
“I...I think I can,” she said shakily. “Trust you, I mean.”
“Thank you.” Instead of leaving, he asked, “Do you feel all right? You’re not having any problems?”
“So far, no big problems. I was sick to my stomach for a couple months, but mostly right now I just need more sleep than usual.”
He gazed at her, unblinking. “What do you mean, so far? And do you have problems that aren’t big?”
“Nothing ominous.” Although she worried constantly. “My blood pressure is a little higher than the doctor would like. She’s leaning on me to get plenty of exercise, which I’m doing. Otherwise...things can go wrong later in the pregnancy, but that’s rare. I’ve always been healthy. My mother had no difficulties in childbirth.” When he failed to look convinced, she added, “It is all natural, you know.”
“Do you feel the baby moving?”
She smiled and looked down to see that she had laid an open hand on her swollen belly. “Yes. It’s amazing. The first time—” she lifted her head “—it was a flutter, like a butterfly inside me. But she’s already getting stronger. She’ll be kicking me before I know it.”
He appeared unwillingly fascinated. “I’ve never really been around many pregnant women. Today I wondered how you’ll manage to drive when you get further along.”
She made a face. “I don’t know. I want to work as long as I can, though, which means driving.”
“At least you’ll have the summer.”
“Combined with maternity leave, it’ll give me nearly six months off, thank God. I have a bad feeling that leaving her in day care will be hard.”
Lina would swear he was making calculations, but he didn’t share them with her. Instead he shook his head after a minute. “Man.”
“I’ll bet you wish you hadn’t gotten out of bed this morning.”
“But you were going to surprise me with the news one of these days anyway, weren’t you?”
Lina didn’t like the sardonic note in his voice. He didn’t believe she would have told him. She’d have liked to be offended, but couldn’t really blame him. After all, she’d procrastinated for months.
“I would have.”
He rose abruptly and said, “I’ll let you know when we get the sketch artist scheduled. The holiday may complicate that. I assume you’re off work.”
“We go back the fourth.”
“Can you make yourself available tomorrow for the FBI agents to interview you?”
“Yes.”
His gaze settled on her Christmas tree before returning to her. “Are you expecting family?”
She wasn’t expecting anyone. Did she have to tell him the truth? He’d think she was pathetic.
“My family lives near Minneapolis. Flying didn’t sound like fun right now—” she touched her stomach “—so I decided not to join them.”
He frowned a little. “Won’t you be celebrating with friends?”
“Maya—” Her voice hitched. “Maya was my best friend.”
“I’m sorry I reminded you.”
“Did you think I’d forget?” she asked incredulously.
“No.” A man she suspected was rarely hesitant, Bran lingered, looking down at her. “You’re likely to have nightmares, Lina.”
“I didn’t this afternoon when I napped.”
“It’ll all catch up with you.” On that cheerful note, he nodded. “I’ll call in the morning. Lock up after me.”
She followed him to the door. He hovered momentarily just outside as if he wanted to say something else, but finally dipped his head again and walked away without looking back.
Lina closed the door and locked it, then sagged against it, the painted steel cool beneath her forehead. Thoughts and images tumbled in her head like clothes in the dryer.
Maya staring at her. Her head... The monster seeing her. Tearing across the street, expecting a bullet to strike her any moment.
And then the shock of having Bran walk in.
At least she’d gotten the dreaded meeting over with, but...
From here on out, we’re tied together.
Lina moaned and bumped her head repeatedly against the door.
BRAN SHOULD HAVE gone straight home, but his car seemed to steer itself across town to his brother’s house. Christmas lights glittered like icicles around the eaves, and a warm glow from the windows told him Zach and Tess were still up. He glanced at his watch: 7:34. Of course they hadn’t gone to bed. Bran realized how unbalanced he felt. With a snort, he thought, Unbalanced? How about stupefied? His damn head was spinning. The day felt as if it had already lasted twenty-four hours at least.
He turned off the engine but hesitated. He should have called first. And...was he really ready to tell anyone else?
Bran guessed he must be, or he wouldn’t be here.
With a sigh, he got out and crossed the lawn, bounding up the steps to the porch. He rang the bell and waited. No surprise, Zach had put in a new front door with a peephole. He worried about Tess, and for good reason. After the two of
