collapsed from exhaustion.
Even then, he held her close. Less than half-awake, at the first streaks of dawn, he longed for things he knew could never be.
Charlotte woke up alone. It was late, and the film set below on the front lawn was a hive of activity. Equipment was humming. People were shouting. And the greasy smells from the catering-truck breakfast grill permeated her bedroom.
Her stomach roiled.
She jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, vomiting briefly into the toilet.
She sat back on the cool tiles, rubbing a sheen of sweat from her forehead. No matter how amazing it was with Alec in the middle of the night, she had to start getting some sleep. Raine might feel like a teenager, but Charlotte’s system was clearly rebelling.
She rose shakily to her feet, splashing water on her face and brushing her teeth at the sink. Now that the dizzy spell had passed, she was hungry. Really hungry.
Maybe she’d grab a snack first, then get a shower later. She reached for the robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door.
Suddenly, she froze.
She was incredibly hungry, and not the least bit ill.
This was four mornings now that she’d felt temporarily nauseated.
She did some quick math in her head, then she dropped weakly to sit on the edge of the tub.
No.
It couldn’t be.
They’d used a condom, and the odds against it were astronomical.
Still.
She cringed and dropped her face into her palms.
Her period was five days late, and she’d just vomited at the smell of bacon.
She had to get her hands on a home pregnancy test.
Positive.
Charlotte stared at the parallel magenta lines on the little plastic wand. She was pregnant. She was going to have Alec Montcalm’s baby, angering him and disgracing her grandfather all in one fell swoop. Alec hadn’t signed up for this.
And what would the Hudsons think? They’d realize she’d been carrying on an affair right here under their noses. Any respect she’d hoped to gain from Jack was gone. And Lillian. Lillian was from another time, another age. Charlotte barely knew her grandmother, and
She swiped at a wayward tear.
She was pregnant.
She had to be strong.
There was-
She glanced down at her stomach, and her hand moved reflexively over the flat surface. There was a baby inside her. A baby that would need love and care and protection, despite any circumstances of its birth. A little girl, like her. Or a little boy, like Jack, who would count on Charlotte to take care of him.
She sat up straighter, knowing what she had to do.
She’d keep her pregnancy a secret-at least until the film finished shooting. The Hudsons would never have to know it had happened here. Then she could quit her job with her grandfather, and go away, somewhere private, where nobody knew her and nothing could hurt her child.
She’d have to tell Alec eventually, of course.
Alec.
Her stomach tightened with dread.
How was she going to sleep with Alec again? She couldn’t do it with such a huge lie between them. And he would be back to her room, probably tonight. And she’d have to look him in the eyes and…
She groaned out loud.
“Charlotte?” It was Raine.
Charlotte grabbed at the plastic wand. “I’m…” she called out. “Just a…” She scrambled to her feet.
“Are you okay?”
“I’ll be…”
But it was too late.
The en suite door was open, and Raine had crossed the bedroom.
“Cece and I were-” Raine stopped cold, with Cece nearly barreling into the back of her.
Charlotte could feel the blood drain from her face.
The cardboard package was strewn across the countertop. The wand was in her hand, with its damning positive result glaring up in living color.
Raine reached for the wand, confirming what she had already seen.
In a split second, Raine had pulled Charlotte into her arms. The dam burst loose, and Charlotte’s tears flowed freely.
“It’s okay,” Raine crooned.
“It’s a disaster,” moaned Charlotte.
Raine grasped her firmly by the shoulders, pulling her slightly away, speaking firmly. “No. It’s not. Babies are
“Alec doesn’t want to be a father,” Charlotte hiccuped. “He doesn’t even want a relationship. All he wants-”
“Don’t sell Alec short.”
But Raine didn’t understand. She had rose-colored glasses when it came to Alec. Though, who could blame her? He was a wonderful brother. He was willing to fight people for her.
The memory brought fresh tears, and the bathroom blurred around her.
She felt an arm on her shoulders, and it was Cece’s voice this time. “I know how you feel,” Cece stated. “I’ve been exactly where you are. You’re scared. You feel all alone. You’re desperately struggling to get your bearings.”
Charlotte nodded. Cece had it exactly right.
“Now, here’s what you’re going to do.” Cece led Charlotte to the bed, sat her down on the edge and sat next to her, taking her hand. “You are going to tell Alec immediately.”
Charlotte’s entire body clenched at the mere thought of that conversation.
Even Raine took a couple of reflexive steps across the bedroom. “I’m not so-”
“You have no choice,” Cece continued. “You know, and he deserves to know, too.”
Charlotte shook her head. It was too soon. Like Cece said, she needed to get her bearings before she did anything at all. “He doesn’t need-”
“The longer you wait, the worse it gets. He’ll want to know why you waited, and you will not have a good explanation.”
“He doesn’t need to know when I knew.”
“Charlotte,” said Cece with exaggerated patience, “look at me.”
Charlotte did.
Raine sat down on the other side of her, rubbing one shoulder.
“I waited two years,” said Cece. “First I waited a week. Then I waited two more. And then I was in Europe, and nobody had to know. And then I came back, and I had Theo to explain. I very nearly kept my son from his father.”
“It won’t be like that.” Charlotte would tell Alec. She just needed a bit of time.
“It won’t get easier,” said Cece. “Every day after today, it’ll get harder.”
“She could be right,” Raine said. “Starting the minute we walk out that door, we’re all going to have to lie to him.”
