‘I’m keeping my baby.’
‘Have you thought this through, Skyler? A baby will change your life for ever. What about school?’
Skyler had those questions too and it would be a complete lie to act as if she had the answers, but she knew what she wanted. As the thought filled her mind, so did a conflicting sense of both peace and trepidation.
‘I don’t have the answers to those questions, Professor. But I know that I’m keeping my baby.’
‘You don’t have to do this, Skyler. You know that, right?’
Skyler nodded at Professor Ross. ‘I know. But I want to do this.’
The professor didn’t speak; she just took Skyler in her arms and held her tight.
Chapter Fifteen
Bridget poured a steaming cup of coffee and picked up a chocolate chip cookie before heading over to sit with Claire and Mona. Once again, she hadn’t heard a single word of the book club discussion and Jean had given her an earful, to be sure. She almost hadn’t come, but she’d known that would only create more questions. As it was, she could see Claire and Mona chomping at the bit to lay into her as well.
With a fortifying bite of cookie, she went to face the inquisition.
Claire didn’t hesitate. ‘Well. What’s going on? Is it Connor?’
‘No, it’s not Connor.’ She sighed. ‘Well, not in the way you mean anyway.’ She couldn’t contain a grin.
Mona leaned forward, interest blazing in her eyes. ‘Ooh, I think Bridget’s got some scoop to tell.’ Setting her cookie and coffee down, she said, ‘Spill. Bridg. Let’s have it.’ She grinned. ‘Tell us something good.’
‘Better yet –’ Claire sipped her decaf ‘– tell us something sexy?’
Bridget flushed, but couldn’t help herself. ‘Sexy was off the charts, darlin’. That man is unbelievable.’
They burst out in happy laughter with Bridget.
‘Well, he must have been good to keep you so distracted. Come on, girl. What good is having friends if you can’t count on getting the dirt?’ Mona said.
‘Exactly,’ Claire chimed in.
Bridget chuckled but quickly filled them in on her night with Connor. They’d spent several evenings together during the week and had made love again. It was just as wonderful as the first time, though she still couldn’t bring herself to truly let it all go with him. She still refused to give in to her urge to go beyond the “norm” and he hadn’t pushed her, but she felt a barrier between them.
Tomorrow, he was taking her out to Luna Bella. He’d gotten testy when she’d suggested they didn’t need to go to such an expensive restaurant, telling her he wanted to treat her. She’d agreed rather than argue the point. She didn’t want him to feel he had to go out of his way to impress her. She was already impressed.
‘Why would going to Luna Bella matter?’ Mona asked.
‘He doesn’t make a lot of money. And I don’t want him splurging on me when it isn’t necessary,’ Bridget said.
‘What does he do?’ Claire asked.
‘Starving artist, right?’ Mona chimed in. ‘I see him drawing all the time at the cafe.’
‘Janitor, actually,’ Bridget said. ‘At Pinewood, no less.’
Both women looked stunned at the revelation, but quickly recovered.
‘Yeah, that wouldn’t bring in a lot of money, but Bridg, you gotta let a man be a man. If he wants to splurge on you, let him,’ Claire said before finishing off her cookie.
‘Yeah, honey,’ Mona said, ‘Connor’s not stupid. If he wants to take you out, I’m sure he can afford it.’
This was why Bridget loved her friends. They didn’t even blink at what Connor did for a living.
‘That doesn’t seem like enough to keep you as preoccupied as you were though. Is there more?’ Claire nibbled at her last cookie.
‘Yes, but not with him. It’s one of my students. And frankly, me.’
Both women waited patiently for her to continue.
‘Well, one of my students, Skyler –’
‘She comes into the cafe all the time.’ Mona interjected. Her brow furrowed in concern.
‘Yup, that’s her. She’s pregnant, and it’s by my boss, no less.’
That particular bomb was met by mute stares.
Bridget just nodded.
‘Yup, that was my reaction. But what’s making it worse is he’s harassing me too.’
Both women exploded at that, talking over each other, their indignation apparent.
‘Calm down, calm down.’ She held up restraining hands as her friends continued to rail.
‘I think they have the right of it.’ Evan’s deep voice startled Bridget. She hadn’t heard him come up.
‘What do you mean?’ she said.
‘I mean, I’m two seconds away from shoving my foot up this guy’s ass, that’s what. What are you doing about this? Have you reported him?’
‘No, and I’m not going to either.’
The group exploded again and Bridget practically had to shout to be heard.
‘Listen, all of you, or I’m leaving.’
They quieted down, but not one face was a happy one.
‘I’m going to deal with this, trust me on that. But I can’t expose Skyler and I’m not about to risk my own career. The president of the university is so deep in Whittier’s pocket, I’ve got no one to tell anyway.’
Again, she held up a hand when they all started to speak at once.
‘Listen, I’m not going to let him get away with this. And I damn sure am not giving in, but reporting him won’t work.’
Evan, who now sat on the arm of Claire’s chair, gave her a hard look and said, ‘Don’t do anything stupid, Bridget. You come to me if you need help, understand?’
‘Oh, don’t go all big brother on me, Evan. I’ll be careful.’
‘I will do as I please, Bridget, and count yourself lucky that’s all you’re getting from me.’ He stroked Claire’s hair and Bridget flushed a little, given her knowledge of their particular relationship. ‘Does Connor know?’
She flushed even more. ‘No, and I’d like to keep it that way.’ At Evan’s raised eyebrow she added, ‘I don’t want him worrying.’
‘Uh-huh.’ She could tell he didn’t believe her, but she really didn’t want to talk about her resistance to sharing certain things with Connor. It was still too early in their relationship and she had a right to take things slow.
‘OK, Bridg.’ Evan’s dark eyes never wavered from her. ‘I hope you know what you’re doing. I wouldn’t want you to fuck up a good thing.’
The double entendre was not lost on her.
‘What can we do?’ Claire asked Evan and Mona after Bridget had gone home.
‘Nothing, sweetness.’ Evan said. He’d grabbed a cup of coffee and was sitting with her and Mona. ‘We have to let Bridget handle this as she sees fit.’
‘I think there’s more going on than she’s saying,’ Mona said, worry creasing her brow.
‘I agree,’ Evan said. ‘I’ve known Bridget a long time and she doesn’t let people in easily. Where her boss is concerned, I’m sure she’ll work it out. It’s this thing with Connor that’s bothering me.’
‘Why, baby?’ Claire asked. She knew her husband was very protective where Bridget was concerned. She was like a little sister to him.
‘Bridget doesn’t let men get close. I heard her first comments about him. She’s never said anything like that about anyone else she’s dated, but yet she hasn’t told him she’s being harassed.’
‘I’m not following,’ Mona said, looking back and forth between the two.
‘She has a man who she is really feeling, but she’s keeping him at a distance,’ Claire provided. ‘So she’s setting herself up for failure despite having the opportunity for a real relationship.
