Lainey was right. This wasn’t like Courtney at all. Yet, since she’d spoken with Sarah Maitland in the town square, it was as though something had changed inside her. Maybe it was acceptance. Or the fact she worked on a farm. Pregnancy and babies were part of the circle of life. It was happening whether she liked it or not.
She could either view this baby as a hindrance or as a little miracle. Something good that came from the darkest moment of her life. Babies were givers of hope, and the hope this little one brought was needed more than most.
She smiled at Lainey. “Well I am. So get used to it.”
Lainey laughed harder. “You’re a momma bear in training. I love it.”
Courtney rubbed her stomach, liking that description. “Well this momma bear is absolutely exhausted. It’s been a hell of a day and I’m on sheep duty in the morning.”
Lainey jumped up, gathering their empty mugs. “In that case, I’ll wash these and leave.”
“I’ll wash them.” Courtney held her hands out.
“Oh no. If you’re momma bear, then I’m the fierce grizzly auntie. And this auntie says you need your beauty sleep. Now go to bed. I’ll lock the door behind me.” She pulled her key ring from her purse. “I still have the key you gave me, remember?”
“I remember.” Courtney had given Lainey the key when she was at her lowest, right after Shaun’s death. Too low to have the energy to open the door for her best friend. “And I’m glad you do.”
Lainey leaned forward to hug her, the mugs clashing together as her arms curled around Courtney’s waist. “Now sleep tight, my friend. I promise everything is going to be all right. And you’re going to be the best mom a little baby could want.”
“Thank you,” Courtney murmured, hugging her back. “This little chick already has the best auntie.”
“I’m so damn excited. I want to tell the world.” Lainey pulled back and made a zipping motion across her lips. “I won’t, of course.” She widened her eyes. “Even if it kills me to keep your secret.”
It was sweet how excited she was. Maybe Logan would feel the same way.
Yeah, and maybe he wouldn’t.
One way or the other, she only had a week to wait until she found out.
Chapter Ten
After picking up his rental car, Logan drove straight to the First Baptist Church, parking in the back lot. The blacktop was cracked, tiny green weeds growing up through the gaps, as though nature was still trying to win out against construction.
He’d messaged Gray earlier that day to say he’d be a little later than planned. His flight got in at five, and it was only an hour’s drive from the airport, but there was no way he wanted to get to his brother’s house then leave right away to meet Courtney.
Better to meet her first, find out what she wanted to say to him, then go and concentrate on his family. His chest was already tight at the thought of seeing her.
As he climbed out of the sleek black rental, the cool Virginia air wrapped around him like a lover. He’d gone to the airport straight from work, but the collar of his light blue shirt was unbuttoned, the sleeves pushed up to below his elbows.
Reaching into the car, he grabbed his jacket from the hook, shrugging it on. There was a breeze in the air, ruffling his short, dark hair, but apart from that it was one of those temperate fall days, where the sun hadn’t quite accepted that winter was on its way.
It would be soon, though. There were storms predicted for next week, with possible snowfall. He should be safely back in Boston by then, thank god.
Logan walked down the narrow track that led to the creek. Surrounded by trees and overgrown hedges on both sides, it opened up at the end to a wide expanse of grass, the water edged with a concrete path that allowed exercisers and leisure seekers to walk alongside the creek for a mile or two. A little further down were the long green lawns of the oldest houses in town. In the spring and summer, that’s where the townsfolk would meet every Friday night with coolers of sweet tea and home made lemonade, the adults sitting and gossiping while the children played flag football or dangled their spindly legs into the creek.
They called it Chairs, mostly because along with their refreshments, everybody brought their own chair to sit and talk. As the center of Hartson’s Creek gossip, he couldn’t help but feel glad that this Friday night happened to fall at the end of November, when nobody would be there.
Turning the corner, his eyes landed on Courtney, and his heart immediately gave a little lurch. She was sitting on the bench overlooking the creek, her dark brown curls tumbling over her shoulders.
He stepped on a twig, and her head whipped as the crackling sound broke through the silence. Her blue eyes met his, and his mouth turned dry. Seeing her in real life reminded him just how little his memories did her justice. He scanned her face, still wondering why she’d asked him to meet.
Closer up, she looked a little thinner than he’d remembered, but since he mostly saw her in the dark, he had no idea how true that was. But it was still her. With those piercing blue eyes and dark tumble of curls framing her pale white face.
She opened her mouth then closed it again.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“How was your flight?” she said at exactly the same time.
They both gave a little laugh, in embarrassment more than anything else. He walked around the bench and sat next to her. The creek was high at this time of year, the water bubbling into white foam as it met a cluster of rocks in the center, then turning a clear blue again as it raced its way past the
