Her words brought him up short again. “Lied? Your mother lied—” He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence. And he’d thought his mother was bad.
That changed everything—or did it?
Angus couldn’t get a handle on any of it. Win had learned she was pregnant, had left to help her mother, had lied by omission to keep him at a distance, had been lied to herself by her mother—
Win swayed, put out a hand to grab the kitchen counter and steady herself. She was pale, he noticed. Trembling as she faced him.
“My mother is ambitious, like my father, and she’s going to be furious that I chose you over her. I’m afraid she’ll come after Base Camp somehow. If we expose what she’s done on air, her lies, she’ll definitely retaliate—Oh.” Win bent over. “I don’t feel good.”
The door burst open, spilling several crew members into the tiny house. They quickly took up their positions and began to film.
“You’d better say everything you two just said to each other over again,” Chris, one of the cameramen, told them sternly.
Angus knew he had to get Win somewhere she could lie down. He had to protect their baby, no matter what she’d done or what he felt about it. He couldn’t believe that Win had left Base Camp without telling him about their child, but he also couldn’t imagine a mother faking an illness for six months.
And he loved Win. Despite everything. He wasn’t a man who walked away when things got complicated. They’d sort this out later, when Win had rested.
Win raised her head and reached for him. “Angus, I promise I’m yours—if you want me. Yours forever.” She wavered. “I love you—”
And she crumpled to the floor.
“Win!” Angus lurched to catch her. He scooped her up and turned to the crew. “Call an ambulance!”
“It’ll be faster in one of the trucks,” Chris said. He flung open the door and held it until Angus had stumbled past him, Win in his arms.
“Tell Boone and the others,” he called back. He dashed to the parking lot where the community’s trucks were parked, positioned Win in the passenger seat, strapped her in as she began to come to and raced to the driver’s side. He started up the truck, turned it in a tight circle and headed for the road to town.
“What’s happening?” she asked feebly.
“Sit tight. You fainted. I’m getting you to the hospital.” Angus cared no longer about Win’s parents or why she’d kept secrets from him. All he knew was she was here now, something was wrong—
And he’d do anything to make sure she and the baby were safe.
She’d never fainted before. Not even during her ordeal when she was thirteen.
Win allowed Angus to carry her into the hospital, even though she knew she was strong enough to walk. It felt so good to be in his arms. Safe.
Angus was a man she could trust.
He’d never lied to her like her parents had. He’d never tried to manipulate her, either. He was consummately loyal. A man who knew himself and expected others to shoot as straight as he did.
She’d let him down.
When the intake nurse understood her condition, Win was immediately brought back to an examining room. Angus hovered close by, his concern evident in his narrowed gaze tracking all the professionals in the room as if he could read answers in their faces.
“I’m fine,” she told him. “I really am. I just got dizzy.” If only she could tell him everything else that was in her heart. How ashamed she was for ever leaving him—for falling for her mother’s lies.
“You’re not fine; you collapsed,” Angus said. “What about the baby? Is the baby okay?” he asked the nearest nurse.
“We’re working on figuring that out,” she said. “Just calm down.”
Angus looked like he had something to say to that, but his grip tightened on Win’s hand, and he kept quiet. “Everything’s going to be all right,” he said to her, and her heart squeezed. He still cared, despite the horrible thing she’d done.
Time ticked by, and after a series of tests and an IV drip, a doctor pronounced both mother and baby fine.
“She fainted. Something has to be wrong,” Angus argued.
“She was dehydrated. She hasn’t eaten enough today. She’s just worn out.”
“We’ll get you some food—and some rest,” a nurse told Win. “You’ll be right as rain tomorrow.”
“I’ll stay with her tonight,” Angus said firmly.
The nurse looked like she’d argue, then shut her mouth and nodded. “Let her sleep,” she ordered.
“Will do.”
“I’m sorry,” Win said to him again as the nurses and doctor finished bustling around and left the room. “I’m so sorry.”
“You’re back and you’re safe. That’s all that matters.”
“You must hate me.”
Angus shook his head. “I’ve never stopped loving you. I’m not capable of stopping, lass. You’re my choice. Forever.”
“Even though I screwed up?” She couldn’t stop the tears that slid down her cheeks. She was so tired. So sorry for everything she’d done.
“Even though you did what you thought you had to do. Have you really made your choice now?” His gaze searched hers. “You’re back for good? No matter what?”
“No matter what. I swear.”
“Then everything else is the past. We’ll move forward together. You and me.”
“You and me,” she echoed, hardly believing he was saying the words. She’d been so sure he’d turn her away. But now she was home.
Truly home.
Together with Angus, for always.
Everything would be okay.
Win slept finally, but Angus didn’t. He sat up all night watching her, memorizing the shape of her face again, watching her chest rise and fall with even breaths, trying to imagine what it would be like to hold his own child in his arms.
In forty days he would marry this woman. Make a life with her.
No matter what had happened in the past.
Angus still had questions—lots of them. He’d be lying
