Sisters by Choice (Blackberry Island #4)(96)

“You’re saying no to sex with me?”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“Because I won’t be a distraction.”

Powza. The words hit hard. How had he known? Was she that transparent? And if she was, when had it happened?

“But I want to,” she said, her voice a whine.

“Not for the right reasons.”

“Why do there have to be right reasons? Can’t it just feel good?”

“Not anymore.”

He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the front porch. Somehow she was holding her handbag and then the door was closed in her face. Just. Like. That.

“You’re going to regret this,” she yelled.

There was no answer, which was annoying, but even more troubling was the realization that she might be the one to regret it even more.



Chapter Twenty-Six


Heather recovered from her food poisoning but getting her strength back didn’t help her decide what to do about what she’d seen. Should she confront her mother? Tell Sophie? Both? What her mother was doing was wrong, but she didn’t want to betray her, which left her confused and uncomfortable in her own skin.

Saturday, after her shift at the winery, she texted Gina to see what she was doing. Her friend invited her over. The afternoon was sunny and warm. When she got to Gina’s, they collected blankets and toys for Noah and headed out to the small backyard behind the apartment building.

Gina had brought out bubbles and started blowing them into the air. Noah shrieked with delight, clapping his hands together as he chased after them, laughing when he caught one and popped it.

“Simple pleasures,” Gina said. “Remember when we were like that?”

“Not really. Even high school seems like three lifetimes away. Everything is so different now.”

“It is, but it’s good, right?”

Heather nodded, but thought that the word good didn’t exactly describe where she was in her life. Rather than think about that, she watched Noah. He was a sweet boy—obviously happy and easygoing. She knew Gina was thrilled to be a mom, but honestly, Heather didn’t know how she managed it. There was so much responsibility, so much to consider. A baby changed everything and was way more than Heather wanted to take on.

She supposed eventually she would fall in love and want to start a family—but right now that seemed more like torture than a goal.

She stretched out on the blanket and stared up at the sky. This felt good, she thought. Relaxing for a second. Just being happy and with her friend and not having to deal with—

“Can we talk?” Gina asked.

Heather rolled onto her side to face her friend. “What?” she asked, taking in Gina’s look of concern. “Is something wrong?”

Gina glanced at her, then away. “I can’t take a class with you in the fall.”

Heather sat up. Guilt flooded her as she realized she’d totally forgotten about her plans with her friend. Take a class together? Heather had been thinking she was going to try to leave the island and she hadn’t said a word.

“You’re mad,” Gina said slowly. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not mad. Of course I’m not. It’s okay. But why? Is everything all right?”

Gina nodded. “I’m pregnant. It’s not planned. We were going to wait another year, but it happened. That means we’re moving up buying a house. Money’s going to be tight and I just can’t swing tuition. Plus, I’m due right after the first of the year, and with moving and everything.” She ducked her head. “It’s not going to work out.”

Heather moved toward her and hugged her tight. “A baby! That’s wonderful. Congratulations. Don’t worry about the class. To be honest, I haven’t been thinking about it at all. There’s been so much going on.”

Noah ran over and threw himself on them. Gina pulled him onto her lap as Heather sat back on the blanket.

“Thanks for understanding.”

Heather searched Gina’s face. “Are you happy?”

“Yes. Surprised, but we wanted more children. The timeline isn’t ideal, but we’ll figure it out.”

“You will. Of course you will.”

Two kids before Gina turned twenty-one? That was going to be hard, but she had Quincy and she’d never been interested in a career. Being a mom had been her goal.

Later, as Heather rode her bike back to her place, she was no closer to knowing what to do about anything. For a second she thought about not going home. Although if she was thinking of running away, she might do better to take her car.

The thought of her escaping on her bike made her laugh and she was still smiling when she pulled up in front of the house. She’d barely put her bike away in the garage before her mother met her in the kitchen.

“Where were you?” Amber demanded. “Who were you with?”

“I went over and saw Gina. Why are you asking?”

“Because I know what you’re thinking. You’re going to talk to Sophie, aren’t you?”

Heather’s good mood evaporated. “Maybe if you weren’t stealing from your own cousin, you wouldn’t have to worry about that.”

“I’m not stealing!”

“Mom, please. I saw you.”