Undone by Her Tender Touch (Pregnancy & Passion #4)(31)

“Boy, do you have rotten timing,” Pippa muttered.

She briefly contemplated letting it go to voice mail, but that would be cowardly of her and then she’d have to listen to Miranda complain that her daughter was avoiding her. Okay, it was absolutely true, but if Pippa didn’t answer, Miranda would simply persist. Better to have done with it now.

Besides, Miranda was harmless. Clueless, but utterly harmless.

With a resigned sigh, she punched the answer button and then put the phone to her ear.

“Hello, Mom.”

“Pippa, darling! Hello! Long time no talk. How are you?”

Pippa smiled despite herself. She always felt guilty about avoiding her mom. She knew in her heart of hearts that Miranda did love her. It wasn’t her fault she was… Well, Pippa wasn’t entirely certain how to describe her mother. Harmless worked well enough because Pippa truly didn’t believe her mother ever tried to be malicious.

“I’m good, Mom. How are you? How is Paris?”

“Oh, Paris was wonderful, but we’re on to Greece now. It’s so warm and sunshiny. I’m sure it’s much better than spring in the city. Don’t you think?”

“How is Doug?”

Pippa held her breath, hoping that she hadn’t just stuck her foot in her mouth. Was her mother still with Doug? She’d left the country with him, but one never knew with Miranda. She was just as likely to fall in love in Paris and go off with someone else. Miranda fell in love like most people changed underwear.

“He’s having a wonderful time. We both are. He sends you his love.”

That amused Pippa given that she’d never actually met the man. She was sure he was perfectly nice. But she doubted she’d ever know firsthand because it would be a miracle if her mother actually made it back home with the same guy.

In a lot of ways, Miranda reminded Pippa of a child who’d been given more Christmas presents than she knew what to do with. She’d pick one up, ooh and ahh, and then promptly drop it and move on to the next one.

That was Miranda’s love life in a nutshell.

“When do you think you’ll be back?” Pippa asked casually.

She hadn’t talked to her mom in months. Miranda didn’t know that Pippa was pregnant and she was racked with indecision over whether to break the news to her. It would likely devastate her mother, who considered herself far too young and beautiful to be called a grandmother.

While some part of Pippa did long to share the news, she couldn’t bring herself to ruin Miranda’s trip. And it would ruin it. She’d spend the rest of her time wailing that she was too young and asking Doug or whatever guy was her current lover for reassurance that she didn’t look like a grandmother.

“Oh, I don’t know. We’re having such fun. There’s no hurry, you know? Life’s too short. Unless you need me? Is there something wrong, Pippa, darling?”

The hope in Miranda’s voice decided the matter for Pippa.

“No, Mom. Have a good time, okay? We’ll talk more later.”

“Love you, dear Pippa.”

“Love you, too,” Pippa murmured as she rang off.

After shoving the phone back into her pocket, Pippa stood in her kitchen for a long moment, feeling the weight of emotion settle over her shoulders. It was always like this after she spoke to her mother. Regret that she couldn’t have a normal relationship with her own mom. She wanted a mom like Ashley’s.

Gloria Copeland fiercely loved her children. She was a rock, always there, offering unconditional love and support. If Ashley needed her mom, she was there. No questions asked.

While Miranda might have the best of intentions, and she really did love her daughter, she just didn’t have it in her to be…maternal. The concept was as alien to Miranda as settling down with one man for more than a few months.

Pippa had always considered her mother to be very much like a butterfly. Flitting from one thing to the next, never staying in one place for very long.

Pippa herself preferred being a homebody. The idea of deviating from her routine gave her hives. She liked the city. Loved her circle of friends. Loved doing the same things every day. Maybe that made her a coward. Maybe she’d never go out into the world and take it on bare-handed. But she knew what she liked. Knew what she wanted. And she simply wouldn’t settle for less.

After putting the last of her things away, she went out the front and locked up. When she turned toward the street, she saw Cam’s driver standing there waiting beside the car. She shook her head. She should have known.

John looked pointedly at her and then opened the door and gestured her over. With a sigh, she climbed into the backseat.

Her pride wasn’t such that she’d turn down even the short ride to her apartment. She didn’t mind walking, but now that her belly was protruding more every day, her feet were paying the price.

John dropped her off in front of her apartment and admonished her to apprise him of her schedule for the next day. After arranging a pickup time, she mounted the steps to her front door only to find a basket with a large blue bow on the stoop.

She unlocked her door, pushed it open and then reached down for the basket to take it inside. After dropping her keys and sweater on the table in the foyer, she went into the living room and deposited the basket on the coffee table.

There was a card attached just below the bow and she opened it.