Ready-Made Bride

CHAPTER SIX

IMPOTENT fury raged through Kane. He expected steam to blow from his ears. He itched to plant his fist in something solid, to relieve some of the outrage simmering in him.

After making sure Mrs. Henderson had pulled her car out of the drive, he slammed the front door and charged into the living room. Megan stood at the window overlooking the front yard, arms crossed over her chest.

His temper came to a head and a violent trembling reverberated through his body. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

She winced at his sharp tone and glanced at him. Her brilliant blue eyes were filled with a wealth of emotion, none of which resembled regret “It was the only thing I could think of that would keep you and Andrew from being separated.”

“Dammit, woman, I never asked you here, and I sure as hell don’t need you meddling in my life!” He moved across the room toward her, his strides long and quick. Considering his furious. tone and ominous expression, he was more than a little surprised she didn’t scurry in the opposite direction. Instead, she stood her ground, that chin of hers lifting mutinously.

Scrubbing a hand through his hair, he released a harsh breath that eased some of the tension banding his chest. He knew she’d meant well, but… “For God’s sake, Megan. Marriage? What in the world were you thinking?”

“She’s not filing the complaint,” she replied defensively.

“No, but that woman thinks we’re getting married,” he said, stabbing a finger in the direction Mrs. Henderson had followed less than five minutes ago. “In a matter of hours so will the rest of the town. Then what are we going to do? Did you ever stop to think about the consequences of your brilliant plan?”

“Yes.”

“Really?” he drawled, unable to help the dry, biting sarcasm in his voice. “And how do you propose we get out of this little predicament you’ve gotten us into without making both of us look like the liars we are?”

She drew a deep breath. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but maybe we should consider it.” The words tumbled out in a rush of expelled air.

His stomach knotted with apprehension. “It?”

“Marriage,” she clarified.

His heart slammed against his rib cage. The thought of sharing the kind of intimacy intrinsic to marriage made him break out in a cold sweat. “Not only is that a crazy idea, it’s totally insane.”

She slowly approached him. “I don’t think so.”

Her gaze never wavered from his, mesmerizing him. He couldn’t recall ever knowing a woman so unselfish, so caring or generous. A woman more concerned about his and Andrew’s welfare than her own. Her selfless sacrifice touched him deeply. He was a fool for pushing her away, for refusing something so sweet and tempting and infinitely precious, but he’d be a bigger fool if he allowed her to permanently insinuate herself in their lives. Megan would want to know all his secrets, would do her best to discover his biggest flaw. And when she did, he’d have to deal with her shock and her censure. He never wanted to see the softness in her blue eyes harden with resentment.

“Aw, Megan,” he said, “I know what you’re trying to do, and I appreciate the offer, but marriage isn’t the answer.”

“How can you be so sure?” she asked softly.

Her persistence both amused and irritated him. “Because I’m not husband material, and I don’t want or need a wife.” But Andrew did need a mother, and that thought buzzed around his conscience like a pesky gnat, forcing him to acknowledge everything Megan could offer his son.

“What will happen to Andrew if we don’t get married?” she asked, her hands twisting anxiously at her waist. “Will Mrs. Henderson still give the Lindens temporary custody?”

Probably, he thought, unable to ignore the anger and bitterness the thought evoked. He moved to the living room window, braced a forearm on the casing and watched Andrew kick a soccer ball around on the front lawn. God, it would kill him to lose his son, the one person who made a difference in his life.

He sighed heavily. “Once you leave, I’ll handle Mrs. Henderson, so don’t worry about Andrew.”

“How can I not?” she said, her voice rising in anger. “Kane, what happened this afternoon was my fault.”

He glanced over his shoulder, giving her a halfhearted grin. “Like Mrs. Henderson said, I was a willing party.”

“If Andrew becomes torn in a custody battle as a result of what happened, I’ll never forgive myself.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Especially if we have the ability to spare him that kind of heartache.”

“Megan,” he said softly and with more patience than God gave a saint, “marriage won’t solve my problems with the Lindens.” No, there was too much old hurt and blame between them. If anything, marriage to another woman would give the Lindens another reason to resent him.

“Maybe not completely, but they won’t ever have any grounds to file for custody.”

True, he thought, knowing that would be one advantage to being married. Andrew would have all the maternal in fluence he currently lacked. Another advantage would be a warm, willing wife in his bed, and a shared passion Kane knew he’d never tire of. Desire stirred within him at the image of making love with Megan, of burying himself so deeply in her body that he forgot all the differences that separated them.

But in the light of dawn, reality had a nasty habit of putting everything into its proper perspective. Their differences were vast and very complicated. His guard would have to remain intact to protect his pride. He would have to keep his emotions withdrawn.

She was willing to sacrifice so much, and he had nothing substantial to offer her in exchange. His simple way of life couldn’t much compare to her life in Seattle.

That thought brought to mind an interesting question. “You have a life in Seattle. Why are you so willing to give it up for a small town like Linden? There’s nothing for you here.”

“Andrew is here,” she said simply.

He shook his head in amazement, baffled at how one little boy could mean so much to her that she’d relocate without a moment’s pause. “But your life is in Seattle.”

She gave a short laugh that held more sadness than humor. “My life consists of a shared apartment, a few friends and a career that can relocate as easily as I can.”

“I just don’t get it, Megan. There are plenty of beneficial reasons for me to marry you, especially where Andrew is concerned, but what’s in this for you?”

Her mood suddenly turned somber. “The chance to raise a child.”

He frowned, not understanding her logic. “You don’t need marriage for that.”

“No, not in this modern age of single parenting and artificial insemination,” she agreed wryly. “But I don’t want to be a single parent, and artificial insemination sounds like such a cold process. What I want, what I’ve wanted since I was a young girl, is a family, and that’s what you, Andrew and I can be.”

She made it sound so easy. Too easy. “How come you didn’t have a family with your ex-husband?”

“Because he didn’t want one.”

“That’s why you’re divorced?” he said, guessing.

“Yes. He decided his career in the legal field was more important than having a family, and having a family was too important to me to stay in a childless marriage.” Moving to the couch, she held his gaze steadily, sincerely. “I love the kind of warmth and closeness I share with Andrew, especially since I never had that as a child growing up in foster homes. I know this might sound silly to you, but after years of feeling so out of place, I’ve finally found a place where I feel like I belong.”

“In Linden?” His voice was incredulous.

A small smile touched her mouth. “I never did like the city, but that’s where I was raised and that’s where my ex-husband wanted to stay. It’s so clear and beautiful here, and such a different way of life. Slow. Unencumbered. Wholesome.”

“Try living here your whole life,” he said cynically.

Her expression turned soft and wistful. “I wish I had.”

Their gazes holding, something connected between them. If she’d grown up in Linden, would they have been friends? Or would she have kept her distance like most of the other women? Would he have married Cathy, or would he have fallen hard for Megan and her warm, accepting ways? He couldn’t help but think how different their lives might have turned out if they’d known one another…couldn’t stop the image of her round with his child, excited about the prospect of having a baby. His baby.

“Now that I’ve bared everything about myself,” Megan said, “you know why I wouldn’t hesitate to marry you, move out of state and be with Andrew. I love him very much, and you know I care for you.”

But was that enough? “I know you do, but-”

“It can be a marriage of convenience,” she suggested in a rush, as if sensing a rejection. “Andrew needs a maternal influence, and I can provide that I don’t mind cooking and cleaning and taking care of the house. I can set up a desk over in that corner and write my books here at home and still be here for Andrew on a daily basis.” She worried her bottom lip, her gaze bright with silent invocation. “Kane, I don’t have any motives other than just wanting to be with Andrew. And I don’t want him to be torn between you and the Lindens.”

He believed her, had seen her with Andrew and knew she’d never deliberately hurt him. She made the whole package sound so appealing, but something dark and deeply buried rebelled, reminding him of another woman’s promises… and her ultimate rejection.

Apprehension closed in on him, clouding his judgment. “I don’t know, Megan,” he said, staring at his hands, clasped between his spread thighs. “I never planned on marrying again.”

“I understand,” she said quietly, though there was enough optimism in her voice to make Kane realize that she didn’t understand his reluctance, or his fears. “But please think about my proposition…for Andrew’s sake.”

Megan watched the large, shadowy figure approach the house. She knew it was Kane finally returning from wherever he’d disappeared to after dinner. Her heart skipped a beat, and her fingers curled around the chain holding up the porch swing.

Had he come to a decision? For the rest of the afternoon and early evening she’d replayed their conversation in her mind. And with her realization that living in Linden and helping to raise Andrew was what she wanted came the acceptance that she was in love with Kane.

The emotion had crept up on her, slowly taking residence in her heart right next to the love she harbored for Andrew. Being in love with Kane was both a frightening and exciting experience, much like being on a nonstop roller coaster. A small smile touched her lips. No doubt life with Kane would be just that, a wild, reckless ride full of dips, turns and surprises.

He shuffled up the steps, and when the light swept over his face, she saw the day’s accumulation of weariness reflected in his eyes. He’d obviously struggled to come to a decision, and she silently prayed he’d realized how much they could offer one another.

He sat on the opposite end of the swing, his weight causing the wood to creak. “Where’s Andrew?” he asked, casting a quick glance through the screen door.

“Taking a bath.”

“Good.” His gaze met hers, dark and stormy with reluctant acquiescence. “Andrew is the most important thing in my life, and I don’t want to lose him, and I don’t want him to be torn between a custody battle between me and his grandparents.”

“I don’t, either,” she said softly.

He rubbed his palms down the denim encasing his thighs. “I’ve decided to accept your proposal.”

“I’m glad,” she said evenly, suppressing the impulse to throw her arms around his neck and express her gratitude with a kiss for the precious gift he was giving her.

He slanted her a wry look. “Yeah, well, before you sacrifice yourself at the altar, there’s a few things I want you to know up front.”

“Okay.” She waited for the first bombshell to drop.

“I’m not in love with you, and I doubt I ever could be.”

She saw past his statement to his subconscious ploy. He was trying to secure those walls of his, erecting them like a steel fortress around his heart. Don’t bother, Kane. I’m gonna spend every day of our married years together proving you wrong.

“Do you care about me?” she asked, tilting her head curiously.

A startled look passed over his features, immediately masked by a frown. “Yes, but don’t mistake it for love.”

She dismissed the warning in his words. Caring was a good enough start for her. “What else do you want me to know?”

“I’m no good at being married,” he said gruffly. “I already told you how disastrous my first marriage was.”

She glanced at her lap to conceal her smile. She was quickly learning that Kane tried to intimidate her whenever he was feeling vulnerable or threatened. She took it as a positive sign. “I’ll take my chances. What else?”

“The town has their own opinion of me, and my in-laws can’t stand me.” He rested his arm along the back of the swing, stretching his shirt taut across his chest. “By default of marriage, you’ll have to put up with your share of conjecture.

In time, she hoped to remedy the situation with the Lindens. “I already told you I can handle the town’s speculation. As for your in-laws, be grateful you only have one set to put up with.” She pushed the swing into action with the toe of her shoe. “Anything else I need to know?”

“I prefer being alone.” His tone was low but lacked the harshness he would have displayed less than a week ago.

“I don’t believe that.”

“Okay, the nights get cold and lonely,” he admitted, a brief, rakish smile lifting his lips. “Which brings me around to my next stipulation.”

“Which is?”

He fingered a strand of hair near the side of her neck, then gently tucked it behind her ear. “A marriage of convenience is out of the question.”

Her pulse tripped all over itself, and she dampened her suddenly dry lips with her tongue. “Meaning?”

His fingers fluttered along her neck to the pulse thrumming at the base of her throat. The soft, butterfly caress made her nerve endings tingle and the tips of her breasts tighten. He must have noticed her soft catch of breath, because his gaze darkened with a sensual hunger that matched her own.

“Meaning?” she prompted again, her voice husky.

“Meaning, you sleep in my bed, every night, and I want my husbandly rights.”

Those wonderful fingers of his continued their light, provocative dance up the side of her neck, making her shiver and nearly groan.

He smiled. “I want you, Megan. Considering the way you respond to my touch, I believe the feeling is mutual.”

Oh, it was, and her body was responding in ways that made her ache for a more intimate contact than the two feet separating them allowed. There was no way she’d refuse something she wanted so badly. He made her hot and restless, and feel more desirable than she had in years.

“Are you agreeable with my terms?”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

“Any stipulations of your own?”

Only that you trust me, and in time learn to love me. She tucked her coveted wish away, knowing he wasn’t ready to hear something so forthright. “Only one.”

He arched a dark brow. “You want your wifely rights?”

Sensing him relaxing and growing comfortable with her, she took a gamble. “Kane, I don’t want any lies or secrets between us.”

His body visibly tensed. Dark shadows passed over his features, drawing him into his protective shell where no one could trespass. “Everyone has secrets,” he said roughly.

“And I shared mine with you, about my divorce and my past.”

His bitter laughter grated on her nerves. “You know that I killed my wife.”

She didn’t bother correcting him. “I think there’s more.”

As if she’d crossed a fine line, he narrowed his gaze. His eyes flared with emerald heat. He leaned toward her, his lips curling into a feral smile that should have sent her bolting into the house. It would have, if he hadn’t reminded her of a wounded animal trying to ward off an enemy. But she wasn’t the enemy, and that thought kept her rooted to her seat.

“They call them secrets for a reason, Megan-because they’re better left buried,” he said, his voice harsh.

“And sometimes you have to trust someone enough to share them.”

“Trust me, Megan. There are things about me you don’t want to know. Just remember that, and we’ll get along fine.” He abruptly stood, ending the conversation. “If it’s convenient for you, I’ll make an appointment on Friday with Judge Griffen for a civil ceremony.”

She looked at him. Her heart sank at his grim expression. This certainly wasn’t the romantic proposal of her first marriage, but then Phillip hadn’t turned out to be the prince of her dreams, either, she reminded herself. “That’ll be fine. I’ll start settling my affairs in Seattle.”

He nodded curtly and opened the door, but paused on the threshold to glance at her. “Be sure about your decision, Megan,” he said in a flat tone. “Divorce isn’t something I’ll consider in the future.”

He walked into the house, leaving her feeling cold and lonely but not regretting her resolution to remain in Linden as Kane’s wife and Andrew’s new mother. Life and time, she’d learned, had a way of working out all the rough spots.

“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” Kane muttered as they walked up the cobblestone walkway to the Lindens’ elegant two-story Victorian home.

Megan smothered a smile. Kane would never admit it, but she knew he was nervous about attending the annual birthday party the Lindens threw in Andrew’s honor, especially since the Lindens didn’t know they were coming.

“If we’re going to be a family, we need to start acting like one.” Switching Andrew’s birthday present to her other arm, she hooked her hand through Kane’s elbow and gave him a light squeeze that did nothing to ease his rigid posture. “So smile and try to make the best of it.”

He glowered at her, trying to hide the dread in his gaze. It seemed to increase the closer they came to the Lindens’ front door. “Kinda hard to do when I’d rather be anywhere but here.”

She didn’t doubt that, but if Kane didn’t already realize it, she was relentless when it came to something she believed in. And more than anything, she wanted Kane and the Lindens to put the past aside and reconcile. “Look how happy you’ve made Andrew.”

Kane’s expression softened as he watched Andrew skip ahead of them. Since learning that morning before going to school that his father and Megan planned to get married, he’d been blissfully happy. After a boisterous “Yippee!”, he’d skipped around the living room proclaiming, “This is the best birthday present ever!”

Megan’s heart swelled at the memory, and at the warm way Kane had smiled at her. And for one perfect moment, she believed he truly could love her.

“Hurry up, Megan and Dad!” Andrew waited at the double oak doors with etched glass insets, fidgeting impatiently.

Megan grinned. “Don’t worry, the party can’t start without you.”

As soon as they climbed the porch stairs, Andrew flung open the front door without knocking and rushed inside. “Guess what, everyone!” he shouted gleefully.

As they stepped in, Megan kept a firm hold on Kane’s arm so he couldn’t retreat at the last moment. The house was packed with adults and children. Balloons and streamers decorated the entryway, and in the adjoining living room a clown was busy entertaining the kids with magic tricks.

Patricia Linden smiled at her grandson, unaware of the extra guests who’d arrived. “What is it, Andrew?” she asked, fussing unnecessarily with the collar of his shirt.

Excitement wreathed Andrew’s face. “Megan and my dad are getting married!”

Megan cringed, and the muscles in Kane’s forearm twitched, the only indication of his unease. Andrew’s broadcast caused a hush to fall over the general area. The adults standing nearby stopped their conversations to stare. They didn’t seem surprised, merely curious, which confirmed Kane’s claim that Mrs. Henderson would spread the news.

Patricia straightened and finally looked beyond Andrew. Her mouth pursed into a thin line of displeasure. “So we’ve heard.”

Smiling despite the uncomfortable atmosphere, Megan moved forward, propelling a stiff and reluctant Kane with her. She figured the only way she’d beat Patricia at her own game was to overwhelm her with kindness. Since Kane wasn’t inclined to be hospitable, it would be up to her to extend the first greeting.

“Hello, Patricia” She gave the other woman Andrew’s present, a subtle gesture to let her know they planned to stay for the festivities. “What a lovely home you have.”

“Thank you,” she said stiffly, then turned and headed into the next room, calling over her shoulder, “Come along, Andrew, your guests are waiting.”

Nobody went out of their way to welcome them. She saw Harold, and although he gave her a slight smile and a nod of acknowledgment, he made no move to approach them, nor did Kane make any attempt to be friendly, either. It was as if Patricia had set the precedence for her guest’s behavior around her and Kane.

Frustrated with everyone’s attitude, Megan left Kane talking to Gus-a foreman at the sawmill and apparently the only one brave enough to risk Patricia’s wrath-and went in search of something to drink. Stubborn people, she thought, wondering what it would take to get the town to accept Kane.

A lavish catered dinner of salads, chicken and ribs covered a long picnic table in the landscaped back yard. She poured herself a cup of punch from a large cooler, took a sip and watched Andrew and his friends take turns hitting a piñata filled with treats.

“This is a first,” a throaty female voice said.

Megan turned to see Joyce, who must have just arrived. Megan counted the young woman as an ally admist all the discord, despite her penchant for spreading rumors. “What’s a first?”

“Kane coming to Andrew’s party.” Joyce dipped a carrot stick into ranch dressing and crunch into the vegetable. “You must be quite an influence.”

It had been like pulling teeth. “He wanted to be here,” she said, taking another sip of punch while making a mental note to talk to Kane about Joyce not tutoring Andrew once they were married.

“Umm.” Joyce dipped her carrot again, a sly smile lifting her lips. “I hear congratulations are in order.”

Had Mrs. Henderson posted the news of their pending nuptuals in the Daily Register? “Yes, thank you. Kane and I are getting married tomorrow.”

Corey, Andrew’s best friend, split open the piñata, and the kids squealed in delight. Candy dropped to the ground, and they scrambled after it. Megan smiled at the scene, thinking next year they’d have Andrew’s birthday party at their house, and the Lindens would attend. Willingly, she hoped.

“I don’t know how you did it, but it looks like you landed quite a catch,” Joyce said, interrupting Megan’s thoughts.

“Yes, I did,” she said, meaning it. Over Joyce’s shoulder, Megan watched Kane walk toward them, looking cool and standoffish. How did he expect to win over these people when his body language said back off? He stopped next to her, and she offered him a smile he didn’t return.

“Hello, Joyce,” he said brusquely.

“Hi, Kane,” she said, ducking her head guiltily. She waved at a young blond man across the yard and started to back away, seemingly anxious to go. “Well, good luck to the both of you.”

Kane frowned after her. “What was that all about?”

Megan finished her punch and tossed the paper cup into the trash. “Joyce just wanted to offer her congratulations.”

A tight smile creased his lips. “How… sweet.”

Tired of his unreceptive behavior, she gave him a pointed look. “You know, Kane, if you insist on keeping everyone at a distance, they’re going to have nothing to go on but their own speculation.” She leaned close and pressed a hand to his chest, deliberately giving everyone watching them the impression that they were intimate. His heartbeat quickened beneath her palm, granting her a small measure of feminine satisfaction. “I know you’re not the man they think you are, but you have to make the effort to prove it to them.”

He covered her hand with his, stroking the sensitive skin connecting each of her fingers. Instant heat spiraled through her body, contradicting the chilling intensity of his gaze. “I don’t need to prove anything to anyone.”

Of course he didn’t, she thought unkindly. His bitterness about the past got in the way of his pride. With a sigh, she let the subject drop.

Patricia announced it was time to cut the cake, then open presents. Megan dragged Kane to a crowd of people gathered around Andrew. They wove their way to the table so they could stand next to the birthday boy. All eyes were on them.

Kane shifted uncomfortably as they sang Happy Birthday to Andrew, who beamed at them with a dimpled grin. As soon as the song was over, Kane slipped away, preferring to sit by himself rather than stand in line with Megan for a piece of cake.

After giving Andrew a big birthday hug, Megan picked up two slices of cake. On her way to Kane, she saw Patricia standing alone at the picnic table and approached her, forcing down the sudden knot of nervousness forming in her throat.

“Patricia?”

The older woman turned and saw Megan. Undisguised hostility flared in her pale blue eyes. “I don’t believe we have anything to say to one another.” She continued to cover salads with plastic wrap.

Megan wasn’t discouraged. “Maybe you don’t think so, but I’d like to thank you for giving Andrew such a special birthday party.”

Patricia straightened and leveled her gaze at Megan. “He’s my grandchild,” she said in a low voice. “My only grandchild, and I’d do anything to be sure he has everything he might want or need.”

Megan’s fingers clenched on the paper plates in her hands as she attempted to keep her rising ire at bay. “Kane is a good father, and Andrew certainly doesn’t lack for anything.”

Patricia slanted a cold glare in Kane’s direction. “Except maybe his rea/ mother.” She obviously placed the blame on her son-in-law’s shoulders.

Megan managed to maintain her composure by sheer force of will. Anger wouldn’t bridge the chasm between families, just inflate it. “Patricia, I’m sorry about the loss of your daughter, but I’d like to think we could be friends. Especially since I’ll be part of the family.”

“Part of the family?” She looked down her nose at Megan. “If you think you can replace Cathy-”

“I’m not trying to replace her,” she cut in, appalled that anyone would think that was her intent. And then she caught a brief glimpse of sadness and pain in Patricia’s eyes and knew Patricia wasn’t ready to give up her daughter’s memory to a stranger, felt threatened that Andrew would forget any wispy recollection he might have of his real mother as a result of Kane marrying her.

Megan’s heart went out to Patricia, and she searched for a way to offer her a little peace of mind. “I care for Andrew a great deal, and although I would like to be his mother in an emotional way, he will never forget who his real mother is.”

“I’ll be sure of that,” Patricia said coldly. Picking up the potato salad, she marched past Megan with her head held high.

Feeling mild defeat, Megan headed to Kane, grateful that a shade tree had kept him from witnessing her exchange with Patricia. No sense upsetting both parties, she thought wryly.

“I brought you a piece of cake,” she said, bribing him with a slice.

He took a plate and picked at the butter-cream frosting with his fork. “Don’t you think we’ve overstayed our welcome?”

After my run-in with Patricia, definitely, she mused. But she couldn’t let one unpleasant encounter deter her from her goal. “Nope. Andrew’s opening his presents as we speak. Or should I say tearing into them.” She glanced at her watch. “Another hour ought to do it.”

Kane groaned. “I could be home in an hour if I walked.”

“Megan!” Andrew shouted, barreling toward them with the book she’d written for him in his hands. “I love my new book about the tooth fairy.”

She smiled. “I’m glad. Maybe we can get your dad to read it to you,” she said, remembering Kane’s tale about his tooth fairy blunder, the basis of the book.

The pure panic reflected in Kane’s face puzzled her, as did his paling complexion. “I, uh, I don’t think-”

“Dad says I’m too old to have books read to me,” Andrew cut in, hanging his head and scuffing his sneaker in the grass. “But every once in a while he lets me read one to him, just to make sure I’m keeping up on my reading level.”

Just like he insisted on Andrew having a tutor who made sure he brushed up on his reading skills. Megan wondered why Kane thought it so important, but she knew now was not the time to press the issue. “Then you can read the story to both of us.”

“Okay.” Seemingly content with that idea, Andrew grinned and glanced at Kane. “So, are you having fun, Dad?” His voice rose a level, and he clutched the book to his chest, waiting for his dad’s approval.

Kane hesitated, looking beyond his son to all the people who should have been friends but were merely acquaintances. Megan nudged Kane in the side with her elbow. Hard.

After shooting her a quick, disgruntled look, Kane smiled at Andrew, obeying Megan’s silent prompting. “Yeah, sport, I’m having a great time.”

“Married? Are you out of your mind?”

Megan cringed and pulled the receiver away from her ear as her best friend’s high-pitched voice traveled over the phone lines. “I’m perfectly sane, Judi.”

“Cripes, Megan, you hardly know this guy.”

Megan wrapped the phone cord around her wrist and leaned against the kitchen wall. She’d thought she’d known Phillip, and look where that had gotten her. “Kane’s a good man, and you know how I feel about Andrew.”

“Yeah, I do,” Judi said, her voice soft with understanding.

She explained what had happened with Mrs. Henderson, and how Kane’s in-laws wouldn’t hesitate to file for custody after they’d been caught in such a compromising position. “I…I love Kane,” she admitted, “and I know he at least cares for me. He’s giving me the opportunity to raise a child I love with all my heart.”

“Megan,” Judi said, sounding exasperated. “This just isn’t like you to do something so…”

“Spontaneous?”

“Crazy was the word I was looking for.”

Megan laughed. “I’m not crazy. For once in my life I finally feel like I’ve found a place I belong. I love it here in Linden. No crowds, no hassles, just the kind of simple life-style I’ve always yearned for. And now I’ll have a family, too.”

“Then I’m happy for you, but I’m going to miss you,” Judi said, her sentiment genuine. “What do you want me to do with your stuff?”

She was going to miss Judi, too. They’d shared so much, but she was confident a strong friendship like theirs would remain constant. “You can keep all the furniture in the apartment.” Most of it had been hers, from her marriage to Phillip. Furniture and fixtures that had no sentimental value. She much preferred Kane’s handcrafted things and down-home furnishings. “If you don’t mind, could you ship my personal items and writing supplies overnight air?”

“No problem. I’ll have them out by tomorrow.”

They spent another half hour on the phone, talking about the past and what the future might hold for both of them. Tears filled Megan’s eyes when it came time for them to hang up.

“Megan, be sure that this is what you truly want,” Judi said, always the friend who tried to protect Megan from heartbreak.

Megan smiled while wiping a sentimental tear from her cheek. Judi had nothing to worry about “I’ve never been so sure of anything in all my life.”