“Yeah, and I’m the Pope. Listen, everyone knows how the two of you are, so ya can’t blame ‘em for wanting to protect the innocence of their children. Kids are learnin’ too much too soon these days.”
Feeling like she did in ninth grade when she got caught behind the bleachers with a boy, Karly studied the zipper on her jacket.
The town thought she was a bad influence on children.
She had never cared about her reputation before. Clearly. But how could she bring a child into a world where her mother was viewed as a whore?
Maybe moving wasn’t a bad idea.
“We were just getting ready to go back to the festivities.” Ben reached over and squeezed Karly’s hand.
“Good. I’ll escort you over.”
“That won’t be—”
“Oh, it’s necessary. I won’t have anyone thinking I let you off easy.”
Karly bit back the sharp retort that flirted with the tip of her tongue. She didn’t feel like getting into trouble tonight.
“Healing Springs. Repairing Broken Spirits and Starting Nasty Rumors Since 1836.” Karly mumbled the words under her breath, mocking the town motto proudly displayed as you entered town from any direction.
Ben chuckled beside her. Though she tried to resist, a smile broke through her pathetic mood.
As soon as they entered the crowded part of the common, Ava ran to join her.
Karly gave Ava the cold shoulder, but she didn’t go away. Ben looked like he had something he wanted to say, but he quickly excused himself and rushed toward the outdoor movie.
Karly hugged the gala program to her chest, grateful that she had something lovely to hold onto.
Ava must have sensed the shift in Karly’s emotions, because she wordlessly linked arms again and walked her to the car in the kind of silence that is only comfortable in the company of a best friend.
Chapter Six
Ben would be picking Karly up in less than eight hours for the gala, and nothing Karly tried on fit right.
Her boobs were too damned big, courtesy of the pregnancy.
How was it possible to be only slightly swollen in the belly and gigantically explosive in the cleavage?
Not like she could even use this cupgrade to her advantage.
Karly wriggled out of the leopard print dress—her very last resort—and tossed it onto the bed along with the others.
Screw this.
Maybe she’d go in pajamas.
She dropped onto the foot of her bed, bringing her hands to her head.
This was ridiculous.
She was so unprepared for this pregnancy thing.
She had no idea what to expect.
Without another thought, Karly pulled on her “fat jeans,” a loose sweater, and slipped into comfortable shoes. Even her freaking feet felt fatter already.
She needed to figure out the rules about being knocked up before she screwed up even more.
She had already scheduled an appointment with an OB/GYN for next week. She had been refraining from alcohol and trying to make healthy food choices.
Everything else fell into the category of The Great Unknown.
Standing in the bookstore, Karly squinted, cocked her head, bent down, stood on tiptoes—anything she could do to try to figure out which of the hundreds of books on pregnancy would be best. When she couldn’t hold anymore potentials in her arms, she found a table to rest them on so she could consult her good friend, Google.
Karly smiled when she realized that one of the top-rated, most recommended books on pregnancy had made its way into her pile. Maybe her instincts weren’t too far off, after all.
She grabbed a pack of decorative note cards from a rack near the checkout counter, not wanting the prego book to be the only thing purchased. No need to invite unwanted attention.
Just her luck, one of the nosiest women in Healing Springs—Ava’s elderly neighbor who interfered in Cole and Ava’s courtship and wedding to no end—was cashiering.
“Are you pregnant?” Mrs. Reynolds asked. She didn’t even attempt any small talk before beginning the surgical removal of potential gossip.
“No,” Karly snapped. “Picking it up for a friend.”
“Ava already purchased this book. I can show you some other great choices,” Mrs. Reynolds offered, peering at Karly over the rim of her glasses.
Karly knew Mrs. Reynolds could see right through her lie. Didn’t matter, though, because Mrs. Reynolds sure as hell wasn’t going to be the first one to hear the news.
“Another friend.”
Karly started to regret her caustic reply, but with Mrs. Reynolds tsking as she rang up the order, Karly felt her blood pressure rise.
“Tell your friend to be sure to start on a prenatal vitamin, dearie,” Mrs. Reynolds raised her voice so Karly would hear her as she rushed out of the store.
Why did she think it would be a good idea to shop for this thing in town? She should have driven the forty-five minutes to another bookstore where she’d have some hope of anonymity.
Karly bent over to vomit in the bushes on the corner.
As soon as she made it to the privacy of her car, she looked up the inaccurately named “morning sickness” to see how much longer she could expect this episode of the vomiting horror show.
***
Ben slowed his car when he saw Karly leaving the bookstore. His heart raced at the idea of an unexpected run-in with her. As he pulled into a parking spot, he watched as she bent over a bush and started throwing up again.
What the hell was wrong with her? Cole’s baby party had been over a week ago. She hadn’t acted sick when he was with her, other than the vomiting.
This could only mean one thing.
Ben pulled out of his spot and drove down the street. He had to schedule an event for some of his biggest clients who would be visiting Healing Springs in a few weeks, so he needed to meet with Jake, owner of the local lounge and good friend, to plan the cocktail portion of the event. Ben’s usual event coordinator was on leave after having a nervous breakdown, so Ben volunteered to take charge. Besides, he could use some guy time. Between spending all of his free time with Julia and wanting to spend all of his time with the one woman who could barely stand him, he needed to clear his head of anything estrogen related.
“Don’t mind me,” Ben joked as he entered the bar and watched a woman leap out of Jake’s embrace. Ben laughed. Until he focused on the face of the woman. “Tiana?”
“Ben.” Tiana nodded, then quickly rushed out the door.
“You should be mighty glad it’s me arriving early and not Cole. He’d kick your ass for messing around with his sister.”
Jake refused to look at Ben. He was too busy watching Tiana through the window.
“Dude. She is not someone you can mess with.”
“Shut up and mind your business.” Jake gathered a notebook and pen and stormed over to a table in the center of the room.
“Touchy subject, huh?”
“Off limits subject. Got it?”
“Got it.” Ben held his hands up in surrender. Who was he to even consider dishing out advice?
“Let’s get started.” Jake poised his pen for note-taking.
Cole joined them fifteen minutes later, and ten minutes after that, they had the order all set.
“Drink?” Jake asked, walking toward the bar.
Ben glanced at his watch.
“Noontime. Good time for a beer.”
Cole agreed.
Jake delivered the bottles to the table.
“I think Karly has an eating disorder.” Ben hadn’t planned for his suspicion to spill out like that, but there it was—on the table. He needed insight.
“I’ve seen Karly put away an entire pizza by herself,” Cole laughed. “No way is she starving herself.”
Jake took a long swig. “That chick is hot. Don’t girls with eating disorders look all unhealthy and shit?”
Ben gripped his beer tighter. He didn’t like the fa
ct that Jake—or anyone else, for that matter—had noticed Karly’s level of hotness.
“I’ve seen her puking more than natural.” Ben peeled the label from his bottle. “I don’t know what’s up.”
“Ask her,” Jake suggested.
“You don’t just walk up to a woman and ask her if she’s making herself puke to lose weight.” Ben finished off his bottle of beer and helped himself to a new one. He pointed the bottle toward Cole. “You could ask Ava.”
Cole laughed, shaking his head. “And get my head torn off and shoved up my ass? No thanks. One thing I’ve picked up on is that a man who values his sex life does not interfere in the lives of his woman and her best friend.”
“Even if you’re concerned for her friend’s health and safety?”
“I have to be concerned for my own safety first. I don’t want my baby growing up without a daddy.”
“Come on, Ava is as harmless as a bunny,” Jake said, smiling.
“Most of the time, yes.” Cole grinned. “But her patience is mostly reserved for her kindergartners. Her loyalty to Karly goes beyond anything I could even pretend to understand.”
“How do you have so much insight on Karly’s puking habits, anyway?” Jake asked, watching Ben closely.
“I’ve noticed.”
“Have you been hooking up since the wedding? I know you guys slipped away during the reception, but it’s not like you to go back for seconds.” Cole leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.
Ben rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the scrutiny. He should have kept his mouth shut.
“No. Well, yeah. Not like you’re thinking.”
“Ben is the next one to jump aboard the love train.” Jake banged the table as he laughed hysterically. “You guys are such suckers.”
Ben bit back his retort, not wanting to piss off Cole and get Jake’s lady-killer teeth punched out.
“I’m not on any fucking train. I got tickets to that gala bullshit, so I invited her since she likes art.”
Cole and Jake had matching looks as they stared at Ben.
“You’re going to the gala?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t he?” Jake mocked.
“Ava told him that Karly is into art and culture. That’s why.” Cole nodded his head and grinned like a bastard.
“You guys are assholes.” Ben tilted his head back and drained his second beer.
“What’s the matter, are we not touchy-feely enough for you?” Jake joked.
Ben was tempted to mention Tiana, but he couldn’t hit below the belt just because the guys were coming too close to the truth.
“Ava’s always telling me to use my words,” Cole said. “Maybe you could try that.”
The guys erupted into laughter.
Ben made a face at them, slammed his bottle on the table, and stormed out of the bar.
Chapter Seven
Karly shoved the pregnancy book under the couch as soon as she heard the crunching of tires on her gravel driveway.
Ava bounced into the room, happy and glowing in a fresh way which Karly envied. Must be nice to be happy about a planned pregnancy.
“Do you have to look so darned adorable while pregnant?” Karly kissed Ava’s cheek and tried to suppress her envy.
“Aww, Karly, you’re the sweetest. I swear I haven’t stopped smiling since the test came back positive.”
Ava ran her hand over her belly in the most maternal manner Karly had ever seen.
“Anyway, I’m here to help you prep for your date.”
“It’s not a date.”
“Uh-huh. Remember how you forced me to get waxed for my ‘non-date’ with Cole?”
Karly blanched at the thought. That area was way too sensitive for waxing of any kind at the moment. Besides, it wasn’t like anyone would be seeing it anytime soon.
“I won’t treat you to the same torture, but I did bring a new body butter and lip gloss I thought you’d love!”
Ava handed over a small pink paper bag.
“Thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”
“Karly, you’re going on a date with my husband’s best friend. And you’re my best friend. I can’t think of anything more adorable.”
“Or cliché…” Karly added.
“Cliché, smliché.” Ava smiled. “I am in love with the idea of you two romance rebels getting together. Seriously. Can’t think of anything more amazing.”
“You’re making me sick.”
“Speaking of being sick,” Ava began. “Cole isn’t one to pass along gossip, but he had a meeting with Jake and Ben today.”
“And?” Was Ben sick? He wouldn’t dare to bail on her, would he?
“He thinks you have an eating disorder.”
“What? Cole thinks that?”
“No, Cole found the idea amusing—he knows how much you love food and your disdain for calorie charts. Ben. Guess he’s concerned about how much you’ve been vomiting.”
Karly felt the blood drain from her face as Ava’s words set in.
How dare he start a rumor about her? If he had concerns, why the heck didn’t he come to her about them?
“Karly, don’t get mad. He spoke up out of concern.”
“Concern would have had him speaking to me about it.”
Ava nodded and chewed her lip.
“Yeah, I guess. But you know guys. They don’t know how to handle this stuff. Anyway, don’t shoot me for bringing it up, but if there’s ever anything you want to talk about, I’m here for you.”
“I don’t have a fucking eating disorder.” Karly regretted her tone as soon as she saw Ava’s face crumble. “Sorry.”
Ava rushed over for a hug.
“Come on, let’s get you ready for your date.”
Karly pulled away and fought the urge to text Ben to cancel.
How was she supposed to spend time with him knowing he was spreading rumors?
An eating disorder?
Laughter bubbled up inside Karly, then forced its way out.
Though her first instinct had been to feel angry over hearing this, she couldn’t help but see his face and the concern he had for her each time she was sick in front of him.
The man had brought her soup. And stayed to help her frame her photos. He rubbed her back when they were both tired.
Clearly he had been concerned, not malicious.
An eating disorder. She laughed more.
A baby disorder, actually. And one he had more than a hand in creating.
“I’m glad you see the humor, Karly, because honestly, I thought it was hysterical. And adorable. Cole said he’s never seen Ben so worried about anyone before. He really likes you.”
With a smile, Karly went to slip into her best-fitting dress. She struggled to pull the zipper up all the way. Luckily, Ava was there to assist.
“Holy boobage, Karly!”
Ava stared at Karly’s overflowing cleavage.
“Yeah, I think the dress got smaller. I’ll have to speak to the dry cleaner.”
“My goodness, seeing those puppies squeezed so tight makes my boobs ache even more.” Ava rubbed her chest in sympathy. “I know I’m barely pregnant, but I swear I’m already having symptoms. I think Cole is secretly hoping mine will get big like yours.”
Karly looked away. She could lie to anybody on the planet. Except for Ava.
If she looked her in the eye right now, the truth would be there to see.
“I haven’t been sick at all, thankfully,” Ava continued.
“Lucky.” Karly applied her make-up in front of the small mirror in the living room, where the lighting was actually better than the bathroom.
“Hey, didn’t you just wear that dress to my bachelorette party? It wasn’t so tight then.”
Oh no. She was going there.
Ava had the ability to decipher truth from fiction in a group of five and six year olds. She could tell who had the toy first, who instigated a problem, wh
o started the name-calling simply by looking at their faces.
And she had that look on her face. The look that told Karly she was piecing the evidence together and coming to a conclusion.
Panic tightened Karly’s roiling gut as Ben came through the open door at the precise moment when Ava was about to out her.
“Are you preg—”
Karly’s hand shot over Ava’s mouth as she dragged her to the kitchen, ignoring Ben’s presence.
Ava’s eyes, wide and watery, reflected the truth.
“We’ll talk later,” Karly whispered.
Ava nodded. Then smiled. Then allowed tears to roll out of her eyes.
“Everything okay in there?” Ben asked, strolling into the kitchen as if he had been invited. “Ava? Are you crying? Is something wrong? I’ll call Cole.”
He had his cell out in a microsecond.
“No, no—I’m fine. It’s the pregnancy making me more emotional. I just can’t get over how beautiful Karly looks.” Ava placed her hands on Karly’s shoulders and turned her toward Ben. “Isn’t she gorgeous?”
Ben nodded, perusing Karly as if seeing her for the first time.
He held out a small, rectangular box with a purple bow. Karly accepted it with hesitation. Gifts?
She removed the cover and gasped at the sparkly bracelet resting on a bed of velvet.
“How did you—this is—thank you,” Karly sputtered, completely thrown off kilter. How had he known she had been eyeing this piece at the jeweler’s for months? She had planned to reward herself after getting final payment on the photo shoot, but with news of her unplanned life detour, she knew she’d have to save her money.
“A little birdie may have told me.”
The twinkle in his eye made her want to jump into his arms and kiss him, but terror consumed her—not only of tearing her dress, but also of letting her guard down when it came to him.
No man had ever given her a gift.
The notion of gift-giving seemed so relationship-like.
Ava squeezed Karly’s arm and tapped Ben’s shoulder on her way out the door.
As soon as the screen door clicked shut, Ben stepped closer to Karly, removing the bracelet from the box and lifting her arm. He stared into her eyes as he affixed the bracelet to her wrist.
Two Is a Lonely Number Page 6