by B. J Daniels
Fortunately, Angelina hadn’t wanted anything more to do with them than they did with her.
Livie often wondered what their lives would be like now if their mother hadn’t died. Had it really been twenty-two years? She’d been three when her mother had been killed after her car had crashed into the icy Yellowstone River. Sarah Hamilton hadn’t been wearing her seat belt and had been ejected into the river, her body apparently swept downstream. Like a lot of bodies that went into Montana rivers, hers was never found.
Livie had little memory of her other than a few photographs she’d seen before even those had disappeared once Angelina had shown up.
But even with her senator father gone a lot, she and her sisters had never felt deprived of anything. And no matter what anyone said, they weren’t spoiled. They just knew what they wanted, she thought, realizing Cooper would have argued the point.
Still feeling a little weak, she walked toward a stand of pines at the edge of the party to catch a breath of fresh air. Why hadn’t she called off the party? She knew the answer. The party had been planned weeks ago. Also calling it off would have the whole county talking. She told herself that if she could just get through tonight...
Another wave of nausea hit her. She sat down on one of the benches that circled the outdoor ballroom, this one in the shadow of the pines. Reaching into the small clutch, she dug for the pills the doctor had prescribed for her. Her fingers brushed the letter she’d received just that morning.
She drew it out with trembling fingers. Like the first one, her name had been typed on the blue envelope in bold black. “Olivia Hamilton.” She had stared at it, heart pounding, trying to tell herself she was wrong, until she hadn’t been able to stand it any longer and torn it open.
It was exactly like the first blackmail note, except that note had demanded only ten thousand dollars. This one demanded fifty thousand.
Stuffing it back into her clutch, she felt even more light-headed than she had moments before. She looked out at the crowd who’d come to celebrate her engagement. Another wave of nausea hit her. She stumbled to her feet, but instantly felt woozy and had to grab the back of the bench for support.
“You look as if you’re going to faint,” her sister Ainsley said, appearing from out of the darkness.
“I’m fine,” she protested even though she was far from fine.
Ainsley sat down next to her. “Talk to me, Livie.” Ainsley had been away at law school until this week. Livie had had the entire addition her father had built them away from the main house to herself but she’d missed her sister. She loved having Ainsley back home. Seven years older, Ainsley had been like a mother to her.
Livie fought to keep her stomach down while at the same time trying not to cry. Ainsley had always looked out for her. She had been the person she’d gone to when she had her first period, when she needed her first bra, when she got her heart broken the first time.
But this was something she didn’t want to trouble her big sis with. This was something she had to take care of herself.
“Does Cooper know yet?” Ainsley asked.
Livie looked up with a start. “Know what?”
“Does he know you’re pregnant?” her sister asked, lowering her voice even though the sounds from the party covered her words.
Livie shook her head as her eyes filled with unshed tears. “How...”
“I heard you throwing up the past couple of mornings.”
“Does anyone else...”
Ainsley shook her head. “Don’t cry. You’ll ruin your makeup.” Her sister handed her a tissue. “Why haven’t you told him?” When Livie didn’t answer, she asked, “Are you worried about his reaction?”
More than her sister could know. It wasn’t just that Cooper had their lives planned for the next forty years, a baby under any circumstances would throw a wrench into those plans. This baby... All she could manage in answer was, “It’s complicated.”
“Oh, sweetie.” Ainsley put an arm around her. “This is good news, right?”
“It’s the worst thing that could happen.”
Copyright © 2015 by Barbara Heinlein
ISBN-13: 9781460396117
Honor Bound
Copyright © 2016 by Barbara Heinlein
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