The Moment of Truth

“I’ll bet the time you spent with him was good for him.”

She didn’t see how. The creep had been all about what she could and should do for him. He’d paid little attention to anything Dana wanted.

“How did he take it when you broke off the engagement?”

“He pretended to be upset.” She’d never known, until that night, how good of an actor Keith could be. “I’m sure it was all show for his father’s sake.”

“I’m guessing he’d grown to care about you and knew what he was losing.”

“I think having gambling goons in dark clothes knocking at his door scared him into changing his ways. Keith acted like a tough guy, but underneath, he was just a selfish, spoiled, rich kid.”

“I think you underestimate your own worth.”

Her hand stilling on Lindy Lu’s head, Dana glanced at Josh and then down. Her mother used to tell her that all the time. That she underestimated her own worth. Those same words.

“I don’t,” she said, telling herself not to read too much into Josh’s statement. He was a guy and guys seemed to think that they were supposed to tell women what they thought women wanted to hear. “I know that I’m good at a lot of things and I make choices that work to my strengths. I’m also honest with myself. I know where my assets aren’t as strong so I don’t give myself false hopes or rely on things that probably aren’t going to be.”

She’d never put a lot of stock in her looks. Maybe because Rebecca and Lindsey were both classically beautiful and she’d always been the plain one. Or maybe she just placed more importance on other things.

“What assets are you lacking?”

“That’s kind of a personal question, don’t you think?”

The floor was hard and cold and her butt was beginning to ache. Jumping up, Dana set Lindy Lu gently in the packing box she’d brought her home in, walked to the kitchen, pulled out an opened bottle of wine and poured herself a glass. “You want some?” she asked Josh, who’d followed her in.

“You ever try beer?”

“I hate it. Can’t stand hard liquor, either. Much to Keith’s disappointment.”

“I’d like a glass of wine, thank you.” He took the stem of the glass she handed him, holding it in front of him while she poured a second glass. “So is that one of the assets you lack?” he asked as she corked the bottle and put it back in the refrigerator. “You’re not a drinker?”

Why was he doing this?

Turning toward him, Dana raised her glass to her lips.

“Wait!”

She pulled the glass back without sipping. “What?”

“I’d like to offer a toast.”

He was making her nervous. But she held up her glass and waited.

“To you, Dana Harris, the woman who sees far more than she knows and is kind enough to share her vision with the rest of us.”

His arm stretched forward, he held out his glass to hers, but Dana hesitated. Was he making fun of her?

Sincerity shone from the depths of his eyes.

“To you, Josh Redmond,” she said in return. “A man who is confusing the hell out of me.”

The clink of glasses broke her gaze from his and Dana sipped.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THEY PUT THE PUPPIES outside and sat at the little black wrought-iron table on Dana’s patio. Telling himself that L.G. and Lindy Lu were fine, Josh settled back against the cushioned chair and sipped his wine.

“I want you to know that I have had regular checkups my entire life and I do not, nor have I ever had, any kind of STD,” he said, the cover of darkness working for him. “I also don’t generally have sex without wearing a condom. I’m sorry.”

All the women he knew used the pill to protect against pregnancy, but there was still the danger of passing on a virus.

“It’s a bit late now to worry about it,” she said. “Although I was upset with myself for not taking precautions. That was stupid. Luckily it was my safe time of the month.”

Safe time of the month. Josh started to sweat.

“You aren’t on the pill?”

“No.”

He couldn’t believe it. And had to stay calm.

“You sound pretty sure of your cycle,” he said, thankful for the darkness that hid his panic.

“I am. Completely.”

“Because you have to understand, I can’t be a father.” Blurting was so unlike him. And not calm at all. “There is absolutely no way...”

Grown adults couldn’t depend on him. How could a child? Slightly sick at the thought of such a horrendously cruel twist of fate, Josh shook his head. “You’re sure?”