“I’ve always been in love with him. He’s so loving and sweet, and he’s the most honorable man I know.” She let out a frustrated breath. “But he won’t let me in, and it’s making me nuts.
Lucy smiled. “Maybe a margarita will help.”
“Uh, a virgin margarita.”
“Huh?”
Here goes nothing. “I’m pregnant.”
“Get out! Seriously?”
“Yep,” she replied, feeling excited for the first time since finding out she was going to be a mom. “I missed my period, and that never happens. I took one of those home pregnancy tests, but I went to the doctor and confirmed the results. I’m definitely pregnant.”
?
??Aren’t you on the pill, though?”
She blushed. “Uh, yeah, but I sort of missed a few days. With all the chaos, I got off schedule. I’m an idiot.”
Lucy rubbed her back. “No, you aren’t. It happens to the best of us, sweetie.” She paused, then asked, “So, does River know?”
“No. I just found out myself. I’m scared, Lucy. I never imagined being a mother, and with things unresolved between River and me…”
She snorted. “You’re preaching to the choir, there, girl. I was out of my mind with worry when I found out I was pregnant. Reilly and I had a one-night stand, for crying out loud. But it all worked out in the end. It will for you too. You’ll see.”
“I hope you’re right.”
The bartender came around, and they ordered their drinks. When he came back with them, Jeanette noticed there was a phone number written on her napkin. When she tried to pay for the drinks, the bartender held up a hand.
“The fellow in the corner over there,” he said, pointing to a dark-haired man in a suit sitting at a table with a group of guys. His slow smile would’ve been sexy if she wasn’t already madly in love with a different sexy smile.
Jeanette turned back around and slid the drink toward the bartender. “Thanks, but I can’t accept.”
“Oh, screw it,” Lucy said, waving a hand in the air. “It’s a free drink.”
“The lady’s right,” the bartender said. “Besides, I’ll have to pour it down the drain if you don’t drink it. Sort of a waste.”
“Okay, okay, you two win.” Just as she brought the drink to her lips, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and saw River striding through the door. Immediately, his eyes sought out Jeanette as if they’d been drawn to her. Lucy looked at Jeanette, then followed her line of vision.
“Looks like Operation ‘Get River’ is on, girlfriend,” she whispered against her ear.
“Looks like,” Jeanette said, distracted by the chemistry arcing back and forth between her and River. God, the man sure did know how to make a woman drool. He was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans that cupped his sex and made Jeanette wish she had the right to go to him and cover him in kisses. A tight white T-shirt stretched across that heavily muscled chest, and Jeanette’s mouth fairly watered. She wanted to cross the room and plant one full on the lips and beg him for another chance. Considering he stared at her as if she were the all-you-can-eat buffet, Jeanette didn’t think he’d object too loudly at that idea.
“I know that look,” Lucy said, interrupting the arrows of heat zipping through the air. “He wants you bad.”
She started to speak when someone tapped her shoulder. Jeanette turned. The dark-haired man who’d bought her the drink. Uh-oh.
“Would you care to dance?”
Lucy chuckled. “Things are about to get very interesting.”
Jeanette spied River out of the corner of her eye. His gaze was on the guy flirting with her. And he didn’t look at all pleased.
“Ah, crap,” Jeanette muttered.
River didn’t need this right now. He balled fists at his sides. Every man in the room watched her, and that alone had him wanting to throw her over his shoulder and take her off to somewhere private, away from all the flirtatious looks and overactive sex drives.
When another man escorted her out to the dance floor, River decided to let her have her fun. He went to the nearest table and pulled up a chair, straddling it backward. He placed his palms on his thighs, content to watch her sway to the beat of the music. She moved with passion, as if she were imagining a lover’s touch. When her hands went on a journey up and down her body, River forgot his own name. Then the man who’d escorted her out to the dance floor dared to touch her. “Not going to happen,” River muttered as he stood and crossed the room. He got waylaid twice by women asking him to dance, once by a man wanting to give him his number. By the time River reached Jeanette, the other guy was gone.