Read Online A Case for Calamity by Mackenzie Crowne - Free Book Online
Authors: Mackenzie Crowne
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next week. I’ll call and request an ultrasound and send you the results.”
He shook his head. “Not good enough. I’ll come with you, today, and see the results for myself.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.”
“This isn’t negotiable, Jane. You dumped a pretty big bomb in my lap last night. I’m not letting you out of my sight until I have some answers.”
“Then I’ll go with you tomorrow. I have to see my parents this morning. They don’t know about the baby yet, and believe me, working up the courage to tell them wasn’t easy.” Admitting to being anxious about the coming confrontation scraped at her pride, but she wanted him gone. If sympathy did the trick, so be it. “I can’t delay it any longer. The stress is killing me, and it isn’t good for the baby.”
The sympathy card proved a complete bust.
“Go get ready. I’ll wait. The appointment won’t take longer than twenty minutes. I’ll drive you wherever you want once we’re done.”
****
Jane snapped her seatbelt shut. “This is a bad idea. I’m about to shock the hell out of my parents. Your presence will only complicate things.”
“My lack of presence would be just as complicating, don’t you think? You didn’t get pregnant alone. I had a hand in it.”
Her head jerked in his direction. The test may have confirmed her pregnancy and the estimated gestation, but the paternity of the baby couldn’t be determined for some time. His claiming responsibility, before it had, made no sense.
“I’m not the kind of man who shirks his responsibilities, Jane.” He glanced her way. “I’m not a parent, yet, but if my daughter came to me to say some man had left her pregnant, I’d want to know what he meant to do about it.”
So would she, but she was afraid to find out.
“Besides, the doc said you needed to avoid stress.”
She choked on a mirthless laugh. “Showing up on my parents’ stoop with a strange guy to announce I’m pregnant is not my idea of avoiding stress.”
He smiled, and out popped the same secret weapons responsible for getting her into this mess in the first place. Dismayed at the helpless fluttering in her belly, she pressed a hand to her stomach. His eyes followed the movement, and his smile disappeared.
His sober gaze rose to tangle with hers. “I’m coming with you.”
Further argument would be useless. The successful businessman was back.
She nodded, accepting defeat. “They live in Bayside.”
A half hour later, Jane fought back nausea as Gabe pulled his shiny, black Ram 3500 pickup to the curb of the quiet, tree-lined street. She stared at the gigantic wreath hanging on her parents’ front door. For a moment, she considered asking Gabe to park around the corner. Forget the fact her mother still wasn’t speaking to her. Caroline Whitmore was going to take one look at Gabe and start plotting his part in fulfilling the demands of Grandmother’s bequeathal. If her mother spotted the high-end luxury truck, she’d be on the phone with Father Martin before they made it over the threshold.
She lost her chance when Gabe stepped from the vehicle. Joining him on the sidewalk, she led him up the walkway and didn’t bother knocking. She used her old key. “Mother. Dad.”
Gabe shut the door at their backs, sweeping the Stetson from his head and brushing fingers through his thick, black hair.
“Is that you, CJ?”
She winced at her father’s call from the living room.
“CJ?” Gabe raised a brow.
“A family nickname.” She mumbled the evasion. The J in CJ was self-explanatory, but Gabe Sutton already had a low opinion of her. The C for Calamity was a topic she’d rather avoid. “Come on.” Jerking her head in a follow-me motion, she entered the room off the foyer.
An enormous, twelve-foot Christmas spruce, decorated with perfect symmetry in gold and white, twinkled in the far corner. Her father sat in his favorite chair, the Sunday paper opened across his lap. His gaze moved over the man
He shook his head. “Not good enough. I’ll come with you, today, and see the results for myself.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.”
“This isn’t negotiable, Jane. You dumped a pretty big bomb in my lap last night. I’m not letting you out of my sight until I have some answers.”
“Then I’ll go with you tomorrow. I have to see my parents this morning. They don’t know about the baby yet, and believe me, working up the courage to tell them wasn’t easy.” Admitting to being anxious about the coming confrontation scraped at her pride, but she wanted him gone. If sympathy did the trick, so be it. “I can’t delay it any longer. The stress is killing me, and it isn’t good for the baby.”
The sympathy card proved a complete bust.
“Go get ready. I’ll wait. The appointment won’t take longer than twenty minutes. I’ll drive you wherever you want once we’re done.”
****
Jane snapped her seatbelt shut. “This is a bad idea. I’m about to shock the hell out of my parents. Your presence will only complicate things.”
“My lack of presence would be just as complicating, don’t you think? You didn’t get pregnant alone. I had a hand in it.”
Her head jerked in his direction. The test may have confirmed her pregnancy and the estimated gestation, but the paternity of the baby couldn’t be determined for some time. His claiming responsibility, before it had, made no sense.
“I’m not the kind of man who shirks his responsibilities, Jane.” He glanced her way. “I’m not a parent, yet, but if my daughter came to me to say some man had left her pregnant, I’d want to know what he meant to do about it.”
So would she, but she was afraid to find out.
“Besides, the doc said you needed to avoid stress.”
She choked on a mirthless laugh. “Showing up on my parents’ stoop with a strange guy to announce I’m pregnant is not my idea of avoiding stress.”
He smiled, and out popped the same secret weapons responsible for getting her into this mess in the first place. Dismayed at the helpless fluttering in her belly, she pressed a hand to her stomach. His eyes followed the movement, and his smile disappeared.
His sober gaze rose to tangle with hers. “I’m coming with you.”
Further argument would be useless. The successful businessman was back.
She nodded, accepting defeat. “They live in Bayside.”
A half hour later, Jane fought back nausea as Gabe pulled his shiny, black Ram 3500 pickup to the curb of the quiet, tree-lined street. She stared at the gigantic wreath hanging on her parents’ front door. For a moment, she considered asking Gabe to park around the corner. Forget the fact her mother still wasn’t speaking to her. Caroline Whitmore was going to take one look at Gabe and start plotting his part in fulfilling the demands of Grandmother’s bequeathal. If her mother spotted the high-end luxury truck, she’d be on the phone with Father Martin before they made it over the threshold.
She lost her chance when Gabe stepped from the vehicle. Joining him on the sidewalk, she led him up the walkway and didn’t bother knocking. She used her old key. “Mother. Dad.”
Gabe shut the door at their backs, sweeping the Stetson from his head and brushing fingers through his thick, black hair.
“Is that you, CJ?”
She winced at her father’s call from the living room.
“CJ?” Gabe raised a brow.
“A family nickname.” She mumbled the evasion. The J in CJ was self-explanatory, but Gabe Sutton already had a low opinion of her. The C for Calamity was a topic she’d rather avoid. “Come on.” Jerking her head in a follow-me motion, she entered the room off the foyer.
An enormous, twelve-foot Christmas spruce, decorated with perfect symmetry in gold and white, twinkled in the far corner. Her father sat in his favorite chair, the Sunday paper opened across his lap. His gaze moved over the man
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