wasn’t in the office very often—might be less so. “Absolutely.”
“How does ten in the morning sound?”
“Perfect. What’s the address?”
Agnes gave her the details. For the next half hour, Emmaline sat there thinking how lucky she was that she’d met this woman, though she wished it had been under better circumstances. Funny how things happened to work out when one least expected it. Perhaps it was fate that brought the two of them together.
Feeling better than she had in a while, she decided to take a walk over to the library and visit with Tasha for a few minutes. Ever since her boss’s death, she hadn’t spent much time with her or Chey. Now she’d relish the connection.
As soon as she walked into Tasha’s workplace, Emmaline could feel the excitement. Em poked her head into the side room where Tasha often frequented and spotted her sitting on the floor surrounded by ten kids. It was reading hour, and Emmaline’s hand shot to her belly. Her friend looked so content reading to them. Standing at the entrance, Emmaline listened and soon had a smile on her face. Tasha finally looked up and waved.
After ten more minutes, she closed the book and told the children reading time was over. They moaned, but then jumped up and rushed out to meet their parents who’d gathered in the area behind Em.
“Hey there,” Tasha said. “How are you doing?”
“I got a job interview.”
Tasha hugged her. “That’s wonderful. Where?”
She explained about Agnes’s call and how the woman was retiring. “I was wondering if you know anything about the firm.”
“No, but I think this calls for a celebration. Do you want to head over to the Cove Bar?”
Emmaline wanted to go in part because she needed the company, and because it was time to tell Tasha about her condition. The hard part would be convincing her not to let Burke know. “Sure.”
After Tasha clocked out, they walked across the street to the bar. When Emmaline ordered iced tea, along with Tasha, her friend’s brows rose, but she said nothing. She was the one who often didn’t drink during the week, not Emmaline.
They found a seat in their usual corner. Emmaline wished Chey could have joined them but she wouldn’t be off work for a while. “I have something to tell you.”
Tasha smiled. “You know how much I like gossip.”
There was no way to broach the topic easily, so Emmaline just spit it out. “I’m pregnant.”
Thankfully their drinks hadn’t been delivered or else Emmaline was certain the tea would have been all over the table. “You’re what?”
“You heard me. I’m pregnant.”
“Not that I really need to ask, but who is the father?”
“Wade.”
Tasha pressed her lips together. “Does he know?”
“No. And before you ask, I’m not going to tell him.”
Tasha’s mouth opened. “And how do you propose to keep that from him?”
“I’ll have to tell him at some point, or else he’ll do the math and figure it out.”
Their drinks arrived, but neither touched their glass. “Why don’t you want him to know?” Tasha ran her hand up and down the sides of her tea.
Emmaline had given that a lot of thought. “At first, I believed Wade was this playboy, and now I can see he’s really a good guy.”
“Like my Burke.” Em nodded. “Then what’s the problem?”
Surely, Tasha would understand. “No offense to your breed, but Wade’s a bear, and I’m a wolf.”
“So?”
“My parents will be furious.” That sounded lame. “Damn, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
Tasha placed a hand over hers. “You have to tell him, honey.”
“What if he suggests we get married?”
“Would that be so terrible?” Tasha picked up her tea and sipped.
“I don’t need him to take care of me. I can do that myself, but if he wants to be part of our child’s life, I’ll agree to that. I just don’t want him to suggest marriage out of obligation.”
“You’ve given me suggestions in the past, so now
“How does ten in the morning sound?”
“Perfect. What’s the address?”
Agnes gave her the details. For the next half hour, Emmaline sat there thinking how lucky she was that she’d met this woman, though she wished it had been under better circumstances. Funny how things happened to work out when one least expected it. Perhaps it was fate that brought the two of them together.
Feeling better than she had in a while, she decided to take a walk over to the library and visit with Tasha for a few minutes. Ever since her boss’s death, she hadn’t spent much time with her or Chey. Now she’d relish the connection.
As soon as she walked into Tasha’s workplace, Emmaline could feel the excitement. Em poked her head into the side room where Tasha often frequented and spotted her sitting on the floor surrounded by ten kids. It was reading hour, and Emmaline’s hand shot to her belly. Her friend looked so content reading to them. Standing at the entrance, Emmaline listened and soon had a smile on her face. Tasha finally looked up and waved.
After ten more minutes, she closed the book and told the children reading time was over. They moaned, but then jumped up and rushed out to meet their parents who’d gathered in the area behind Em.
“Hey there,” Tasha said. “How are you doing?”
“I got a job interview.”
Tasha hugged her. “That’s wonderful. Where?”
She explained about Agnes’s call and how the woman was retiring. “I was wondering if you know anything about the firm.”
“No, but I think this calls for a celebration. Do you want to head over to the Cove Bar?”
Emmaline wanted to go in part because she needed the company, and because it was time to tell Tasha about her condition. The hard part would be convincing her not to let Burke know. “Sure.”
After Tasha clocked out, they walked across the street to the bar. When Emmaline ordered iced tea, along with Tasha, her friend’s brows rose, but she said nothing. She was the one who often didn’t drink during the week, not Emmaline.
They found a seat in their usual corner. Emmaline wished Chey could have joined them but she wouldn’t be off work for a while. “I have something to tell you.”
Tasha smiled. “You know how much I like gossip.”
There was no way to broach the topic easily, so Emmaline just spit it out. “I’m pregnant.”
Thankfully their drinks hadn’t been delivered or else Emmaline was certain the tea would have been all over the table. “You’re what?”
“You heard me. I’m pregnant.”
“Not that I really need to ask, but who is the father?”
“Wade.”
Tasha pressed her lips together. “Does he know?”
“No. And before you ask, I’m not going to tell him.”
Tasha’s mouth opened. “And how do you propose to keep that from him?”
“I’ll have to tell him at some point, or else he’ll do the math and figure it out.”
Their drinks arrived, but neither touched their glass. “Why don’t you want him to know?” Tasha ran her hand up and down the sides of her tea.
Emmaline had given that a lot of thought. “At first, I believed Wade was this playboy, and now I can see he’s really a good guy.”
“Like my Burke.” Em nodded. “Then what’s the problem?”
Surely, Tasha would understand. “No offense to your breed, but Wade’s a bear, and I’m a wolf.”
“So?”
“My parents will be furious.” That sounded lame. “Damn, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
Tasha placed a hand over hers. “You have to tell him, honey.”
“What if he suggests we get married?”
“Would that be so terrible?” Tasha picked up her tea and sipped.
“I don’t need him to take care of me. I can do that myself, but if he wants to be part of our child’s life, I’ll agree to that. I just don’t want him to suggest marriage out of obligation.”
“You’ve given me suggestions in the past, so now
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