What Cordy wouldn’t give to be in a big, impersonal city right now.
“No,” Chance said, “he didn’t tell me. I heard Justin was coming home, and I put two and two together. Justin is the laziest bastard ever, and Glenn always falls for his BS, so of course Glenn is giving Justin the apartment. How long do you have?”
Cordy’s back was locked up tight with anger. “I don’t like that you can guess all these things about me.”
“Not about you—about Justin. It’s a small town; everyone hears everything, and I’ve known Justin and his dad my whole life. I didn’t have to guess how this would go down. I imagine Glenn is putting Justin back behind the bar, right?”
Cordy nodded. No point saying anything when Chance already knew everything.
“How long did he give you?”
“Four weeks. But the baby is due then.”
Chance shook his head. “God, Glenn can be such an ass. Kicking out a pregnant lady so his idiot son can have a place to stay.”
“He’s not entirely bad,” she said. “Of course Justin is going to come first with him.” She set a hand on her belly as she said it.
“So you’ll be jobless and homeless when the baby comes?”
Cordy full-body flinched as that hit her. Oh boy, she would be, wouldn’t she? Her chest felt like it was closing in on her. She couldn’t catch her breath. If she couldn’t find a place in time and if Glenn didn’t hold her job for her like he’d promised, and she couldn’t just move away from here and take the baby from?—
“Shit.” Chance spit that out. It jerked Cordy out of her spiraling thoughts. “That was rude. Sorry. But do you have somewhere lined up? I’m not asking to meddle, only to help.”
Her body was still locked up tight, hot and cold shivers running over her skin.Help.It was like the word didn’t make any sense to her.
“Are you okay?” Chance sounded worried. Close to scared.
Cordy tried to nod but ended up shaking her head instead. “I think… I think I’m having a panic attack.”
Immediately, Chance hooked his arm around her, tucking her tightly against him. He was warm and solid and felt… he feltgood.
“All right,” he said soothingly. “It’s all right. Tell me what you need me to do.”
“I don’t know.” Her teeth started chattering. Chance held her tighter. “This has never happened to me before.”
“We need to get you to a doctor.”
“No!” Cordy found the strength to grab his arm and hold on. “Don’t tell a doctor. This is a mental illness, right? Panic attacks? They could take the baby away if they think I’m crazy.”
“You’re not crazy.” His tone was gruff. “You’re in a terrible situation.”
“I’ve been trying to do everything right, but it all goes wrong.” The shivers had slowed, but Cordy couldn’t stop the sudden flow of words. Or emotion. “First, Reed dying and then his family cutting me off and not having a partner for the class and then finally losing my home…”
She sucked in a shuddering breath, her words dying.
Even with Chance’s arm around her, Cordy had never felt more alone. It wasn’t something she was used to. She was independent; she never got lonely.
But this one time she needed someone to be there for her, and no one was. Not her parents, not the father of her baby, not the grandparents of her baby. No one.
“You’re doing great,” Chance said fiercely. “I’m genuinely fucking amazed by how strong you are. The baby isn’t even here yet, and you’re already better than most moms I know.”
“How many moms do you know?” she asked with a watery chuckle. Some moms came out to the Swing Inn on weekends to let off steam, but they didn’t go home with Chance Kessal. Cordy got the impression Chance would turn them down even if they asked.
He had his own code of honor when it came down to it. A tomcat’s code of honor, but still. It was why he sat through these labor classes.
“Thanks,” she said softly. “Sorry I lost it.”
“It’s no problem.”
