“Yeah.” She waited a few beats. “Sometimes I think Godhatesme.”
“Why?”
“I haven’t really told you much about myself, but I was born into a very wealthy family. But for all the money we had, there was no love in our house. I don’t even think my parents liked each other, let alone loved each other. They were both from wealthy families and their fathers did business together, so looking back, I think it was more of a marriage of money thanoflove.”
“Thatsucks.”
She forced asmile. “Yeah.”
“My parents were madly in love with each other. We didn’t have much when I was a kid. They spent their whole lives building up the ranch to make it what it is today. That’s why I’m so adamant about protecting it. I want to make sure that their hard work wasn’t fornothing.”
“It sounds like you loved themalot.”
“I did. They did everything for us. Not a day went by that I didn’t know how much they loved me. I was very lucky in that regard. I know not all families arelikemine.”
She laughed bitterly. “You havenoidea.”
He reached for her hand. “No matter what happens, I’m here foryou.Okay?”
“We hardly know eachother.”
“I know. But sometimes you can be friends at first sight. It’s like love at first sight, without all the longing,”hesaid.
She agreed with him about feeling that indescribable spark when she first met him, but she wouldn’t have called it friendship. It wasn’t love either. She didn’t know what it was, only that it wasspecial.
They pulled into the driveway. Mack jumped out of the truck and ran around to her side. After opening the door for her, he helpedherdown.
“Do you want me to go with you?” heasked.
“Are you going to hold the stick?” she half-joked.
“No. But I’ll sit outside and waitforyou.”
“This is soweird.”
“Life can beweird.”
As they walked into the house, she couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks.”
“Let me know what you need and I’ll get itforyou.”
Upstairs, she slowed her pace. “I need to do thisalone.”
“I’ll be downstairs.” He grabbed her hand. “Regardless of the outcome, I’m here foryou.Okay?”
“Okay.”
When she entered the bathroom, a fresh wave of nausea overwhelmed her. She dropped to her knees in front of the toilet. The pit of her stomach hollowed as she dry heaved. Nothing came upbutfear.
She stood and washed her hands. After splashing water on her face, she stared at her pale reflection. Dark smudges lined the bottoms of her eyes. Her pale lips pressed together. She set the wrapped stick on the counter and eyed it warily. Part of her wanted to throw it in the trash and pretend that this wasn’t happening. But she had to know thetruth.
Two minutes later, she stood over the stick and watched in horror as the blue plus sign appeared in the small window. Her hand flew to cover hermouth. “No.”
A soft knock sounded on the bedroom door. Her knees wobbled as she crossed the room. She opened the door and fell intoMack’sarms.
“Shh…” hemurmured.
“It’s… it’s positive. Oh, God. What am I goingtodo?”
