Chapter 1

THERE WAS NO WAY Iwouldn’t be able to find Tommy in a town this small, right? I glanced around at the single street of shops. For a tiny country town, it sure was bustling with people. The whole area resounded with the noise of people rushing about, sitting and chatting in cafés over coffee while the typically mouth-watering aroma of barbecue hung thick and heavy in the air.

I gulped at the bile that rose instantly in my throat and sighed. I used to love barbecue, but presently I hated the smell of cooked meat. Even after all these months of pregnancy, I still hadn’t been able to shake that part of my nausea. It really affected me, and I looked forward to the day it passed and my stomach settled back into its normal appetite.

My baby twisted and kicked inside my belly reminding me of their presence and making me smile despite the sadness filling my heart. “It’s okay, bubba. We’re almost there. I know it.” Or so I hoped, anyway. I wasn’t truly sure how much more time I had left, and I was just about run out of money. If I didn’t find my baby’s father soon, I would be in some serious trouble. And so would the precious little life growing inside me.

I took a step toward a park bench as a wave of exhaustion passed over me. Darkness encroached on my vision, and I had to swallow against the heat that prickled up my neck.

“Hey!” a woman called out to me. “Are you okay?”

I instinctively gripped my belly and staggered forward, desperately needing to sit down and take a load off my feet.

The woman grabbed my arm and helped me to the bench seat only a few more steps away. “Sit, you poor thing. What’s going on?”

I shook my hair a little, trying to garner some relief from the heat. I panted for breath and leaned forward, trying to get comfortable as my eyesight continued to swim. This poor woman had stopped for me, and although I was grateful, she really shouldn’t have. The last thing I wanted was to be a bother to anyone. “I’m sorry,” I managed. “You were going somewhere.” I closed my eyes and forced myself to breathe, to draw in big, steady breaths. I couldn’t faint. It would be too dangerous and far too expensive if they took me to the hospital. There was no way I could afford it.

The woman squeezed my arm. “Never you mind about that. I’ll just throw these in the car and I’ll be right back. Don’t stress.”

I forced myself to open my eyes and leaned back against the park bench. Goodness, it was hot. I’d heard that heat could make pregnancy extra uncomfortable, but this was ridiculous.

“Here,” she said and opened a fresh bottle of water before handing it to me. “I’m Nancy. I don’t think we’ve met before.”

Gratitude for this kind stranger washed over me, and I thankfully took the water and gulped it down with relish. The cold was so refreshing on my poor throat, but I tried not to drink too fast, otherwise I knew I’d make myself sick. Some days I could barely even keep it down.

What did she say? Oh, yeah...

“I’m not from around here,” I explained. “I’m Stacey.”

“Stacey,” she repeated. “Me either, at least originally. My bike broke down while I was driving through town, and I just never left.”

I took another few sips of water then smiled up at Nancy, my savior of the day. “Thank you for that.”

I expected Nancy to say goodbye and leave at that point, but she didn’t go. Instead, she glanced from the big new car, to me, then back at the car again. She was a very pretty woman, with dark hair and a larger, curvy body that I personally admired. I’d been curvier, myself before falling pregnant, but months of not being able to eat without brutal sickness had taken a visible toll on my body.

Finally, Nancy turned toward me. “Hey, can I give you a lift somewhere? Or call someone for you? Something? Anything? I don’t feel right about leaving you like this.”

I unhooked the backpack from my shoulders and eased it around my body, holding my meagre possessions close. “Thanks. I, ah... I’m looking for someone, actually. A man.”

She crossed her arms over her ample breasts and grinned at me. “Well, lucky for you, I happen to know a lot of the guys in this town.”

I grimaced at her, a little surprised that she would boast about such a thing.

Nancy stared at me, then burst out laughing. “Oh, God! Not like that. My partners—I mean partner÷—has a lot of cousins in town. So, I can probably point you in the right direction, at least.”

Partners? Did she mean business partners?

I licked my dry lips and forced myself unsteadily to my feet. How did I politely tell her that I was fine when I clearly wasn’t. But I needed to continue my search, and Nancy was a complete stranger. And despite her kindness, I had no idea if I could trust her. We’d only just met, after all. How trusting could I really afford to be when my baby was relying on my instincts to keep him or her safe?

“How far along are you?” she asked gently when I didn’t respond.

I pressed my hands to my belly, defensive of the question. But I shouldn’t have been surprised that she was enquiring about my pregnancy. It’s not like I could hide it any longer. “Um... I’m about six months, I think.” I hadn’t been to a doctor yet for date confirmation, and I’d read that pregnancies were usually counted in weeks, not months.

But who knows? This is my first, and what I know could be written on a pinhead!

Nancy tilted her head to the side like I was an exhibit she was studying. “So, who was it that you are looking for?”

“Um...,” I began as I swallowed my anxiety. “His name is Tommy and he’s tall,” I said, lifting my arm to indicate his height roughly. “I think he might be around six feet two, maybe. And he’s got blondish hair.”

“Yeah, I know Tommy,” she said.

My stomach swooped with nerves and my eyes widened.

Could my search really be over just like this?

Then Nancy grinned at me. “And how do you know him?”

Oh, God. I’ve never actually said the words out loud...

I gripped my belly for comfort, as though I could shield my child from the world by pure force of will. “Well...”

Nancy’s jaw dropped as she gaped at me in shock. “Oh my God! Stacey, is Tommy the father?” she asked. “Does he know?”

I completely understood. And the truth was I didn’t know a whole lot about Tommy realistically, but he had seemed like a truly decent guy when we’d been together. I could only hope that my instincts would be proven right. I pressed my lips together, almost not wanting to answer her. But I was way too fatigued to think of a good enough lie. “Oh, ah...” I let my words die on my tongue and dropped my gaze to my feet.

“How did you get here?” Nancy asked, not allowing me the alone time to devise a way to get out of here.

“The bus,” I said, holding tightly to my backpack. Everything I owned in the whole world was in this silly little bag. I glanced across to the local diner.

Maybe I should get myself something to eat before finding Tommy. And I really need a shower. Maybe there’s a cheap motel around here somewhere?

But before I could ask Nancy, she held out her hand. “Come on, Stacey. I’ve got a housewarming party to put on, and you’re coming home with me.”

I shook my head, biting down on my lower lip. “Oh, no. I can’t inconvenience you like that.” That wouldn’t be fair to her at all. I was a hot mess. She didn’t need me disrupting the rhythm of her new house.

Nancy grabbed my elbow and started tugging me toward her big car. “Tommy will be at the party this afternoon,” she assured me. “I have no idea where he is now, but I know where he’ll be in a few hours. So, come along. You can shower and eat and rest where it’s cool. I promise you, you’re safe with me.”

In the next few moments, we were next to her humongous vehicle and I just stared at the woman in front of me.

Is this a guardian angel in human form?

My eyes burned, and I blinked quickly to dispel the tears. How could she possibly know what I needed? And what on earth was I going to do when I was finally face to face with Tommy once more?

Nancy’s hand on my arm was gentle but insistent, so when she opened the car door, I clambered carefully inside. “This is nice.” I said, unable to stop myself as I reached out to caress the shiny dashboard. I couldn’t even imagine having a car like this.

“Yeah, it’s new,” she said. “I’m pregnant too actually, but only ten weeks, so no one really knows just yet.”

“Oh, congratulations!” I gushed, happy for her even though we’d only just met. “Your husband must be so happy.”

She laughed as though what I’d said was a major joke. “Yeah, you could say that. Let’s get home and you can meet them.”

“Them?” I repeated the word with a squeak.

But Nancy didn’t answer, she simply offered me a smile as she drove.

What sort of crazy town have I found myself in?

We’d only driven for about three minutes when Nancy pulled the truck up outside a huge, old house.

“Wow, I love those windows,” I said, entranced by the period features of the grand home. “You must have put a lot of work into it?”

“Oh, yeah. Heaps,” she gushed. “It was a real mess when we took it on.” Stacey hopped out of the car and opened the trunk, pulling out a few boxes.

I slipped out of the vehicle as well, my pulse already racing. Tommy wasn’t here yet, but even so, I was so close to finally finding him. I could scarcely believe it.

This is really happening. It’s like Fate has intervened.

“Let me help you,” I said, popping on my backpack and grabbing one of the boxes from her.

“Oh, thanks,” she said, picking up a shopping bag. “I appreciate that. These are just some last-minute things. Come on, let’s get you settled.”

I followed Nancy up the sidewalk to the house, noting the freshly planted flowers and the neat paving stones.

She forged ahead like the queen of her own queendom, opening the front door and bustling inside.

I gripped the box I held tightly with two hands and slowly crept inside, my anxiety in overdrive.

Her home was truly beautiful and seriously enormous. The floorboards shone with new lacquer and the high ceilings were decorated with pretty cornices and custom paint colors. I really appreciated the restoration, and I would know a good one when I saw it. I’d studied historic architecture and design before marrying a man way too old for me. I sighed at the memory.

“Just put that box down there,” Nancy said, pointing to a small table in the entranceway.

I did what she said immediately, feeling unclean and unworthy of being in this beautiful house.

Nancy just grinned at me, then took off up the staircase. “Follow me. Just mind your step.”

And so I did, running my hand over the solid wood balustrade, all the way up to the landing and along the hallway.

“This place is really... wow,” I breathed.

“I’m glad you like it,” Nancy said with genuine warmth before she pushed open a door. “This is a guest bedroom, and it has a shared bathroom with the bedroom next door, which I think is kind of cool.”

I nodded. “Jack and Jill bathrooms?”

She shrugged. “If that’s what you call it? Either way, these rooms will be perfect for my kids when they grow up. But for now, it’s all yours,” Nancy said as swept her arm out to invite me into the room.

I wandered inside, my feet and back aching from climbing the stairs. “Oh, now this is nice! I love the color palette you’ve chosen.”

Soft pinks, grays, and warm eggshell-white tones met my eyes, relaxing me immediately. The room was large, with a queen bed in the center as well as a small seating area covered in soft, textured pillows. I couldn’t help but run my fingers over the tendrils that featured on the woodwork.

“You seem well versed in design,” Nancy said, curiosity evident in her tone.

I shrugged off my backpack and sighed as I slid my sore feet out of my tennis shoes, the soft carpet cushioning my toes as they got some air. “I have a degree in design,” I explained. “I just haven’t had the opportunity to use it much.”

Nancy opened her mouth to say something else, probably to ask me a question, but a man’s voice called out to her, and she sighed. “I’ve got to run. The bathroom’s just through that door and there are plenty of towels and toiletries, so please help yourself!” She hurried back to the entrance, then called over her shoulder. “The party’s not for another two hours, so if you want a nap, go for it.”

“Thank you!” I called out, grateful beyond belief for this amazing woman.

“No problem at all,” Nancy answered as she closed the door behind her, leaving me in a beautiful room in a stunning period home, just mere hours away from seeing Tommy again.

I waddled over to the luxurious, renovated white bathroom and held back the tears that swam furiously in my eyes. I wasn’t sure how it had happened, but I was safe, and soon I’d be clean and well rested. I couldn’t have even dared dream that everything would fall into place the way it just had for me. It was beyond wonderful.

This is the best day I’ve had in a very, very long time.