A Baby Between Friends Read online

  “Okay,” the other woman said dubiously as she slid the almonds into a white paper bag and folded it closed. She weighed and packaged the pretzels as expertly, handed them to Joni, then rang up the order on an old-fashioned cash register. Joni handed over some money and, exercising great self-control, tucked the bags into her purse. The chocolate was a treat to be eaten later tonight when she was alone at home. But now it was time to get back to work.

  When Joni pulled up to the center, she looked at the vibrant mural on the outside of the building. It had been created by Joni’s good friend, Carmen Knight, and painted by kids and volunteers. The art always lifted Joni’s spirits and reminded her of how far the youth center had come in a relatively short time. How much good they had done.

  When Joni had moved to Sweet Briar from Chicago almost five years ago, the youth center had been in its infancy and run only by volunteers. The building had been plain gray on the outside. The inside had been a maze of rooms with basic white walls. She’d immediately recognized the potential in the blank canvas she’d been handed and set out to utilize it in ways that would benefit the children. Her experience as a social worker in Chicago had given her the insight into the kinds of programs young people needed to help them grow into happy and productive adults.

  It had taken a lot of time and hard work—both hers and that of volunteers—to turn the youth center into what it was now. They provided services not only to the children who lived in town, but to those who lived in the surrounding areas as well. No child who wanted to participate in youth center activities was turned away. Last year she’d had the funds to hire two full-time employees—Analisa, her assistant director, and Bonita, a cook. But Joni wasn’t resting on her laurels. She had bigger dreams of the services the center would provide to a larger number of kids in a greater area.

  After stowing her purse in her office, she visited the various rooms to check on the kids. She stopped by the computer lab and the gym, two of the busiest areas, and talked with the kids. A lot of the kids were on the playground, so Joni hung out with them for a while before continuing her rounds. The last room she visited was the art room. Carmen headed up the department, but with twin toddlers, she didn’t spend as much time at the center as she had in the past. She was there today, and Joni stepped in for a chat.

  “Hey,” Carmen said. The seven- and eight-year-olds had completed their projects, and Carmen was wiping tables as she set up the room for the next group of kids who’d be arriving in fifteen minutes. The little kids loved painting, but just as much paint landed on the surfaces all around the room as on their projects.

  “How’s it going?”

  “Crazy as usual. Thankfully Joseph is home from college and helping a couple of days a week when he’s not at work. He’s a godsend.”

  Joseph had attended the youth center as a high-school student. It warmed Joni’s heart whenever one of the kids who’d benefited from the center returned to volunteer. It validated her belief that they were positively affecting young lives and serving the community. “How are your kids?”

  Carmen had married Trent, a widowed father of two daughters, and they’d had the twin boys together.

  “Busy. Alyssa has a part-time job at Hannah’s boutique. Even though she’s not much into fashion, she enjoys working there. Robyn’s jealous because she wants a real job now. Getting paid to watch the boys has lost its thrill. Working around designer clothes would be my little fashion plate’s dream job.”

  Joni laughed. “And my godsons?”

  “They’re hanging around with the other kids in the playroom. And I know they would love a hug from their godmother.”

  “I’ll be sure to give them one.” Joni loved Carmen’s kids, but lately when she was around them, she felt a strange yearning for a kid of her own. Of course she would need a man for that. If the past was a predictor of the future, the odds weren’t in her favor.

  Joni had always considered herself to have led a charmed life. She had a loving and supportive family. She had a job she loved and good friends. Unfortunately her luck ran out before it reached the romance department. First there’d been a broken engagement. It had taken her a while, but she’d finally gotten over that betrayal. Now there was Lex’s rejection. Just thinking about that morning made her heart ache, yet she hadn’t found a way to keep the memories away. She knew no good could come from thinking about that day. It was over and done, as was their friendship. Not only that, she was giving up on romance once and for all, so she would just have to content herself with the kids at the youth center.

  “What do you think?”

  Joni looked at Carmen’s face. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  “I just invited you over for dinner.”

  “Sure that would be great. Just let me know when. We’d better get these tables done.” She glanced around. All of them were clean and ready to go. Just how long had she been daydreaming? She looked at the sponge in her hand. It had dripped water all over the table.

  “Are you okay?” Carmen asked. “You seem sort of spacey.”

  Joni quickly dried the mess. “I’m fine. I just have something on my mind.”

  “Okay. I’m always available to listen.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Joni said, edging toward the door. She wasn’t ready to talk yet, but she didn’t want to hurt Carmen’s feelings by shutting her out.

  “Can we come in now?” a little girl with pigtails asked.

  “Sure,” Carmen said.

  Saved. Joni greeted the kids, then dashed from the room. She knew her behavior had raised Carmen’s suspicion, but it couldn’t be helped.

  * * *

  Lex closed his car door, then waved at a family as they drove out of the youth-center parking lot. It had been three days since he’d seen Joni but it seemed longer.

  The center was quieting down as most of the kids had been picked up and were on their way home for the night. However, there was a group waiting for him. He had a standing arrangement with the teenage boys for a few games of basketball, followed by pizza.

  He’d started playing with the boys several years ago in order to develop a better relationship with them than the previous mayor had. To Lex, everyone in Sweet Briar was important. From the oldest senior citizen to the youngest infant, Lex was determined to serve them all. But he couldn’t address their concerns if he didn’t know what they were. The older people were more inclined to attend meetings or stop him on the street to talk. The youth didn’t do either of those things. So he met them on their territory and built relationships so they would feel comfortable with him.

  When he’d started coming to the youth center, the youngest kids welcomed him with open arms. They didn’t care that he was the mayor. To them he was one more person to ooh and aah over their artwork; one more person to attend their pageants and cheer at their sporting events.

  The teens had been suspicious of his motives and slow to accept him. It had taken a while, but he’d won their trust. Several of them had begun to take an active part in his initiatives around town. They’d even approached him with ideas, a couple of which he’d implemented. No matter what else was going on in his life, he didn’t miss his Thursday-night basketball game. Given his troubles with Joni, the games had become the highlight of his week.

  When he’d first organized the game, he’d required the chief of police to join as well. Lex believed that a good relationship between the youth and law enforcement was essential. Soon local business owners and fathers had joined, and now adult vs. teen games were held three nights a week. But basketball wasn’t for everyone, so some teens and adults had formed a bowling league and made weekly trips to nearby Willow Creek for games. Lex was hoping to entice someone with an entrepreneurial mind to reopen the old Sweet Briar Lanes and was currently meeting with an interested couple. If that didn’t pan out, he’d talk to Joni about joining him in a campaign to raise fun
ds to build a four-lane alley at the youth center.

  Thoughts of Joni had him pausing. He’d picked up his phone to call her several times over the past few days and had even contemplated driving past her house, but hadn’t. That seemed a bit stalkerish even to him. If she wanted some distance from him, the right thing to do was give it to her. But how much space did she need or want? And how much was too much? When would the space she wanted turn into an uncrossable chasm? He’d misjudged the difference with a woman once, and it had cost him his marriage.

  He’d lost his wife’s love by giving her the time she’d asked for after their infant daughter’s sudden death. Though he’d been heartbroken himself, he’d tried to comfort Caroline. No matter what he tried, he hadn’t been able to reach her. She’d asked for space, and he’d given it to her. She’d put up walls, and he’d foolishly let them remain. He’d hoped that she would return to him after she’d grieved, so he’d left her to mourn on her own while he’d buried himself in work. At the time he’d been an executive vice president at his family’s cosmetic and perfume business and traveled frequently. One day when he’d come back from an overseas trip, Caroline told him she didn’t love him any longer and wanted a divorce. Blindsided, he’d tried to talk her out of it. When she’d insisted that she wanted her freedom—needed it in order to be happy again—he’d given it to her. The last thing he wanted to do was imprison her in a marriage she didn’t want. He’d loved her enough to let her go so that she could find happiness.

  A few months later, with his parents’ and siblings’ blessing, he’d quit his job and moved to Sweet Briar, North Carolina. He’d visited Sweet Briar once years ago and hadn’t forgotten the people he’d met in the struggling town. They’d been kind and welcoming, despite the fact that the town was slowly going under.

  The previous mayor and town council had either not cared or been too incompetent to help the people, so Lex had filled the void. He’d started small, making recommendations to business owners and helping where he could. Frustrated by the lack of political will he sensed in the leadership, he’d run for mayor and won. He’d thrown his heart and soul into helping the dying town to come alive again. It had taken hard work and dedication, but Sweet Briar was now a thriving town. He’d run unopposed in last year’s election, proof that he was doing something right.

  If only he could manage to get things right in his personal life.

  He brushed that thought aside and continued to the gym. He was nearly there when he spotted someone rushing to the bathroom. In a flash he recognized Joni. Recalling how ill she’d appeared earlier in the week, he turned around and went to stand outside the women’s restroom. If she was sick, he wanted to be there to offer his assistance. She might not feel well enough to drive home. The sound of retching reached his ears followed by a long silence. He was contemplating knocking on the door when it swung open.

  “Lex. What are you doing?”

  “Checking up on you.”

  “Why?” She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the doorjamb. He stared at her, trying to determine if she was using the doorframe for support or if she was just irritated. Her skin had a decidedly green tinge to it, and she was sucking on a mint like it was giving her life. Was she sick? He spent enough time at the center to know that several of the kids had been sick recently. They’d bounced right back, so even if Joni had caught the bug, it wasn’t anything serious. Still, the idea of her having even a minor illness unnerved him.

  “I saw you rushing in here and was concerned.”

  “I’m fine. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m ready to go home. It’s been a long day.”

  He stepped aside immediately. What else could he do? Clearly she wasn’t going to take him into her confidence. Nor was she inviting him to stop by after the game as she had so many times in the past. “Have a good evening.”

  She nodded but otherwise didn’t reply.

  As he watched her go, he felt compelled to call after her. “I’m here if you need me.”

  “I won’t.”

  Telling himself she didn’t mean the words the way they sounded, he went to the gym. The teens were already warming up, making layups with ease. A few teenage girls were seated in the bleachers, no doubt waiting for the game to start.

  “Hey. I was worried that you’d backed out.”

  Lex dropped his bag on a chair, then looked over at Trent Knight, the chief of police and his closest friend. “Nah. I stopped to talk to Joni for a minute.”

  “Is she coming to watch?”

  “No. She’s going home.” He managed to keep the disappointment from his voice.

  “Then I guess I only have to worry about the teenagers showboating.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? I never showboat.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Rick Tyler, the town’s doctor and one of the newest members of the team, said as he joined them. “You act like you’re trying out for the NBA whenever Joni’s around. You fly around the court like you’re sixteen. Before you try to deny it, remember I have the medical records to prove it.”

  “That was one time. I landed wrong and twisted my ankle.”

  “Only because you were hanging from the basket with one hand, trying to impress a certain woman,” Trent said.

  “And don’t forget how he nearly dislocated his shoulder swatting the ball away from your future son-in-law,” Rick said to Trent.

  Trent held up his hands. “Don’t even play like that. Alyssa is too young to think about getting married to Joseph or anyone else.”

  The other men laughed and, though his heart ached, Lex joined them.

  “Are you guys ready?” Jeremy, one of the teenagers, called.

  Lex glanced over his shoulder. The teens had finished warming up and were watching the men with a mixture of amusement and impatience. “Yeah. Get ready to lose big-time.”

  The teens glanced at each other and laughed raucously. Although it had been agreed that the games were only good fun, everyone knew the record. The teens had beaten the adults in nearly two-thirds of the games they’d played. Most by double digits.

  “You should wait until you’re home in bed before you start dreaming,” Jeremy said. The other teens laughed again.

  Tonight there were eight youths and nine adults. That meant his team had a fighting chance to win one of the three games, although Lex didn’t hold out much hope. Not with the pretty teenage girls providing extra motivation for the other team. It didn’t help that the adult team included two players built for football. They were solid as walls but couldn’t jump an inch and were slow. A third player was better suited for working the concession stand. Reminding himself that the game was supposed to be purely recreational, Lex went in for the jump ball, which he won.

  As the teams raced up and down the floor, Lex managed to channel some of his frustration with Joni into the game. He and his team played hard, but the teenagers had youth on their side. At halftime the adults were down by twelve points. Lex’s team took the six-minute break to guzzle sports drinks and try to catch their breath. The teens chose to horse around or flirt with the girls.

  “So what’s up with Joni?” Trent asked quietly.

  Lex looked around. The rest of their team was sprawled on benches too far away to listen in on the conversation. “What do you mean?”

  “Carmen mentioned that Joni was acting a little bit strange the past couple of days.”

  “In what way?”

  “She didn’t say. I talked to Joni myself for a couple of minutes, and she seemed a little bit off. Maybe she was tired or didn’t feel well.” Trent shrugged. “It might sound crazy, but she reminded me of Carmen when she was pregnant. A little distracted, a little emotional. But then, she is handling a lot here at the center, so there was probably another reason she wasn’t herself. Forget I said anything.”

  That was easier said than don
e. The whistle blew, signaling the end of halftime. Still, Trent’s words echoed in Lex’s head. Could Joni be pregnant? And if she was, did she plan on telling him? He told himself to slow down and stop jumping to conclusions. Joni might actually just be ill. But there was only one way to find out. He was going to have to ask her. He knew he’d promised to give her space, but he’d drive himself insane wondering if she was going to have a baby.

  * * *

  Joni dropped the pregnancy test into the garbage can and then sank onto the side of the tub. Positive. She’d known that was going to be the case. She had avoided thinking about the possibility of a baby for as long as she could. But after being sick for the past three days, she’d decided it was time to face the truth, whatever it was. Once she’d gotten out her calendar and checked for the date of her last period, she’d been all but certain she was pregnant. Joni was one of those rare women who was regular. Every thirty days, down to the hour, like-clockwork regular. And she was late. Combined with her nausea and sudden desire to sleep, she’d known she was pregnant. But ever cautious—and hopeful—she’d taken a break this afternoon, driven to Walmart out on the highway, and purchased every brand of pregnancy test they sold. When she’d gotten home, she’d headed for the bathroom and one by one she’d used them. Not one had come back negative. The latest positive only confirmed what she’d discovered an hour ago.

  What was she going to do? The quick and easy answer was have a baby. She knew that. In under eight months she was going to give birth to a son or daughter. The thought, scary as it was, also made her heart skip with joy. She could practically feel the warm bundle squirming in her arms. She’d always planned on being a mother. Of course, in her vision she’d had a loving and supportive husband beside her, sharing her happiness. Her imaginary husband had yet to materialize. Instead she’d become pregnant by a man whose first words the morning after they’d made love were that they’d made a mistake. Not what she’d wanted to hear and definitely not anything that gave her hope of a shared future. At least, not the future she’d pictured having with her child’s father.