Page 77 of Lone Star Longing
“Not yet.”
Why was she being—? He took her arm and pulled her out of the line, out of the hearing of anyone else. “Is he okay? Healthy?”
“As far as I know,” she said on a sigh. “I’ll know more after the next visit, okay?”
He stepped back. “Okay, sure. I just wanted to make sure you were both okay.”
“Thanks, Beck. I appreciate it. Really, I do.” She slid back into line to join Poppy, who was watching them curiously.
“Britt is here. She came over to talk to me for a little while,” he said. “I think she really wants to see everyone. She wants me to try to get everyone together tomorrow at The Wheel House. You think you two could come out?”
She turned her attention to getting change out of her little purse. “Oh. Well. We weren’t really friends, you know. She was a couple of years ahead of us. We’re not who she wants to see.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure the only one she wants to see is Con, but I don't think he’s coming into town until she’s left. But I told her I’d try, so what do you say? It would be fun, maybe, getting a drink.”
She gave him a look and put her hand on her stomach.
“Hanging out,” he amended.
“Which we do on Sunday, anyway.”
“She can’t come out Sunday because that’s the day of Mrs. Drexler’s party.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said. “I don't know if I can actually socialize three days a week. And next week is Fort Clark, right?” She shook her head, her expression deadpan. “Yeah, that’s more socializing than I’ve done the past twelve years put together.”
“Ha ha very funny.” He took a step backward. “Let me know, okay? Seven o’clock, Wheel House.”
He returned to his mom’s side, hoping Lacey and Poppy would decide to sit near him. He should have invited them. Instead they sat near Poppy’s parents, where they would probably have a good view of the fireworks.
People were getting restless as the sun finally set. More people arrived as a group of mostly younger men moved to the designated ignition area with their paper bags full of explosives.
“Holy crap that’s a lot of fireworks,” Beck muttered. “We’ll be here all night.”
“Well, we’re not staying past ten, no matter what,” his mother said. “I don't like driving home in the dark.”
“Well, I’ll be driving, and we’ll be fine, but yeah, I don't want to be here all night, and this looks like it can go on for a while, unless people fire off their fireworks at the same time. Which might be cool.” He sat back in his chair and positioned himself to see the sky. “So what did Lacey tell you about the doctor’s appointment?” He tried to make his voice sound casual but of course his mother would see right through to his motivation.
“She didn't tell me anything. Just told me she’d gone, and that she had another client after me because she hadn’t made it there the day she had to go to San Angelo.”
“But nothing about what the doctor said?”
“No, why?”
“When I asked her just now, she wouldn't tell me if it was a boy or a girl.”
His mother brushed her hands together and set the bag of chips on the ground by her chair. “Maybe she figured it was none of your business.”
“Maybe.” That idea hurt more than it should. “I just thought it was kind of weird she wouldn't say anything. And she and Poppy kind of acted strange. Like they didn't want me to know something.”
“It really isn’t your business.”
“I thought we were friends, though.”
“Who knows what that girl is thinking? Maybe she decided to give it up for adoption or something. That might be why she didn't say anything to you.”
His stomach dropped. He hadn’t felt like this since he saw Riley spin out on the track. Just this deep despair. Of course she might consider that option. Why wouldn't she? The baby’s father wanted nothing to do with her or the baby. She was a single working mom who lived with her father. Beck couldn't imagine her father wouldn't offer to help, but maybe she decided her life would be best without a baby. He couldn't imagine Lacey, who had been left behind by her own mother, would make that decision, but she might.
Beck couldn't say why that idea upset him so much. He had no right to make a choice for her. She was the one who had to deal with the responsibility, and if she decided she couldn’t, or didn't want to, that was completely her choice.
