Daddy in the Making. Crystal Green

never learns, does she?”

      Another unplanned pregnancy. And the thing was, Rita was such a careful person. Always had been, too.

      With Kevin, she’d been engaged. She hadn’t seen him for a while, because he’d needed to relocate near Houston for a job in some natural-gas fields because of the kaolin-mine closure. She’d been so young then, so unsuspecting about how life could go wrong, and she’d thought that she and Kevin would always love each other, that neither of them would ever change.

      But he’d grown distant after taking the new job. It’d been a gradual thing, with him being more withdrawn during his weekend visits, with him complaining more and more about the mine closure and how life wasn’t fair. Kevin had never done well with change.

      Yet Rita had merely told herself that he would get used to life as she worked her rear off in the hopes of taking time away from the hotel and attending college. She had loved him as she had during high school, when they’d been sweethearts, and after graduation, when they’d kept on seeing each other, saving their money for when they would have a family one day.

      Then, one night, during a rushed bout of weekend lovemaking, something had happened. Her diaphragm hadn’t been inserted as it should’ve been—at least, that was the doctor’s guess. She’d gotten pregnant before getting married and …

      Dammit, Rita, we’re not ready for a family.

      Now, at the memory of Kevin’s reaction to the news, Rita turned away from the calendar. Why did it all have to come back?

      Kevin demanding that she rethink their situation in life. Kevin “suggesting” that she “take care” of their “mistake.” Her finding out that their life had been a lie all along when he told her he had been seeing another woman in his “other home,” the one he lived in during the week for his job.

      Him leaving Rita as an unmarried mother for that other woman.

      Blowing out a breath, Rita told herself that she’d been careful with Conn, too—at least physically. It was just that, when they’d used protection, there’d been one time when the condom had slipped a little after they’d made love and he was pulling out of her …

      She rubbed her belly under her work skirt. No matter the circumstances, she was already head over heels for this child. Like Kristy, this baby would be easy to love, to take care of, to hold and kiss and treasure.

      I’ll always be here, she thought, softly patting her tummy. But who needs a daddy you can’t trust?

      She kept telling herself that Conn didn’t even know who he was, so what kind of father could he be? As far as she even knew, she’d gone to bed with a fantasy—the Conn Flannigan who had seemed just as taken with her as she’d been with him that night.

      That fantasy man didn’t exist, though.

      Walking down the hall, she heard the sounds from the computer and went over to Kristy, bending down to plant a long kiss on top of her head. “Come on, sweetie. Time to go.”

      â€œOne more minute?” the little girl asked.

      â€œNope. You’ve still got a half hour banked for computer time this week, though, and you can use it later.”

      A jaunty knock sounded on the door, and Kristy bounded over to open it. As Rita shut down the computer, Kristy squealed.

      â€œAunt Kim!”

      When Rita glanced over she saw her younger sister, dressed in old boots and jeans and a threadbare blue T-shirt. Kim was wearing her dark curly hair in a ponytail, seeming every inch the tomboy of the family. She lifted Kristy up, twirled her around, then set her back down and used her forefinger to tweak the child’s nose.

      â€œWhy, if it isn’t Tina Ballerina,” Kim said.

      â€œKristy Ballerina.”

      Both Kim and Rita laughed. “Thanks for walking her to school,” she said to Kim on the way out the door.

      â€œNo problem. It’s my day off, anyway, and Nick’s got everything covered.”

      Good ol’ big bro.

      As Rita shut the door, she braced herself for what the day would bring. Would wagging tongues be spreading news about Conn, with the way he was following her around and holding on to that R necklace she’d always worn, ever since she’d bought it from the White-feather Jewelry Boutique with her first real paycheck from the hotel?

      She hoped he’d finally gone home. At least, part of her did. The other part of her was just plain masochistic, she supposed, because it yearned for him, even after all that had happened.

      They all went down the stairs, coming to the lobby, which was empty at this time of the morning.

      Except for one person sitting in a velvet-upholstered chair.

      Wouldn’t you know it, at the sight of Conn, Rita’s belly spun into a whir of desire and anxiety. His hat was perched on one bent knee as he perused a brochure about tourist sites in Houston. His hair was so thick and tempting that she bunched her fists, wishing she didn’t want to touch him so badly. He’d also taken a razor to his face, which was freshly shaven, emphasizing a strong jaw and cleft chin.

      She shivered, thinking of how he’d held her, how he’d been inside of her. How he’d looked down at her as the dawn had rolled through the crack in the curtains. She’d never seen a look like that before, not even from Kevin, and it’d seemed so real.

      Real enough to make her believe that he would stay forever.

      He glanced up from his reading, as if he had Rita Radar. “Morning,” he said ever so casually.

      Rita was desperate to make it seem as if he were just another customer. “Morning.”

      Kristy wasn’t fooled, though. By the way she was pressing against her aunt Kim’s leg, checking Conn out, she recognized him from yesterday.

      Rita kissed her daughter goodbye, then thanked Kim again. There weren’t any employees coming in to cover the front desk this morning, so it was up to Rita to do it.

      â€œSo we’ll see you tomorrow,” Kim said, heading for the exit with Kristy in tow. Then to Kristy, “We’re going to have fun at our slumber party tonight.”

      â€œYeah!” Kristy said.

      Since Kristy visited Kim frequently, there was no need for packing this morning—Kristy had a drawer of clothing, plus a toothbrush, over at her aunt’s cabin.

      Rita went over and gave Kristy an extra-big kiss. “Call me tonight?”

      â€œOkay, Mommy.”

      â€œWe’ll check in before we have our Caillou marathon.” Kim gave Conn a curious glance before ushering Kristy to the door.

      As for Kristy, she just kept checking out the cowboy.

      When they left, the room seemed way too quiet. Rita thought about turning on the radio, until Conn got out of his seat and ambled over to the desk.

      â€œI want to thank you for yesterday,” he said. “It helped.”

      â€œGood to hear.”

      Her pulse jittered. The last thing she needed was for all her hot-blooded, ill-thought-out feelings to come bursting up right now.

      Good thing his next words put a stop to them. “I keep remembering bits and pieces about that night but … There are things that go along with them that I’m not really understanding, Rita.”

      Oh,