“We both know you’re pregnant. But we can get the test done here in town tomorrow just to tie up loose ends. We can also apply for the license tomorrow and have the official ceremony on Friday.“
Diana felt stunned and breathless. “The end of the week?“
“You want to invite your mother?“
“Oh, my God. My mother. Of course I want to invite her.“
“I’ll invite Brandon. Anyone else we need to worry about?“
“Well, no, I guess not, but Colby, this is so sudden.“
“Relax. I’ll take care of everything.“
“You keep saying that,“ she wailed.
“Try believing it.“ He turned on his side and met her eyes in the shadows. “You know what your problem is?“
“I’m afraid to ask.“
“You’re still playing the denial game. You figure if you just ignore the pregnancy, it might go away and your nice, neat, conveniently structured life will return to normal. I’m disappointed in you, Diana. You’re a businesswoman. You should be able to face facts. You know damn well nothing will ever be the same for you again.“
“They won’t be the same for you, either,“ she shot back, goaded.
“I’ll handle it.“
“Terrific. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear that.“
“Diana?“
“Yes?“
“It’s going to work out. Wait and see.“
“Famous last words.“ She turned toward him with a little moan and burrowed into his arms. “I'm scared,“ she confided.
“I know.“
Her mouth brushed his shoulder in a soft, humble caress. “Tm very glad you’re with me,“ she added in a barely audible voice.
Colby chuckled in the darkness. “At least you can admit it. There was a time, my sweet little amazon, when you didn’t think you needed a man, remember?“
“Don’t rub it in.“ She found his ribs with her finger.
“Hey, no fair tickling me when I’m luxuriating in postcoital afterglow.“ He caught her fingers.
“Is that what it’s called?“
“Something like that. I don’t have my thesaurus handy, or else I’d double-check my terminology.“
“Shame on you. A writer should never be without his thesaurus.“
“Obviously you’re a bad influence on me.“ He kissed her throat.
Diana laughed for the first time in days. “I can’t resist. You’re so good when you’re bad.“
Colby joined in her laughter and tumbled her down across his aroused body.
Eddy Spooner paused in the act of drawing the rubber squeegee across the Jeep’s windshield. He used a grease-stained hand to push his limp blond hair behind his ear as he peered down at Colby. The old army combat fatigues he wore smelled of gasoline and oil. His glacial blue eyes were narrowed in amazed consternation.
“Is it true what I heard this morning? You really gonna marry that Diana Prentice?“
“I see gossip still travels around this town as fast as it did twenty years ago. Yeah, it’s true. Damn it, Specter, quit drooling on me.“ Colby pushed Specter’s heavy muzzle off his shoulder. The dog had been leaning over the front seat, his tongue lolling between his teeth as he watched Spooner clean the windshield.
Specter didn’t take offense. He lumbered to the other side of the Jeep and stared across the street at the post office. Diana had disappeared inside to collect the mail a few minutes earlier.
“Jesus, Colby, don’t take this personal or nothin’, but why in hell you want to marry the woman? You’re already livin’ with her bold as brass.“
“Women like Diana need marriage to settle ‘em down,“ Colby said, feeling a rush of masculine wisdom as he said the words.
“That right?“ Eddy’s eyes widened with interest. “She ‘ kindawild?“
Only in bed, Colby thought with private satisfaction. “No, she’s just used to being independent. You know these modern women. They don’t think they need a man to look after them.“
“Wish I could find me one of those modern women. Some gal who didn’t want marriage but who’d be will-in’ to keep my place clean, fix my dinner every night and hit the sack with me whenever I felt like havin’ a little fun. I’d like to get me some babe who wouldn’t give me any lip when I wanted to take off by myself for a while.“
“I don’t think you’re going to find too many women who are that modern,“ Colby said.
“Not in Fulbrook Corners, I won’t,“ Spooner agreed morosely. “Your son comin’ up for the wedding?“
“Brandon will be here on Friday. So will Diana’s mother. She’s flying in from California.“
“You ready to take on another mother-in-law, Colby? The last one you had should have been enough to put you off marriage for life.“
“I know. It’s taken me twenty years to recover. Speaking of Margaret Fulbrook, here she comes now.“ Colby removed cash from his wallet, his eye on the aging blue Cadillac pulling into the parking lot across the street. “Let’s settle up, Eddy, so I can get over there. I don’t want the old bitch cornering Diana alone in the post office.“
As she turned away from the service window, Diana glanced thoughtfully at the envelope she had just been handed. Another letter from Aaron Crown. He would no doubt be outlining more reasons why she should return to work for him as soon as possible. Her former boss certainly was being persistent.
Diana unconsciously touched her stomach. It was reassuring to know she had at least one secure job possibility available to her. She didn’t want to go back to work for Carruthers and Yale, but she felt awkward about starting a new position with another company knowing she would have to go on maternity leave within a few months.
She shook her head ruefully. Colby was right. Being pregnant changed everything. Nothing would ever again be the same in her life. She couldn’t even make career decisions the same way she had in the past. There were new factors to take into consideration.
“I hear Colby Savagar is getting ready for another shotgun wedding.“ Margaret Fulbrook’s loud voice filled the post office, mesmerizing everyone inside.
Diana looked up and saw the matriarch of Fulbrook Corners standing in the doorway. Her gray hair was in its customary regal chignon. Her fine brown eyes were as piercing as ever, and her face was set in its usual rigid lines of disapproval and bitterness.