Free The Bridesmaid's Baby by Barbara Hannay Page A

the truth caused a sickening jolt in his chest. She would hate him.
    He couldn’t take that risk.
     
    The next day, Sunday, dragged for Lucy. She wasn’t on call so, apart from checking on her patients, including thepython, who was recovering nicely, she couldn’t distract herself with work.
    She collected her car from the Careys’ and spent a happy half hour discussing the wedding with Mattie’s mum over a cup of tea. In the afternoon, she took her dogs for a lovely long walk along Willow Creek, but they weren’t good conversationalists, so she was left with far too much time to brood over the huge gaffe she’d made during last night’s conversation with Will.
    She couldn’t believe she’d actually asked her schoolgirl crush to help her to have a baby. Talk about a Freudian slip!
    What must Will think of her?
    Why in heaven’s name had she blurted out such a suggestion when she’d once been engaged to Will’s brother?
    The question brought her to a halt, standing at the edge of the creek, staring down into the clear running water. She remembered the happy times she’d spent here with Will, panning for gold or sapphires. How excited they’d been over the tiniest speck of gold or the smallest dull chips of dark glass that signified sapphires.
    She’d never once let Will see how much she loved him. She’d been too scared to risk losing him by telling him how she felt.
    She was so totally lost in thought that she was startled when her dogs began to bark suddenly.
    ‘Stop that, Harry,’ she called. ‘Seamus, what’s the matter?’
    Then she heard the snap of twigs and the crunch of gravel underfoot. Someone was coming along the track.
    ‘Come here,’ Lucy ordered but, to her dismay, the dogs ignored her. Their tails kept wagging and they yapped expectantly as a tall figure came around the bend.
    It was Will.
    A flare of shock burst inside her, as if someone had lit a match. Will looked surprised too, but he seemed to recover more quickly. He smiled, while Lucy’s heart continued to thump fretfully.
    ‘Fancy seeing you here,’ he drawled.
    ‘I brought the dogs for a walk.’
    He grinned and bent down to give the boys a quick scruff around the ears. ‘I needed to get out of the house.’
    ‘Already? But you’ve just arrived home.’
    ‘I know.’ His grey eyes sparkled as he looked up at her. ‘But I’ve had this crazy idea rattling around in my head and I needed to get away to think.’
    ‘Oh,’ Lucy said uncertainly.
    The dogs, content with Will’s greeting, went back to hunting for the delectable smells in a nearby lantana bush. Watching them, Will said, ‘I’ve been thinking about your baby proposal.’
    ‘Will, it wasn’t a proposal. You know I didn’t mean it.’
    With a distinct lack of haste, he said, ‘But is it such a bad idea?’
    Lucy’s mouth fell open. Surely he wasn’t serious? ‘Of course it’s a bad idea. It’s crazy.’
    He looked about him, letting his gaze take in the silent trees and sky, the smooth stepping stones crossing the creek. ‘You really want a baby,’ he said quietly. ‘You said so last night, and you’re worried you’re running out of time.’
    Now it was Lucy who didn’t answer. She couldn’t. Her heart had risen to fill her throat. She’d never dreamed for a moment that Will would take her flippant comment even halfway seriously.
    He stood, blocking her way on the narrow track,watching her carefully. ‘I’m sure you’d prefer your baby’s father to be someone you know.’
    She still couldn’t speak. Her hand lifted to the base of her throat as she tried to still the wild pulse that beat there.
    Will pressed his point. ‘I imagine a friend must be a better option than an unknown donor in a sperm bank.’
    ‘But friends don’t normally have babies together.’
    She couldn’t see his expression. He’d turned to pluck at a long grass stalk and it made a soft snapping sound.
    ‘People accept all kinds of convenient family arrangements