Free Defying Desire by A. C. Arthur Page B

yourself off because of what happened. Some things are simply meant to be.”
    “You mean my fiancé and my child were meant to die?” she’d unintentionally raised her voice.
    “No. I mean that God doesn’t make mistakes,” Madeline said calmly. “Honey, I know you were terribly hurt, but you’re still living and there’s a reason for that. There’s more life for you to live. You’ve just got to take a step outside and live it.”
    She didn’t know why she said it. Well, yes, she did. She’d heard this speech from her mother too many times to count and she just didn’t feel like hearing it anymore. So the words tumbled out of her mouth without another thought. “My boss’s brother-in-law brought me home.”
    “Really?” Madeline’s voice perked up. “Is he nice-looking?”
    Tia sighed. “That’s an understatement.”
    “Oh. Well, is he single?”
    “Happily so.”
    “Do you like him?”
    “Well enough, I guess.” She was not about to tell her mother that she was in lust with Mr. Trent Donovan. Even though her mother lived in Phoenix Tia was willing to bet she’d heard of Trent and or his family. Beverly Donovan was world renowned for her work with domestic violence organizations, and Tia’s mother volunteered at a localwomen’s shelter. The shelter would have received some of Beverly’s generous donations. The legend of the Triple Threat Donovans was known up and down the west coast, thanks to the tabloids.
    “So are you going to see him again?”
    Now came the dread. Tia realized she’d just traded one touchy subject for another. “We’re not dating, Mama. He just brought me home.” And stayed the night and sexed me like crazy. Then held me while I trembled from the memories.
    “Maybe you should consider dating him. Or some other man to your liking.”
    Tia came up with an excuse and got off the phone then. Continuing to talk about Trent with her mother was only making matters worse. Nothing serious was going to come of her being with him so there was really no use putting those ideas in Madeline’s head.
    Bringing her mind back to the matter at hand, Tia once again looked at the computer screen. All last week she’d attempted to go into a baby store to buy a gift for Jade’s baby shower. But each time she’d come up to the door she’d stopped. Her heart had raced, her hands shaking and sweating. She couldn’t do it.
    Before, she’d decorated the prettiest room for Jessica in the softest lavender, yellow and pink. Her crib had been a vanilla-colored cascade with white lace bedding. The carpet mauve, the drapes pink with yellow balloons. And in the corner was a white rocker where she would sit to rock Jessica to sleep. Inhaling deeply, Tia could still smell the distinctive baby scent that filtered through the room. She’d loved to go in there early in the morning, before the sun or Jake had risen. She’d imagine Jessica asleep in the crib as she touched the sheets.
    Teardrops fell onto her hand, rolling down her fingersto land on the black keyboard. Clearing her throat and sitting up straight in the chair, Tia reached for a tissue to clean off her hand and her keyboard, then attempted to focus once more.
    Going into a baby store again was out of the question. Thank goodness for the Internet. For the last hour since she’d returned from a fitting with Camille, she’d been perusing Web sites selling baby products.
    Jade was having twins. They hadn’t found out the sex because, as Camille had told her, Linc wanted to be surprised. So whatever she purchased would have to be unisex.
    She found a great gift basket full of all things baby-oriented and was trying to decide between that and a double stroller when there was a knock at her door.
    Glancing at the clock she noted it was a little after seven and wondered who could be visiting her at this hour. Other than Camille and Dana, Tia didn’t have many social visitors.
    Tia peered through the peephole and her breath caught as she