Free What If I'm Pregnant...? by Carla Cassidy Page B

reason for her to tell him of her future plans. And she certainly didn’t need or want his blessing on the choices she made in her life.
    â€œHey, lady, you gonna sit back there and wait for the rain to stop, or are you getting out?” The cabby eyed her in the rearview mirror, his voice pulling Colette from her thoughts.
    â€œI’m getting out,” she exclaimed. She opened her purse, withdrew money and leaned over the seat to pay him, but he waved her away.
    â€œThe gentleman already took care of it,” he said.
    Colette jumped out of the cab and raced through the rain for her apartment door, wondering why, inspite of all her reservations about Tanner, a rush of anticipation filled her as she thought of dinner on Sunday night.
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    Tanner checked his reflection in the dresser mirror one last time. The slacks and dress shirt he’d bought the day before fit nicely and were a pleasant change from the jeans and T-shirts he normally wore.
    He’d told himself he’d bought the new clothes in honor of the mother he’d lost eleven years before, but as he’d picked out the shirt, he’d found himself wondering what Colette’s favorite colors were. Did she like pullover shirts or buttons?
    Colette. He’d insulted her the other night with his concern about her morals and values. He hadn’t meant to, but that had been the end result.
    Friday at the shop she’d accepted his apology, but he had a feeling she’d accepted it grudgingly. He hoped that over dinner this evening he could somehow make amends for his thoughtlessness.
    Looking at his watch, he realized it was time for him to leave. He splashed cologne around his neck, raked a hand through his hair, then left the hotel room.
    He’d arranged for one of the hotel cars and drivers to be at his disposal for the evening, and when he stepped out of the hotel door, the car was awaiting him.
    He hadn’t gone to the shop yesterday, had spent part of the day on the phone with his foreman makingsure things were running smoothly at the ranch. Then, in the afternoon, he’d gone on a hunt for a special restaurant for their Mother’s Day celebration dinner.
    He’d found the perfect place not far from his hotel. Antonio’s was elegant, with tables arranged to provide maximum seclusion and privacy for diners. The menu offered a variety of choices and the wine list was extensive. He’d made reservations, then gone hunting for appropriate clothes for a special dinner.
    There was only one thing he wished could happen that night—he wished that his mother could be present. He rarely allowed himself to think of his parents. The loss still hurt after all these years.
    But today when the hotel restaurant had been filled with families and mothers wearing corsages and smiles, it had been difficult to get his mother out of his mind. If she’d been able to attend the dinner this evening, he would have bought her a corsage of baby pink roses, her favorite.
    The driver pulled up in front of Colette’s apartment building, and Tanner shoved thoughts of his mother from his mind. “I’ll be right back,” he told the driver, who nodded.
    A few moments later Tanner knocked on Gina and Colette’s apartment door. Colette answered, and for a moment as Tanner gazed at her, he found speech next to impossible.
    Unlike the tailored suits she wore to work, the caramel-colored dress she now wore clung to herbreasts and slender waist, then flared out in softly feminine folds to her knees.
    The V-neckline of the dress was just low enough to be interesting without being overtly distracting, and her brown eyes were the same lovely color as the material.
    Her cheeks turned a pretty pink.
    â€œI’m sorry, I’m staring, aren’t I?”
    â€œYes, you are,” she replied.
    â€œYou deserve to be stared at. You look terrific,” he said as she gestured him inside.
    â€œThanks. You don’t