Crissy’s green eyes widened. “Jimmy’s the father, isn’t he?” She reached across the table and touched Noelle’s arm. “You learned he’d died what, four weeks ago, and now you’re pregnant? Are you all right? Are you terrified? I’d be terrified.”
Under any other circumstances, the three of them would never have met and become friends. Crissy was thirty, the owner of a small chain of gyms for women. Rachel was twenty-six and a kindergarten teacher. Noelle was the baby of the group, but they never made her feel younger or out of place. Right now, with everything going on in her life, Noelle appreciated their support more than she could say.
“I’m still trying to figure out what I feel,” Noelle admitted. “Jimmy being gone sort of changes everything.”
“You have to tell the family,” Rachel said firmly. “They have the right to know a part of Jimmy lives on.”
Crissy wrinkled her nose. “But then they’ll get involved before Noelle knows what she wants to do. What if she wants to give the baby up for adoption? I mean that makes the most sense.” She turned to Noelle. “You’re still in college. There are so many deserving couples out there who would be fabulous parents.”
Rachel shook her head. “She’s not going to do that. Besides, the family has a right to know.” She looked at Noelle. “Didn’t you say Jimmy has a brother?”
“Yes. Devlin Hunter.”
“There you go,” Rachel said. “Maybe he wants to be a part of his late brother’s child’s life.”
“So some guy is going to raise Noelle’s baby?” Crissy asked. “I don’t think so.”
“I never thought of adoption,” Noelle admitted. There hadn’t been time. One second she’d seen the writing on the stick and the next, Dev knew, too. “But it’s not an issue. Jimmy’s brother knows about the baby and he wants us to get married. I wasn’t sure I would agree at first, but now I do. So we’re engaged.”
She thought about the diamond ring tucked in the back of her lingerie draw. Should she have brought it to show them? Should she—
She realized both women were staring at her as if she’d suddenly morphed into a zebra. She’d thought the baby announcement had been shocking enough, but apparently this one was worse. Their eyes were wide, their mouths open.
Crissy recovered first. “Maybe you should start at the beginning,” she said.
Noelle explained about taking the test in Dev’s office and what had happened afterward. She left out the part about her parents being in debt. That wasn’t something she wanted to share.
She talked about how Dev had reacted and his proposal. As she told the story, she still found it difficult to believe this was happening.
“Are you insane?” Crissy asked, then winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that to come out so harshly. But are you insane?”
Rachel shook her head. “In a way, it makes sense. Dev is doing what his brother would have done.” She frowned. “Jimmy would have married you, right?”
“He said he wanted to,” Noelle said, although she wasn’t completely sure he would have come through.
“So it’s just one brother stepping in for the other,” Rachel said. “It could happen.”
“Not in my neighborhood,” Crissy said. “Weren’t you in love with Jimmy? How can you marry his brother?”
“It’s a marriage of convenience,” Rachel said. “All the rules are spelled out. This isn’t about being in love. It’s about doing the right thing. Dev wants to take care of Noelle and the baby. I think that’s great. They’ll always be family and be connected. Family is everything.”
As her friends continued to argue the point, Noelle realized she hadn’t thought of the fact that she and Dev would always be in each other’s lives in one way or another. The baby would bind them together the way children always bound parents together.
Parents. She had trouble thinking of herself that way, although for Dev, it was a familiar role. He’d raised Jimmy for years. Knowing he would know what he was doing made her feel better about marrying him.
He’d been great about everything. Kind and generous and patient. Okay, and gorgeous. Under other circumstances…
She mentally put on the brakes. What was she thinking? Dev wasn’t interested in anything but a business deal. Besides, what about Jimmy?
Had they been in love? She honestly didn’t know. She’d felt more strongly about him than she had about any other guy she’d dated. She’d cried when she’d heard he died and had missed him. But love? What did love feel like? How could anyone be sure?
Crissy smiled at her. “We just want you to be happy. And look at the bright side—no more first dates for a long time. That’s thrilling.”
Rachel nodded her agreement. “Is this what you want?”
Noelle thought about Dev and how he was willing to be there for her and the baby. How she would now be able to protect her parents from more financial burden and still pursue her nursing degree.
“I wouldn’t have chosen to get pregnant,” she admitted. “But if I had to then I’m glad Dev is willing to marry me and give the baby a name.”
“Then ‘yay’ Dev,” Rachel said. “Wouldn’t you know that the youngest of the group is the first to get married.”
Crissy looked at her. “Do you want to be married? You’ve never said anything.”
Rachel shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind a family of my own. I’ve always thought about that. What about you?”
Crissy shook her head. “I don’t get the whole kid thing. And giving birth? Way too many fluids.”
“I agree with the fluids,” Rachel said with a grin. “But what about a man to come home to?”
“That would require dating,” Crissy told her. “I don’t date. Especially first dates. They’re the worst. Besides, I have a cat. He’s more than enough. I have friends and a great life.”
Noelle laughed. “What about a really cute guy?”
“He’s a really cute cat. Seriously, I’m fine being single. I never had that burning need to bond with someone.”
Noelle wondered why. Didn’t everyone have a biological need to connect? She knew she’d always imagined herself getting married and having a family. Funny how now she was doing both, and neither felt especially real.
“Thanks for agreeing to go from the office,” Noelle said. “I know you offered to go from my house, but I haven’t told my parents about you yet and…”
Her voice trailed off.
Dev glanced at her, then returned his attention to the road as he drove to the restaurant. “We were both at work. It’s fine.”
She was obviously nervous and he was willing to admit the situation was unusual.
“You’re being really nice about everything,” she said. “I’ll get better at this, I promise. I just need a little time.”
“We both need that,” he said, knowing it was true. “That’s why we’re having dinner—so we can work out the logistics. Decide when I’m going to meet your parents and what we’re going to say to them.”
She nodded.
She was sensible, he thought. He’d been watching her in the office and she seemed good at her job. Katherine said she was well-liked. Together, he thought, wondering what she’d seen in his brother.
On the heels of that came guilt. Guilt over what had happened to Jimmy and guilt for taking what his