Page 51 of Passion in Bloom

I narrowed my eyes, suspicious. That was a rather steady illness she was struggling with.

“Pipe’s are busted,” Roarke replied. “Flooded the whole cabin.”

“Well, where am I gonna stay now?” she whined.

My first thought was snarky. Maybe that’s something you need to grow up and plan for yourself.

But then when she set her hand on her stomach and winced, I caved to a kinder opinion.

You’re really out on your luck, huh?

Pity wouldn’t improve anything, but I couldn’t shut off my worry for her.

“I don’t feel so great. I wanted to lie down and—”

“You can.” I raised my brows, wondering if she’d resort to calling me a bitch or accusing me of being flaky, or who knew what else. “You can lie down for a while at my place.”

“Really?” She faced me, surprised. “If I could just nap for a while...”

“Sure. A nap.” And some questions you can answer.

Roarke thanked me for extending an offer to help his niece. He planned to tidy some things here and grab what he needed—and wasn’t soaked—and Todd said he’d drive me and Nevaeh to my cabin.

The bike fit in the back of his truck, and while Nevaeh watched on after he parked at my place, Todd and I got the bike out and rested it out at the front of my cabin. I unlocked the door and let the teen inside, curious how long she thought this silence between us would last.

“What were you doing at my uncle’s?” she asked.

Hmmm. I don’t think so. I didn’t owe her answers. She was my guest, and she could be in the hot seat first.

“Helping with the water damage,” I replied, only partly lying.

“Ah.” Nevaeh scanned my small living space, shocking me when she didn’t act catty. “That’s nice,” she added, almost as an afterthought.

“Where have you been staying when you’re not at Roarke’s?” I asked as I walked toward the kitchenette.

She watched me, her attention glued to the fact I was wearing her uncle’s coat. If she was piecing it together that Roarke and I had been up to something else than dealing with broken water pipes, like getting closer, she didn’t seem inclined to comment on it.

“Around.” She winced, rubbing her stomach again.

“Are you hungry?”

She shook her head. “Food hasn’t been settling well for me lately.”

Aha.

As far as I was concerned, one of two things were at play here.

She had to be suffering from withdrawal of some kind. I knew Roarke insisted that she wasn’t into booze or drugs. I wanted to believe that because I never smelled it on her, but that didn’t mean it was impossible.

Or...

She was pregnant.

“Do you want to lie down?” I gestured at the loveseat. It wasn’t as big as Roarke’s couch that she was used to, but it would hold her.

“Yeah. I mean, for a while. I don’t want to crowd you out or anything.”

“Crowd me out?”