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Of course he did.
He knew about Wendy, then, too.
About the miscarriage. No wonder his reaction to that news in Dr. Pelletier’s office had seemed off.
He knew about…everything.
Nothing I could do about it now, no matter how livid I was. I forcefully unclenched my fists. “I’m married now, Dad. I’m going to be a father. Stop spying on me.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“You’ll understand when your child is born.” He turned and walked away.
As angry as I was, I had to give him credit. He’d never interfered in my life. He hadn’t interfered with Wendy until I asked him to. He spied, he knew everything, and then he let me deal with the fallout.
I’d do better for my own children.
I’d be there for them.
Always.
Count on it, I said silently to the child resting in Daphne’s belly. I’ll always be there for you.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Daphne
Brad sat next to me as I forced down the crackers and mild cheddar he’d brought me. Once I ate, I had to admit I felt a little better.
“Ready to go out and meet your public?” he asked.
“My public?”
“Sure. You’re queen for a day. It’s your wedding day, Daphne. Everyone wants to see you.”
“I don’t know anyone except my parents and Patty and Ennis.”
“You’ll meet them. I’ll introduce you.”
I stood finally and felt a lot less weak than I had previously. “Let me make sure I’m presentable.” I walked to the bathroom. Not bad. My makeup was fine and my hair okay. I walked back out. Now or never. “I’m ready.”
Brad and I walked through the house and out into the backyard, where people were talking in groups and Belinda was helping the caterers set up.
Brad’s friend Theo approached us. “There you are,” he said. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah, I am. Thanks.”
“She just needed to eat something,” Brad said.
“I like you better this way,” I said.
“What?” Theo’s eyes widened.
“Without the blue contacts,” I said.
“Oh, right. I forgot I was wearing them that day we met in town. They’re kind of uncomfortable.”
“You look much better with your own natural eyes.” In fact, Theo was incredibly handsome in a dark and Mediterranean way.
“I’ll remember that. Congratulations, you two.”
“Thanks, Theo,” Brad said.
My half brother, Larry, was next to approach. “Hey,” he said.
“Hi.”
We had no idea what to say to each other because our contact had been so minimal over the years. I always wondered why, but Dad and Mom never talked about it much. Dad saw Larry one weekend per month in Grand Junction. He never came to Westminster to visit us.
Larry didn’t look like my brother at all, though he did bear a resemblance to my father. Larry was blond, though, and his hairline was receding. He seemed pretty young to be going bald.
“Hey, Larry,” Brad said. “Thanks for coming.”
“Wouldn’t have missed it. When you have a minute, I need to talk to you.”
“Sure. Maybe later,” Brad said.
“Can you spare a few now?” Larry asked.
“Go ahead,” I said. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, now that I’ve eaten something, I feel a lot better.”
“All right.” Brad left with my half brother.
Ennis approached me then. “Feeling better, love?”
“Yeah. This pregnancy thing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
“I don’t think it was ever cracked up to be fun.”
“How are things with you and Pat?” I asked.
“Good. We’re taking it slow.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
He chuckled. “Why is that? Don’t want me to get any?”
“No, no, that’s not what I mean.” I’d put my foot in my mouth. Patty wasn’t known to be discriminating. She’d slept with two different guys our first week at college. Ennis was a nice guy, and I wanted this to work out between them.
“What do you mean, then?”
“I just hope it works out for you. You two are my only friends at college.”
“Only because you and your husband have been inseparable since day one.”
I smiled. He was right. Brad and I had met, and fate took its course. “I like seeing you and Patty together. You’re a nice guy, Ennis.”
He feigned a heart attack. “Ah! The worst thing to say.”
“What’s wrong with being a nice guy?”
“Nice guys finish last, as you Yanks like to say.”
“I’ve never said that.”
Ennis gestured toward Patty, who was talking to Sean Murphy. “Do I have anything to worry about there?”
How did I answer that? Patty had slept with Sean our first night at college and then again the second night. They hadn’t been together since, though. That I knew of, anyway.
“No, of course not. They’re over. In fact, they never really began.”
“She told me about it.”
“Good. I’m glad. If it’s going to work with you guys, there shouldn’t be any secrets hanging over you.”
“What about the other one?”
“Rex? Please. Sean’s at least a nice guy. Rex is a jerk.”
“But he’s better looking than I am.”
“That’s a matter of opinion.”
I couldn’t fault Ennis’s observation. He was handsome in a decidedly English way. Rex, Patty’s first nighter, was gorgeous. But an asshole, which in my book made him ugly.
