My One and Only(44)

“Huh,” Carrie said. “I guess that makes sense. Now I almost feel bad about putting her in the high chair.”

Haleigh picked up the muffin with her free hand. “I can eat around her. Tell me again what we agree on.”

“That needs are being ignored in this area, but I’m not sure you’ll agree with me on what we should do about it.”

That sounded like the beginning of a dangerous proposition. “I’m listening,” Haleigh mumbled around a blueberry, before brushing crumbs from Molly’s back.

With a deep breath, Carrie said, “I’m not sure how much you know about my life before Molly’s dad died, but to make a long story short, I endured an abusive situation because I had no place else to go. No family. No friends—Patch made sure of that—and no shelters. The last is the need I’d like to address.”

“You want to start a shelter?”

“I wish,” she snorted. “I’m not qualified to start something so ambitious. But I would like to help someone else start one. Someone more qualified to get the project off the ground. Like maybe a person with a medical background like yours.”

“You’ve got the wrong someone in mind,” Haleigh said. “That kind of endeavor would require a real leader. That’s not me.”

“You were class president, editor of the school newspaper, chair of the yearbook committee, and head of the science club your senior year of high school. And you led the debate team to a regional championship,” Carrie reminded her.

“How do you know all that?”

“I was only two years behind you in school.”

“Oh, right.” Molly pulled her knees up against Haleigh’s stomach and tickled her neck with an adorable and very contented sigh. Haleigh’s ovaries actually attempted to leap out of her body. “Does she always do that?” she asked.

Carrie smiled. “Not with everyone. Come on, Haleigh. Will you at least think about it?”

“I wouldn’t know where to start on something like that. I mean, where would we even put it?”

To Haleigh’s surprise, Carrie whipped a manila folder from her diaper bag. “I’ve done some research on that. The old band camp out on Highway 76 is up for sale, and it’s the perfect location, with several dorm-like rooms plus office space.”

Haleigh ignored the folder dangling inches in front of her nose. “What the heck kind of magical bag is that?” she asked. “I’m afraid you’re going to pull out a tuba next. Or maybe a hula hoop.”

The folder dropped to the table. “Do you know what it’s like to be punched?” Carrie asked. “Or slammed against a wall?”

Jaw tight, Haleigh said, “You’re not fighting fair, Carrie.”

“This is too important to fight fair. There are women suffering right now because they have no alternative. We can change that.”

She’d never suffered physical abuse, but Haleigh did know how it felt to be a scared young girl without a lot of options. And something like this might have been an option for Jessi when she’d had nowhere else to go. If the thickness of the folder was any indication, Carrie had already done a lot of the preliminary research.

Still, where would she find the time for something like this? Working sixty to seventy hours a week at the hospital while appeasing her mother with regular dinners in her downtime didn’t leave room for a new project.

As Haleigh opened her mouth to refuse Carrie’s request, their conversation was interrupted.





Chapter 14

“Lookee here,” Cooper said, “three of my favorite ladies in one place.”

At the sound of his voice, Molly lifted her head fast enough to buck Haleigh’s chin, then promptly lifted her arms to be picked up. He took her without hesitation, immediately shooting raspberries into her belly. The little girl laughed with glee.

The man was a natural. By the time he tucked the tiny thing against his chest, his shirt was spotted with drool and Haleigh’s ovaries were doing a Kermit flail. Even the echo of Abby’s warning did nothing to calm the WANT voice screaming through her head.

You promised, she reminded herself, even while her ovaries bartered with her brain. Just one night. Or maybe a weekend. Okay, a solid week and she’d have her fill.

Which might have been the biggest lie she’d told herself in months.



Haleigh looked everywhere but at Cooper. Even so, he didn’t have to see her eyes to feel the tension coming off her body.

“What are y’all up to today?”

“Nothing,” Haleigh said, but Carrie spoke over her.

“I’m trying to convince Haleigh to help me start a women’s shelter in the area.”