Not a Chance(43)

Arden leaned back against the wall and waited for her heart rate to return to normal.





CHAPTER EIGHTEEN



Arden glanced at the woman sitting next to her. Tonya really didn't have a care in the world. They drove down the highway toward Bixy and she just watched out the window like a happy puppy going for a ride. Travis had handed Arden more cash than could possibly be comfortable for him to lose. All he asked was that she try to get the most for her dollar...shop the sale racks whenever possible. He'd thanked her and waved as she drove off.

She didn't want to spend any of his money. She could get Tonya an entire wardrobe without approaching the spending limit on her credit card. But she was fairly certain if she'd offered, Travis wouldn't have taken it well.

They got to the mall and Arden walked around to help Tonya out of the car. It took her a couple of rocks back and forth to heft her large belly out and up, but she finally managed it. "Now if you get tired," Arden said, "you just say so and we'll take a break."

Tonya thanked her. They went first to the only maternity store in the mall. Tonya headed straight for the clothes in the window display, but Arden coaxed her over to the clearance racks. She was only going to be pregnant for another week or two. What she really needed were clothes for after the baby came. They walked out of the store with three maternity outfits and several pairs of stretchy pants and matching tops for after the baby was born. She also got some underwear and a couple of nightgowns for the hospital stay.

Arden didn't even want to think about what that was going to cost Travis. She highly doubted Tonya had insurance.

After the maternity store, they went to one of the department stores to buy some onesies and receiving blankets for the baby. Arden honestly couldn't think of what else would be needed, but she figured while Tonya was in the hospital she could come back and pick up anything they missed. Then she could give it to Tonya as a gift and save Travis some money.

They'd been shopping for two and a half hours and Tonya's pace had slowed considerably. They stopped and ate at an italian restaurant at the far end of the mall. Tonya looked around like she'd never been in such a fancy place. Arden would have considered this on a par with fast food. But even though Tonya seemed impress, she was still the most ungrateful person Arden had ever met. She never once asked who was paying for all of this stuff. She never once apologized for being such a burden to Travis. She just floated around on the sea of other people's generosity.

"So are you and Travis sleeping together?" Tonya asked all of a sudden, her mouth stuffed full of spaghetti.

Arden nibbled at her caesar salad. "No," she replied.

Tonya looked up at her, one brow lifted in skepticism. "Why are you taking me shopping, then?"

Arden struggled to keep her expression passive. "Because he's my friend."

Tonya scoffed. "So whose ring is that?" she asked, nodding to Arden's left hand.

"I'm engaged to Nick Wheeler. Do you know him?"

Tonya shook her head. "I know who is old man is, though. If Nick looks anything like him, you're a lucky woman."

"He does. And I am."

Tonya shoveled another forkful of pasta into her mouth. Her plate was nearly empty. Arden felt a sudden pang of compassion. This woman was starving.

"Do you want me to order more?" she asked.

"Maybe something different this time."

Arden signaled the nearest waitress and Tonya asked for chicken parmigiana.

"So how did you and Travis meet?" Tonya asked after the waitress had left.

"We were stranded together for a few days. I've only known him since last week." Wow, she thought. So short an acquaintance and yet it seemed like she'd known him forever. Like they were soul-mates.

Arden quashed the thought in an instant. It was ridiculous.

"Well," said Tonya, "you must have slept with him then. You can't spend that much time with Travis and not want to jump him."

Arden rolled her eyes. "I did not sleep with him. I'm engaged."

Tonya shrugged, although she clearly doubted Arden's word. Her dinner came and she went back to eating. Arden pushed her plate away and leaned back in the booth seat.

"Why did you leave him, anyway?" Arden asked, not caring whether the subject was sensitive or not.

Tonya didn't even look up. "I fell in love with someone else. Travis had changed. He wasn't the man I married. Which is actually probably a good thing because the man I married drank and got angry and fought all the time. Unfortunately, he just lost his sex appeal when he started getting himself straightened out. For me anyway."

If Travis had lost his sex appeal, Arden was glad she hadn't met him back then. He was damn near irresistible without it.