“Take me downtown to the train station,” she finally said. She would accept his ride, but not listen to him.
“Cooper’s at the doctor’s office,” he said, his voice sounding solemn.
She didn’t want to bite, but she couldn’t help it. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s bad . . .” he began.
“Nick, what happened?” she demanded.
“Okay, it’s not too bad, but he sent me in case you were doing exactly what you’re doing, and trying to run away.”
“Ugh!” She threw her head back and sighed in disgust.
“Why are you running, Stormy?”
She was silent for a while, but he just waited, glancing at her now and then with an anxious expression. She knew she wasn’t getting out of this.
“Look, I thought we had something together, your brother and I. Now, I see he’s just greedy, that I could have been any woman. I just so happened to be the one around when he got the urge to add to his bank account.”
“You do have something,” Nick insisted. “What you heard . . .” he began when she stopped him.
“I heard you loud and clear, Nick. Does he or does he not get a large sum of money if he marries?” she demanded.
Nick squirmed in the seat next to her and she had her answer, though she wasn’t getting out of the truck until he said it out loud. She needed this. She needed to let go. She gave him a hard look until his shoulders sagged and he let out a sigh.
“Yes. We all get the second part of our inheritance when we marry. But, I guarantee you that Cooper cares about you. Him dating you has nothing to do with that stupid clause in the will.”
“I don’t believe you,” she said with a sigh. Her anger was draining, and she just felt empty inside. Her fingers gently skittered across her flat stomach. What was she going to do now?
“He loves you, Stormy. I know my brother and I know how he feels,” Nick insisted.
This was why she hadn’t wanted to wait around. She’d known that glimmer of hope would be sitting in her heart at the first explanation that was given to her. Because she wanted it to be real between her and Cooper.
“I need time, Nick. I can’t think right now. I just need time, please,” she said, her eyes burning, her muscles trembling.
He gave her a look that said he wanted to argue more, but then he hung his head.
“My brother is going to kill me,” he mumbled. “But if time is what you need, then I will give that to you. But I refuse to drop you at a train station.” His words were firm.
“Okay, you can take me to my friend’s house, but you have to promise not to tell Cooper. I want time alone to figure out how I feel without mixed emotions being involved.”
“I’ll keep your secret.”
They rode silently to Bellingham and Nick gave her a hug before leaving her behind. Stormy would get it all figured out, she promised herself. Her fingers rubbing over her belly, she knew she had no other choice other than to figure it out.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
The setting sun lay peacefully below the horizon as the vast sea of stars filled the purple sky, mirroring the ocean’s surface as if the two were one. The Trans Pacific airliner climbed through the smooth air feeling motionless, uninterrupted except by occasional white puffs of clouds. The interior of the cabin was mostly dark, with only a few reading lights illuminating the beige-colored walls and blue cloth seats.
It would be a long flight and most of the passengers were getting comfortable, preparing to sleep. The flight attendants were occupied in the front galley, chatting about the current company gossip and the newest romance novels by Ruth Cardello, J. S. Scott, and Sandra Marton.
One of the reading lights was softly illuminating a children’s book as a mother quietly read to her toddler, who was holding a teddy bear.
An elderly couple seated a few rows back, not able to sleep, continued with their nightly routine. The gentleman sat with reading glasses on his nose, trying to answer the next crossword question. His wife sat in silence, her eyes fixed on her favorite Nora Roberts story. A pair of newlyweds was getting comfortable not far behind them, just having begun their journey on a two-week-long honeymoon.
Cooper and Wolf were busy making radio calls and setting their instruments for the continuation of the flight.
As both captain and first officer settled into their seats, having completed all checklists and entries into the flight computer, the aircraft cruised on autopilot. Cooper agreed to take the first watch, as Wolf began to play a movie on his iPad.
Periodically glancing at the flight instruments, Cooper mostly gazed out the window at the stars above and the purple sunset below. His thoughts, as always, were on Stormy. It had been two days since they’d spoken. Two days since he’d learned he was going to be a father.