“I’m not sure. I couldn’t read his expression like I usually can. I think he was sort of shellshocked.”

“Dandy.” Jennifer paused. “I’m going to sit up and see if the room will stay still.”

Belinda helped Jennifer upward, then she shifted so her feet were on the floor.

“So far, so good,” Jennifer said, then sighed. “Everything is in such a mess. I’m just not…not ready for Evan to know about this baby. I’m so thrilled about being pregnant, I really am, and I wanted to enjoy the very thought of it, the…

“But it’s definitely reality check time. Evan knows. He certainly won’t be thrilled about this news. Oh, I’m not saying he’d turn his back on us, refuse to support us monetarily, but I have to face the truth of how dedicated he is to his career. He doesn’t have room for anything, or anyone else, in his life.”

“Would you like my opinion?” Belinda said.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Nope. So listen up. I believe you’re selling Evan short. Did it ever occur to you that he devotes himself to his career because there isn’t an important woman in his life? He probably figures that working long hours here is better than sitting at home alone watching television.”

“Mmm,” Jennifer said, frowning.

“Are you in love with Evan, Jennifer?”

“I…I’m not sure. I just don’t know. I care for him, about him, but…I think I’m falling in love with him, slowly, step by step, but…I’ve been attempting to deal with the fact that I’m pregnant, plus sift and sort through my feelings for Evan and I’m exhausted. Emotionally and physically drained.”

“That makes sense.” Belinda nodded. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Evan wasn’t struggling to understand his feelings toward you right now, too. Love is a very simple, yet complicated thing.”

“If he is in love with me, or even thinks he might be falling in love with me,” Jennifer said, lifting her chin, “why hasn’t he told me?”

“Have you told him that your feelings for him are steadily growing? Tit for tat, you know. He could very well think that you’re so focused on your career you have no room in your life for him.”

“But that’s not true. When I have this baby I’ll cut back on the number of assignments I take, I wouldn’t travel so much and…”

“What we have here,” Belinda said, pointing one finger in the air, “is a basic lack of communication. You two need to talk to each other, for crying out loud.”

“Oh?” Jennifer said, raising her eyebrows. “Something like ‘Evan, my sweet patootie, you don’t happen to be kind of falling in love with me, are you? Because I think I’m falling in love with you, you know what I mean? Oh, and by the way, how do you feel about the little news flash that Belinda let out of the bag? Isn’t that a kicker? You’re going to be a daddy.’ How’s that, Belinda?”

“It’s definitely lacking something,” she said, shaking her head.

“No joke. I just want to go home and curl up in bed with the covers over my head.” She sighed. “I wish I had at least a clue as to how Evan reacted when he heard you say…”

“Uh-oh,” Belinda said softly, as Evan strode into the room.

Jennifer’s heart thundered as she stared at Evan as he approached. His eyes were narrowed slightly and his teeth were clenched so tightly she could see a muscle ticking in his jaw.

This was not, she thought miserably, a happy man.

“Can you walk, or should I carry you?” Evan said, looking at a spot just above Jennifer’s head.

“I’m perfectly capable of walking, thank you,” she said coolly, getting to her feet slowly and carefully. “Yes, I’m fine. Steady as a rock. In fact, I’m going to drive myself home.”

“No, you are not,” he said, a steely edge to his voice as he finally met her gaze. “Give me your keys and I’ll make arrangements for a couple of police officers to deliver your car to your apartment building.”

“I…”

“Don’t argue with me, Jennifer, not now. Come on.” Evan spun around and started back across the room.

“Hey, wait just a minute here,” Jennifer said indignantly.

“Go, go,” Belinda said, flapping her hands at Jennifer. “You can’t talk to each other if you’re not in the same place.”

“He’s not in the mood to talk. He’s barking orders like a drill sergeant.”

“Jennifer!” Evan said from the doorway.

“Oh, geez,” Jennifer said, hurrying toward him. “Goodbye, Belinda. If you never hear from me again you can have my half-dead Christmas cactus.”

The drive to Jennifer’s apartment was made in total silence. The ride up in the elevator in her apartment building was made in total silence. By the time Evan and Jennifer entered her living room that ominous, tension-filled silence was nearly crackling through the air.

The atmosphere in here, Jennifer thought, was certainly a world apart from the first time she and Evan had been in her home, the night their baby was conceived.

She sank onto the sofa and clutched her hands tightly in her lap, her gaze riveted on Evan. He swept back his suit coat and shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers as he began to wander restlessly around the spacious room.

It was decorated with white wicker furniture with bright-colored cushions and an oak coffee table and end tables. A home entertainment center contained a television, VCR, stereo and a multitude of CDs and videos. An oak bookcase was filled to overflowing with books.

Evan stopped his trek, stared unseeing at the books for a long moment, then turned to meet Jennifer’s gaze.

“When did you intend to tell me that you’re pregnant with my baby, Jennifer?” he said, a definite edge to his voice. “Or didn’t you think it was something I needed to know?”

“What makes you believe this is your baby I’m carrying? I’ve been on the coast for three months. There are men in California, you know.” Jennifer sighed and shook her head. “Erase that. I have no intention of playing that kind of game. This is your child and you’re aware of exactly when he, or she, was conceived.”

“So, I repeat,” he said, still standing across the room, “when did you intend to tell me, if at all?”

“Of course, I was going to tell you,” she said, her voice rising, “because a man has the right to know that he’s going to be a father. But as to when I was going to share this news with you? I don’t know, Evan, I really don’t. I was afraid it would result in an ugly scene and I was right, wasn’t I? Because here we are locking horns, or whatever cliché you want to use. Bottom line? You’re mad as hell.”

Evan nodded. “I’m angry. I admit that. But it’s due to the fact that I found out about this baby by accident, by hearing what my secretary was saying, for God’s sake. If it hadn’t been for Belinda blithering on and on I still wouldn’t know.”

“I just said I would have told you…eventually. But why rush it? I know you don’t want this baby, Evan. You have the focus you want in your life…your career as the district attorney. This baby is a glitch in your program, a nuisance you’ll have to deal with somehow. Why would I be in a hurry to hear that you don’t want this baby or…or me in your future? Try to see this from my point of view for a second.”

“Who in the hell are you to tell me how I feel, what I want, what my focus in life is?” Evan said, none too quietly. “You’re capable of looking into people’s minds, hearts, souls? That’s a good trick, Jennifer. You ought to take it on the road and see if it will play in Peoria.”

“Don’t yell at me,” Jennifer yelled. “I’ve been dealing with the existence of this baby for weeks, coming to grips with it. I struggled to find an inner peace about the way it was conceived, move past the fact that what happened between us that night was wrong because we’d only known each other for a few hours and…

“But I found that peace and centered on the baby. My baby. Mine. Because I want it more than I can ever express to you. I’ve been savoring the very existence of this little miracle,” she rushed on, one hand on her stomach, “daydreaming about seeing her, him, for the first time, holding him, watching him grow, smile that first smile, take his first step.”