The Bachelor's Bride. Audra Adams
if she had, Reid James would be the least likely candidate.
In her mind’s eye she could still see the headline of the magazine article about him that Trudy had given her: New York’s Most Eligible Bachelor. She winced. And he thought she wanted money from him. Ha! If she’d been that type of person, a quick call to the tabloids would bring her thousands. But that kind of notoriety was the last thing she wanted or needed.
No, there was no one but her in this picture, and whether or not Reid James wanted to be part of the decision-making process, first and last, the choice was hers.
She wanted the baby. It was really as plain and simple as that.
The other choices were not so simple. She still had most of the money her mother had left her, but it wouldn’t last long without a job. As much as she loved New York, it was an expensive place to live, even if she did approach Reid for help.
And that she wouldn’t do. Something deep inside warned her that if she allowed him in, he could, quite possibly, take over not only her life but the baby’s, as well. Living in the afterglow of Reid James’s spotlight didn’t appeal to her, and it wasn’t at all what she wanted for her child. She cherished her independence too much for that, and to keep it, her best choice would be to return to Ohio to live with her father.
Her stomach tightened with the thought. His remarriage only two months after her mother’s death had driven a wedge between them. Though they’d reconciled and had come to terms with each other, there was still a certain amount of tension between them that would make it difficult for her to go back home.
Rachel sat on the edge of her bed and cradled her head in her hands, trying not to remember the harsh words she and her father had exchanged the day of his remarriage. She’d harbored so much resentment of his callous behavior, it had all burst forth that day, ruining everything, or so he’d said.
But she hadn’t been able to stop herself. Her mother had suffered for two years before her death, and Rachel had willingly nursed her. She had always known that her mother and father’s marriage was not one made in heaven, but her mother’s sickness had brought out the worst in her father. He couldn’t deal with the illness that hung over the house like a shroud, so instead, he’d spent as little time as possible there, leaving the burden of care to Rachel.
Not that she’d minded. She’d loved her mother with a fierce loyalty that had lasted until she’d breathed her final breath, and beyond. But Rachel had paid a price for that devotion. Tom’s initial patience with pushing back the wedding date wore thin as one year became two, and finally he, too, found someone else to give him the attention he craved.
The day after her mother’s funeral, he’d broken the news to her. He’d met someone else. He was in love and going to marry her. Rachel remembered the blow of her mother’s death and Tom’s desertion like a one-two punch at a heavyweight match. The final straw was when her father introduced her to his lady-friend, and told her that he and the woman were marrying and moving into their home.
Her mother’s home.
It was all too much for Rachel. She’d exploded the day of his marriage, and the screaming fight that ensued left them both angry and shaken. At the time, the rift had seemed irrevocable as far as Rachel was concerned. She’d moved out that same day, staying with an old school friend and her husband until she could make arrangements to move away.
New York had been a big, sprawling refuge, a place to lose herself, a place to hide. But she’d found that hiding was not enough for her. She’d been sure her mother was watching over her when she’d landed the first job in the garment industry for which she’d applied. She’d apprenticed to a cloth designer, building on her fashion schooling, learning the fabric trade. She’d found an apartment, met Trudy, and had her life running on an even keel for the first time in a very long time.
And then the bottom fell out. She lost her job when the parent company made what they called “necessary cutbacks.” Since she had been the last hired, she was the first fired. That was four months ago. She’d pounded the pavement ever since in hopes of landing a new job, substitute waitressing at the corner coffee shop during the lunch hour to supplement her meager inheritance.
Though her pride bristled at the thought of crawling back home, she knew that was her best course of action. At least if she wanted to have the baby. And she did. That was the only thing of which she was absolutely sure.
So the decision was made.
The buzzer sounded and Rachel rolled off the bed. Trudy had promised to stop by after work and bring take-out. Not that Rachel was the least bit hungry, but she knew if she didn’t eat, Trudy would lecture her, and she would have to agree. She was, after all, now eating for two.
She hit the button and set the table with silverware and napkins as she waited for Trudy to arrive. As the knock sounded, Rachel opened the door to her friend standing with a shopping bag full of Chinese food.
“Did you buy out the restaurant?” Rachel asked with an indulgent smile.
“No, I didn’t buy out the restaurant. I just bought enough for you to have some leftovers. I know you won’t cook for yourself.”
“You’re impossible,” Rachel said.
Trudy patted her cheek as she placed the shopping bag on top of the table. “But you love me anyway.”
They sat down to eat, and Trudy smiled, her mouth stuffed with lo mein. “Don’t we get along great?” she asked.
“Wonderfully,” Rachel said as she toyed with the fried rice.
“You know,” Trudy began, “we’d be great together.”
“Together?”
“Yeah. Living together.”
“What are you talking about?” Rachel asked.
“You. Me. Living together at my place.”
“Oh, Trudy—”
“No, really. We could do it. I work all day. You could help me out keeping the place neat and all.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You barely have enough room for yourself.”
“That’s not true. There’s that little alcove. We could put the crib in there. You could sleep in my room.”
“And what about Jake?”
“What about him?”
“Your relationship is just heating up. How is he going to fit into all this?” Rachel asked with a shake of her head. “Really, Trudy. Three’s a crowd. And once the baby comes, it’ll be four.”
“So? We’ll have a parade! Come on, we can do it.”
Rachel shook her head. “No.” She leaned forward and put her hand over Trudy’s, not even trying to fight the tears that filled her eyes. “You are the best friend I’ve ever had in my entire life. Thank you for the offer, but no. I’ve already made up my mind what to do.”
“And that is?”
Rachel pulled back her hand and looked down at her dinner. She didn’t answer right away. She couldn’t bring herself to say the words, as if once she did, she would be bound by them.
“Well?” Trudy prompted.
Rachel lifted her eyes and met her friend’s concerned stare. “I’m going back home.”
“You can’t. You’ll hate it there.”
“I’ve already called the airlines.”
“But have you called your father?”
“No. But I will. Tomorrow.” She looked at Trudy’s disapproving face. “I have no other choice.”
“Yes, you do.”
“What? Tell me what other choices I have?”
“Reid.”