Chapter Three

A half hour later, after having a cup of tea, Audra wandered down the worn path through the trees to the lake. There were wooden docks jetting into the water along the shore with rowboats and tandem paddle wheels tied up to each. Several boats dotted the expanse of the lake as other vacationers took advantage of their availability.

She’d met the guests in the two neighboring cottages yesterday afternoon. Spotting Bart and Patty battling one of the paddle wheel boats, she waved. They grinned and waved back, obviously delighting in their attempts to control the direction of the unwieldy craft using only the bicycle pedals.

Audra watched and laughed. They were so young, so happy, so in love—but then honeymooners were always cheerful. For a moment her smile faded.

She’d had such high hopes for her own marriage. They’d been eroded during the months she and Mitch had lived together. How different their marriage had turned out. She’d expected more—more than Mitch could deliver anyway.

Now all she had was a few happy memories and a truckload of regrets.

Suddenly feeling very old at twenty-eight, Audra turned and ambled along the shore. It was peaceful here. She ought to be able to regain her sense of self, make plans for the future. Make the hard decisions that faced her.

“Hello young lady,” Mrs. Carmichael greeted her. The elderly woman and her husband smiled at Audra from their seat on a fallen log near the beach. In the shade, it was protected from the sun, while offering a perfect view of the lake.

“Lovely day, isn’t it?”

Audra stopped to visit with the neighbors on the far side of her cabin, the Carmichaels. The opposite end of the spectrum from the honeymooners, she thought whimsically. Married more than fifty years, they still retained a glow of love.

Which only served to prove it could be done.

Audra chatted with them for a few minutes then moved on. Long, happy marriages could be achieved. She wondered what the secret was and why she apparently lacked whatever it took.

Audra had not known how to deal with Mitch’s tendencies to put work before all else. She never remembered her father doing that before he’d died when she’d been young.

It was obvious in retrospect that arguing and pleading had been the wrong approach. But would anything have changed the out-come?

Returning to the cottage after a nice ramble, she pushed open the door to the living room, moving quietly in case he was still on the phone.

Mitch lay on the sofa—fast asleep. His cell phone had dropped on the floor beside him.

She tiptoed over and studied him, aware of his powerful masculine appeal even in sleep. She’d loved waking up first when they’d lived together savoring that quiet time when she could watch him sleep. The warmth of the memories filled her—and she smiled sadly, remembering all those times she’d had him solely to herself. There’d been no work to interfere, no prior commitments. Just the two of them in their own world.

Which usually ended as soon as he awoke each day.

Picking up the phone, she checked to make sure it was not still connected. Laying it quietly on the coffee table, she headed for the kitchen.

As she nibbled a sandwich for lunch, she speculated about his accident. Tessa hadn’t said what caused it and once the initial panic had eased, Audra hadn’t pursued it.

She’d been shocked how strong her own reactions had been at hearing the news. Once she knew he was going to be all right, she’d deliberately distanced herself. She had to protect herself because getting involved with Mitch again wasn’t an option.

Still, she was curious. Had the crash involved a drunk driver? Had anyone else been hurt? Was he truly going to be completely okay again?

Would he forgive her for not telling him about the baby?

His cell phone rang. She jumped up and ran to get it. Before she could reach it, however, Mitch woke and snagged it from the table. Slowly he sat up, speaking, then listening.

He met Audra’s eyes, and gave a half wave, his attention immediately caught by the caller.

Some things never changed, she thought wryly as she climbed the stairs for an afternoon nap, one of the luxuries of vacationing.

His doctor hadn’t intended for Mitch to continue work, she thought as she slipped off her shoes and lay down on the comfortable bed. So if he was going to ignore that advice, he’d probably be better off at the office than trying to do everything from a remote cabin.

As she drifted to sleep, she could hear the murmur of Mitch’s voice. What could be so important he couldn’t take a few days to relax and recuperate?

Mitch ended the call and looked around the rustic living room. He needed to get his computer hooked up somewhere to receive the lengthy brief his secretary wanted to send. With his recent concussion he found it extremely difficult to read the tiny print on his phone.

There was no sign of any wifi hookup. He looked in cupboards and along the shelf that held an assortment of paperback books. Nothing. When he powered up the laptop, it continued searching for a connection though there was none in range.

He didn’t need this frustration on top of the news he’d discovered this morning. For a moment he wondered when he’d feel in control again. Or would having a baby disrupt his life so totally he’d never get it back on track?

“It’s really pretty outside and warm. No need to do all your exercise inside,” Audra said.

He spun around. She’d paused halfway down the stairs to watch him.

His frustration was not all work related. How was he supposed to share a cabin with her and ignore the attraction that still flared whenever he saw her? To ignore the anger that he couldn’t dislodge at not being told his wife was pregnant.

Thomas and Tessa had known. Who else?

“I need to get a brief. There’s no printer here.”

”I think there’s a business office you can use at the main lodge. The purpose for coming here is to relax, not change the location of work. Where did you think you were coming to?”

“To the back of beyond, but I at least thought I could communicate with the rest of the world.”

He ran his left hand through his hair. He didn’t have time for this. Not the inconvenience nor the feelings that stirred when Audra came into the room.

He’d gotten over her. She’d made her position clear. He wanted to move on, not be reminded of what they’d once had.

He’d have to call the main lodge to have someone pick him up. How long would that take? Glancing at his watch, he saw it was getting late.

She continued down the steps, watching him warily.

“I guess you came here for a different reason than what Thomas and Tessa suggested.”

“I wouldn’t be here at all if it wasn’t for the blasted accident. Cutting back and resting up is one thing, being cut off is another. And as far as I know, Thomas and Tessa were coming on some sort of second honeymoon. Why, I can’t imagine. They’ve only been married two years.”

Audra smiled.

He paused and stared at her, frowning. “What?”

“You truly can’t imagine why they’d want a second honeymoon?”

The amusement in her eyes sidetracked him, entranced him.

He shook his head. He had work to do. There were cases coming to court soon. He had to make sure they had all the facts nailed down to get a conviction.

And the new law clerk needed direction.

There was too much to do to be spinning fantasies about his wife again.

Once had been a hard-learned lesson. And the result enough of a disaster to make sure he never again ventured down that path.

“Face it, Mitch. Thomas and Tessa love each other. They want to spend time together just the two of them. It’s what most husbands and wives do—to take time to talk about what’s important to them, build memories, make a family.”

“Most husbands and wives plan a family together,” he said, frowning at her.

The impact continued to hit him—they’d made a family.

He knew nothing about being a father. His own hadn’t precisely been a stellar example. He’d never really planned to take that step but now it was imminent.

“You’re nearly eight months pregnant so when exactly is it due?”

“June 21. It might come later, first babies sometimes do.”

The look of sadness on her face intrigued him. Was she regretting the sudden, abrupt end to their marriage? Regretting the fact she was pregnant?

Mitch suddenly felt an urgent need to do something to erase that look from her face, but he hadn’t a clue as to what. Audra had always baffled him.

“Do you regret being pregnant?”

She looked startled. “Not at all. I’m thrilled to be having a baby. My mother is excited to become a grandmother, Thomas and Tessa can’t wait—”

She stopped, looked away guiltily.

“So everyone’s rejoicing. Except me.”

“You regret it, then?”

He shook his head. “I’m still reeling under the shock. I haven’t had months to get used to the idea.”

“I’m sorry. I would undo the past if I could.”

The silence stretched out between them. For a moment he regretted the loss of the adoration Audra had once held for him. He’d always felt ten feet tall when she’d turn her eyes to him and simply light up from the inside.

“I need to call the main lodge for a pickup,” he said.

“I have my car here. Take it if you want,” she replied. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled a key ring and tossed it to him.

“Come with me to the main lodge. You can look around the gift shop or something while I print out my brief,” he suggested.

Didn’t all women like to shop?

Not that he remembered Audra doing much of that when they were married. Except when she dragged him out to look at furniture.

That had been a fun day. She’d made it an afternoon full of laughter and nonsense. He’d forgotten about it until now.

Audra looked at him, tilting her head to one side. It exposed her neck and Mitch’s gaze was drawn to the slender column. He wanted to brush his fingertips along its length to see if her skin was still as soft and warm as he remembered. Trace the column with his lips, feel that pulse point at the base of her throat with his tongue. Slide his hands through that short, glossy blonde hair to see if it still felt silky to touch.

Looking away, he suddenly suspected the car crash had done permanent brain damage. He hadn’t felt like this about anyone since he’d been a teenager with raging hormones.

He had his work, a select group of friends. The last thing he needed was to get entangled again in any kind of relationship. They’d tried it once and it hadn’t worked. Nothing had changed.

The kiss earlier had been a mistake. He’d see it wasn’t repeated.

“Okay, I’ll go along for the ride, thank you,” she said primly.

Once they were heading toward the lodge with Audra driving, she asked, “Tell me, Mitch, did you get hit by a drunk driver?”

He half turned to look at her.

“No. I fell asleep at the wheel.”

“I always thought work would kill you. It looks as if it almost did.”