Pretty and Pregnant (3 page)

Chapter Four

Jeremy gathered a vodka with a twist of lime for him and an olive martini for Clare. Kimberly and Clive had left hours ago and here he was stuck with Clare. He was less than thrilled with her behavior today. Why was she so mean to Kimberly? The woman was pregnant and had enough worries, Jeremy mused. He couldn’t imagine what pregnancy without the father in the picture could be for a woman, not that he thought about it before. That was until he found out Kimberly was with child. He had to be honest with himself. It had hurt like hell when he found out. She had such a promising future ahead of herself. She was young and could go to college and get an education, but here she was pregnant with a baby on the way.

He wondered who had gotten Kimberly pregnant. From what he remembered, she never mentioned she was dating anyone. Had it been a one-nighter? No, he couldn’t imagine her doing that, but he wouldn’t judge her for it either. Lord knows he had his moments, like Clare. She was the one night stand that just wouldn’t go away. He enjoyed her company most of the time both in and out of bed, but lately he wasn’t so sure. Jeremy couldn’t fathom her being so cruel to a pregnant woman.

Clive sure seemed taken with Kimberly too. That irritated him to no end. If that man so much as made a move on her, he’d take action. She didn’t have anyone here to protect her, so he’d do it.

As Jeremy rounded the couch, he swallowed hard. Clare was lying on the couch stark naked! “It’s about time Jeremy,” she pouted. “I’m so thirsty,” she licked her lips suggestively.

Jeremy handed her the martini, and sat on the coffee table facing her, taking his drink down with one gulp. “I think you should leave.”

She sat up on one elbow. “Leave?” she shouted. “Certainly you can’t be serious.”

Jeremy stood and frowned down at her. “Yes, I have a big day tomorrow and I need to be ready when Clive returns with the contract.”

“So it’s because of that pregnant bitch again?”

Jeremy strolled to the fireplace and gazed at the fire that had died down. “Get dressed and leave, Clare.” He expelled a hard breath. “Before either of us says something they might regret in the morning.”

Slam down went the glass and Jeremy turned as Clare hastily dressed. “Well I won’t be sorry in the morning for anything! She stole my job!”

“How do you figure that?”

“I was supposed to be the cover girl for that ad,” she pouted.

He walked Clare to the door without saying a thing and she rushed ahead of him just so she could slam the door in his face. He stared at the closed door hoping Clare wouldn’t jeopardize anything. He’d call her in the morning and ask her to lunch so he could smooth things over. He’d hate to see her mess up Kimberly’s chances. She deserved to make enough money to support herself and her baby when it was born.

***

Kimberly slept fitfully for the whole night. Visions of Jeremy haunted her. Weenie had woken her at five to be let out, but she climbed back into bed and fell back asleep, that was until her phone rang.

“Hello. Do I know what time it is?” She looked at her alarm clock that flashed eleven o'clock. “Okay boss, I’ll be there in an hour.” Kimberly pressed the off button before Jeremy had the time to grumble at her. It’s not like she was late everyday.

She showered and took care of Weenie, plopping him into her bag for the journey to work. She hoped Jeremy wouldn’t mind, but there was no way she could leave Weenie all alone again. “Behave yourself at the office,” she shook a finger at Weenie who whimpered in response.

As she drove off, the dismal day dashed her high hopes. She was more of a sunshine girl.

When she exited her car at the office, Jeremy met her outside. “I’m glad you’re here finally.” He ran a hand through his hair. “The thing is that I’m meeting Clare for lunch. I need you to go over a questionnaire with a new client who is inside. Gladys is entertaining her until you could arrive.” He grimaced when Weenie poked his snout out of the bag. He just shook his head and she watched as he darted off.

Her heart just dropped. “Oh, Weenie. He’s meeting Clare again.
”
It’s hopeles
s
, she thought. As she trudged to the door, Gladys jumped up. “Oh, thank God.” Her eyes darted in the direction of the waiting room. “I-I mean we have a client waiting.” Lines split across Gladys’ face as she frowned.

Kimberly turned and the color drained from her face. It was Mrs. Barry! Trained not to react, Kimberly smiled. “Hello, Mrs. Barry. Have you filled out your paperwork yet?”

“That is supposed to be your job dear, not mine,” she said in mock disapproval as she looked down at Kimberly’s tummy. “I hate tardiness. It’s a character flaw,” she snapped.

“Sure.” Kimberly led Mrs. Barry into Jeremy’s office and excused herself. She hurried and took Weenie out of her purse and gave him a small bowl of water. “Be good,” she said.

When Kimberly returned to Jeremy’s office, it was to the sight of Mrs. Barry trying to crane her neck over the desk and look at Jeremy’s appointment book. Kimberly slammed it closed wishing she could have closed her nose inside.

Mrs. Barry wore a fur coat and she lowered it to the chair. Her curled silver hair had obviously been done today, with VO5 from the smell of it. The local beautician believed in using the old stuff. Her tummy poked out from beneath her wool sweater as she spoke. When she noticed Kimberly was looking at her coat she said, “It sure is cold today.”

“Yup,” Kimberly agreed. “It’s only eighty today.”

“Wait til’ you get to be my age, dear.”

“I’d rather wait if you don’t mind.” Kimberly stifled a snicker. “What is the problem?”

She tapped her fingernails on the cherry desk. “It’s my neighbor, you see.”

“One of them or all of them?”

She hardened her grey eyes. “As I was saying, Mary Quackinbush, strange name that one, but she’s harboring fugitives in her home.”

“Fugitives?” Kimberly asked shocked. She certainly hadn’t seen that one coming
.
What’s next, pirates in Saginaw Bay?

“Yes, loose women from the looks of it, no offense.”

“None taken considering the source.”

She gasped. “When you have only a three bedroom home, you’re only allowed to have a certain number of people living in that house.”

“Have you considered renting out a room or two to a few of them? That way it wouldn’t bother you.”

“W-Well, no. I just don’t like them there is all.”

Kimberly pressed an ink pen against her lower lip. “I’ll have to check the ordinances for limitations within a household, but it sounds outlandish to believe there is one. Unless they really are criminals and she’s using her home as a halfway house.”

“You think your mighty funny, Kimberly, but ordinances are no joking matter. The Stuart’s down the street have four cars, when according to local ordinances, you are only allowed three point five.”

“So three and a half cars?” Kimberly leaned in as a creak sounded near the door. “How do you have half a car exactly?”

Mrs. Barry’s eyes bulged out. “What kind of woman has a baby without a husband or boyfriend?”

Kimberly’s brow arched sharply. “My boyfriend died in a hunting accident in the Upper Peninsula last year!” she shouted with one lone tear escaping. “I-It was horrible!”

“Oh, my. I didn’t know, really dear. I’m so sorry. If there is anything I can do, just let me know.”

Kimberly felt numb. Mrs. Barry was the worse gossip in all of Redwater!

“I’ll fill out the paperwork for you, but are you sure you want me to? I mean are those women really bothering you?”

“W-Well, I just don’t like them living next door to me.”

“I believe Mary is a good Christian woman and is doing this to help those women out. Do you want to derail God’s plan?”

She hung her head just then, but before she could utter a word, small feet tapped into the office. I gasped as Weenie had taken ahold of Mrs. Barry’s fur coat and began a tug of war with is as Mrs. Barry sat on most of it. Mrs. Barry leapt to her feet and screamed at the top her lungs! “Get that f— mutt off my fur coat!”

Kimberly made tracks over the other side of the desk as Mrs. Barry went to kick Weenie away. She then pushed Mrs. Barry down on the plush chair. “Weenie doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s only a dog.”

“Grrrrrrr,” Weenie said in response.

Kimberly picked up Weenie and jerked him away from the coat and a rending of fabric and fur sounded off in the air like nails on a chalkboard.

“Oh my!” Gladys shouted from the doorway as she had opened the door.

“I-I’m so sorry,” Kimberly laughed. “I’ll pay for damages, I promise.”

“With what? Being pregnant and pretty doesn’t make you rich!”

Kimberly looked cross eyed for a moment, that w
as until Mrs. Barry got up and dragged her ripped fur coat behind her as she left via the office door.

Gladys and Kimberly trailed behind in a rush. “Please,” Kimberly pleaded with her. “I’ll make it right. I promise,” Kimberly said.

“Make what right?” an outraged Jeremy asked, who had just strolled in the door with a takeout container clutched in his hand. “What happened?”

Mrs. Barry pointed a bony finger in Kimberly’s direction. “Ask her!” she shouted as she left.

“I’m so sorry, Jeremy.” Kimberly said. “It was just that Mrs. Barry... and then Weenie.” Kimberly laughed. “I guess you had to be here.”

“I bet. What was the dog doing here today?”

“I just hate to leave him alone in the house all day. I was gone so long last night. Plus, if Clive shows up I can introduce Weenie to him.”

Jeremy’s forehead furrowed. “We’re talking about a dog here, right?”

“Yes, I didn’t mean to cost you a client and now I’ll have to cough out the cash to replace her fur coat.”

“That’s what the old bat deserves for buying fur,” Gladys cut it. “If it’
s
eve
n
real fur.”

Kimberly then explained to Jeremy what Mrs. Barry had wanted and he nodded. While he didn’t seem mad, Kimberly wondered why he was acting so distant suddenly. “I’d like to talk to you in the office, please.”

Kimberly followed Jeremy, but she just knew that she was about to hear something she didn’t want to hear. She stopped to pick up the loose strands of fur, but Jeremy stopped her. “Please sit down.”

“What’s up?” she asked following him with her eyes until he sat.

“I proposed to Clare.”

Chapter Five

Had he really said he’d proposed to Clare? As anxiety built inside of her she asked, “You what?” Kimberly choked out. She felt like she had a hot poker shoved into her heart. Tears threatened to spill, but she held them back. She bit down on her lips to still the trembling that began. “Ow!” She put a hand against her stomach. She gasped as a pain hit her strong enough to cause tears to fall.

She panted and heard Jeremy ask, “Are you okay?”

Kimberly nodded her head. “I-I think I’m okay now.” Her pulse raced and her heart ached horribly, but she couldn’t let him know.

His eyes searched hers and without another word he swooped her up into his arms and made for the door. “Wh-What are you doing?” Kimberly squealed.

“I’m taking you to the hospital is what.”

“I’m fine really. Plus, Weenie is here. If you saw what he did to Mrs. Barry’s fur coat, you’d think better of letting him have free rein of the place.”

He stopped right in front of Gladys’ desk. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, seriously I’m fine. I wouldn’t lie to you about anything as important as this baby.”

“If you’re sure then.” He set her down just as Clive strolled in with a woman sporting a blond spiked hairdo.

“Whooa—is she okay?” the blond asked in a high-pitched voice.

“Yes,” Kimberly said. “I just had a pain and Jeremy went into panic mode.”

“Your face was completely white!” Jeremy choked out.

Kimberly shrugged at Gladys. “False alarm.”

“We don’t need that kind of 911 around here, Ms. Steele” She pounded her chest. “The ticker isn’t what it used to be!”

Jeremy went back into his office picking up bits of fabric and fur. As Kimberly, Clive, and the mystery woman entered, Weenie began to bark. “Yap, yap.”

The woman was poured into a black and white number with a short skirt. She reared back and about fell because of her stilettos. Clive gently pulled up a chair for her to slide into. “Sit, Corrine, before you break your ass again.”

“That was your fault.”

Clive turned toward Kimberly and made the introductions. “Corrine is the lady in charge.”

Kimberly’s eyes widened. “I love the sound of that.”

“Yes, we women must stick together, Kimberly. I don’t want to tell you what it has taken me to get this far or who I had to kiss and tell on to get my job,” she winked. Kimberly giggled until Corrine said, “So, there is no way the father of the baby is gonna turn up unexpectedly?”

Kimberly pursed her lips. “Nope, no worries there. As I told Clive, he died in a hunting accident last year.”

“I love a woman who sticks with her story.”

Jeremy shifted uncomfortably. He exchanged a glance with Clive and then said, “For some reason that makes me nervous.”

“A woman with a p
lan or Kimberly with one?” Corrine asked.

“Both!” Jeremy laughed. “Women are way too smart these days.”

Kimberly winked. “Yup, Jeremy thinks women should be barefoot and pregnant.”

Jeremy’s eyes widened. “I never said that, but whenever a woman has a plan, it’s never worked out in my favor.”

Changing the subject Kimberly asked, “Did you bring the contract?” 

Clive set a briefcase down and pulled out a packet that was as thick as a telephone book! He then handed it to Jeremy.

“Wow, it looks like we’ll be busy tonight,” Jeremy said with a grimace.

Kimberly leaned down. “What do you mean
,
w
e
?”

“Well, us of course.”

Kimberly’s face paled slightly. “Will Clare be there also?”

Jeremy looked confused for a moment, but then said, “No, just the two of us.”

Kimberly was uncertain if that was a good thing or a bad thing. “Okay, but only if you buy me dinner. I skipped lunch to deal with Mrs. Barry.”

“Who’s Mrs. Barry?” Corrine asked laughing.

“You don’t want to know,” echoed Jeremy and Kimberly.

Corrine’s eyes widened. “For some reason I think there’s a good story there. Please do tell.”

Kimberly sighed and said, “Sorry, client lawyer confidentiality.”

Corrine grinned. “I love a woman that sticks to her guns. I can see already we’re going to be good allies.”

“I hate to break up the party,” Gladys said as she poked her head into the office. “We have a code brown in the lobby.”

“Oh my. Sorry,” Kimberly dodged into the lobby and cleaned up after Weenie, who just stood there panting up a storm. “Fine, I’ll take you for a walk.” Weenie’s tiny feet pawed at her leg in excitement. “I’ll be back,” she called out to Jeremy.

Corrine dodged forward. “I’ll go along.”

Kimberly shrugged and retrieved a small leash from her purse and connected it to Weenie’s collar and off they went. Kimberly swayed slightly at the sharp breeze that blew in off Lake Huron. Waves were coming in at a fast clip and she had to do all she could to stop Weenie from going on the beach.

“Spunky dog,” Corrine said. “He’s cute, but I wonder how trained is he. I-I mean, you know. Is he housebroken?”

“Usually yes, but he has a small bladder,” Kimberly pointed out.

“He looks small all the way around. “So what gives with Jeremy? Is he the baby’s father?”

“Nope.”

“Strange. I felt some chemistry between you two. Is he available?”

Kimberly’s sighed. “I’m afraid not. He just proposed to his girlfriend, Clare.”

“What does she have that you don’t?”

“A good figure for one.”

“You have an excuse. You’re pregnant and cute as a button, I might add.”

Kimberly smiled at that. “Thanks. I sure hope I don’t let you down.”

Corrine snarled at the ridiculous suggestion. “Don’t worry toots, I have faith in you.”

Weenie strolled down the sidewalk tapping his feet loudly on the concrete. He went for a tree and peed on it just as a deputy strolled by. “Sorry,” Kimberly said. The deputy smiled flirtatiously at her and then his gaze lowered to her belly and his face paled. “Don’t let it happen again,” he said as he darted away.

“Of all the nerve!” Corrine shouted.

Kimberly shrugged. “I’m used to it. Men see a pregnant woman and they panic like they were the ones that did the deed.”

“I’m sure they would love to do the deed, just not accept responsibilities for their actions,” Corrine said. “Pregnant or not, any man would be lucky to have you and don’t give up on Jeremy just yet.”

“I never said I was interested in him like that, He’s my boss.”

“And a damn good looking boss at that.” She patted Kimberly’s tummy. “Don’t worry baby, I’m going to help your mommy.”

“Like with what?” Kimberly asked, her eyes all aglow. She then wrinkled her nose as two seagulls swooped low, one landing right next to Weenie.

“It’s obvious that you’re in love with Jeremy.”

“It is?”

“He loves you too. I just think you two are too stubborn to make a move in the right direction.”

“I-I never said that I was in love with him. Plus, he’s taken.”

“Don’t be silly, toots. From the way you two look at each other when you think the other isn’t looking is kinda cute.”

Kimberly’s mind scrambled, but she was yanked forward when Weenie ran toward the seagulls. “Stop! They’ll eat you for dinner!” Kimberly screamed. Her heels sunk in the sand as Weenie entered the beach. She held on for dear life because if she let go, she’d never catch her lame brained dog.

Soon other seagulls took flight and one nearly caught Corrine upside the head. “Whooah! She screamed. “Get away from me you sea devils.”

Weenie jumped over a sandcastle and Kimberly trudged through it right behind him. “Sorry,” she told the children who went crying. “Daddy, she ruined our castle!”

Kimberly screamed. “Weenie, if you don’t stop this instant I’m taking you back to the vet to get neutered!”

He suddenly stopped and sat there panting looking all innocent. Almost like he had understood her. She picked him up and carried him off the beach just as two deputies
made their way toward them. “I’m so sorry,” Kimberly said. “He just got away from me.”

“Please, get and stay off the beach before there’s a riot,” a deputy said. “This is the third time I’ve warned you this month.”

“Really, a riot,” Corrine said, her eyes searching the deputy’s badge. “Deputy Danworth, it was an accident.”  

“We run a tight ship around here, miss,” he said in an authoritarian voice. His dark skin shone in the sunlight, his tan uniform molded to his muscled frame.

“Oh please, slap me in the cuffs,” Corrine said with a wink.

“Not happening miss. I was referring to the pregnant woman behind you,” he said.

“Now that’s not very nice, and I’ll have you know that she’s the spokes model for our latest perfume, Pretty and Pregnant.”

They laughed. “Who’s going to buy that?” asked Deputy Danworth.

“We have been test marketing the name with good results.”

“You have?” Kimberly wrinkled her nose to stop a sneeze. Deputy Danworth had obviously bathed in Obsession cologne before he reported to duty today. “Since yesterday?”

“Yes, we have quite an email list for women who are in our target market. It seems that women find the name and idea quite fresh and interesting.”

“I thought so too, but... ”

“No buts, dear.” She turned to the deputies. “Unless you plan to write a ticket or haul us to jail, we need to leave and go over the contracts.”

***

“I’m sorry,” Corrine said as she walked into Jeremy’s office with a disheveled Kimberly in tow.

“What happened?” Jeremy asked, noting Kimberly’s hand stroking her abdomen like it hurt.

“Well, Weenie took off on the beach.”

He shook his head. “Again?”

“Yes, and Deputy Danworth was there, again. Corrine told him to write me a ticket!”

“I didn’t either. I just told him we had to leave.”

“Yeah, and hurry with writing the ticket.”

“Was anyone hurt this time?” Jeremy asked.

Kimberly shrugged. “Nope, just a few sand castles.”

Jeremy had to smile. He couldn’t help it. Kimberly looked even more beautiful, disheveled as she was. Whoever had gotten her pregnant and took off was a fool. Before she got pregnant, Kimberly was just the girl who handled the questionnaires for new clients. He hadn’t given her more than a passing glance, but now he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. They say a pregnant woman’s skin glowed and he knew it to be a true statement. Her cheeks glowed pink as the clothing she now wore everyday. Her high heels matching every outfit she wore. He had to resist the urge to twirl a finger around a blond curl when it came loose from her ponytail. She was the perfect candidate for the perfume ads, but he’d make damn sure she stayed right here in Redwater.