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.”“Sounds nice.And speaking of soup, thank you for the flowers and dinner last night.I can’t believe you did that.You didn’t have to.”“I wanted to.”He also wanted to reach for her hand.Something in her unsettled demeanor said not to, though they’d achieved a level of familiarity on their previous date.The woman who’d landed in his lap and squarely in his heart Saturday night was clearly not the same woman he was with today.But she was in there somewhere.He caught glimpses of her when she smiled his way.As suspected, his favorite Thai place was near empty.The familiar hostess waved through the window and stood waiting with the door propped.“Good to see you, Mister Rocky.”He nodded as she scampered to a table and cleared away chairs.Gia pinned him with a playful grin.“Come here often, cowboy?”“What can I say? They have great lunch specials.”Moments later, as Gia sipped her water, he’d given up trying to figure her out.He simply waited.She pulled a clipping out of her bag and unfolded it before him.“Have you seen this?”He put his fist to his mouth as he tried to cover a choking sound.“Can’t say I have.This is from a paper several counties away.It’s not usually delivered with my neighbor’s Houston Chronicle.Not that I steal his paper.He doesn’t always pick them up.It’s really a matter of tidying up the driveway, but wow.No, I have not seen this.”“I was shocked when it turned up at camp.”“I’m sorry, Gia.It’s my fault.I’m the one who talked you into that.”“Yes, but he took advantage of the situation.And you don’t truly look concerned.”He wasn’t concerned.Not in the least.He was on the front page of a newspaper with his lips pressed against the most beautiful woman in the world.If anything, he wanted to beat his chest and howl about it.Probably not an appropriate response.He tried to pull it closer.“Can I have this?”“No.This one’s mine.You’ll have to find your own.Besides, that sneaky cameraman said he’d e-mail us a copy.”“I’m guessing he’ll e-mail us a link to buy one from the newspaper.I’m ordering poster size.What about you?”She narrowed her gaze.“Don’t answer that.Didn’t mean to make fun.If this bothers you, I’m sorry we were exposed like that, but I can’t feel bad about it.I thought we had a great time.”“We did,” she agreed.“And uh.About that kiss.I’m sorry if that was a little forward.I—”“Don’t say another word, Gia.If you tell me that kiss was a mistake, I’ll stab myself with this little shrimp fork.Or maybe these chopsticks.” He looked around the room.“C’mon, people, are these the best weapons you’ve got?”For the first time she laughed.“Don’t hurt yourself, Rocky.It wasn’t a mistake.It was more like bad timing.”That worried him more.“All right, Gia.I know you don’t feel well.Something’s on your mind.Is it your health? What did the doctor say?”“They took blood and ordered some tests.I go back Friday, but I got some answers today.”“So.you’re OK?”She lifted the hunter green napkin from her lap and then put it back down.“I have something to tell you, Rocky, and I want you to know I never meant to hurt you.”He flinched in his chair.Anger flashed inside him and then simmered to a slow burn.“I can’t believe this,” he said with as much control as possible.“You’re dumping me in my favorite restaurant before I’ve had my spring rolls.You couldn’t have said something earlier?”“Let me explain.This is because of me.Because of a problem I’m having.Not you.”“The ‘it’s not you it’s me’ thing is not going to help me here, Gia.We’ve had one and a half dates and a handful of conversations.Tell me, how did I mess this up already?”“Please, Rocky, if you’ll let me talk a minute you’ll see it is not my intention to dump you, but I’m fairly certain you won’t want to see me again after you hear what I say.”The waitress approached.He tried to wave her away nicely.“Give us a minute, please.”Rocky held his composure and waited.Tears shimmered in Gia’s soft brown eyes, but she refused to let one slip away.Something was wrong.Bad wrong.And it was killing her.“I’m sorry,” he said.“I’m listening.”“Oh, Rocky.” Her hand trembled.She steadied it on the table.“I’m not sick.I’m pregnant.”7Gia nearly choked on the last word and said it again as if trying it on for size.“Pregnant.Yes, I’m pregnant.” It was the first time she’d said it out loud.Rocky sat across from her, frozen.He looked stunned and hurt, but mostly confused.She expected him to take off for the door any second.He didn’t look straight at her when he spoke
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