Least Likely To Wed. Judy Christenberry

He hoped Rafe had been wrong about what he’d heard. Pete would feel badly if there were an accident because of his rudeness.

      The women were out of the cab and almost to the top of the stairs when he stopped the car in front of their building.

      “We’d better get up there to make our apologies before they go to sleep,” Rafe urged.

      “Maybe I should wait until tomorrow morning,” Pete suggested as the women closed the door. “You know, I could bring flowers, do the apology right. That would be better, wouldn’t it?”

      Rafe stared at him. “You’re stalling.”

      His succinct statement cut right through all Pete’s words.

      With a sigh, he said, “You’re right. Okay, come on, let’s go.” He opened his door and got out of the car. He didn’t want to face either Kelly or her mother again tonight, but he couldn’t face his mother if he didn’t. She’d be mortified if she heard of his behavior.

      Rafe joined him as he stepped on the first stair up.

      “I guess you won’t ever forget this date, will you?” Rafe asked. “You ever been dumped before?”

      “Not quite as efficiently. I don’t think Kelly likes any man. Not just me. I wonder why?”

      “You don’t want to marry. I guess she has the same right,” Rafe pointed out.

      “Yeah, but I like women. I just don’t want to marry one,” Pete explained.

      “You’re spoiled,” Rafe told him with a grin.

      Suddenly the door to the apartment four steps up flew open, and both women poured out. Panic was written on their faces.

      “What’s wrong?” Rafe asked.

      “Drew’s in the emergency room!” Kelly practically screamed, trying to shove her way past Pete.

      He grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. “Come on. I’ll drive.”

      Chapter Three

      Pete watched Kelly out of the corner of his eye as he sped toward the hospital. He decided he could’ve been a four-headed monster and she wouldn’t have cared as long as he got her to her child.

      Most of the young women he dated concentrated on either themselves or him. Kelly was only thinking of her child. She reminded him of his mother.

      When he parked the car, she jumped out and was halfway to the emergency room before he could open his door. Mary hurried after her. Rafe waited for him to lock the door. Then the two of them followed the women.

      “What do you think is wrong?” Rafe asked.

      “Could be anything. Probably a broken bone. We had a lot of those while we were growing up,” Pete muttered.

      Inside, Kelly was talking to Lindsay and Gil, Mary listening beside her. Then a nurse took Kelly away. Pete stared after her, feeling he should go with her, but he knew she wouldn’t want him. He crossed to Lindsay’s side. “What happened?”

      “It’s his appendix, Pete,” a teary-eyed Lindsay said. “He was fussy, and I thought he missed Kelly. I tried to make him happy. Then he threw up! And—and he was running a fever. We called the doctor and he said bring him to the hospital!”

      Gil put his arm around his wife. “It wasn’t your fault, honey. We did everything we could.”

      Mary was fighting tears and Rafe had his arm around her, giving her strength.

      Another nurse stepped forward. “Would you like to go up to the waiting room on the second floor? That’s where the doctor will come after the surgery.”

      “Will Ms. Hampton go there?” Pete asked.

      “Yes, sir, we’ll send her there when she comes back.”

      Pete told the others to go upstairs and he’d wait here for Kelly. He didn’t think she should come back by herself.

      “Oh, thanks, Pete. That’s a good idea,” Lindsay said, patting him on the arm.

      Pete leaned against the nurses’ station counter, waiting for Kelly, wondering how dangerous the surgery was. He asked the nurses several questions. They said it was unusual for so young a child, but not too dangerous. He was feeling better about everything until he saw Kelly. Silent tears streamed down her pale cheeks as she walked toward him.

      She almost passed him, and he realized she wasn’t seeing anything. He put an arm around her. “Kelly? Did you see Drew?”

      Without answering, she turned and buried her face against his chest. He tightened his grip on her and buried his face in her hair. “Was he awake?”

      She nodded, her sobs easing. “He was so frightened!”

      “I know, honey. He’s little, but he’ll be okay.”

      He couldn’t even understand the flood of protests she made, but he didn’t need to. He remembered his mother when Mike, his youngest brother, had been in a car accident. He’d been pretty messed up. No one, not even his dad, had been able to comfort her until she saw Mike again and had the doctor tell her he would be all right.

      “Come on upstairs. The others have gone to the waiting room where the doctor will come when it’s over.”

      With his arm still around her, he moved them to the elevator.

      She seemed surprised when they reached the waiting room and Lindsay and Mary ran forward to hear the latest about Drew. When she pulled away from Pete’s warmth to hug them, he felt the loss. He wanted to protest and tell the other women that he could support Kelly better than them. He was stronger.

      Eventually they sat down, and he took a chair nearby, with Rafe and Gil. There was little conversation. The men, all three of them, watched the women, ready at a minute’s notice to do anything they could to help.

      But there was nothing.

      Finally Mary and Kelly got up. Mary explained they were going to walk the halls for a little while. Pete offered to accompany them and Kelly gave him a strange look, as if surprised he was there.

      Mary shook her head, and Pete settled back in the uncomfortable chair.

      Lindsay came back to Gil’s side and he slid his arm around her. She put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. They made such a picture of oneness, Pete was surprised to feel envy. He’d seen it before with his parents. He’d even thought one day he might have that kind of relationship. But that was before he’d had experience with the opposite sex. An early engagement to a woman who was only interested in his money had filled him with cynicism.

      As if to underline his decision about women, fun for a while but too difficult to understand, Lindsay suddenly raised her head and stared at her husband. Then she burst into tears and leaped from his side, running into the hallway.

      “What happened?” Rafe asked.

      “I don’t know,” Gil said, a stunned look on his face. “I just said I was glad it was Kelly’s boy and not ours that was being operated on, and she went crazy.”

      “You don’t care about Drew?” Pete demanded. Gil’s words seemed harsh even to Pete, who claimed not to want any children.

      “Of course I do. But if it was my baby, mine and Lindsay’s baby, I think I’d go crazy. That’s all I meant.” Gil stood. “I’d better go find her.”

      Before he took two steps, Lindsay returned, Kelly and Mary with her.

      “Honey, what upset you?” Gil demanded.

      With a nudge from Kelly, Lindsay took a step toward him. “I—I thought you wanted a baby.”

      Pete watched, wide-eyed, as Gil assured his wife. “Of course, I want