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Celia Jade [Drakhom Taboo 03] The Drakhom Taboo III [MF] (epu
Cynthia Wicklund [The Garden In the Garden of Seduction (epu
Chelsea Chaynes [Battle for t Battle for the Womb 1 [MF] (epu
C L Scholey [Vampire Coven 02 A Vampire To Watch Over Me (epu
Carolyn Keene [Nancy Drew 068 The Elusive Heiress (v0.9) (epu
Chandra Ryan [Universal Defia Ulterior Motives [EC Aeon] (epu
Dr Who [Lethbridge Stewart] Andy Frankham Allen (v5.0) (epu
Charles McCarry [Paul Christo The Miernik Dossier (v5.0) (epu
Colleen Gleason [Gardella Vam The Rest Falls Away (v5.0) (epu
Amanda Vyne [Arcane Crossbree More than Truth [Loose Id] (epu

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.She tried to keep her cell phone between her shoulder and her cheek, but the thing was too darn small to balance there."So first Mom spends twenty-four years telling me never to have children, and now she tells me I better get pregnant again right after this one's born," Autumn said in her ear.They talked most days – Autumn filling her in on all of the ranch gossip and venting her frustrations about guests and family.It was barely getting light out, but Morgan knew ranch life started early.Ethan would already be out doing his chores, and Autumn would be prepping breakfast for her guests.Often she and Autumn squeezed in a call before the day got busy."Why is she rushing you?" Morgan asked."You've got tons of time." As usual when she talked to Autumn she felt a jealousy she tried to squash.Autumn had all the things she wanted – a business of her own, a husband she adored.And a baby on the way.Morgan couldn't believe she was still single at this age.Maybe getting married earlier and having a family would have screwed with her career.Fine – she didn't need to rewrite the past.It was the future that scared her.What did all her successes mean if there was no one to share them with?"You're forgetting who Mom's patients are; women who can't conceive on their own.When you spend all day telling forty-something-year-old women that they're not fertile anymore and are going to have to spend thousands of dollars on invasive procedures, you tend to get a skewed view of things.""Don't you mean fifty-something-year-old women?" Morgan asked, trying to shrug into her blouse."No, I mean forty-something.Even thirty-something.Don't tell me you're one of those women who thinks they have all the time in the world to start a family.There's no guarantee it'll work, no matter what your age.Even women in their twenties can have trouble conceiving.If you want kids, you need to get a move on."Suddenly Autumn had her full attention.Morgan stood stock still, the blouse still gaping open."What?""Oh, I…shoot." Morgan could picture her in the Cruz ranch Big House kitchen, whipping up breakfast.She'd be standing by the counter that separated it from the huge living room with its floor-to-ceiling windows and their incredible view of the Montana landscape."I’m sorry, that came out all wrong.You know what my mom's like; I think I was channeling her for a minute there.Forget everything I just said.You do have plenty of time."But Autumn's tone told her she didn't entirely believe that."You really think I might not be able to have kids?""No! I don't mean that at all.Boy, I really stuck my foot in my mouth, didn't I?" Autumn paused."Here's what Mom would say.Even if you got married next month and got pregnant right away, you wouldn't give birth until you were 33.Let's say two years later you try again.You're 36 or 37 when your second child is born.Now you're looking at forty around the corner.Two kids is plenty for most people, but no one tells women that if they want a big family, they need to start early.And let's face it – you're not getting married next month, are you?""N…no." Feeling like she'd been sucker punched, Morgan hastened to do up her buttons with fingers that suddenly didn't work right.Sure she was looking forward to getting married, but she had felt like she still had plenty of time to start her family.Lots of time to have two, three, even four children.She'd always wanted a houseful, and now she was too old?"But…what if I don't get married for a couple of years?" she said."Then you might need the help of someone like my mom." Autumn's voice changed."But no one's saying you even have to have kids.You have a great career, right? Oh, darn – I gotta go.Ethan just came in."She clicked off, leaving Morgan speechless.Yes, she had a fantastic career.Sort of.Okay, actually it sucked.Elliot Cassidy was a tyrant and Duncan was all hands and innuendos.She'd been desperate to leave for months, but was afraid if she did so, she'd have to leave Victoria, as well.The wine industry on the island was small and tight-knit.If the Cassidys heard she was looking for work elsewhere, she had no doubt they'd do their best to undermine her job search.Besides, she wanted more than a job.She wanted to own her own winery someday, and she wanted to create vintages that would bear her name, not the Cassidys'.She wanted a family, too.A big one.She was sick to death of being alone.* * * * *Rob pulled his hat off as he paced wearily down the center aisle of the Chance Creek Lutheran Church.He slid into a pew about halfway down and leaned back against the wooden seat, thankful to take a load off.He didn't know how long he'd walked during the night, striding along the highway as if he meant to leave Chance Creek behind him for good.When he sobered up and realized it was himself he was trying to leave behind, not the town or the people in it, he turned around and walked back again.His feet were sore, he stank of alcohol and sweat, and he was sure if Georgette saw him now she'd run the other way screaming, but he wasn't ready to head home yet.Not until he'd thought a few more things through.This seemed as good a place as any to do that, with its wooden floors and clean, spare lines.He scraped the back of his hand against the stubble on his chin.He was a mess, all right.Through and through.His life today bore no resemblance to the one he'd expected to lead.Sure, he was a rancher, after a fashion.Although he acted more like his father's hired hand.But somehow he thought his life would add up to more.He'd thought he'd be respected, like his father was.That he'd be in charge…of something.That he'd have more to show for the work he did.Instead, he was a joke.No one took him seriously.They certainly didn't look up to him.He couldn't blame them, either.He spent his time goofing off, drinking, sleeping around, and playing jokes on everyone who came near."Been a while, Rob."Startled, Rob glanced up to see Reverend Joe Halpern standing at the end of the pew."Sure has." He ducked his head, embarrassed to be caught here."Don't mind me," Joe said, as if reading his thoughts.He was a husky man in his late 60's.Out of his Sunday garb he looked like any other rancher in these parts.His jeans strained below a somewhat protruding belly.A green button-down shirt was tucked in neatly at his waist."I'll go about my business unless you'd like some company."Suddenly Rob found it difficult to speak.He could use a little company right now.Anything to stop the dark thoughts that chattered in his mind.Joe nodded as if he understood."I remember when you used to come to church like clockwork – all you Matheson boys did back then.I had the feeling you didn't mind it as much as the others, though, even though your parents had to herd the lot of you between them like so many cattle.You were only a pipsqueak and I had a full head of hair back in those days."Rob nodded.He remembered those days, too.The reverend was right; he hadn't minded church that much when he was young.For one hour a week his brothers couldn't hassle him and no one said a word if he kept his mouth shut and daydreamed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]