Everything inside her screamed no. That Jesse had to grow up, learn to be responsible. Maybe a baby was the best way. But was that concern speaking or betrayal?

“Enough,” Nicole said as she stood. She was done mourning the past and worrying about what couldn’t be fixed. Nothing would be solved today. She had time to figure it out.

She walked into the hallway and moved to her room. A burst of laughter floated up the stairs. It was a good sound, she thought, her mood lightening. There should always be laughter in a house.

WHEN THE FRONT DOOR banged shut for the eighth time, Nicole went downstairs. She braced herself for a disaster in the great room, but it was surprisingly clean. The carpet needed vacuuming, but otherwise, all the wrappers, cans and trash were gone.

Talk about impressive, she thought as she walked into the kitchen, prepared to thank Raoul. He was turning out to be a—

She paused as she saw him drop a cooked chicken breast into a sandwich bag and then slip the bag into his jeans pocket.

Her first thought was surprise. There was plenty to eat. He didn’t have to save for later. Especially something that should be kept refrigerated. But maybe it wasn’t about being hungry now. Maybe he had a strong need to hoard. She’d read an article about starving children once. How even when they were rescued, they still worried about having enough to eat. If that was his problem, maybe she should find a psychologist, because this was a problem she didn’t know how to fix.

“Raoul?” She spoke softly, not wanting to startle him.

He spun toward her, the look of guilt so clear, she knew immediately this wasn’t about being hungry later.

“What?” she demanded.

“Nothing.”

“You have chicken in your pocket. That’s not nothing. What is it?” She tried to think of possibilities and then wished she hadn’t. “There’s another kid, isn’t there?”

She swore silently. A practically grown, legally adult teenager was one thing, but another kid? There wasn’t room in the house without cleaning out Jesse’s room and, despite everything, she wasn’t sure she was ready for that.

“No,” he said quickly. “It’s not that.”

“Then what?” Why would he need food?

He shifted uncomfortably. She decided to play the impatient-adult card and put her hands on her hips. “I’m waiting.”

He hung his head. “There’s a dog. A stray. I’ve been feeding her.”

Nicole wasn’t even surprised. A dog. Of course. Because she was a responsibility magnet.

“I couldn’t just leave her to starve,” he went on. “So I’ve been taking her food. I usually buy her dog food, but I ran out and I haven’t been to the store.” He pulled the chicken out of his pocket. “Should I put this back?”

What? Like she was going to tell him yes so some poor dog could go hungry?

“How big?” she asked.

“What?”

“How big is the dog?”

“About fifteen pounds. She’s really friendly. I call her Sheila. That’s Australian for girl.” Suddenly he looked more like he was eight than eighteen.

Nicole knew there were very few choices. She could insist he take Sheila to an animal shelter and be the big bad, or she could accept that her life had taken a different kind of turn and become a dog owner. There really wasn’t much of a choice.

“Go get her,” she said with a sigh. “Bring her back, but know that she’s going to have to stay in the garage until I can get to a vet tomorrow and get her checked out and defleaed and whatever else she needs. Also, being a pet owner means being responsible. You’ll have to feed her and exercise her and clean up the yard. If I have to step in dog poop when I go outside, I’m going to be very, very annoyed. Is that clear?”

Raoul grabbed her and hugged her until he’d squeezed out all her air. Then he released her and grinned.

“You’re the best!”

“That’s me. Saint Nicole.”

“I’ll take care of everything. You won’t even know she’s here.”

If only that were true. “Just go get her.”

“I will.”

“Wait.” She dug in her purse and pulled out a couple of twenties. “Stop by the pet store. Get some dog food, a bed, a leash and a collar.”

He grinned. “Thanks.”

She waved him away. “Oh, wait. Put the chicken back.”

“SHEILA IS A HEALTHY DOG,” Dr. Walters, the vet in the animal clinic, said. “She’s about two years old.”

The vet was young, probably fresh out of veterinary school, which was fine with Nicole. She’d been grateful to get an appointment first thing in the morning.

Sheila was a scruffy pile of fur with big eyes and a friendly personality. Nicole wouldn’t have thought about getting a dog, but now that she had one, even if it technically belonged to Raoul, she was getting used to the idea.

“She seems housebroken,” she said. “She didn’t chew on anything and she likes to play. She also eats a lot.”

“Typical for a stray,” the doctor told her. “You’ll have to measure her food or she’ll put on weight.”

“More weight,” Nicole muttered. Sheila might be cute, but she was also chubby.

The dog seemed to know they were talking about her. Her tail started wagging and she leaned in and swiped Nicole with her tongue.

“She’s not fat,” Dr. Walters said, patting the dog who sat on the examination table. “She’s pregnant.” He scratched the dog’s back. “I would say she’s due in three or four weeks.”

He kept talking. Nicole could see his lips moving, but she couldn’t hear the words.

Sheila was pregnant? Even the damn dog got to have a family of her own? Claire, then Jesse, and now the dog? Was that fair?

Nicole sucked in a sob. She wanted a family, too. She wanted to belong and be loved and have babies. But was that going to happen? Nooooo.

“Ms. Keyes? Nicole? Are you all right?”

Nicole started to say she was fine, then realized she couldn’t speak because she was crying. Crying because a stupid stray dog got knocked up?

“I’m okay,” she managed. “Ignore me.”

Dr. Walters looked uncomfortable as he handed her a box of tissues. She took a couple and wiped her eyes, then tried to smile.

“It’s fine,” she repeated. “I’m having a meltdown that has nothing to do with you or Sheila. Go on. You were saying she’s due in a few weeks.”

“Ah, that’s right. You’ll want to be careful about what she eats. She’s probably behind with her shots, but we’ll wait until after the puppies are born.”

“Great. Perfect. She can have a bath, though, right?” Because as cute as Sheila was, she smelled.

“Sure. We can do that here. You can leave her and pick her up later.”

He seemed eager for Nicole to leave. Not that she could blame him. She gave him a watery smile, promised to read the material he sent home on doggie deliveries and left her cell number with the receptionist.

She drove to Wyatt’s house and knocked on the front door. When Claire answered, Nicole started to cry again.

“What’s wrong?” her sister asked, pulling her inside. “What happened?”

“N-nothing,” Nicole said as she sank onto the sofa. “It’s so stupid. Sheila is pregnant.”

Claire sat next to her and rubbed her arm. “Who’s Sheila?”

“A dog. I took her to the vet and she’s pregnant.” More tears fell. “Everyone’s pregnant but me. I want a family. I’ve always wanted a family. Not with Drew, but with someone good. But that’s not going to happen and now the stupid dog is pregnant. Plus the vet was really young and I think I made him uncomfortable by crying in his office.”

“He’ll get over it. When did you get a dog?”

“Yesterday. I cried when he told me about Sheila.”

“Which will make him understand women are complex creatures. It’s a lesson he has to learn eventually. Better early than late.”

Nicole laughed and cried, which wasn’t easy. Then she hiccupped.

“How did everything get so messed up?” she asked, knowing she sounded pitiful.

“It’s not messed up.”

“It’s not the way I wanted it to be. Some of that is good. I’m glad you’re here and with Wyatt, but what about what happened with Jesse? It’s a disaster.”

“So make it better.”

Nicole shook her head. “She hasn’t even apologized.”

“Do you need to hear the words?”

“Wouldn’t you?”

Claire sighed. “Probably.”

“I’m upset.”

“Don’t be. You’ll meet someone. Someone great.”

Nicole realized that she’d yet to share her happy, albeit fake, good news.

“I’m dating someone,” she said. “Someone really great. You don’t have to feel sorry for me.”

“I don’t feel sorry for you.” Claire looked confused. “You’re dating?”

“It’s possible. Men find me attractive.”

“I know they do. I didn’t know you were ready to start looking for someone. I think it’s great.”

Nicole still felt teary and upset and now defensive. “He’s amazing. Handsome and funny, with a killer body. He teaches high school football and he used to play professionally. His name is Eric Hawkins. Hawk.”

“You’re dating?” Claire repeated. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“I’ve been busy. I’ve gotten involved with the football team. I went to a couple of games and I bring dessert when they look at game films and Hawk and I have been going out.” Nicole felt a little guilty for not saying anything to Claire before this. “I was going to tell you.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

Ironically, she’d started the relationship with Hawk in an effort to prove to the world she was doing just fine. Hard for the world to know if she didn’t tell it.

“So you like him?” Claire asked.

“Uh-huh.” Nicole was telling the truth. She did like Hawk. He was a good guy. She liked him best in bed, but she wasn’t going to share that.

“I’m really happy for you.”

“You don’t sound happy,” Nicole said.

“I’m just surprised. I thought we were getting close. That you would share this with me.”

Nicole winced. “I didn’t mean to leave you out or anything.”

“I know. It’s not a problem.”

Claire spoke too quickly, which meant it was a problem.

Just what Nicole needed—another screwed-up relationship.

“I’m really sorry. Please don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not. I swear.”

“I’m not sure I believe you.”

“You should. We’ll go out,” Claire said. “The four of us.”

“Hawk’s a little pressed for time, what with this being football season, but I’ll talk to him.” Was dinner with her family part of their deal? Did it matter? She didn’t want to mess up her relationship with her sister.

“I’m looking forward to meeting him,” Claire said.

“You and Wyatt will really like him.”

Nicole wasn’t pretending about that. She was sure Hawk would get along great with them. Too bad nothing about their time together was real. It was just a game and when the season was up, it would all be over.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK?” Brittany asked as she held out a spoon. She was cooking chicken and noodles, which was actually pretty good.

Nicole nodded as she swallowed. “You’re getting the hang of this.”

“Cooking? It’s fun, but I don’t have to do it every day. I talked to my dad and said I would cook once a week if he let me stay out a half hour later.”

“Interesting negotiation. What did he say?”

She scrunched up her face. “He laughed for a really long time, then said my cooking wasn’t that good, but it was a nice try.”

Nicole bit back a smile. “Not buying it, huh?”

“No, and that really bugs me. I thought it was a great deal.” She stirred the mixture again. “You wouldn’t mind us having some wine with dinner, would you? It’s not like we’ll be driving.”

Nicole didn’t even blink. “I would mind, very much. You’re not even eighteen. The drinking age is twenty-one.”

“Sometimes you’re really parental.”

“Sometimes you’re really a brat.”

Brittany grinned. “I know, but I had to try. It’s like an honor thing.”

“Is that what we’re calling it?”

Nicole left the teenagers and went upstairs. She could hear the rumble of their voices, then a very long silence. The chicken and noodles had been good, but not that good.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked Sheila, who had followed her into her bedroom and was now curled up on the bed. When Sheila didn’t answer, Nicole grabbed her phone.

“How closely am I supposed to watch them?” she asked Hawk when he answered.

“Where are you?”

“In my bedroom. They’re eating downstairs but it got really quiet.”

“For how long?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

“I’ll be right over.”