eaten all of the sweet, sugary food she normally did, rode Daisy when it wasn’t snowing, and had surrounded herself in toxic paint fumes for two months. A brilliant start to any baby’s life.
She walked into the main reception area and headed toward the elevators. Doc Johnson had a private practice in town, but on Monday and Wednesday mornings he worked from the hospital.
Unlike his private practice, she’d be able to come and go from this appointment almost undetected. Unless she met someone she knew, which was always a possibility in a small town.
“Gracie, you-hoo .”
Just when she’d been counting her lucky stars that she’d made it inside unnoticed, Jessie popped her purple rinsed curls around a planter box and smiled.
Gracie moved away from the elevators, but only enough to let Jessie know she didn’t have a lot of time. “Hi, Jessie. I’ve only got a few minutes.”
“I suppose you’ve come to see one of the nice doctors. It must have come as quite a shock. Nothing can prepare you for that kind of news.”
Gracie stared at her.
“Alex. Your brother. I read all about his accident on the Internet. Such a shame. He was doing so well in the competition, too. I suppose you want to find out all there is to know about his surgery and what’s in store for him?”
“Oh. Alex.” Gracie’s little white lie quota was being chewed up pretty fast. Instead of adding another tick to her not-strictly-true list, she dived for the open elevator doors and smiled over her shoulder. “I’ve got to go, Jessie. Have a great day.”
When the elevator doors closed, she leaned against the back panel. The rest of the day couldn’t get much worse. Unless Jessie posted a message about seeing Gracie in the hospital on her Facebook page. Then she might have some questions to answer.
Hopefully the answer would be good news.
CHAPTER SIX
Gracie sat at a table in the mall, sipping her hot chocolate. Emily would be here soon. They’d shop for Christmas tree decorations, buy last minute gifts. But the best part was that it would give her time to get used to what Doc Johnson had just told her.
Of all the friends Gracie had made in Bozeman, Emily was the most creative. She designed beautiful clothes from her spare bedroom and had the beginnings of a successful business at her fingertips.
Emily would be the distraction she needed. Gracie loved clothes, loved the mood that well designed clothes could create. Emily used beautiful fabrics, found the perfect style for each client. Her designs were timeless and elegant, with the right amount of quirky to make them unique.
Gracie smiled as she remembered her pink sheepskin coat. It was warm, practical, and a little different. Just like Gracie.
After seeing Doc Johnson, she realized that even the smallest difference could change your life forever. She looked exactly the same as she had yesterday, last week, and the week before that. She didn’t feel any different. And if you discounted the breakfast she’d vomited over Doc Johnson’s shoes, life was just dandy.
Except she was pregnant. Possibly four months pregnant, but that would be confirmed by the scan they’d booked for next week. Gracie didn’t know how she’d managed to be pregnant for four months and not know it. She’d thought a mysterious maternal light bulb would have blinked to life and told her she was going to have a baby. But that hadn’t happened. It had taken a week of vomiting to do that.
“Sorry I’m late. I’ve ordered a drink.” Emily sat down in the seat opposite Gracie, her short red hair standing on end.
“Nice hairdo.”
“Thanks. Loretta let one of her apprentices loose on my head. I didn’t think there was much they could do with short hair, but I was wrong.” She leaned forward and whispered, “I look like I’ve been zapped by ten thousand volts of electricity.”
Gracie grinned. “Maybe it was the style they were going for?”
“Try steam punk mixed
She walked into the main reception area and headed toward the elevators. Doc Johnson had a private practice in town, but on Monday and Wednesday mornings he worked from the hospital.
Unlike his private practice, she’d be able to come and go from this appointment almost undetected. Unless she met someone she knew, which was always a possibility in a small town.
“Gracie, you-hoo .”
Just when she’d been counting her lucky stars that she’d made it inside unnoticed, Jessie popped her purple rinsed curls around a planter box and smiled.
Gracie moved away from the elevators, but only enough to let Jessie know she didn’t have a lot of time. “Hi, Jessie. I’ve only got a few minutes.”
“I suppose you’ve come to see one of the nice doctors. It must have come as quite a shock. Nothing can prepare you for that kind of news.”
Gracie stared at her.
“Alex. Your brother. I read all about his accident on the Internet. Such a shame. He was doing so well in the competition, too. I suppose you want to find out all there is to know about his surgery and what’s in store for him?”
“Oh. Alex.” Gracie’s little white lie quota was being chewed up pretty fast. Instead of adding another tick to her not-strictly-true list, she dived for the open elevator doors and smiled over her shoulder. “I’ve got to go, Jessie. Have a great day.”
When the elevator doors closed, she leaned against the back panel. The rest of the day couldn’t get much worse. Unless Jessie posted a message about seeing Gracie in the hospital on her Facebook page. Then she might have some questions to answer.
Hopefully the answer would be good news.
CHAPTER SIX
Gracie sat at a table in the mall, sipping her hot chocolate. Emily would be here soon. They’d shop for Christmas tree decorations, buy last minute gifts. But the best part was that it would give her time to get used to what Doc Johnson had just told her.
Of all the friends Gracie had made in Bozeman, Emily was the most creative. She designed beautiful clothes from her spare bedroom and had the beginnings of a successful business at her fingertips.
Emily would be the distraction she needed. Gracie loved clothes, loved the mood that well designed clothes could create. Emily used beautiful fabrics, found the perfect style for each client. Her designs were timeless and elegant, with the right amount of quirky to make them unique.
Gracie smiled as she remembered her pink sheepskin coat. It was warm, practical, and a little different. Just like Gracie.
After seeing Doc Johnson, she realized that even the smallest difference could change your life forever. She looked exactly the same as she had yesterday, last week, and the week before that. She didn’t feel any different. And if you discounted the breakfast she’d vomited over Doc Johnson’s shoes, life was just dandy.
Except she was pregnant. Possibly four months pregnant, but that would be confirmed by the scan they’d booked for next week. Gracie didn’t know how she’d managed to be pregnant for four months and not know it. She’d thought a mysterious maternal light bulb would have blinked to life and told her she was going to have a baby. But that hadn’t happened. It had taken a week of vomiting to do that.
“Sorry I’m late. I’ve ordered a drink.” Emily sat down in the seat opposite Gracie, her short red hair standing on end.
“Nice hairdo.”
“Thanks. Loretta let one of her apprentices loose on my head. I didn’t think there was much they could do with short hair, but I was wrong.” She leaned forward and whispered, “I look like I’ve been zapped by ten thousand volts of electricity.”
Gracie grinned. “Maybe it was the style they were going for?”
“Try steam punk mixed
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