A Love Stolen by Ella Jade Page A

the situation. They had called it quits. Lila refused to talk to Trevor during those two months they were apart. She never thought he'd go without sex, but getting someone pregnant wasn't in her thoughts, either. Since they'd gotten back together, and he'd graduated college, they'd been on the right track.
    He nodded.
    She jumped off his lap and headed toward the mainland.
    "Lila." He chased after her. "I'm sorry."
    "You got another girl pregnant. How could you do that to me?"
    "I took her out and one thing led to another. It was just the one time." He grabbed her arm and turned her toward him. "One time."
    "And that's supposed to make it better?" She pulled out of his hold.
    "You and I got back together a few weeks later." He took her hand. "She never contacted me again, until today."
    "To tell you she was pregnant? With your baby?" The thought of him having a baby with someone else nauseated her.
    He nodded again.
    "What are you going to do about it?"
    "I told her I'd meet with her parents tonight. Her dad, well, he's a preacher, and he's not real happy with me at the moment."
    "What are you going to tell them?"
    "I don't know, but Mary Grace is upset, and I have to be there for her. This is my mistake, too."
    "You don't know anything about her. How can you—?" Lila couldn't believe what was happening. Yesterday they were talking about getting an apartment together while she finished college, and today he was meeting with a girl and her parents to discuss having a baby. His baby. "You can't be with her."
    "Look, I know this isn't what we expected, but I have to be responsible."
    "You weren't real responsible three months ago, were you?" Lila was upset. She wasn't being rational, but her boyfriend had gotten another girl pregnant. How was she supposed to deal with that? She shouldn't have to deal with it. "We've been together for three years. How could you sleep with someone else and not tell me? I don't care if we were broken up."
    "I'm sorry." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Do you think I did this on purpose?"
    She let go of his hand and started toward the street.
    "Wait." He came after her. "Don't walk away."
    "Trevor." She continued to head toward town. "I can't deal with this now. You do what you have to do."
    "Lila, please, I can't lose you."
    * * * * *
    "Earth to Lila." Cali's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Where are you?"
    "Huh?" Lila stared up at Cali, and then noticed her friend Jenson was sitting on the stool next to her.
    "You okay?" Jenson asked.
    "When did you get here?" She hugged her friend.
    "A minute ago," the petite brunette said. "You were a million miles away."
    "Sorry." Lila took a sip of the soda Cali placed in front of her. "Guess I got lost in a memory."
    "Thinking about your dad?" Cali gave her a sincere smile as she pushed her pink-tipped bangs from her eyes. The last time Cali had come to visit Lila in the city, Cali's bangs had been purple. Lila couldn't keep up with her quirky friend.
    The three of them had been the best of friends since kindergarten. Along with
    their friendship, their unique personalities grew through the years. Jenson Connors was the shy, awkward one who loved to read and write. She'd taken over Book Nook, the local bookstore after she'd graduated from Dartmouth. Cali Tate was the fun-loving, brassy girl of the group. She liked piercings and tattoos. Running Tate's at the Beach was her life. Lila loved them both like sisters, and felt comforted to have had them with her during the past few days.
    "The funeral was beautiful." Jenson stroked Lila's hair. "He would have loved what you said about him."
    "Thanks." Lila smiled when she thought about her dad. "I'm just happy he's finally at peace."
    "Have you decided if you're going to stay in Steeple for a bit?" Jenson asked. "We don't want you to leave."
    "I don't know." Lila sipped her soda. Her stomach had been unsettled since coming back. She wanted to believe it was the funeral, but she knew better.
    "You