hay.
“Briann, you shouldn’t be here alone,” he chided her
gently. “What if you got hurt?”
She chuckled. “I’m fine, Evan. Shelly had to take one of
the mares over to the clinic and everyone else was gone. I just had to put
away the last few school horses.”
“What if you got hurt?” he asked again, his black eyes
boring into hers intently.
She shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I should be more
careful. I’m just not used to the way this pregnancy restricts me.”
Satisfied that he’d made his point, he nodded. “You know,
as you get bigger, you’re not going to be quiet as agile as you usually are,
either, and around big animals, accidents happen.”
She nodded. “I can’t afford to not work and I don’t want to
just sit at home.”
As they talked, their steps took them back to the barn and
into the tack room to hang up the halter Evan had taken from her hand. Like
Shelly, Evan had become a close friend. After he pulled the tack room door
closed and locked it from the outside, they turned and started out to the
parking area. Suddenly he took one of her arms and turned her to face him.
“Briann, you need to call the baby’s father and tell him.
He deserves to know what you’re going through. He deserves to know about his
child.” His brows were knitted in a stern look that brought a smile to her
face.
“That’s out of the question, Evan. That is over and will
stay in the past where it belongs.” She felt tears pooling in her eyes. “I
will not involve him in this. It was my own stupidity that got me into this
and now, I’ll pay the price.” She batted away tears and turned to walk on to
her truck.
Evan followed and supplied a supporting hand while she
stepped up into the driver’s seat.
“Then marry me and let me take care of you.”
His proposal caught her off guard but she was deeply
touched. “I’m sure Pete would love that.” She quipped back at him.
Evan hesitated then continued. “I found a note on my locker
last week, informing me that gay men don’t make good cops.”
She gasped. “You’re kidding!”
He shook his head negatively. “I wish I was. There’ve been
a couple of snide remarks about gays that I’ve felt were made on purpose, but
so far, nothing serious.”
“Until the note!” Briann said flatly.
He nodded. “I don’t have to work, Briann, you know my
parents are wealthy, but I love my job. I can make a difference in this city,
if I’m just allowed to.”
Her heart was breaking for him and she placed a comforting
hand on his arm. “I know that. You’re a good man, Evan.”
“Think about marrying me. Name only, I promise. It’ll just
be for appearances. You can have and do whatever you want and I’ll make sure
you’re taken care of for the rest of your life. You and the baby.” His plea
for her help was filled with promise, but she shook her head.
“Evan, think about what that would mean. For both of us.
Living together wouldn’t be all that easy. I’m pretty independent and just how
will Pete feel about all this?”
“Pete wants me to just quit my job and for us go public, but
I can’t do that.” He raked his fingers through his thick hair. “I can’t go
public. I never wanted this life!”
Stunned by this admission from him, she hesitated, but
couldn’t stop the question. “Then how did it happen?”
He shrugged. “Alcohol. Pete and I were already friends and
we got drunk one night…and it……just happened. I mean….I’d never been with a
woman…..I was always...….shy, I guess. Anyway, I can admit it to people I’m
close to, but I don’t want the world thinking of me as that gay guy down the
street. I grew up Catholic and I know there were other choices, but this is
the one I made and it’s mine to live with.” He looked at her, his eyes showing
his hopelessness. “Look, just forget this conversation
“Briann, you shouldn’t be here alone,” he chided her
gently. “What if you got hurt?”
She chuckled. “I’m fine, Evan. Shelly had to take one of
the mares over to the clinic and everyone else was gone. I just had to put
away the last few school horses.”
“What if you got hurt?” he asked again, his black eyes
boring into hers intently.
She shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I should be more
careful. I’m just not used to the way this pregnancy restricts me.”
Satisfied that he’d made his point, he nodded. “You know,
as you get bigger, you’re not going to be quiet as agile as you usually are,
either, and around big animals, accidents happen.”
She nodded. “I can’t afford to not work and I don’t want to
just sit at home.”
As they talked, their steps took them back to the barn and
into the tack room to hang up the halter Evan had taken from her hand. Like
Shelly, Evan had become a close friend. After he pulled the tack room door
closed and locked it from the outside, they turned and started out to the
parking area. Suddenly he took one of her arms and turned her to face him.
“Briann, you need to call the baby’s father and tell him.
He deserves to know what you’re going through. He deserves to know about his
child.” His brows were knitted in a stern look that brought a smile to her
face.
“That’s out of the question, Evan. That is over and will
stay in the past where it belongs.” She felt tears pooling in her eyes. “I
will not involve him in this. It was my own stupidity that got me into this
and now, I’ll pay the price.” She batted away tears and turned to walk on to
her truck.
Evan followed and supplied a supporting hand while she
stepped up into the driver’s seat.
“Then marry me and let me take care of you.”
His proposal caught her off guard but she was deeply
touched. “I’m sure Pete would love that.” She quipped back at him.
Evan hesitated then continued. “I found a note on my locker
last week, informing me that gay men don’t make good cops.”
She gasped. “You’re kidding!”
He shook his head negatively. “I wish I was. There’ve been
a couple of snide remarks about gays that I’ve felt were made on purpose, but
so far, nothing serious.”
“Until the note!” Briann said flatly.
He nodded. “I don’t have to work, Briann, you know my
parents are wealthy, but I love my job. I can make a difference in this city,
if I’m just allowed to.”
Her heart was breaking for him and she placed a comforting
hand on his arm. “I know that. You’re a good man, Evan.”
“Think about marrying me. Name only, I promise. It’ll just
be for appearances. You can have and do whatever you want and I’ll make sure
you’re taken care of for the rest of your life. You and the baby.” His plea
for her help was filled with promise, but she shook her head.
“Evan, think about what that would mean. For both of us.
Living together wouldn’t be all that easy. I’m pretty independent and just how
will Pete feel about all this?”
“Pete wants me to just quit my job and for us go public, but
I can’t do that.” He raked his fingers through his thick hair. “I can’t go
public. I never wanted this life!”
Stunned by this admission from him, she hesitated, but
couldn’t stop the question. “Then how did it happen?”
He shrugged. “Alcohol. Pete and I were already friends and
we got drunk one night…and it……just happened. I mean….I’d never been with a
woman…..I was always...….shy, I guess. Anyway, I can admit it to people I’m
close to, but I don’t want the world thinking of me as that gay guy down the
street. I grew up Catholic and I know there were other choices, but this is
the one I made and it’s mine to live with.” He looked at her, his eyes showing
his hopelessness. “Look, just forget this conversation
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