The Back-Up Plan by Debra Webb Page A

similar message on the clinic’s machine. Catch you later.”
    Relief washed over Donna with such force that she had to steady herself against the back of the sofa.
    “See, everything’s fine.” Patty smiled, but Donna didn’t miss the relief that underscored her words.
    “God, he must think I’m a terrible mother,” Donna said on her way to the door. “I can’t believe I let this happen.”
    “It happens to every parent at one time or another,” Patty assured her. “See you bright and early in the morning!”
    Donna smiled faintly.
    “The new sign’s up at the clinic. It looks good,” Patty called after her as she hustled across the porch.
    “Thanks!” Donna waved a final good-bye without looking back. She slipped behind the wheel of her car, set the goldfish carefully in the passenger seat and backed out onto the street. She worked at slowing her respiration and pointed her car in the direction of Lucas Street.
    Another awesome day in the life of Donna Jacobs. Hank Bradley was about the last person on earth she wanted to see today. She had managed to conspicuously avoid him this morning. She’d dropped Melissa off at the door while Hank was surrounded by the usual crowd of moms who flocked to him like he was the last loaf of bread on the shelf before a blizzard.
    Well, he was handsome, Donna had to admit. And, of course, he had that to-die-for body. She couldn’t leave out the heart-stopping smile and skilled charm that made women swoon either. She supposed he would be considered a good catch, but Donna had her doubts as to whether Mr. Hank Bradley had any intentions of ever being caught. The man had probably never had a serious thought when it came to relationships in his life. From the looks of things, he could have any woman he wanted. The unwarranted attention he paid Donna was just his ego driven need to get what he couldn’t have.
    A challenge, that’s all she was to him. Well, he could just get over it. She’d had his number from the get go. Playboy. Football star. Hometown hero. “Blah, blah, blah.”
    Mr. Bradley would be doing himself a favor by directing that immense charm elsewhere, Donna wasn’t interested.
    She felt immediately contrite since he was the man who’d rescued her child today. She owed him one for that.
    She parked her car in front of the colonial-style house that belonged to Melissa’s teacher. She drew in a deep, calming breath and stepped out into the late afternoon heat. The weather was a little balmy for September. It would take a while to acclimate herself to the South, the Mile High City certainly didn’t have humidity like this.
    Unlike her place just three houses away, Bradley’s curb appeal was picture perfect. The nicely pruned shrubs and freshly mown grass put hers to shame. Donna hadn’t had time to cut her own grass or prune the shrubs, if you could call the scraggly plants in her yard shrubs. She would get to landscaping eventually. She had more important matters to attend to; like opening the clinic, paying bills, and buying food and clothing for a five-year-old.
    She stiffened her spine and rapped on his gleaming white door. Not a single fingerprint or smudge marred the pristine surface. Though Patty and Sam had applied a fresh coat of paint just before Donna’s arrival, already Melissa had left her mark on the front door.
    No answer. Donna rapped again, louder this time.
    She waited. A bead of sweat rolled down between her breasts. She pulled at the front of her dress to circulate a bit of thick air. Still no answer.
    A delighted squeal wafted to her ears across the all but nonexistent breeze. Melissa . Donna strained to hear it again. She stepped to the far side of the porch and cocked her head.
    Voices… she definitely heard voices coming from the back yard. She hurried off the porch and around to the side of the house. Tall, thick hedges stood like fortress walls and prevented her from seeing into the backyard. The seemingly endless mass of