Expectations by Brenda Novak

Author:Brenda Novak
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: mom 03/21/2014
ISBN: 9780373708994
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Published: 2000-03-01T06:00:00+00:00

“You mean he doesn’t need you to get involved with a man you can’t trust.”

She stared up at him, trying to measure the sincerity in his eyes, which searched her own. “Why would you want a relationship with someone in my situation? Do you feel responsible for what’s happened to me?”

He reached up to keep her hair from flying into her face. “At first I think I did. Maybe on some level I still do, but that’s not why I’m asking for this.”

“Then why? You’ve got your practice in San Francisco, probably any number of women who’d love to be with you. Maybe if I wasn’t pregnant and was back on my feet and—”

He grimaced. “Listen, Jenna. There’s no perfect time to take a risk. Relationships don’t come with guarantees.”

“From what I’ve heard, you speak from experience there. Gram and Pop say you haven’t dated the same woman for any longer than three months.”

“I haven’t met anyone in the past fifteen years who’s had me clamoring for a marriage license. Does that mean I should stop trying?”

“No, but a long-distance relationship is difficult enough. Add to that children from a prior marriage, especially a new baby, a crazy ex-husband and—”

“And this.” His hands slid down her back, pressing her more firmly against him until the curves of her body molded to the hard contours of his. “How will we know if we should be together if we don’t go with what feels right?”

Jenna shook her head, consciously fighting the desire to wrap her arms around Adam and never let him go. “I’d have to be a masochist to get into another relationship right now. It’s not you I have to learn to trust, it’s me. I screwed up so badly with Dennis. Nothing I did worked out right. I couldn’t convince him of my loyalty. I couldn’t encourage him to succeed in his work. I couldn’t—”

“You couldn’t stop him from drinking, dammit!” Adam gripped her chin and tilted it up to make her look at him. “Dennis is responsible for his own actions. Why are you still blaming yourself?”

“Because I should never have married him. I was still in love with you, and I ruined his life right along with my own!”

Jenna started to sag, and Adam drew her back, supporting her with his strength. “He knew how you felt about me. He admitted that when I talked to him on the phone. It’s not like he went into the marriage blind.”

“The old ‘consumer beware’ theory, huh?”

“Are my answers that hollow to you now?”

She didn’t reply. Closing her eyes against Adam’s probing gaze, Jenna turned her face into the hollow of his shoulder.

“We all played a part,” he said above her head. “It doesn’t help to go around kicking ourselves for the past. We can be together now, Jen. Let’s go on from here and see what happens.”

“I know what will happen.”

“What?”

“You won’t leave San Francisco and I won’t move there. Dead end,” she said, and this time when she pulled away, Adam let her go.

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