The rest of the afternoon passed in quiet conversation. They avoided talk of the baby and focused on inconsequential things. By the time they’d left the restaurant and driven back to town, Kate’s desperation had eased. It wasn’t gone, but having a plan of action helped.

When Tully parked behind the houseboat, Kate gave her friend a fierce hug and said goodbye.

Alone in Johnny’s house, she changed into a pair of sweats and an old T-shirt, then went into the living room to wait for him.

As she sat there, knees pressed together (too late for that), her hands clasped, she listened to the ordinary sounds of this life she’d grown accustomed to—the slap of the waves on the pilings around her, the squawking of seagulls, the ever-present chug of a motorboat going past. It had never felt quite so fragile before, or so bittersweet. All her life she’d imagined love as a durable thing, a polyester emotion that could handle the wear and tear of everyday action, but now she saw how dangerous that perception was. It lulled you, put you at risk.

Across the room, the lock clicked and the door opened. Johnny smiled when he saw her. “Hey, there. I called you before I left the office. Where were you?”

“I played hooky with Tully.”

“Happy hour, huh?” He pulled her up into his arms and kissed her.

She let herself melt against him. When she put her arms around him, she found that she couldn’t let go.

She held on so tightly he had to actually pull her away. “Katie?” he said, stepping back enough to look down at her. “What’s wrong?”

In the last hour she’d imagined a dozen different ways to tell him, to ease him into the news, but now, standing here in front of him, she saw what a waste all those plans were. This wasn’t a gift that could be wrapped in pretty paper and she wasn’t the kind of woman who could stay silent.

“I’m pregnant,” she said in as firm a voice as she could manage.

He stared at her for an eternity, uncomprehending. “You’re what? How did that happen?”

“The normal way, I’m pretty sure.”

He let out a long, slow breath and sank to the sofa. “A baby.”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen.” She sat down beside him. “I don’t want you to feel trapped.”

The smile he gave her was a stranger’s, not the one she loved, that crinkled up his eyes and made her smile back. “You know how much I want to just pick up and leave when I’m finally ready. Follow a big story and redeem myself. It’s been in my head for so long . . . ever since I screwed up in El Salvador.”