Protecting Her Child by Debby Giusti Read Free Book Online

she’d been on the run.
    At the next intersection, Pete turned inland. Arow of cottages edged the road. The last house sat dark, a F OR S ALE sign in the front yard.
    He pulled onto a gravel drive that led to the backyard, where he cut the lights, turned off the engine and lowered the window.
    The sound of a car engine, gaining speed along the main road, filtered in with the night air. Wheels screeched, signaling that the car had taken the curve at an accelerated rate, followed by another gear shift and more acceleration until the sound faded into the distance.
    Only then did Pete let out the breath he’d evidently been holding and turn to face her.
    Cool air swept past him, carrying the faint scent of his aftershave. “Whoever it was stayed on the main road headed south. Might be a good reason to drive north. We can pick up I-95 in about ten miles and get something to eat, fill the car up with gas, maybe later get a couple of rooms in a motel to hole up in for the night. Unless you’ve got a better idea.”
    â€œThat sounds fine.”
    Pete turned the key in the ignition and retraced their route. When they passed her car, still angled into the ditch, he said, “You’ll have to call a repair shop in the morning.”
    She sighed. “I should have thought of that earlier. My neighbor in Refuge Bay moonlights out of hisgarage as a mechanic. He might be working tonight.”
    Pulling her cell from her pocket, she tapped in the digits and waited until the call went to voice mail. “Larry, it’s Meredith. My car ran off the road.” She gave the location. “I’m okay, but I need a tow. If you’ve got room, park it in your garage. I don’t want the police asking questions.”
    â€œEveryone in your neighborhood against the cops?” Pete asked once she disconnected.
    â€œJust Larry. I’ll try him again in the morning.”
    She settled back in the seat. “Thanks for helping me.”
    â€œHappy to be of service, ma’am.”
    She couldn’t resist the urge to smile. “So we get to I-95 and then find food?”
    â€œI’ll bet you skipped dinner.”
    And lunch, she failed to add, pulling the water bottle to her lips again. “If it were just me, I’d pass. But I need to think of the baby.”
    His eyes settled ever so briefly on her protruding abdomen. “When are you due?”
    â€œIn eight weeks.”
    His eyes widened ever so slightly. “That soon, huh? You got it all worked out? The doctor, hospital, that sort of thing?”
    She shook her head. “I travel light. In fact, I don’thave baby clothes or diapers or a car seat to take the baby home from the hospital.” She laughed ruefully. “At this point, I don’t even have a car.”
    â€œYou’ve still got time,” he said, seemingly with conviction, which she appreciated. But they both knew he was just trying to reassure her.
    Babies were needy creatures. Clothing, diapers, car seats. A stable home life. None of which she could offer her child.
    Eight weeks. Saying it out loud made the time loom even closer.
    And what about Pete? Would he be long gone by then? Or helping some other woman who needed a knight in shining armor?
    Meredith couldn’t rely on him. She’d handled situations in the past on her own. She would handle them in the future as well.
    Besides, she’d asked God to help her.
    She rubbed her hand over her belly. Hopefully, He wouldn’t let her down.

SIX
    T hey picked up I-95 exactly where Pete had said and headed north for twenty miles before he felt a bit more confident that they could let down their guard.
    Meredith said little, but every time he glanced her way, a feeling welled up within him. A mix of protectiveness and need that filled his heart with an overwhelming desire to safeguard the innocence he saw in her eyes and knew she carried in her womb.
    In the distance, an all-night roadside