The Cowboy's Secret Baby: BWWM Cowboy Pregnancy Romance (Young Adult First Time Billionaire Steamy African American) by Christin Jensen Read Free Book Online

thing tomorrow morning.”
    “Remember, I own your car,” Marion yelled back.  The car was legally in her name, and the license renewal came to her address.
    “I’ll just have to pick up a clunker,” Clarice called back sweetly as she went around the car on Underhill’s arm.
    Underhill had pulled out onto the two-lane state road before he noticed that Clarice was crying, almost doubled up in her seat.  “You know your mother was just trying to get to you,” he asserted quietly.  “There’s no way in the world she could determine your condition from that distance.”
    “But it could be true,” Clarice blubbered, already awash in guilt.  “We’d just have to have been a little careless once. - Just let me cry a little, and I’ll get my head on straight and deal with the consequences.”
    Underhill remained silent for some time, concentrating on the winding road.  He knew enough of her situation to allow her some private time.
    After nearly half an hour, Clarice roused herself.  “I can lease a car from a local dealer if Prof Santana hasn’t found me one yet.  I can probably arrange a rental on the phone.  Then I can go get a pregnancy test kit.  Bless Terry McGee for helping me navigate the healthcare.gov site!  I didn’t even qualify for any of their discounts, but I’ve now got coverage that will work in Tennessee. And I’ve got a way to fulfill my commissions’ right at home, so I can take care of the baby.”
    “I’m glad to see you thinking and planning again,” Underhill remarked.  “If you remember, we already covered some of this ground before you left Kentucky. – But you don’t want to get ahead of yourself.  Let’s just get you to this place Professor Santana has fixed up for you and go from there.”
    “You’re right, of course,” Clarice told him.  “I’m jumping the gun again, and this probably won’t be the last time. I do need transportation of my own, though.  Something tells me I’m going to be burning up the highway between Sewanee and Nashville, where all the mental health professionals are.”
    “Tell you what I’ll do,” Underhill offered in a placating voice.  “I’ll stop by a drugstore before we get out into the boonies and pick you up a kit.  Lawyers sometimes wind up doing things like that for a client.”  He himself was anxious to get the pregnancy problem settled, then he’d know exactly what was really on his plate.
    Clarice had never doubted for a second that the pregnancy test would be positive.  That was what she got for thinking she could care about a man without getting an immediate prescription for The Pill. She had realized over her months of freedom just how her mother had used her like a puppet, but she had never been able to quell the influence of that voice in her head.  Doing that was going to take a lot of therapy, she thought grimly, and a lot of nerve-wrenching change.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 8
     
    In the meantime, Lea Santana had prepared the best possible rental home for her.  The old chicken house was cited on an acre of scrub land that some farmer had once decided was only good for raising poultry.  While the structure wasn’t as large or welcoming as the garage apartment Marion Saxe had provided, it was adequate for Clarice’s purposes and even possessed all modern conveniences.
    Now Clarice parted the rather dull curtains and looked out at the scruffy looking, ten-year-old pick-up a visiting professor of geology had sold her for ready cash.  The local garage had assured her the battered Chevy was in good condition mechanically and would be simple to service. – Also, she thought ruefully, the thing was fortunately low enough to the ground so she could get in and out of it in her current state.
    Clarice didn’t dare think about Farris.  Sooner or later, word of her condition would get back to him, and then she was going to have to be very, very firm.  She would raise this baby