Just One Night by Carly Phillips (fiction book recommendations txt) 📕

Jordan shook her head. “Not yet. I did get a few crackers down though.”

“Good.” Her mother smiled. “You have company.”

Jordan’s stomach did a complete flip, and she was lucky she didn’t throw up. “What? Who?”

“Don’t play dumb. Now get up and wash your face before you go downstairs. You can’t help being pale, but there’s no reason to look like a raccoon when you face Linc.”

Jordan narrowed her gaze. “What is with this sudden pushing me toward him? All you ever wanted was to keep us apart.”

Her mother shook her head. “Wrong. I wanted to protect you.” She lowered herself onto the bed beside Jordan’s bent legs. “Now tell me something and don’t even think of lying to your mother. Do you love him?”

Shocked by the question, Jordan looked everywhere but at her mom. “Will you judge me if I say I do?” Because she’d probably loved him for years.

Though, after the way he’d reacted to her being pregnant, it killed her to admit the truth. Considering Linc knew what she’d been through with Collin when she’d been pregnant, last night he’d still thrown that same shocked, horrified attitude in her face. Her stomach spun at the painful memory.

Her mother sighed. “There’s no accounting for love, so no, I won’t judge you. As hard as I tried to prevent your pain, here we are.” Her mother ran a soothing hand over Jordan’s arm. “I listened to you last night. I heard you. And I thought about how things played out between you and Linc.”

“Just what are you saying?”

“That when he heard you were pregnant, you shocked him. You didn’t have a chance to lay the groundwork and soften the blow. Imagine hearing the news in a room full of people and not expecting it.”

She hugged her legs tighter. “I know because I found out almost the same way.” Aurora had suggested it, and next thing Jordan knew, she was in a public bathroom stall, three pregnancy tests on the floor in front of her.

And she’d completely freaked out.

“I see you understand my point,” her mom said. “And despite how hard I’ve been on you two all these years, you’ve stood by his side. I have to believe it’s because you saw something special in him.”

“I did,” Jordan whispered.

“Well, I realize I was basing my feelings on his father’s attitude and behavior.” Her mother drew a deep breath. “And your father and I talked late into the night, and he helped me to see reason.”

Jordan blinked in surprise. “Dad knows I’m pregnant?” she asked in shock.

Her mother shot her a look. “Of course. We don’t keep secrets. He’d have talked to you this morning, but you were sleeping when he left on an emergency work call.”

With her head spinning and Linc downstairs, Jordan didn’t know whether to run to him for emotional support or hide under the covers until he went away. She knew what her heart wanted, and God, that scared her.

“Ask yourself why he’s here and don’t tell me you think he wants to pay you off.” Apparently her mother wasn’t finished with her newfound wisdom.

Jordan flinched because she never should have said those words to him. He’d been in shock, as her mother had said.

And she’d let the past dictate her reaction. “I can’t believe you, of all people, are trying to convince me to find the good in Linc,” Jordan muttered.

“I always saw the good in him. My concerns were never about him.” Her mother patted her knee. “Now go clean up and I’ll tell him you’ll be right down.”

“What about your concerns about me not fitting into his world?” Jordan asked, sliding out of bed.

Her mom let out a sigh as if the answer were obvious. But it wasn’t. Not to Jordan.

“Where have you been all these years?” her mom asked. “You’ve been by his side,” she said before Jordan could answer. “I simply didn’t see the truth staring me in the face. Linc Kingston has your back. Now ask yourself if you can forgive him for being a jerk, because take it from someone who knows. It won’t be the last time you’ll have to forgive him for stupid behavior.”

Her mother’s grin lightened the mood, and Jordan couldn’t help but smile back. “Only if he grovels nicely.”

Her mom laughed, then stood up and walked out the door.

Jordan glanced in the mirror above the dresser and groaned. She could wash the black eye makeup away, but there wasn’t much more she could do to fix her pale face. Linc would have to take her or leave her.

*     *     *

From the entry to the family room, Jordan watched Linc pace the carpeted floor. He wore a pair of dark jeans and a cream-colored Henley top, looking as sexy as ever. It wasn’t fair. She’d done her best to pull herself together, but she was still pale, her eyes red and puffy from crying, and her hair pulled into a messy bun on top of her head.

Here goes nothing, she thought. “Linc?”

He turned toward her, his face filled with relief at the sight of her. He took her in, consuming her, those eyes traveling from head to toe, and she couldn’t help but be self-conscious. With no desire to put last night’s tight outfit back on, she still wore her borrowed sweats and tee.

“I know, not my best look.” She gestured to her mismatched outfit. “But I came straight here last night, and I had to borrow something to wear.”

He shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “Actually I think you look cute.”

She did her best not to cringe at the description and folded her arms across her chest.

“Can we sit?” he asked.

She walked to the sofa and settled into the corner, well aware her body language and attitude gave off a keep-your-distance vibe.

Proving he knew her well, he sat one cushion away from her, providing her with the distance she needed as she waited in silence for him to speak.

He cleared his throat and looked into her