My mother stared at me, her eyes wide. I’d inherited her eyes—sky blue and almost translucent. I also had her hair. I’d hated my hair color when I was younger. It was just strawberry enough I’d gotten tagged with the occasional nickname Red. Even now as an adult, I didn’t quite understand who came up with the term strawberry blonde.

But my hair color wasn’t really the point right now. I’d done the impossible. I’d shocked my mother.

“You’re pregnant?” she asked.

“Uh huh. I know it’s a surprise. I was surprised too.”

We were in the kitchen at my parents’ house. Their house was on a bluff overlooking a field with the mountains in the distance. I supposed you could say ‘with the mountains in the distance’ to describe almost any location in Alaska. Yet, despite its commonality here, it didn’t change the stunning beauty.

I loved my parents’ kitchen, probably because I spent so much time here growing up. They lived in a farmhouse style home with the kitchen to match. Cabinets lined the walls with a massive island with the stovetop and a sink in the middle and stools surrounding it. This had been my homework station when I was growing up. My mother used to cook dinner while I did my homework.

Before my announcement, my mother had been busy chopping carrots. I was seated across from her on one of the stools, sipping on a cup of tea. It was a chilly spring afternoon, and my hands were cold. I curled them around the warm mug, absorbing its heat.

Setting down her chopping knife, she reached for a stool on the corner of the counter. Pulling it towards her, she sat down. “Well, I’m guessing you wouldn’t be telling me this if you weren’t planning on having a baby,” she finally said.

“I am. Maybe it’s crazy, and I sure as hell didn’t plan on this, but it’s happening.”

My mother nodded slowly, the surprise gradually fading from her expression. “I hope you don’t mind me asking who the father is. I wouldn’t ask, except I don’t even know if you’re seeing anyone.”

She looked apologetic. As close as I was to my mother, she wasn’t a nosy person. In general, she let me have my space and waited for me to come to her.

“Of course you can ask. It wasn’t serious before. But I suppose we’re moving in that direction now. It’s Ward, Ward Taylor.”

My mother’s eyes widened. “The new superintendent for your crew?”

At my nod, her eyes widened even further. I decided to go ahead and address all the questions I imagined she had. “Mom, I met him years ago in training in California. We didn’t have anything serious, but… Well, we had a thing. He came back, and you don’t need to tell me it wasn’t the best plan to get involved with my boss, but I did.”

My cheeks were hot. I might not have said it out loud, but my point was rather obvious.

My mother grinned slyly. “I see.”

“Not that I want to get into all the details, but before you go thinking we were irresponsible, we used condoms. I got pregnant anyway. I wasn’t sure how Ward would handle the news, but he’s been great about it. I haven’t talked to you about it sooner, because, well… I was pretty freaked out about it.”

“How far along are you?”

“Ten weeks.”

My mother stared at me, her mouth dropping open before she snapped it shut. “How long have you known?”

“About a month for sure. I just needed some time to get used to the idea before I talked to anybody about it. I hope you understand,” I said, knowing it probably hurt her to realize I’d kept the news to myself. By pure chance, I’d only seen her once since I knew. Usually I’d see my parents every week or so, but they’d been out of town for a trip to visit some friends in Washington for two weeks out of the month.

After a few moments of silence, she cocked her head to the side and smiled slowly. “Once your Dad gets used to the idea, he’s going to be ecstatic. I don’t suppose we’ll get to meet Ward soon, will we?”

“Of course you will. I wanted to talk to you first and then I need to talk to him.”

My mother’s perceptive gaze coasted over me. “Are you two serious now?”

All of a sudden, tears pricked hot at the backs of my eyes. Because I didn’t know what we were. I could feel the frustration emanating from Ward. He wasn’t the kind of man to hold back. Yet, my own frustration was building. I wanted our baby, but I felt boxed in by the situation and too easily swayed by my body. The fire between us burned too hot to ignore, but it would have made it so much easier if I didn’t want him the way I did.

Since the doctor’s appointment, he continued to spend every night with me. Every night, we had crazy, hot sex. Because that was all we seemed to know how to do. But when we weren’t tangled up, nearly two fused as one, I didn’t know how to handle his presence in my life. I wanted to push him away and pull him close at once. I knew I could be stubborn, but I wasn’t used to feeling caught in the storm of circumstance and hormones.

I didn’t realize I had started to cry until my mother handed me a tissue. She was quiet for a moment and then shocked the hell out of me. “You were a surprise.”

“I was?” I asked, looking up at her as I knuckled another tear rolling down with the tissue balled in my fist.

She nodded, smiling softly. “Oh, I was head over heels in love with your father by that point, but we weren’t even engaged then. I was on birth control, but every so often I’d forget to take it. That’s how I got pregnant with you. You were the best accident that ever happened to me. By the time I realized I was pregnant, I was eight weeks along. Because, you see, I didn’t have much of a period with the pill, so I didn’t notice anything amiss until I started throwing up every morning.”

I burst out laughing because it was all so ridiculous. “So when did you and dad decide to get married?”

“Oh hon, you already know that. He asked me right away and then we eloped.”

Hope tried to catch my attention, waving a little flag in my heart. It all seemed so simple—if only I could believe Ward wasn’t just doing this out of obligation.

I had heard that part of my parents’ story, but somehow I’d missed the part that I was a surprise. When I said as much, my mother shrugged.

“It wasn’t important. I don’t know what’s between you and Ward, and I certainly haven’t met him so I have nothing to go on.” She paused, her perceptive gaze scanning my face. “It sounds like he’s stepping up. That’s a good thing, right?”

Oh God. My mom had an opinion. I could practically feel her biting her tongue. It wasn’t like I could tell her I was sex crazed and couldn’t think straight because of it. It almost annoyed me that Ward was so, well, there for me.

“Of course it is. It’s just. I don’t know. Even though I want my baby, I’m not so sure it’s a great plan to make decisions about us as a couple on short notice like this. We aren’t like you and Dad were. I mean…”

My mother shook her head sharply. “Hon, life throws curve balls all the time. Sure, it’s easy to say that because your father and I were already together when I got pregnant that it was meant to be. But that’s not how it works. Every relationship, especially one that includes a child, requires work. I make a choice every day to keep working on what I have with your father. He does the same. You can’t coast on the fun, crazy beginning of any relationship. It’s not that simple. You build your own foundation. I’m not saying you have to be with Ward. I’m just saying don’t go looking for something to tell you its meant to be. Some people create amazing marriages out of accidents. Others plan everything within an inch of their lives and blow their marriage to pieces. You have to roll with life and ride the waves instead of fighting against them. If Ward is committed and he’s there for you and the baby, well that says a lot about him.”

After that little speech, about all I could do was nod. I wasn’t ready for more yet.