“What kind of tanning salon are you going to down there? Your skin looks flawless,” Karen said.

Lola took a swig of her mimosa. How could she explain to her friend, a spoiled heiress, that it all happened naturally? Her new hectic lifestyle left her no time to go to a tanning salon. “Too long under the Texan sun, babes.”

“Sounds like a great movie title.” London winked. “With some hot virile hunks.”

Lola nudged her friend. Of all of them, London had been the one she missed most. Maybe because the two of them shared almost everything with each other. And she was the only one who knew his name before he’d become the most sought-after designer in LA: Eugene Sandovall. A secret she would take to her grave.

“Talking about hot virile cowboys, where’s your ex?” Luce asked, smoothing her platinum blonde hair.

Lola looked at her three friends. They occupied the most coveted table at the Ivy. Did she want to spoil such a marvelous lunch to talk about her personal life? When she herself didn’t know what the hell was going on?

She cleared her throat. “He’s working.”

“So are you two back together? You came to LA together right?” Karen lifted her eyebrow. God, they were perfectly manicured too—Lola knew Karen’s eyebrow specialist scheduled clients months in advance.

Lola shrugged. “More like in the same plane.”

“Are you staying more like in the same hotel room?” London teased. “More like in the same bed?”

Heat filled her cheeks. Shit. “I-It’s not what you think. Once I open my business, he’ll move out of the ranch and we’ll get legally divorced. We’re just sort of doing a pre-divorce party. Just for the two of us. Naked.”

“Sounds like a good plan. But why don’t you take him for all he’s got? Financially?” Karen asked. Twice divorced, Karen wasted no time with crying over spilt milk.

“Ugh… because I don’t want his money.”

London whistled. “She just wants his cock.

Lola nudged his elbow. “I see your manners haven’t improved.”

“Don’t you go all Southern belle on me, baby doll.”

“Why wouldn’t you secure your future? The man is loaded, and you are still married to him.” The lawyer in Luce was just too much to ignore. That had been how Luce and Karen became friends—Luce had represented Karen in her second divorce.

“I’m not going to screw him over. I’ve spent my whole life using Daddy’s money as Plan B. Now, I’m my own Plan B.”

“Cheers to independence.” London lifted his glass. “Your boobs look bigger too. Or is it a new bra?”

“Are you calling me fat?” Gosh. Granted her friends didn’t sugarcoat it, but c’mon. Why did she feel out of place with them? That was a first.

He blew her a kiss. “Never, babe.”

Perhaps she should stop eating Consuelo’s food and start eating her own—that would drop a few pounds quickly. She studied her friends, as they started to gossip about the latest nightclub and the celebrities that had been seen getting wasted in it. Months earlier, she’d get firsthand invites to the hottest parties in town.

And now… not so much. Has she missed them? Not really.

She played with her food a little. Why hadn’t Luce and Karen tried harder to keep in touch? London had been sweet, offering to do her graphic designing for her B&B pro bono which meant a lot, especially because he was one of the best around.

The girls though… Lola sighed. Had she really missed them?

No. She had gotten used to her life at the ranch. What if the tranquility didn’t last, like other decisions she’d made before? She didn’t envision herself on a ranch in Texas, away from the only life she’d known. A couple of years was all it would take, for the business to really take off and for her to step down. But did she want to step down? Or did she want to stay and really become part of the fabric of the community—the people she was coming to know as her own?

“So when is the big opening?” London asked.

“Soon. You guys are coming, right?”

Luce and Karen looked at each other, hesitating.

“I’d love to, but I’m working on a big case and can’t get away,” Luce answered.

“Don’t look at me, I’ll be on vacation in Europe.” Karen took another sip of her drink and flashed her a smile.

“Sure… I understand. London?”

London tapped her hand. “I’ll do my best. How can I miss it?”

“Thanks,” she said in a small voice, trying to conceal her disappointment. Of course she didn’t expect them to drop everything to attend her party, but did they know what officially opening her B&B meant? Her heart raced. She was about to see through her biggest accomplishment yet and they acted like it was a second place event.

“You’re brave, Lola. Going to live in Texas of all places. Wonder how long that will last?” Luce said with a laugh.

“You’re extra bitchy today. Are you on your period?” London said.

Luce threw a piece of bread in his direction, but he dodged it. They chuckled at each other and exchanged a couple more snarky remarks, but Lola’s spine locked into place. Her period. When was the last time she’d had it?

For the past month, she had been so focused on everything that was going on she didn’t even realize she’d skipped her period. It had happened a few other times in her life, due to stress, so she didn’t really take that to heart.

But now… London’s comments rang in her ear. Your boobs are bigger.

Fear expanded in her veins, cooling her bloodstream. Could she be pregnant? Nah. No way. That would be such a twist of fate. When she was close to saying goodbye to Jack… the realization they would be united forever by a child she hadn’t planned.

Nope. Not happening. But, just in case, she would buy a couple tests on the way back to the hotel.

Pregnant. Lola stared at the dipstick and tried to make sense of the smiley face staring back at her. What was it happy about? A baby. She touched her belly, and crossed her legs tightly. A bit too late for keeping them closed, wasn’t it?

Her heart raced, and even though she simply sat on the hotel bathroom floor, the air vanished from her lungs. She drew in a breath and tried to make it long, deep. Once. Twice. When she lifted her hand to her forehead, beads of sweat slicked her flesh. Take a deep breath. You can do it.

One. She inhaled.

Two. She let it out, slowly.

She needed to focus. How could she be pregnant again? She took the pill, for crying out loud. The same one she’d been on forever. She always took it, at the same time in the morning, and—

Holy shit. Bile rose up her throat. The road trip. When she’d traveled from LA to Texas, because of the stress and too many things on her mind, she’d forgotten to take it for three days in a row. Sure, she’d taken them as soon as she remembered.

And what about that next day after the first time they had sex? Had she taken it? She blinked, several times. Crap. I’m an idiot. An idiot who was about to have a baby.

Apprehension threaded down her spine. Didn’t matter now how she got there, she needed to deal with the situation.

A knock on the door made her jump. “Lola. Are you okay?” Jack asked on the other side of the door.

Shit. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“I need to go to the hotel business center. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay. Have fun.”

She scooted against the wall, and stared at the ceiling.

What would Jack do if he knew she was pregnant? She bit her inner cheek. He’d never sign the divorce papers, or let her go. Jack was a traditional guy who was very clear on his stances of family and children. His mother had left him as a kid. He’d never walk out on his own baby.

This wasn’t supposed to happen like this—and not to her, of all people. I can barely take care of myself. Almost a month into her country living adventure, and what had been her accomplishments? So far, the identity of her birth parents remained a mystery, and her eggs still sucked ass. The only thing she improved on was the bed and breakfast. And she had spent a good amount of time with her butt glued to the chair learning tutorials on YouTube.

A cold chill surged through her, and she touched her belly. If anything she thought the test would calm her down. Until the smiley face appeared on the stick.

Lola stood, and smoothed the denim shorts and polo shirt. I can do this. How exactly she would was a mystery, but feeling sorry for herself on a bathroom floor wasn’t the right way to start. Losing a baby once doesn’t mean I’ll lose it again.

She tossed the test in the trash, and concealed the contents with some facial tissue. Jack couldn’t know about her pregnancy. Not yet. Her chest tightened. If he found out, he’d press her to continue their marriage from where they left off two years ago. Being the hardhead he was, she doubted he’d even let her continue working on the remodeling.

Her freedom would be toast. And the last thing she wanted was to be the kind of mother who couldn’t show her child how to be independent, strong, and driven.

With trembling fingers, she clasped the door handle and left the bathroom. Until she opened the B&B and figured things out, Jack couldn’t find out about her pregnancy.