CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Angela finished curling her hair, then turned off the curling iron. She’d already applied a little bit of makeup and had chosen her outfit for her date with Jude.
The plan wasn’t anything fancy, and her clothing choices reflected that. She’d chosen them with warmth and comfort in mind since this date involved picking up some food at the diner in Serenity and then going to a location that Jude promised would give her the best view of the sunset.
After the week she’d had, it sounded like the perfect evening.
She’d taken Jude’s advice to just leave the situation regarding Kiara’s pregnancy in Kiara and Julian’s hands. However, it hadn’t been easy because she’d wanted to encourage Kiara to tell Julian and Duncan so they could move to the next phase of the situation.
As long as Julian and Duncan didn’t know, Angela felt like they were living in limbo, and it was driving her nuts.
But in the end, it was Kiara’s decision, and Angela was trying her best to respect that.
She didn’t know how long Kiara would be able to keep her secret, though, because the pregnancy was really doing a number on her. Morning sickness wasn’t just happening in the morning.
Angela supported her as much as she could, but Kiara seemed to have withdrawn completely from her and everything else. She spent most of her days curled up in bed, reading. Some days she made an appearance for dinner, but most of the time, she ate in her room.
Even the self-defense training, shooting, and driving lessons had fallen by the wayside for her. Jude didn’t press, though Dawn expressed concern and frustration over Kiara suddenly not showing up for anything.
All Angela could do was explain that she wasn’t feeling well. Thankfully, that was true.
But now, she was going to put it all aside and focus on her time with Jude, and she couldn’t wait.
Once she was ready, Angela went to Kiara’s room. She poked her head in, unsurprised to find Kiara curled up on the loveseat near the window, a blanket wrapped around her and the tablet she’d recently purchased in her hand.
“How are you feeling, Kiki?” Angela asked as she approached her.
Kiara shrugged. “Managed to keep the sandwich I had at lunch down.”
“That’s good. Did you want me to get you anything? More ginger ale? Water?”
Kiara seemed to consider the options, then said, “I wouldn’t mind some ginger ale. Super cold.”
“No food?”
“I don’t know,” she said.
“Are you planning to go down for dinner?”
“Do you know if Julian is around?”
“I saw him at breakfast, so unless he left this afternoon, I imagine he’s here.”
“I’ll just eat up here then.”
“Has Julian said anything to you?” Angela asked. “Has he tried to talk to you after what happened?”
“Honestly, I don’t think he remembers. He was drinking a lot that night. More than me, for sure.”
It bothered Angela that Kiara was bearing the responsibility of that night when Julian was an equal participant in what had happened. He deserved to shoulder some of the stress that Kiara was under.
“You need to talk to him,” Angela said, inching over the line she’d been trying to toe over the past week.
“I will.” Kiara sighed, then turned to look outside. “Eventually.”
Knowing she wouldn’t get any more than that from her sister, Angela headed for the door. “I’ll get you the ginger ale before I go.”
“Thanks.”
Downstairs, Angela entered the kitchen, which was busy with dinner prep, and greeted Mrs. Stevens and her daughter, who were working together.
“I’m just getting Kiara some ginger ale. She’d like dinner up in her room again, if possible.”
“Is she not feeling any better?” Mrs. Stevens asked, concern in her voice.
“She’s been able to keep a bit more food down, but she’s still not feeling one hundred percent.”
People were going to suspect something more than just illness was at play if Kiara didn’t start acting like her old self soon. She might be forced to reveal the pregnancy before she was ready if she didn’t start to feel better.
After delivering the large glass of ginger ale with ice, Angela went back down to wait in the mudroom for Jude to arrive. It didn’t take long before the back door opened, and he stepped through it.
Angela smiled as she stepped into his arms. His jacket held a hint of the cold air and the scent of his cologne, which Angela loved.
Jude kissed her forehead, then asked, “Are you ready to go?”
“I am.”
As they walked out to his truck, Angela wondered if this might be the night they shared their first kiss. Jude often kissed her forehead or the top of her head, sometimes her cheek, but they’d never had a real kiss.
It would be her first kiss, and Angela couldn’t imagine sharing it with anyone but Jude.
“I’ve phoned the order in, so it should be ready for us to pick up,” Jude said as he put the truck in gear and guided it away from the house.
“I’m looking forward to the French fries,” Angela said. “They have such yummy ones.”
“And I like their burgers.”
They’d ordered from the restaurant before, so they had a good idea of what they liked.
“How was your day?” Jude asked as he waved at the guards at the gate.
“It was good. I finished a blanket for Annie to put in her shop. If it sells quickly, I’ll make more. But if it’s slow to sell, there’s no sense in wasting my time on more.”
“You could knit blankets to give to the NICU at the hospital in Coeur d’Alene. I read an article online somewhere about an NICU that had donations of handmade blankets that they would send home with the babies.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Angela said. “I’m not looking to make money on them, but I’d like them to benefit someone somehow.”
It didn’t take long to get to the diner, and Jude left the truck running while he went in to get their food. Angela looked around curiously, as she always did when they came into Serenity.
One day, she wanted to explore the town. She understood why she couldn’t be seen out and about yet, but she hoped someday soon her presence in the community wouldn’t matter.
She wanted to come to the diner with Jude and sit inside at a booth with him. However, Duncan didn’t feel it was safe yet.
Mainly because of Jim…
Last she’d heard, he was still on the loose, and no one knew where he was.
When Jude returned, he handed her the bag with the food, which she put down by her feet. He removed their hot drinks from the tray and put them in the drink holders in the center console.
“Was it busy?” Angela asked.
“Fairly. Lots of older people since they have the early bird special on for them.”
Since the sun set at around five-thirty, they were also eating early that night. Angela didn’t care, though. She just wanted to spend the time with Jude.
As they drove to the spot Jude had chosen, he updated her on the progress of her and Kiara’s home. A home that would now include a baby, Angela realized.
She and Kiara didn’t know much about the physical construction of the house, but an interior designer had been in contact with them about their choices for things like the cabinets, appliances, and paint colors.
“Oh, this is beautiful,” Angela said as Jude pulled into a small parking area off the side of the road that gave them an amazing view of the snow-covered mountains to the west.
She was just so grateful that Jude was willing to figure out dates like this one that fit within the restrictions that existed because of the security needs of her life. He could have decided it was too much of a hassle or too boring, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
They sorted out their food, encompassed in the warmth of the cab of the truck with jazz playing softly from the speakers.
Jude said a prayer of thanks for the food, holding her hand as he did. She was reluctant to let go after he said amen, but eating with one hand didn’t work when burgers were on the menu.
She’d ordered a chicken burger, and her first bite confirmed it was as good as the last time she’d had it.
“Duncan is concerned about Kiara,” Jude said as they ate.
Angela stared at him, eyes wide. “Really?”
“Yes. He called me this morning to see if I knew what might be wrong.”
“Oh, boy. What did you say?”
“Just that you had mentioned she was struggling with not having a purpose, and that she hadn’t been feeling well.”
“I’m sorry that you’re not able to be honest with him,” she said, lowering her burger to the takeout container in her lap.
Jude shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. In asking you to leave the situation in Kiara and Julian’s hands, I have to do the same.”
Angela so appreciated how Jude handled things, and the maturity he had when it came to situations that seemed overwhelming to her. Like Kiara’s pregnancy.
“I hope she tells Julian soon.”
Jude’s gaze turned out the front window for a moment before he looked back at her. “Duncan has asked me to look into treatment centers for Julian.”
“Treatment centers? Is he sick?”
“It’s to get him some help with his drinking. It has gone way beyond what’s safe. The situation with Kiara just goes to prove that.”
“Do you think it would be bad for his mental state to find out she’s pregnant?”
“I don’t know,” Jude said. “It might give him the incentive he needs to get cleaned up.”
Angela hoped that was the case, for Julian’s sake, as well as for Kiara and their unborn child.
Jude had just leaned forward to pick up his drink when the window beside him exploded. Blood and glass went flying, and Angela screamed as she realized Jude had been hit by something.
“Oh, no. Oh, no.” She reached for Jude, where he sat slumped, blood dripping down his neck and soaking into the collar of his shirt. “Jude!”
There was another shot, and Jude jerked. Angela screamed and reached for the watch she wore on her wrist. The watch she’d been given that had a tracker in it.
Fumbling with it, she pressed the button they’d told her to use if she was ever in need of help.
“Please, God. Please, God.” She wasn’t even sure what she was praying for, but first and foremost, her concern was for Jude.