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couldn’t see much in the shadows. Hedidn’t think she looked heavier or much different at all from the way he remembered her.
    And damn. It was nothing short of bizarre to sit here, less than three feet from her, and wonder if she had borne his child.
    He couldn’t tell. Shouldn’t there be something, some clue? Wouldn’t she have put on weight, the way Monica did?
    He frowned. Not necessarily. Not all women were like Monica. Josie could be the kind who breezed through a pregnancy, hardly showing a sign, back to her former weight shortly after delivery.
    She turned to him at last, her pale, thick hair catching the light, glimmering like moonbeams. He thought about burying his face in it, about the warmth of it, the warmth of her.
    â€œWell?” she demanded.
    â€œJosie, we’ve got to talk.”
    She gave him another long, angry stare. “Well, all right. Why don’t you say it, then? Whatever it is.”
    He studied her face, unsure. Her behavior and everything she’d said so far indicated that she had no clue why he’d sought her out.
    But did those eyes say otherwise?
    He just couldn’t say with any certainty.
    And he still didn’t know where the hell to begin.
    She let out a small, hard sound of impatience. “Flynt. I am not gonna sit here all night waiting for you to figure out what you want to say to me.”
    There was probably no good place to start, so he gave up on trying to do it gracefully. He just told her, said what had happened that day, from the foursome on the ninth tee all the way to how Lena was now safe at the ranch.
    By the time he finished, he was the one staring out the windshield. He didn’t have to turn to know she was watching him.
    He made himself face her. “Look, Lena’s safe now, that’s what matters. And whatever— however —this happened, it can all be worked out. No one has to be to blame. Do you understand?”
    She only looked at him.
    He said, slowly and carefully, “I want you to tell me the truth. Is Lena ours?”
    Her eyes were huge and dark as she slowly shook her head.
    No.
    By God, she was telling him no, that Lena wasn’t hers…wasn’t his. Wasn’t theirs…
    She might as well have poleaxed him, popped him right between the eyes with a steel pipe.
    He’d expected her to admit it.
    But she hadn’t.
    And now that she’d denied it, did he believe her?
    He wasn’t sure. Josie Lavender was an honest woman, he knew that in his heart. And yet…
    She was so young. Maybe the prospect of taking care of Lena alone had been too much for her. Maybeshe’d made the desperate mistake of leaving their baby for him to find and now she didn’t know how to admit what she’d done.
    Those huge eyes had gone soft and deep. “Oh, Flynt.” She barely mouthed the words. “I’m so sorry…”
    What the hell did she mean by that?
    He couldn’t stop himself. He leaned across the seat and grabbed her. “Tell me, Josie.” He gave her a hard shake. “Tell me the truth.”
    â€œLet go of me,” she commanded in a low voice. “I mean it, Flynt. Let me go now.”
    He looked down at his own hands, at his fingers digging into the smooth skin of her arms. And he hated himself.
    â€œGod.” He released her, retreating to his own side of the cab. “I’m sorry.” He fisted a hand, hit the steering wheel with it. “It’s just… It’s no good, Josie. You can’t hide the truth from me forever. I’m going to find out.”
    â€œI gave you the truth.” She met his gaze dead-on. “I didn’t get pregnant from that night we spent together. I didn’t have your baby. I didn’t have any baby. Ever. I don’t know where that baby came from, but she is not mine.”
    He felt compelled to warn her what would happen next. “I’m taking a test tomorrow. We’ll know in