Curves For The Agent Cowboy

Chapter 19

The morning sunlight slipped through Catalina's curtains, painting soft gold across her room. She sat at her vanity, absentmindedly running a brush through her hair. The reflection staring back at her looked tired - not sick, exactly, just worn in ways she couldn't quite explain.

Five months. That realization hit her as she glanced down at the small calendar pinned beside her mirror. Five months since everything changed. Five months of quiet mornings, secret smiles, and nights filled with a kind of peace she hadn't known before Kerian.

And five months of feeling... different.

At first, she thought it was stress - losing her job, starting to write again, figuring out what she wanted her life to be. But lately, things didn't add up. Her moods had been unpredictable. She'd find herself teary at commercials, frustrated over the smallest things. Some mornings, the smell of her mom's cooking made her stomach turn.

Then there was the dizziness. It came and went - never bad enough to worry anyone, but enough to make her pause when she stood too fast or moved too quickly.

What if...?

The thought came uninvited, soft but stubborn.

She shook her head. "No way," she whispered aloud, forcing a laugh.

Sure, she'd been seeing Kerian for months now - secretly, quietly, as if every stolen moment belonged only to them. But she hadn't felt pregnant. No morning sickness beyond the occasional queasiness, no strange cravings, no sudden weight gain. When Claire was pregnant, she'd shown within weeks - glowing, round, unmistakable. Catalina glanced at her reflection again. Nothing.

Her figure hadn't changed at all.

"If I were..." she murmured to herself, trailing off, "...I'd be showing by now. Claire looked like she swallowed a watermelon by month five."

The memory made her smile despite her nerves.

Still, her hand drifted to her abdomen, resting there without thinking.

She pushed the thought away. "It's probably just hormones, or maybe stress," she reasoned. "I've been up late writing again... that's all."

But somewhere deep down, a quiet voice whispered that it wasn't that simple.

---

Later that afternoon, Catalina met Jantrece for lunch. They sat outside the little café downtown, the same one where they always shared gossip, laughter, and life advice that usually ended in jokes.

"So..." Jantrece started, stirring her iced coffee with a knowing grin, "you and a certain someone been seeing a lot of each other lately, huh?"

Catalina rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself. "You really can't help yourself, can you?"

"Nope," Jantrece said proudly. "So spill. Things good?"

Catalina hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Really good. I just-" She sighed, twirling her straw absently. "I don't know, I've been feeling kind of off lately. Weird moods. Tired all the time. Sometimes dizzy for no reason."

Jantrece's brow furrowed. "You sure you're not coming down with something?"

"Pretty sure."

"Hmm. You're not-"

"No!" Catalina interrupted quickly, laughing awkwardly. "I already thought about that, but no way. It's been months, Trece. If I was, I'd be... you know, showing."

Her friend looked unconvinced. "You know not everyone's the same, right? Some girls don't show until later."

Catalina waved a hand. "Please, if I were, it'd be obvious by now. Claire looked like she was smuggling a beach ball by month five. I'd know."

"Maybe." Jantrece leaned back in her chair, giving her that look - the one that said she was both suspicious and protective. "But promise me you'll take care of yourself. Just... be sure."

"I will," Catalina said softly. But in truth, she wasn't sure of anything anymore.

---

Across the state, under the shadow of dusk, a black SUV sped down a back road.

Inside, Erica Branson studied the crumpled map in her lap. Her heart thudded as she traced the red markings Jonathan had drawn earlier. The closer they got, the more real it all felt - the possibility that her brother, the one she'd been told was dead, was actually alive.

"You're sure about this lead?" she asked, glancing toward Jonathan in the driver's seat.

"As sure as I can be," he replied, eyes fixed on the winding road. "Kerian was always good at disappearing, but this place fits. Quiet town, small population, a few out-of-the-way properties that could keep someone hidden. It makes sense."

Erica nodded, gripping the edge of the seat. "You think he even knows I exist?"

Jonathan's voice softened. "No idea. But if I know Kerian, he'll want to. Once he sees you..." He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "He'll know you're family."

Erica's heart tightened. "I just hope we're not too late."

Jonathan's expression darkened. "We won't be. I won't let them get to him first."

He pressed the gas harder, the engine growling as the last light of day faded behind them.

Neither of them noticed the black sedan that had started trailing them a few miles back - its headlights dim, its driver silent and patient.

Somewhere ahead, the lives of Kerian, Catalina, and Erica were about to collide in ways none of them could yet imagine.