Chapter 1

Karen Walker walked briskly in to Grace Adler Designs, sitting down rather sensually on her chair. Grace, who had been hard at work, sketching a bathroom for some lucky client, glanced up, noticing Karen's giddy mood. She sat her pencil down and turned to face Karen, who was busy making herself a martini. Karen smiled to herself as she poured the ingredients in to a mixer and then seemed to have a bit too much fun shaking the thing.

Grace raised her eyebrows and parted her lips, "What's up with you, Ms. Walker."

"Oh, Grace." Karen paused, radiant, a smile permanently affixed to her face, "I think I found him. Now, I know what you'll say, is he good enough for my little Karen? Well, Gracie, he's better than any man I've ever met. And I have met many, many men." Karen smiled.

"This sounds interesting. I'm guessing he called you back."

"Oh, Grace, he did more than call me back." Karen grinned, then frowned knowing that last sentence had been rather provocative. "Oh, no, he's a gentlemen, he really is. He's tall, and sweet, and has perfect hair, and lots of money, and he's fifteen years younger than me, and he lives on the uptown, and he…"

"Whoa, wait!" Grace stopped her. "He's fifteen years younger than you?"

"Yeah. So?" Karen looked confused. She glanced around as if trying to gain support from imaginary people.

"So…that's a big age difference. Are you sure he's not just looking for someone with money?"

"No, that's not it at all. Honey, why do you always have to take my hopes and dreams and rip them in to little, tiny, miniscule pieces? I've had enough of you. I'm leaving." Karen cried, jumping up and storming out of the office.

Grace just rolled her eyes and returned to her drawing. She was only slightly worried about Karen, who had seemed rather upset when she had mentioned he might only be using her, but would be over it in a few hours. Maybe there was more to this relationship than Grace had thought; maybe Karen actually liked this man and perhaps he liked her as well.

Grace decided to let it go for a few weeks and see what happened. If he stuck around long enough, she might begin to believe Karen.

Funny thing, he did stick around. Mr. Nathan Kingsley became a permanent fixture in Karen's life. He seemed to show up at all the little get together's the group had and often came by the office, just to see how Karen was doing. One morning, where this story picks up again, Grace walked in to find a whole bouquet of flowers sitting on Karen's desk. She paused, a look of awe apparent on her face. She tried to walk away, tried hard not to go over and open the card and read Nathan's note to Karen, but the temptation was too much. Slowly she sauntered over and reached for the card. Cautiously she broke the seal with her fingernail, and opened the envelope. She pulled the card out gently and flipped it open.

I had a great time last night. Call me when you get this, maybe we'll have lunch.

I love you – N

So this was serious. More serious than Grace had thought it to be. Quickly she slipped the note back in to its little envelope and put it back in the bouquet. Karen would be radiant when she saw these beautiful flowers.

However, when the raven haired beauty came sauntering in a half hour later she was anything but radiant. She looked down right distraught. She fell in to her chair, completely ignoring the flowers that had been sat in front of her.

"Karen, what's wrong? Don't you like the flowers Nathan sent you?" Grace asked, after Karen seemed not to notice them.

"What?" Karen broke from her thoughts as if she had just realized she wasn't alone in the room.

"The flowers." Grace pointed.

"Oh, yes, they're nice." Karen said nonchalantly.

"What's wrong?" Grace inquired, not sure she liked Karen's sudden change in moods.

"Oh, Grace, he's perfect he really is…it's just…well…" Karen glanced down, smoothing out her black skirt and focusing on the bottom button of her blouse.

"Don't tell me you've met someone else." Grace took a few steps towards Karen, who immediately looked up, a look of horror evident on her beautiful porcelain face.

"No, no Grace. It's nothing like that…it's…I'm…no, honey, I can't say it." Karen's eyes had fallen again and she looked almost ashamed.

Grace went closer, squatting down next to Karen and wrapping her arms around her friends shoulders. "What is it?"

"Well, Grace…I'm kind of pregnant." Karen's voice was hardly audible but Grace had definitely heard right.

"And Nathan doesn't know?" Grace guessed, and Karen nodded her head yes. "And you're afraid to tell him?" Karen nodded again.

"Oh, Grace, it would ruin our relationship." Karen looked at Grace, a look of desperation spilling in to her wide pleading eyes.

"You don't know that." Grace tried to comfort her. She hadn't seen this much emotion from Karen Walker…well ever…and frankly it frightened and strengthened her. "Try talking to him. I'm sure he would understand."

"Understand my ass. Grace, I'm a...fff…well I'm a grown women and he's just a boy. He doesn't want some knocked up old hag." Karen became more depressed as she bad mouthed herself.

"Oh, no Karen, you're far from being an old hag. And he obviously cares about you. You two spend every waking moment together and he really likes you." Grace smiled.

Karen paused, a hopeful look passing her face, but only for a moment. "Oh, Gracie you're just saying that."

"No, Karen, I'm not. If a man ever passed you up, well they would be out of their mind. You're cute, and funny, and insensitive at times, but a hopeless romantic at heart, and…"

"I've got a killer rack, yes Grace I saw you looking." Karen grinned. "Well, you big lez, you might just have a point. I'm going to call him. Maybe we can have a nice conversation over lunch and I'll see how he feels about being a parent. I'll just throw it in to the conversation." Karen smiled and picked up the phone, dialing the number she had dialed so many times before, her fingers meticulously falling on each number.

Grace watched Karen as she dialed, looking like a teenager about to call her boyfriend for the first time. She hoped Karen was all right, and she really hoped she was right about Nathan. If he dumped her over this, well she would take him on herself. She'd done it before for her and she would certainly do it again.

TBC...