Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 104288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
His green eyes twinkle. “I’m not taking it back.”
“It’s way too much. I owe half this.”
“Then take the other half and put it in your savings account.”
Throwing up my hands in exasperation, I stare at him. “I can pay back my own damn student loans, Tuck. May take me a while—”
“Tiny, the money’s a gift.” He twines his fingers through mine and pulls me to him. “Let me help you. If the money helps you sleep better at night—if it makes finishing your degree any easier—it’s worth it. Have you given that any thought, by the way?”
I nod, desire pooling low in my pelvis. His hands are so big and warm. Any time this man touches me, I go up in flames. “I wrote a paper this morning, as a matter of fact. It felt . . . well, not great, but not terrible, either.”
“Good. Take the money. Keep at it.” His gaze is imploring. “Your role here . . . it’s gonna change soon.”
I scrunch my brow, my pulse taking off at a sprint. “What does that mean?”
“Means you’re not going to be Katie’s nanny forever. You’re becoming a part of our family, and at some point . . .” He looks at me, the unspoken question hanging between us.
At some point, am I going to become Katie’s stepmom?
My heart soars. It’s too soon to talk about it. Way too soon to wonder that if I’m Katie’s stepmom, does that mean Tuck will ask me to marry him?
I love, love the idea of being his wife. Again, too soon. But the thought is there.
The desire is there.
“I’m not gonna stop paying you or anything,” Tuck continues. “But that transition from nanny to family member, it’s going to happen. And knowing you, you’re gonna want to have another job lined up after the baby comes, which means you have to finish school. The money I’m giving you is a gift, but it’s also safety net. I want to provide for you and the baby over the course of whatever maternity leave you take. I don’t want you to feel pressure to find a new job right away.”
I swallow the thickness in my throat. I have so many questions. So many thoughts. But all I can manage is, “That’s . . . incredibly thoughtful. Thank you.”
“Of course. Now stay for lunch.”
Like I could ever say no.
twenty
. . .
Tuck
Baby Fever
A strong, rhythmic sound fills the room.
Maren’s hand in mine, my vision blurs as I stare at the screen in wonder. A fierce, long-forgotten yearning unfolds in my middle as I take in the baby’s black-and-white shape.
I’m gonna be a daddy again.
“One hundred sixty beats per minute. Excellent.” The ultrasound technician bangs on her keyboard. “And we’re measuring right on target at eight weeks, five days.”
Maren covers her mouth and lets out a sob. Sniffling, I wipe at my own tears before leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Well done, Mama.”
“Stop pretending like you’re not the one who did this to me,” Maren shoots back, making the tech and I erupt in laughter.
“She has a point,” the tech says.
I smooth the hair back from Maren’s forehead. “I’m only human, y’all. How could I resist? You’re so damn beautiful. Just like that baby.”
Maren’s eyes glisten with tears as she looks up at me. “Our baby is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“She is. He is. They’re perfect.”
She smiles. “You want another girl?”
“I want another healthy baby. But yeah, I like raising girls.”
The ultrasound tech sighs. “You got a good one, Mama.”
“I do.” Maren licks her lips. “Funny, but when I first found out I was pregnant, I immediately pictured a little boy.”
“Uh oh,” the technician teases.
I give Maren’s hand a squeeze. “I’d love a boy.”
And I would. For so long, I swore up and down that I didn’t want any more children. My career was taking off, and I was raising Katie solo. Life was good, but definitely not easy.
Now holding Maren’s hand, our baby’s heart moving on the screen in time to the sound that pulses through the speakers, it hits me just how much I do want another baby. I don’t love being a single parent. But I do love being a parent in general. Always wanted a family. Big, small, whatever.
The idea that my family is expanding from two to four blows my mind.
“I can’t wait to meet this little person, whoever they are,” I say. My voice is husky.
Maren squeezes my hand. “Me too.”
“You’ll be able to find out the gender at your next ultrasound at twenty weeks,” the technician says. “I’ll print out some pictures for y’all in the meantime. Congratulations again. Y’all have a beautiful family.”
We look at the pictures while we wait to see Dr. Yelich. My phone keeps buzzing in my pocket, but I ignore it, too enamored with the blurry pictures to think about work.