Deadly Notions - By Elizabeth Lynn Casey Page 0,62
completion, she slid off her stool and snatched the still-warm paper from the top tray. “Though, based on the pace everyone was working last night, I suspect these two little girls will have more than enough play food for their birthday.”
Nina stepped out from around the shelf and wandered into the biographies, her voice growing more hushed despite the closer proximity. “I was thinking more along the lines of learning to make things like that for my own little girl. Unless of course, it ends up being a boy.”
“Okay, sure. I can teach you . . .” Her words trailed from her mouth as the meaning behind her assistant’s comment took root in her head. She whirled around to meet the shy smile she’d grown to treasure as much as the Sweet Briar Public Library itself. “Nina? Are you—”
“Pregnant?” Nina whispered. “Yes.”
A squeal of excitement burst from Tori’s lips as she dropped the printout on the counter and ran into the biography aisle, an unending stream of questions firing their way through her thoughts and out her mouth. “When are you due? How long have you known? Is Duwayne excited? How are you feeling? Do you want to sit down?”
Nina laughed and held up her hand. “Miss Sinclair, Miss Sinclair. One question at a time.”
“Oh. Sorry. I’m just—” She stopped, pulled the woman into her arms and held her tight. “Oh, Nina, this is fantastic news! I’m so excited for you.”
“I’m glad. I was afraid you’d be worried about your workload increasing around the library. But I promise I won’t take too much time off. And maybe I can even bring the baby with me sometimes. They sleep a lot in the beginning, right?”
She stepped back. “My workload? Are you kidding me? Everything will be just fine. And if there are any gaps I need to fill, I’ll call on Dixie.”
“Ms. Dunn will like that.”
“She will.” Slowly, her gaze skimmed down her assistant’s body, lingering on the tiny little belly mound she hadn’t noticed until that moment. “So how far along are you?”
A smile stretched Nina’s face wide. “Almost three months.”
“And Duwayne?”
“He’s beside himself with excitement.”
“Is that why you haven’t been eating very well?”
Nina shrugged.
“And why you’ve been feeling a little sluggish lately?”
“I guess.”
“You guess?”
“I didn’t find out until last night.”
“Last night?” Tori echoed.
Nina nodded. “I wasn’t really paying attention to the calendar, just figured things got off-kilter a bit when my mamma was so sick last month. But then when I realized I still hadn’t started, and put it together with how I’ve been feeling lately, I started to think maybe. Just maybe. So I got a test at Leeson’s Market yesterday on the way home from work and took it after dinner. You should have seen Duwayne’s face when I walked into the room and set it on his lap.”
Tori took hold of Nina’s forearm and led her to the information desk. “So, if you’re three months along, this baby should be due in late September or early October?”
“That’s what Duwayne and I have come up with. I guess the doctor will tell us more.”
“Do you have an appointment?” she asked.
“Yes, I have an appointment. I called first thing this morning and set something up for tomorrow afternoon.” Nina waved her hands in protest as Tori guided her to the stool. “I don’t need to sit down. Really, I’m fine.”
She stared in awe at her assistant. “Oh, Nina, I’m just so excited for the two of you. You guys are going to make great parents.”
“I hope so. I’ve certainly learned a lot from watching you this past year or so.”
“Me?” She blinked back the confusion her assistant’s words created. “You mean Melissa?”
“No. I mean you. The way you are with every single child that comes into the library.” Nina wandered over to the list and plucked it off the counter. “You’re endlessly patient, always creative, constantly cheerful, and exactly the kind of person that’s going to be a wonderful mom one day. Just like I want to be.”
“You will be, of that I have no doubt.” She willed herself to focus on Nina rather than the uncertainty her assistant’s words had kicked off. “And I consider myself lucky that I’ll have the opportunity to live motherhood vicariously through you.”
“Until you and Milo get married and have one of your own.”
Milo.
Her shoulders slumped.
“Miss Sinclair? Is everything okay?”
She shrugged. “It’ll be fine. Really.” Leaning against the stool, she allowed her mind to travel six months into the future. “So? What’s