think is right, but this would be for you.”
“Wow. You’ve been thinking about this for a while.”
“I guess I have, but it hit me. The rightness of it. And the…urgency.”
Really? Was it right? Urgent? Or…terrifying? She lifted a brow, still as puzzled by this sudden change as the very topic itself. “I appreciate you saying it’s for me, but let’s be frank. A baby belongs to two people.” And those two people belonged to each other, at least in a perfect world.
But was he offering a perfect world or a perfect solution?
“Of course,” he agreed. “That’s ideal, but what I’m trying to say is don’t let that stop you. You want a baby. You said you want a baby more than life itself. I want to give you…everything you want. Why wouldn’t we at least try?”
She took a slow breath and set the glass on the table, like he did, and probably for the same reason. The crystal would be much safer there than in her slightly trembling hand.
“I did try,” she said. “I told you it didn’t work.” As excuses went, it was weak, but it was all she had in the face of this bombshell detonating in front of her.
“I’ll go with you to a doctor or a specialist, if you like.”
The offer touched her, making her squeeze his hand. “That’s not necessary. The insemination didn’t take.”
His eyes flickered at the words. “So clinical.”
“Oh, it was.” She smiled and dropped back, sliding a look at him. “Cold and uncomfortable.”
“Maybe that’s why you didn’t get pregnant.”
She shot him a look. “Uh, sorry to go all doctor on you here, but that’s not how it works.”
“Really?” He lifted a shoulder. “I’ve heard stories of people who got pregnant only when they stopped trying. Or adopted a baby after years of infertility, only to find out they’re expecting six months later. Maybe you didn’t have your head in the right place.”
She laughed. “The head’s not involved in reproduction, darling.”
“I know, but one thing I can promise, E.” He lifted her hands and kissed them. “It won’t be clinical or cold.”
From way deep in her belly, something awakened and fluttered. Something like a thousand aching, dancing, hungry butterflies. There was no question they’d been on their way to the bedroom, but…a baby? “I guess it would be fun to try.”
He smiled. “Understatement of the year.”
For a moment, she didn’t say anything, but blew out another breath, trying to control the whirlwind of emotions that whipped through her. Hope—God, so much of that—and joy and fear and gratitude, all exploding like a glitter bomb in her chest.
Finally, she reached for her glass and took a deep drink.
“Did something happen today?” she asked, still not quite getting this rather sudden shift. “One of your grannies talk you into this? Your uncle? I heard he’s done a fair bit of matchmaking to get all his kids married off, too.” Then she caught herself. “Not that you’re suggesting that.”
“What I’m suggesting is something I promised you a long time ago. You might not remember that once I wrote—”
She put her hand on his arm. “I remember.”
“You do?” He looked a little stricken, like a man who wouldn’t want to have made promises he didn’t keep.
“But life happened, Dec.” Actually, death. And they both knew it. “I’m not holding you to anything you wrote that morning.”
“I’m holding myself to it, and damn it, Evie, it’s not too late. It’s what you want. A baby. You’ll never find a better person for the job.”
“Talk about an understatement.”
“No, I mean in terms of giving you exactly what you want. The freedom to do what you want and live how you want…with your baby that I could make with you.”
But without him right next to her every minute? She appreciated the wildly generous offer, but still doubted it would work out that way. “I don’t really know what I want anymore,” she admitted.
“Well, start with a baby. You know you want that.”
“Yes,” she answered without hesitation. “But it isn’t even only the baby, because obviously, that only lasts a few years. But a child. A son or daughter. A friend. A person who’ll be there when I’m old and care about the family treasures and take my advice and maybe give some of their own.” Her voice cracked as emotion welled up.
He scooted closer, taking both her hands. “What I’m trying to say is you don’t have to make it a package deal. You don’t have to take me to