This time reading the instructions carefully, she took the test again. She washed her hands as she stared at the test carefully, not taking her eyes off it, as if a little gremlin had switched the last test to pull a sick joke on her.

When the test came back the same way the first one had, she picked it up, as if it would change just from her touch.

Swallowing hard, she opened the door. Expecting Ginny to be there, she went in search for her in the living room. But when she entered the room, she saw Matthew sitting with his hands in his lap. He must have left his shop in such a rush because he was still wearing the gloves he used when he worked in the forge.

Hearing her enter the room, he lifted his head. From the hopeful look in his eyes, Ginny must have told him what she was doing in the bathroom.

“We shouldn’t get our hopes up until I go to the doctor’s office to get another test,” she said huskily.

“Does it say you’re pregnant?”

She nodded in dismay. “This can’t be accurate, Matthew. I’ve seen several doctors who told me it’s impossible for me to become pregnant.”

He nodded back at her. “Then we won’t get our hopes up until we know for sure. I’ll call—”

Ginny cleared her throat from the kitchen. “I just called my obstetrician. She’s going to work you into her schedule.” Ginny went to a glass tray beside the door. “Here, you can take my car.”

Removing his gloves, he handed them to Ginny then took the car keys. “Ready?”

Bemused, she followed him to Ginny’s car.

The whole way to town, neither of them spoke. After parking, Matthew was out of the car and opening her door before she could even unbuckle her seat belt.

“There’s no way, Matthew.” She tearfully took his hand.

“Alanna, I’m going to love you the same way I love you now, when we go in that door, as when we come out.”

Gathering her courage, she was already preparing herself to feel the bitter pang of disappointment until she looked up into his face. He was smiling down at her with the full wealth of the love he felt for her.

Gripping his hand tighter, she pulled it to her cheek, feeling the soothing warmth that never failed to calm her.

“Fire isn’t your gift.”

“It is—”

“No, being able to start a fire is just a part of you. Your true gift is how you make people feel, how you make me feel.”

“How do I make you feel?” he asked hoarsely.

She could answer him with one simple word.

“Loved.”

Alanna looked up from watching the tiny hand clutching her finger at the sound of the bedroom door being opened.