“It isn’t, but at this point, I’m willing to try anything.” She sat up and took a tentative sip of the brew. When it went down easy and stayed down, she took another. “Thank you.”

“I’m sorry you’re feeling so poorly.”

“I keep waiting for Owen to say enough already with the hot mess he’s shackled himself to.”

“That’s not going to happen, and you know it. He’s crazy about you.”

“I’m still trying to figure out why when all he’s seen me do is breed and puke since we’ve been together.”

Sarah’s silent laughter brought tears to the older woman’s eyes. “I’d venture to say he’s probably seen a few other things in you besides those two endearing qualities.”

“You are far too kind,” Laura said with a smile for the woman who would be her mother-in-law before too much longer. “Enough about me. How was your night with Charlie?”

Sarah’s cheeks flamed with color.

“That good, huh?”

“I had no idea,” she said softly. “All this time… I didn’t know.”

“I’m so happy for you, Sarah, and for Charlie, too,” Laura said. “You so deserve this amazing second chance.”

“When I think about how I could’ve lived my whole life without knowing that was possible…”

“So you…” Laura rolled her hand, hoping Sarah would dish the details.

“Not everything, but what we did was incredible. And,” Sarah said, lowering her voice to a whisper, “he said he loves me.”

“Why are you even here this morning? You should be with him!”

“Because I knew you’d need me, and being here for you is also important to me.”

“Sarah! For crying out loud, go back to him.”

Sarah laughed at Laura’s outrage. “It’s fine, honey. I’ll see him again later.”

Laura’s eyes filled with tears, and before she knew it, they were sliding down her cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” Sarah asked, alarmed by Laura’s sudden breakdown.

“Nothing.” Laura swiped at the stupid tears that were almost as annoying as the nausea. Both were a byproduct of pregnancy that she would rather live without. “I’m so happy for you. I can’t even begin to tell you… Having you here with us, helping me through this first year with Holden and taking care of all of us and teaching me so much about the hotel… It means the world to me. I feel like I have a mother again for the first time since I was nine.”