“I don’t want to be sick all summer,” she said with a moan. “It’s so awful.”

“I know, honey, but I’ll be right there with you, just like I was last time, and we’ll get through it together. And in a few months, we’ll have another baby to love as much as we love Holden.”

“Don’t get too excited before we know for sure.”

She was right, yet he had a sneaking suspicion that he was right, too. It would explain a lot about why she’d been feeling so poorly. “Hmm, let’s examine the evidence, shall we? Exhibit A: feeling crappy for more than a week.” He rested a hand on her flat belly, where there was no sign of a new life growing inside her—yet. She’d bounced right back to her pre-baby figure after giving birth to Holden in February. His hand moved from her belly to her chest, cupping a full breast.

“Don’t. They hurt.”

“Ah-ha! Exhibit B: sore boobs, and, might I add, a bit bigger than usual. Not that I’m complaining.”

She sniffled as new tears flooded her eyes. “Owen.”

He cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. “I love you. I love everything about you. I even love you when you’re puking. If you’re pregnant, I’ll take very good care of you and Holden, so don’t worry about anything.”

She banged her head against his chest repeatedly until he laughed and stopped her by holding her tight against him.

“When can we find out for sure?” he asked.

“Tomorrow,” she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.

“I want to come.”

“You already did. That’s what got me into this mess.”

Owen roared with laughter, thrilled by her, by them, by their amazing life together. And now, maybe, another child… For a guy who’d grown up in the midst of violence and fear, life didn’t get any sweeter than this.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Stephanie kept a watchful eye on Grant as he sat at the bar in her restaurant, pushing food around on his plate and nursing a beer. Under normal circumstances, he would’ve cleaned his plate and been on his second beer by now. He’d be shooting the shit with the other people at the bar, doing what he did best—telling stories. But tonight he kept his head down and didn’t engage with anyone, even the bartender Cissy, who’d become a friend to both of them.

Cissy caught Stephanie’s glance and sent her a questioning look.

Stephanie shrugged. She wished she knew what had him so withdrawn, but he wasn’t talking about it, at least not to her. She also wanted to know where he’d really been earlier. Had he heard that Abby was home and gone to see her?