Barbara McMahon – The Pregnancy Promise (страница 4)

“In this day and age it is. Who do you know who’s still married when their kids graduate college?”

“My parents for one. My grandparents are all alive, all four. There has only been one divorce in our family in three generations,” she said. “But marriage isn’t necessary. Mostly I want someone committed to being a dad. Someone who will love our child as much as I will.”

“Weigh the chances and the parameters you have to work with. See what level of comfort you can stand and go for it. It may be single motherhood is the cost of a child.”

“I guess I have some serious thinking to do.”

“Want something to eat while doing that serious thinking?”

“Can you cook?” Lianne knew he could order pizza with the best of them, but she’d never had a reason to know if he could cook. It gave a different dimension to him.

“I can manage eggs and toast,” he said.

“I think there’s only dry cereal and oatmeal.”

“I’ll manage, you rest.” He stood up and walked out of the bedroom.

Lianne breathed a sigh of relief. Tray was too energetic for the way she felt. She meant what she said—she had some serious decisions to make. Could she find someone to fall in love with on demand? Tray already promised to introduce her to an eligible man. Her sisters would, she knew. Some friends had been trying to fix her up for years, but she’d always had her work. And Tray—as Annalise said.

Lianne didn’t want to return to work. She wanted to stay at the cottage and gather her resources a bit before returning home. Yet if Tray was going to introduce her to someone he thought she might like, maybe the sooner done the better. She hoped this month’s bout of pain vanished soon.

Tray brought up oatmeal and tea. He sat beside her and matched her spoonful for spoonful. She thought it funny he would eat so plainly, and drink tea when she knew he devoured coffee all day long. A couple of times during the meal, she caught Tray studying her. Lianne wanted to squirm under his intense regard, but did her best to appear unconcerned propped up against the headboard. The pills were beginning to take effect and she felt marginally better. She appreciated his taking care of her. She never expected that. Fighting terrorists or kidnappers, yes, taking care of a sick friend—no. Showed she really didn’t know all she could about him.

“Are you tabulating every flaw to pass on to your friend?” she finally asked.

“No, I’m mentally listing all the attributes I think will have him falling over himself to date you. You’re prettier than I noticed before.”

She felt a spurt of amusement. “Thanks, I think.”

“Well, we don’t have that kind of relationship. I never noticed how pretty you are.”

“You have your own bevy of female companions,” she said. “I bet they’re all beautiful.” She’d seen several over the years—always model thin and glam.

“The old adage about beauty only being skin deep still applies.” He looked down at his tea, slowly lifting the cup to sip.

Lianne wondered what she might have said to cause that pensive—no almost pained look. Had he and a girlfriend just broken up? She tried to remember the last woman in his life. Suzette or Suzanne or something like that. Occasionally she heard him talking to her on the phone. Tray also kept his personal life out of the office.

She suddenly realized she knew very little about her boss beyond the day-to-day operations of the business. How odd. After working closely together for so long, they should know more about each other.

“What does this Mark look like?” she asked.

“He’s about my height. Has sandy color hair. He’s really interested in football, follows major league teams all season long. Goes to the same gym I go to”

Lianne wondered if she’d like that. She knew something about football, with five brothers, how could she not? But she wasn’t a passionate fan. “What else?”

“He’s in advertising, doing very well.”

She wrinkled her nose.

“Not something you like?”

“Too much cajoling people to buy stuff they don’t need.”

“Part of the economy.”

“I guess. Is he from Washington?” she asked.

“Not originally. From the Midwest somewhere, but has lived in DC for a dozen years or more. I think he went to Georgetown University and just stayed. You two would have great kids together.”

“I’ll reserve judgment until I meet the man,” she murmured. “Did you get the Schribner file?”

The conversation changed to business and Lianne and Tray fell into their familiar pattern of discussing clients and the various needs, who would be good to handle certain aspects and the shortfalls of one of the newer recruits.

By the time their meal was finished, Lianne felt better, physically and mentally. Talking with Tray pulled her back into the work arena and had her temporarily forget the ticking clock. She’d give anything to be normal, but since she wasn’t, maybe she should take a page from Tray’s book and find a way around the problem.

Once breakfast was finished, she expected him to take off. Instead he said he’d hang out for a while and let her sleep.

Whenever she awoke, he was nearby, offering tea or food. Somewhere during the day, he’d gone out and bought groceries. Lunch was more substantial than breakfast and dinner was almost a feast.

Tray left after dinner but promised to return the next morning, despite Lianne’s protests.

The next day, Lianne felt better. She had made it through another month. “You don’t have to wait on me, I’ll be fine now,” she said at breakfast, eaten downstairs this morning after a quick shower and clean clothes. She still felt awkward at Tray’s newfound concern for her.

“There are things waiting at the office,” he said, slowly.

“Go. I’ll be in tomorrow for sure.”

“I can wait,” he said. “Give you a ride back.”

“No need. I have my car, so have to drive it back anyway.”

“If you’re sure?”

“I am.”

She walked him out to his car a short time later, wondering if any neighbors were around to see the sleek black sports car, which was a testimony to his success. Lianne rarely saw the car without wishing she could drive it, just once. She’d love to ride up to her parents’ home when the entire family was gathered. Her brother Sean especially would turn green with envy.

“I’ll be in tomorrow,” she said.

Tray nodded and said, “Just don’t leave me to Jenny for long.”

“She’s not that bad. You frighten her,” Lianne said. “Be nice to her, she’ll do fine.”

“I’m always nice,” he said as he prepared to leave. He touched her shoulder. Lianne resisted the impulse to lean against him for strength. She wanted to keep their relationship normal. She couldn’t take any more distractions at this point.

Lianne watched as he drove away. Nice was not the word she’d use to describe her boss. But sometimes he could be kind. She walked back out to the beach, wishing the sun was shining brightly and children were playing on the sand. Instead she had the lonely cry of the gulls to keep her company on a blustery day.

Tray drove back to the city reviewing the business awaiting his attention. Maybe he hadn’t needed to seek out Lianne, but he’d wanted to see for himself that she was all right. Finding out she wasn’t had shaken him. She’d always seemed indestructible. He never remembered her sick before. These past two days had shown a vulnerability that startled him. And brought out protective instincts he hadn’t known he had. Meeting her sister had also been a surprise. She looked exactly like Lianne. At first, he’d thought his assistant had gotten married and planned to quit her job. He’d been relieved and intrigued to discover the twin connection. What other surprises would he discover if he hung around her longer?

The revelation that she might not be able to have children—and longed to have them—had been another. Not that they’d ever discussed lifelong dreams, but she was devoted to work. Of course she had a private life. She didn’t go into hibernation at night and reappear at the office the next morning. He felt he was seeing Lianne in three dimension for the first time.

Life was so unfair. He’d known that since he’d been a small boy bewildered when he learned of the death of his mother and his father’s abandonment. But it still astounded him sometimes.

Like now. Lianne wanted a baby so badly and had no one to make one with. While Suzanne had been pregnant with their child and ended its life.

CHAPTER TWO

LIANNE arrived at work early Thursday morning. She had her coffee in hand and was prioritizing her phone calls when Tray entered her small office and looked at her.

“I hoped you’d be back in today. How are you feeling?”

“Back to normal, thank you.” She felt awkward and embarrassed remembering him preparing her meals.

“Good. Mark’s meeting me for lunch. I thought the three of us could go together.”

“Today?” she asked, surprised Tray had acted so quickly in lining someone up. She half thought he’d been giving her lip service.

“No time like the present. Mark will be here at noon.” With that he disappeared down the hall.

The phone rang and Lianne’s day began.

As noon approached, Lianne grew more and more nervous. She’d never met anyone before with the deliberate intent of seeing if they could hit it off enough to get involved. How far would it go—to marriage? She thought when the right man came along she’d recognize him immediately and be swept off her feet. Now she felt like some of the man-hungry women she’d read about out for only a meal ticket. Only in her case it was a baby ticket. Was she wrong to try for a family? She would miss so much from life if she never had a child of her own.