A Camden's Baby Secret by Victoria Pade

together for Sunday dinner every week? Should you have movie nights and arrange fun stuff for everyone to do together? I suppose you have to make it work for you and the Tellers and Greta, so there might be variations of all that, but sure. Were you not thinking about being Greta’s family now? Because you are... Along with the Tellers, of course, but they won’t be around forever. And you aren’t just loaning rooms out in your house.”
    â€œI guess I didn’t really think about any of that,” he admitted, frowning as they began to take things from the formal dining room into Callan’s ultracontemporary kitchen.
    Neither of them said anything as they made a few trips to clear the dining room. Livi had the impression that he was contemplating what seemed to have been a revelation to him. She left him to it as she packaged leftovers and he rinsed plates and put them in the dishwasher.
    They’d just about finished when Kinsey came in to say that Maeve and John Sr. were in bed for the night and she was leaving, that she would be back the next morning.
    Livi thought she should say good-night, too, and walk out with the nurse. But the kitchen wasn’t completely clean. The dining room table needed to be washed off. And she had volunteered to help...
    Oh, who was she kidding? She just wasn’t eager to have her time there end yet.
    Callan said only a perfunctory good-night to the nurse, without casting a glance in her direction, as he loaded the dishwasher.
    He didn’t seem to hear Kinsey say in a more casual, genial voice to Livi, “Get some rest tonight.”
    â€œYou, too,” Livi countered.
    Then Kinsey said a general “See you all tomorrow” that only Livi answered, and left.
    When she had, Callan’s attention was solely on Livi again.
    â€œDidn’t you sleep well last night?” he asked.
    No, she hadn’t slept well. Not with that doctor’s appointment this morning on her mind. But she didn’t want to mention that, so she said, “I was up early to leave Northbridge—the same way Kinsey was. We were commiserating before you got here.” It was Livi’s turn to pause before she said, “She’s nice...”
    Callan shrugged. “Kinsey? Yeah, she is,” he agreed vaguely. “I haven’t had a whole lot of interaction with her—she keeps me updated, but she’s just sort of...around, doing her job. But yeah, she’s nice enough.”
    â€œShe’s pretty, too,” Livi said, confused by why she had such a need to push this with him. But she did. “Is she single? I’ve never heard her mention anyone.”
    â€œMaeve says she is—I think it was some kind of hint that I should take a look or something.” More ambiguity.
    â€œBut you didn’t?”
    â€œNah,” he said, as if he couldn’t give it a second thought.
    And yet Livi was still compelled to test. “I was thinking that I might fix her up. I know a few single men she might like...”
    â€œJust don’t get her all wrapped up in some new romance until I can spare her around here.”
    The fact that he was so focused on Kinsey’s work—and nothing else about the pretty nurse—made Livi feel worlds better as she went into the dining room to wipe down the table.
    When she returned to the kitchen, Callan had that finished, too, and after rinsing the sponge she’d used and handing it to him to put away, it occurred to her that there was nothing more holding her there.
    â€œI should probably get going, too,” she said.
    â€œThere’s no rush...”
    Because he wanted her to stay or because he was being polite?
    It didn’t matter, she told herself. She’d come to welcome Greta, she’d pitched in out of good manners and now it was time to go.
    Like it or not...
    â€œIt’s been a long day,” she replied, repeating what she’d said earlier to Kinsey.