back to the nursery. “We’re not buying, Em, you said so yourself. We’re just…looking.”
“Yes,” she hissed again, giving in to a sigh as the grinning salesman approached, numerous dollar signs flashing in his eyes. “But I can’t even afford to look at that set. It’s far too expensive.” And it nearly broke her heart. The display nursery was breathtaking, absolutely the ideal dream room any mother could ever have for their newborn, but she couldn’t afford to spend more than she’d saved, especially right now.
She’d managed to tuck away quite a bit of money during the past few months, money that she hoped would tide her over in an emergency. With babies, you never knew what could pop up, and she wanted to be prepared for every eventuality.
“And don’t forget Josh, I just ordered all that paint and wallpaper for the rest of the house, and have to pay for that when it comes on Friday.” She wanted the house totally redone and ready before she actually had the baby. Since Josh and his brothers had offered to do the labor this weekend, she felt she could splurge and order some paint and wallpaper that she hoped would give the house a face-lift.
“Em,” Josh said, scratching his brow, refusing to budge in spite of her nudging. “I told you before. I’ll be more than happy to lend you the money for the nursery furniture.” He shrugged. “I can afford it, and then you can pay me back…whenever.” He knew she’d been concerned about money as well as getting the nursery ready, and he wanted to relieve her of at least one thing—if she’d just let him.
“Josh.” Em closed her eyes with a sigh, trying not to lose her patience. She’d finally come to understand that Josh was not trying to undermine her, nor was he trying to interfere, he was just being…Josh. The wonderful person she’d always known, who’d been raised to help someone—anyone in need. Her gaze searched his face. “Look, I know you just want to help, and I appreciate it, I truly do, but Josh, you know I can’t and won’t take money from you.” She softened her words with a smile. “Not now. Not ever.” She’d been absolutely adamant about it since the day she’d returned home.
Josh rocked back on his heels and looked at her carefully. “Not even if it means Baby Cakes has to sleep in a dresser drawer?” The mere thought alarmed him. After what had happened in Doc Haggerty’s office this morning, feeling the intense, immense connection he felt to Baby Cakes, Josh wanted to make sure she had anything and everything she could ever want or need.
“A dresser drawer?” Em laughed. “I think you’re being just a bit melodramatic, Josh,” she said, linking her arm through his and steering him out of reach of the salesman who was bearing down on them. “It’s not that bad. And anyway, do you remember last Sunday when we helped Mrs. O’Connor set up for her garage sale?”
“Yeah,” he said with a frown, letting Em lead him out of the store and into the bright afternoon sunlight. “What about it?” He fished in his pocket for his car keys, knowing he’d have to open the doors to let the car cool a bit before she got in. The temperatures had soared into the high nineties and he worried about her being out in the heat for too long.
“Well, she and I started talking about the baby. And she told me she had an antique cradle that had been her great-grandmother’s.”
Josh stopped. “Great-grandmother’s?” he repeated with a frown, unlocking the car door for her. “Em, Mrs. O’Connor has to be…”
“She’s eighty-two, Josh,” Em supplied with a grin.
“Eighty-two?” Josh shook his head, calculating. “So that means the cradle had to be a couple of hundred years old.”
“Yep.” Em grinned. “And it’s beautiful, Josh.” She signed dreamily. “Just beautiful.” She dragged herself from her thoughts and glanced up at him, surprised to find him watching her intently.
Whenever he looked at
“Yes,” she hissed again, giving in to a sigh as the grinning salesman approached, numerous dollar signs flashing in his eyes. “But I can’t even afford to look at that set. It’s far too expensive.” And it nearly broke her heart. The display nursery was breathtaking, absolutely the ideal dream room any mother could ever have for their newborn, but she couldn’t afford to spend more than she’d saved, especially right now.
She’d managed to tuck away quite a bit of money during the past few months, money that she hoped would tide her over in an emergency. With babies, you never knew what could pop up, and she wanted to be prepared for every eventuality.
“And don’t forget Josh, I just ordered all that paint and wallpaper for the rest of the house, and have to pay for that when it comes on Friday.” She wanted the house totally redone and ready before she actually had the baby. Since Josh and his brothers had offered to do the labor this weekend, she felt she could splurge and order some paint and wallpaper that she hoped would give the house a face-lift.
“Em,” Josh said, scratching his brow, refusing to budge in spite of her nudging. “I told you before. I’ll be more than happy to lend you the money for the nursery furniture.” He shrugged. “I can afford it, and then you can pay me back…whenever.” He knew she’d been concerned about money as well as getting the nursery ready, and he wanted to relieve her of at least one thing—if she’d just let him.
“Josh.” Em closed her eyes with a sigh, trying not to lose her patience. She’d finally come to understand that Josh was not trying to undermine her, nor was he trying to interfere, he was just being…Josh. The wonderful person she’d always known, who’d been raised to help someone—anyone in need. Her gaze searched his face. “Look, I know you just want to help, and I appreciate it, I truly do, but Josh, you know I can’t and won’t take money from you.” She softened her words with a smile. “Not now. Not ever.” She’d been absolutely adamant about it since the day she’d returned home.
Josh rocked back on his heels and looked at her carefully. “Not even if it means Baby Cakes has to sleep in a dresser drawer?” The mere thought alarmed him. After what had happened in Doc Haggerty’s office this morning, feeling the intense, immense connection he felt to Baby Cakes, Josh wanted to make sure she had anything and everything she could ever want or need.
“A dresser drawer?” Em laughed. “I think you’re being just a bit melodramatic, Josh,” she said, linking her arm through his and steering him out of reach of the salesman who was bearing down on them. “It’s not that bad. And anyway, do you remember last Sunday when we helped Mrs. O’Connor set up for her garage sale?”
“Yeah,” he said with a frown, letting Em lead him out of the store and into the bright afternoon sunlight. “What about it?” He fished in his pocket for his car keys, knowing he’d have to open the doors to let the car cool a bit before she got in. The temperatures had soared into the high nineties and he worried about her being out in the heat for too long.
“Well, she and I started talking about the baby. And she told me she had an antique cradle that had been her great-grandmother’s.”
Josh stopped. “Great-grandmother’s?” he repeated with a frown, unlocking the car door for her. “Em, Mrs. O’Connor has to be…”
“She’s eighty-two, Josh,” Em supplied with a grin.
“Eighty-two?” Josh shook his head, calculating. “So that means the cradle had to be a couple of hundred years old.”
“Yep.” Em grinned. “And it’s beautiful, Josh.” She signed dreamily. “Just beautiful.” She dragged herself from her thoughts and glanced up at him, surprised to find him watching her intently.
Whenever he looked at
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