abdomen. It didn’t matter anyway. The only thing that did matter was
her baby and somehow she needed to remain calm.
“Are
you okay?” Jonas sounded shaken.
She
looked at him and the worry on his face humbled her. He really cared and she
was just a blubbering mess. She attempted to smile but she knew she failed.
“I’m fine.”
“Was
it something I said or did? If you didn’t want me to hold you like that you
could have told me. I understand. It’s just that I figured I’d never get the
chance to feel a baby move like that again. It was selfish of me.”
“Why—”
“Here
it is, dinner folks, eggplant parmesan with linguini.” He held his hand up.
“Try it before you deny it.”
Jonas
laughed. “Try it before you deny it? Sure why not.” He popped a bit into his
mouth, nodding his head. “Good advice. This is good.”
“Of
course it is.” Richard kissed her on top of the head. “Call me if you need me.
Oh the restaurant is running just fine. We’ve had a great crowd each night and
Shayna is a doll!”
“I’m
so glad.” Her heart lightened. “Well, what are you standing around chatting
for? You have a restaurant to run.”
Richard
gave her a mock salute and headed out the door.
“He’s
a good guy,” Jonas commented.
“He
is.”
“Dee
Ann will be here tomorrow.”
“I
hope she comes early so she can take a look at your leg.”
He
turned red and shifted in his seat. “She’ll be able to help with the horses.”
He
obviously had it bad for Dee Ann and why not, she was a smart, beautiful, thin
woman. It hurt but everything seemed to hurt lately and Jonas was a free man. A
free man with big shoulders and a sexy rear-end.
She
put her plate on the coffee table.
“You
didn’t eat much. Can I get you something else?” Jonas asked.
“No,
I love Richard’s food. I’m just not that hungry. I’m sure I’ll be famished
tomorrow. Do you need help getting to bed?”
“No,
I’m fine. I’ll be up for a bit anyway. Mel will stop over and make sure we’re
fine.”
She
carefully stood. “I’ll just do these dishes.”
“No,
you won’t. Leave them, you look tired.”
“I
am tired. See you in the morning then.” She slowly walked to her room, gladly
closed the door and sat on her bed. In here she didn’t have to hide her
feelings, not that she was doing such a hot job of fooling anyone. Sighing, she
grabbed her gigantic nightgown. Maybe if she had eased into bigger sizes
instead of instant baby-bump it would have been less shocking.
Avoiding
the mirror she got undressed and put her nightgown on. The big bed looked so
inviting. She lay down and snuggled under the blanket. The nights were getting
a bit cooler. She closed her eyes, expecting sleep to take her. Instead her
mind kept whirling. She liked Dee Ann but she dreaded her visit. Why did Jonas
think that he’d never have another chance to touch a pregnant woman? Did that
part of him get injured too? He and Dee Ann would need time alone. How was she going
to be able to bear them being together?
She
heard Mel come into the house. The murmur of voices went on for quite a while.
There was a strange clanking sound on the wooden floor and she couldn’t figure
out what she was hearing until Jonas uttered, “I hate these damn crutches.”
Finally, everything was quiet.
Still,
sleep escaped her. A loud cry came from Jonas’ room and she got right up and went
to him. He sat up in bed wearing a T-shirt. He was holding his leg under the
covers, gritting his teeth and his face had drained of all color.
She
hurried to his side. “How can I help?”
“Oh,
hell! I don’t want you to see me like this. Hand me the jar on my dresser, then
I’ll be fine.”
She
spotted it right away and brought it over to him. “Do you want me to rub it
in?”
“Go
back to bed.” His face contorted in pain.
“I
think—”
“Just
go, please,” he pleaded.
She
stared at him, assessing him. He was in so much pain, but he didn’t want
her baby and somehow she needed to remain calm.
“Are
you okay?” Jonas sounded shaken.
She
looked at him and the worry on his face humbled her. He really cared and she
was just a blubbering mess. She attempted to smile but she knew she failed.
“I’m fine.”
“Was
it something I said or did? If you didn’t want me to hold you like that you
could have told me. I understand. It’s just that I figured I’d never get the
chance to feel a baby move like that again. It was selfish of me.”
“Why—”
“Here
it is, dinner folks, eggplant parmesan with linguini.” He held his hand up.
“Try it before you deny it.”
Jonas
laughed. “Try it before you deny it? Sure why not.” He popped a bit into his
mouth, nodding his head. “Good advice. This is good.”
“Of
course it is.” Richard kissed her on top of the head. “Call me if you need me.
Oh the restaurant is running just fine. We’ve had a great crowd each night and
Shayna is a doll!”
“I’m
so glad.” Her heart lightened. “Well, what are you standing around chatting
for? You have a restaurant to run.”
Richard
gave her a mock salute and headed out the door.
“He’s
a good guy,” Jonas commented.
“He
is.”
“Dee
Ann will be here tomorrow.”
“I
hope she comes early so she can take a look at your leg.”
He
turned red and shifted in his seat. “She’ll be able to help with the horses.”
He
obviously had it bad for Dee Ann and why not, she was a smart, beautiful, thin
woman. It hurt but everything seemed to hurt lately and Jonas was a free man. A
free man with big shoulders and a sexy rear-end.
She
put her plate on the coffee table.
“You
didn’t eat much. Can I get you something else?” Jonas asked.
“No,
I love Richard’s food. I’m just not that hungry. I’m sure I’ll be famished
tomorrow. Do you need help getting to bed?”
“No,
I’m fine. I’ll be up for a bit anyway. Mel will stop over and make sure we’re
fine.”
She
carefully stood. “I’ll just do these dishes.”
“No,
you won’t. Leave them, you look tired.”
“I
am tired. See you in the morning then.” She slowly walked to her room, gladly
closed the door and sat on her bed. In here she didn’t have to hide her
feelings, not that she was doing such a hot job of fooling anyone. Sighing, she
grabbed her gigantic nightgown. Maybe if she had eased into bigger sizes
instead of instant baby-bump it would have been less shocking.
Avoiding
the mirror she got undressed and put her nightgown on. The big bed looked so
inviting. She lay down and snuggled under the blanket. The nights were getting
a bit cooler. She closed her eyes, expecting sleep to take her. Instead her
mind kept whirling. She liked Dee Ann but she dreaded her visit. Why did Jonas
think that he’d never have another chance to touch a pregnant woman? Did that
part of him get injured too? He and Dee Ann would need time alone. How was she going
to be able to bear them being together?
She
heard Mel come into the house. The murmur of voices went on for quite a while.
There was a strange clanking sound on the wooden floor and she couldn’t figure
out what she was hearing until Jonas uttered, “I hate these damn crutches.”
Finally, everything was quiet.
Still,
sleep escaped her. A loud cry came from Jonas’ room and she got right up and went
to him. He sat up in bed wearing a T-shirt. He was holding his leg under the
covers, gritting his teeth and his face had drained of all color.
She
hurried to his side. “How can I help?”
“Oh,
hell! I don’t want you to see me like this. Hand me the jar on my dresser, then
I’ll be fine.”
She
spotted it right away and brought it over to him. “Do you want me to rub it
in?”
“Go
back to bed.” His face contorted in pain.
“I
think—”
“Just
go, please,” he pleaded.
She
stared at him, assessing him. He was in so much pain, but he didn’t want
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