Baby For The Mountain Man

He shook his head. “No. Never.”

CHAPTER 30

Joanna

Four months later

“Oh my goodness, Tobias. You really went all out for this,” I said, glancing around the office, dumbfounded. I had initially planned a baby shower, but then fell in love with the idea of having a gender reveal party instead. And Tobias had happily offered to let me hold it at the office.

“That way, all our co-workers can attend,” he’d said.

What I hadn’t expected was for him to completely transform the place. Decorations practically lined every inch of the walls, there was an enormous and gorgeous cake in the corner, and banners hung everywhere, teasing, ‘Boy or Girl.’

It brought tears to my eyes.

Tobias laughed. “You sure are an emotional little thing these days, aren’t you?”

I playfully slapped his arm and then hugged him. “It’s the hormones!” I said.

He kissed the top of my head. “Ahh, that’s right. I’d forgotten about that.”

Moments later, Anderson rounded the corner. “Okay, the food should be here soon,” he announced. “But I have a little early treat for you.” Grinning, he produced a tub of strawberry ice cream from behind his back.

“You are too good to me,” I said, smiling.

Anderson grinned and kissed me.

“All right. I’m cool with it, but it doesn’t mean I want to actually see it,” Tobias said, giving a disgusted shudder that made both Anderson and I laugh.

Slowly but surely, the office began to fill as our guests arrived.

“So what time are we doing the big reveal?” Libby asked after the food had arrived.

“When everyone is done eating, I guess,” I said, glancing toward Anderson.

He shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, don’t look at me. You run the show,” he said.

“Oh, Joanna, he is a keeper,” Libby said, laughing. “He already knows the rules!” She looped her arm through mine. “Come on, let’s mingle and then eat.”

“Sounds good to me,” I said. “Even though I feel guilty. I ate another tub of ice cream already. I’m going to be big as a house when this is all over.” I rubbed my stomach, which had just started to show.

Libby laughed. “Girl, this is the one time in your life when it is perfectly fine to eat what you want! Enjoy it!”

I laughed, letting her walk me around the office to greet our guests. A time or two, I could have sworn she glanced over my shoulder, making eye contact with someone and winking.

“Libby, what are you doing?” I asked, catching her in the act again. I tried to follow her gaze, but couldn’t determine who she was looking at. All I noticed was Anderson. He was wearing an equally goofy expression, making me think they were up to something.

“Oh nothing,” she said. “So, what do you want to eat? Want me to fix your plate?”

“Sure…”

“Okay, I think it’s officially time,” Tobias announced. He had Libby had pulled two chairs to the middle of the room for me and Anderson, after everyone had eaten and mingled for a while. “Can we get our guests of honor over here to take their seats?”

Anderson grabbed my hand, and we made our way over. He and I already knew the gender of our future bundle of joy, but it was exciting to watch everyone else eagerly waiting. He squeezed my hand as we sat, and Tobias and a couple of our co-workers began pushing a large box toward us.

“You do the honors,” Anderson said.

“Let’s do a countdown,” Libby said. “Ten…nine…eight…” she began, and everyone else joined in.