Her Motherhood Wish (Parent Portal 3)

Yeah. He was surprised she’d known that.

My dad used to make them.

Right. An uneducated man, like Wood. But that was not the reason she’d chosen his sperm. So why did he keep coming back to it?

He wanted to think he had no concerns about his intelligence. Knew full well his mental capabilities.

And yet, when he viewed himself as he figured the world saw him, he had to wonder why he’d made the choice not to further his education when he’d finally been in a position to do so.

He needed to get over himself. So he told her about Retro, the Lab who’d shared his dinner. Found out that she didn’t have any pets but had thought about getting a cat, because they were self-sufficient if left alone for long periods of time. And then that she’d had a dog as a kid, a Corgi, but that it died when she was in high school.

She’d had a busy day at work. And had six meetings the following day, as well. She was more of a night person than early morning but was still up by dawn most days.

She liked milk chocolate, but not dark. Steak but not roast. And took her coffee black.

You at home? He’d run out of food questions.

Yes. You?

No. Downtown. He named the place.

You are not texting me while you’re out to dinner.

Nope. Just sitting at the bar having a beer.

Alone?

Yeah. Alone in a bar, texting her. Like she was the only thing on his mind.

Oh. Her reply was short.

Yeah. He felt a need to explain. To say more. But didn’t. Would make things too complicated.

Figuring he’d effectively ended the conversation by not responding to her last text, he was surprised when his phone vibrated again.

Do you like peanut butter?

Yeah, why?

I’m making cookies. I’ll package some up for you. A thank-you for Wednesday.

She was making him cookies. Thinking about him.

Wood was still grinning about that as he lay in bed an hour later, listening to Retro snore beside him.

Chapter Seven

She was not helpless. She was not out of control. She hadn’t felt the baby move yet, but that didn’t mean anything was wrong. She wasn’t even five months pregnant. Wasn’t supposed to be feeling movement yet.

There was a healthy heartbeat on the sonogram.

And she had bone marrow lined up if they needed it.

But what if...

Just as her head started to run away with her for the zillionth time Tuesday night, Cassie’s text notification sounded.

Wood again.