Like she’d care. Elaina had never been interested in his money. His support, yes, but not the cash flow.
He just needed her to see his right to his son in writing. To know it existed. It was that important to him. Too important for a phone call.
As it happened, she was in the cafeteria, so his interruption had been well timed.
He saw her almost immediately. Headed in her direction, folder in hand, and thought a better plan might have been to save his lunch and eat with her. It took another second or two before he realized that the laugh he’d just heard roll across the room had come from her—and the deeper mirth from her companion.
The sound of her laughter surprised him. Was almost unfamiliar sounding. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard her laugh like that.
Then it hit him that Elaina wasn’t alone. Nor was she sitting across from an associate. She was seated right next to the guy—taller than her, in a white doctor’s coat—and their shoulders were touching, their backs to him. Elaina turned to look at the guy and then jerked back.
She’d obviously caught a glimpse of Wood in her peripheral vision, because she jumped up. Her brow creased in concern, she hurried the few steps it took to get to him.
“Wood? Why are you here? Is everything okay?”
“Fine,” he told her. “Everything’s fine.” He looked toward the other guy, only saw the left side of the back of his head and ear. Curious as hell, he wanted to check the guy out, but he wasn’t going to make more of it than it was. Or freak her out.
Elaina took his hand, pulled him around a pillar. “Don’t make a big deal of this,” she said. “He’s new to town, an internist I met on a case a couple of months ago. We have lunch together sometimes.”
Her hand was trembling. She cared about this other doctor more than she wanted him to know. More than she could admit to herself, he guessed.
He remembered back to the beginning of the summer, Elaina saying she was going to buy lunch at work. Hoped to God this guy was the reason why. That he was managing to find a way into Elaina’s heart.
“Does he know about Peter?”
“Who around here doesn’t?”
“Yes, but did you tell him?”
That was the key. Elaina never talked about Peter to anyone but him, as far as Wood knew.
When she nodded, he smiled.
“You like the guy.”
“I think he’s funny,” she said. “He’s entertaining. And that’s it.”
And had to be wondering why in the hell his lunch companion had just deserted him so suddenly. He hadn’t turned around to find out. Not yet, anyway.
Wood had to go. He wasn’t going to mess this up. Not by scaring the guy off. Or pushing Elaina.
“Okay, well, I just came to show you this,” he said, holding out the folder. “It’s an agreement I signed last night with Cassie. I have another copy at home. I’m just... I wanted you to see it. To know.” He smiled, telling himself there was no reason for him to feel the least bit sad, or like he was no longer needed. He and Elaina would always be family.
Telling her to enjoy her lunch, sincerely meaning the words, he left.
And thought about the son he was going to have.
Life happened as it was meant to. And it was good.
* * *
Now that the agreement was signed, Cassie had a whole list of things coming to her to talk to Wood about. She hit him with the first one by text message Tuesday night. He’d sent her a picture of the cradle he’d sanded that night in preparation for the first coat of varnish. With her air conditioner on, blowing out the humid August heat, she laid against a series of throw pillows on the couch in nothing but her sleeveless cotton nightgown, her belly serving as a holding table for her phone.
Do you want to be present when he’s born?
The question had seemed pertinent when it had hit her earlier in the day. Seeing it typed out, not so much so. Yes, a father witnessing the birth of his son was accepted and even miraculous to some. But not when the parents weren’t a couple.
Already typing to rescind the offer, she stopped when his response came through.