Now and again Chris added to the conversation, talking about past events and different horses he’d ridden—those he’d been bucked off and the ones he’d shown who was boss.
He fit in incredibly well. Too well. She certainly wasn’t comfortable with it since she didn’t even know her own feelings.
“You’re being awfully quiet, Lizzie,” Carly observed, pushing away her plate. Tonight Carly’s standard braid was done as a fishtail, making her look even younger than usual.
“Not like I could get a word in edgewise,” she joked back, but she felt Chris’s eyes on her to the right and she turned her head and met his questioning glance.
Is now the right time?
As right as it’s gonna be.
He squeezed her hand, his lips curved the tiniest bit and she took a big breath.
“Actually, I kind of have an announcement to make.”
The conversation died off and all eyes turned on her expectantly. Brock’s gaze sharpened and Savannah innocently asked, “Does it have something to do with the office? You’ve done a great job, hasn’t she, Dad?”
Lizzie swallowed and hurried to correct her. “No, not that, but thanks. I appreciate the vote of confidence.” She squeezed Chris’s hand back, gripping tight. “Actually, we have an announcement. Um...it looks like there’ll be the pitter-patter of little feet around here about the middle of October.”
Utter and complete silence greeted her announcement. Her own smile felt false and every single family member was staring at her with their mouths hanging open. All except Alex, who was still gnawing on his last piece of rib, unconcerned with the grown-up conversation.
“You’re...pregnant?” Carly asked, her voice incredulous.
“Yeah.” Lizzie’s smile wavered. “I’m almost done my first trimester. Just another week or so to go.” She looked over at Chris, needing the solidarity. “We actually heard the heartbeat a while back. It was pretty cool.”
“Most amazing moment of my life,” Chris said beside her, and her heart nearly wept with gratitude. At least they were showing a unified front.
“Wow, talk about a shock,” Jet said, the tone of his voice saying he’d never be caught dead in such a situation. Settling down was definitely not on her little brother’s agenda.
“You sure know how to keep a secret,” Savannah added.
Daniel elbowed Jacob. “I’ll bet you fifty bucks it’s a boy.”
“I’ll take that bet, fifty on the girl.” The brothers shook hands.
Julieta’s soft voice cut in smoothly. “And you’re feeling all right, Lizzie? Looking after yourself?”
Chris’s arm circled the back of her chair. “I’m making sure she does.”
Lizzie’s cheeks warmed. “Other than a bit of morning sickness, I’m fine. And hopefully that?
?s just about over.”
Still there’d been no word from Brock, and those were the words she was dreading most.
“You knew when I had my accident?”
Brock’s voice was deceptively calm at the end of the table, a tone they’d all come to dread. It usually meant that either a storm was coming, or a speech that had something to do with disappointment. Lizzie wondered if she was teed up for both.
“I’d known for a week or so, yeah.” She looked around the table. “That was why I was in San Antonio. I was at Chris’s place, telling him the news.”
And he’d only known her as Elizabeth at that point. Not that the family needed to know that. They were shocked enough about the pregnancy. They didn’t need to know the sordid conception details.
“You knew when you came to me about letting you take over at the office, and you didn’t say anything about it.”
“I was more worried about you. You’d been through a lot.”
His fist banged down on the table. “Damn it, Lizzie. You assured me you were more than capable of handling things!”