The Things I Do for You (The Alexanders 2)

“Weird cravings must be part of carrying an Alexander baby." Julia came over and stood next to her. “I never craved ice cream or any of the usual things when I was pregnant with any of the boys. I craved really strange things when I was pregnant with Nick. I wanted black pepper all the time.”

“Well, that’s not that weird,” Raina pointed out.

“I wanted black pepper by itself. Not sprinkled on food but I would just shake it onto my tongue. It drove Mark crazy.”

Raina looked down at the orange peel she’d been absently gnawing on and suddenly didn’t feel so bad.

“I’ve been doing weird things more than anything else. I had just about given up on baking, but lately I’ve been craving chocolate cupcakes again.”

“I bet Nick likes that. He’s always had a sweet tooth.”

“Well, he would probably like them if they didn’t all taste like cardboard. I’m completely useless in the kitchen,” she admitted. Every time she tried to cook anything, it was an utter disaster. She’d been feeling more and more useless lately. Domestic skills had never been at the top of her priority list, but now she wondered if she’d been too quick to dismiss their importance. All the things she’d thought were so boring and ordinary were skills that would come in handy now.

Julia rubbed her arm. “Everyone has different talents. What would be the point of chefs if everyone could cook? Besides, my son is a great cook. He’ll take good care of you.”

“He shouldn’t have to do everything, though. I’m sure he’s going to get tired of always having to do everything for me.”

If he isn’t already, Raina thought. Considering how distant he’d been lately, it seemed their honeymoon period was already over.

“All I know is that my son had a shadow over him for much of this past year. Until he married you. He was always making jokes so everyone else thought he was fine, but a mother doesn’t miss these things. You’ll see once yours arrives.”

She rubbed Raina’s belly. Raina warmed from the inside out. She had never been the touchy-feely type, but it was very easy to make an exception for her mother-in-law. Julia had a way about her that put everyone at ease.

“I know your own mother is gone and I’m so sorry, sweetheart. But I hope you know you can come to me with any questions you have or if you just need to talk. I wasn’t blessed with daughters, but I feel like the good Lord is making up for it now by bringing you two sweet girls into my sons’ lives. I’ve met their girlfriends before, of course, and I’m sure they were nice enough girls. But Lord love them, some of them didn’t have the brains God gave a turnip. My sons need strong women they can really talk to. Women who can be true partners.”

“I’m sure I’m not what you wanted in your daughter-in-law,” Raina said softly.

“I wanted him to have a wife who makes him happy. Look at him.” Julia gestured with her chin to where Nick was holding Jase in his lap and feeding him cookies. He was talking to Jackson and gesturing with his hands emphatically. He looked up and met Raina’s eyes. She smiled and he smiled back. It transformed his whole face.

"I’ve never seen my Nicky so happy,” Julia commented.

Raina could only hope he was really as happy as he looked.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THERE WERE FEW things Nick enjoyed more than taking his motorcycle out for a ride. The wind in his hair, the zing of adrenaline as he took a tight curve. It was one of the only times he could let go of his worries and just fly.

There were several back roads that connected most of the older farms in New Haven. There wasn’t much traffic, so he could ride for an hour easily just circling around his parents’ property and then looping around their neighbor’s spread and back again.

It was almost as good as sex.

Well, not quite.

He finally pulled up to Raina’s house. Her garage had three bays. One held her Audi sedan and the other held a black SUV that looked bulletproof. The third had been empty since he’d moved in.

He cut the engine on his bike and rolled it into the third bay. Just as he was fastening his helmet to the back, he looked up to see Raina standing in the doorway.

Things were still tense between them. He’d had to work longer hours lately and even though he tried to bring work home, it wasn’t enough. It was far too easy to get wrapped up in Raina when he was here. He often forgot to look at the files he brought home or he only completed about half of what he would have gotten done if he’d been in the office.

“You bought a motorcycle?” Raina stood in the doorway leading from the garage to the house. She wore her favorite faded purple pajamas and a pair of fuzzy pink slippers. He could see the lines of exhaustion bracketing her eyes and mouth. It must have been another bad day. She’d been nauseated more and more lately. And extremely cranky. Not that he couldn’t understand why.

Nick took off his helmet and tucked it under his arm. “No, I already had it. I drove over to my condo today and picked it up. I haven’t taken it out in a while and today was great wea

ther for a ride.”

Raina didn’t move, just stood in the same spot, staring at the bike. He had a feeling she wasn’t admiring it for its racing lines.

“I’m guessing you’re not a fan of motorcycles.”