“I’ll get the ice cream.” He returned with two bowls. “Try it. In case you haven’t thought that far, I’ve also been married and unmarried with unseemly haste. I feel worse than numb, if there’s a level below it, and I’ve no one to blame but myself. I’ll clean up the kitchen so Fatima doesn’t have to do it in the morning.”
“I can do it.”
He shook his head. “On one leg? No, I can wash our plates and bowls without breaking them.”
She stirred her ice cream into a smooth blend. “I need you to keep quiet too, Alejandro. Let me be the one to announce the baby.”
“I’m tempted to ask for something in return, but I’ll restrain myself tonight.”
“And tomorrow?”
He leaned over to kiss her. “Ask me again tomorrow.”
Chapter Seventeen
Ana tore the pregnancy test box into little tiny bits and put them and the damning test wand in a paper bag she wadded up and shoved into her purse to throw in the trash somewhere far from home. It took her a long time to get to sleep, but she was up, dressed and seated at the dining room table and reading the newspaper when Fatima arrived Monday morning.
“How was France?”
“Restful, which is what I needed. Would you make me a poached egg for breakfast? I haven’t had one in a long time.”
The housekeeper’s eyes widened. “It’s been a year at least, but if you’d like one, it will only take a few minutes. How is your mother?”
“She’s well, and she and Claude are fun to be with. I should visit more often. They have a lovely home. Claude has to be one of the best chefs in France. Remind me to put a note to visit on my calendar.”
“Will do.”
Ana was grateful Fatima didn’t ask about Alejandro, and she wouldn’t speak his name. While she waited for breakfast, she called her agent. “I’m back. When can we schedule the shoot with Lamoreaux?”
“He’d want to do it today, but he needn’t believe you’re short of work, so I’ll call him and say you’ll be available on Wednesday.”
“That’s fine, thank you.”
“Do you want to come to the office today so we can talk about the rest of the month?”
She thought what he really wanted was to see if she looked as battered as she felt. “I’ll be there in an hour or so.”
The poached egg was even better than she’d remembered and the buttery toast perfect. “I should ask for these more often, Fatima.”
“It probably doesn’t compare to the food in France.”
“It doesn’t have to. If I ate Claude’s food every day, I’d balloon to two hundred pounds.”
“It would look good on you. Shall I bake some of the cookies you like?”
“Would you please? We need to plan another tea party. Would tomorrow afternoon be too soon?”
“Not if I go to the market right now and buy everything we’ll need.”
“We could wait until later in the week.”
“The ladies would be thrilled whenever you have it, but let’s do it tomorrow before you begin working again.”
“Fine. I’ll call them all when I come back from Paul’s.” Hosting a tea was a ridiculous thing to do, but it would occupy her thoughts for an afternoon, something she desperately needed.
Paul welcomed her into his office. As usual, he was well dressed in a muted whiskey plaid suit and maroon tie. “How much longer do you have to wear the cast?”
“Another three weeks or maybe more. I get around all right, but I miss dancing.”