Reaching across the desk, I cover her hands with mine. “I’m here for you. This is incredible news, and I don’t want to miss anything.”
Tears well in her eyes, and she attempts to blink them back. It’s not working. It never does. You would think we’d always be wearing waterproof mascara. One day we’ll learn. I’m quick to grab a tissue from a box behind her so she can dab the corners of her eyes before the tears mess up her makeup.
“Thank you,” she says.
“You’re welcome.” Standing up, I walk to the window to peer out. When I look back, I ask, “Do you have names?”
“Oh my God. Now you’re reading my mind.” She bursts out laughing. And then she pulls a pad from her Louis Vuitton and drops it on the desk. “I have a small list started.”
When I glance over at the pink pad, my eyes go wide. “Small? Santa’s list is shorter.” She snort-laughs. I grab the pad and then shoot her a glare. “Rufus? I’m nixing Rufus. Nigel, Cook, and Devon are gone as well.”
“What’s wrong with Devon?”
“Devon Spears?” I reply as if she should remember this as clearly as I do. “The jerk sophomore year in high school?”
She cups her forehead as recognition fills her eyes. “I forgot about him. Definitely cross that name off the list. He was a total asshole. He told his brother, David, a senior, that I wouldn’t put out, so he shouldn’t ask me to prom.”
“But you didn’t put out in high school.”
Her eyes slide to the monitor in front of her, a sly smile working its way onto her face before she giggles. “Good thing he didn’t take me to prom then.” She types something and then turns back to me. “At this rate, you’ll have a name narrowed down in no time.”
“Happy to be of service.” I take a pen from her desk and start scratching through more names. “It’s too early to know if you’re having a boy, right?”
“Too early, but I don’t know,” she says, rubbing her flat stomach. “I feel like I’ll have a boy. Nick has a brother, and I have a brother. It seems to be leaning that way with all the evidence.”
“Sounds like you beat the odds. Anyway, I need a girl to spoil rotten, take shopping, and leave my wealth of designer wardrobe to one day, like my bag collection.”
Her fingers were poised over the keyboard but never land. Instead, she turns to me and lowers her hands to the desk. “As much as I’m already envious of a girl I don’t have, you act as though you’ll never have kids.”
I realize kids aren’t something I’ve thought about in a realistic way. “I’ve not been in a serious relationship in years. Not that I need a man, but I can’t say I want kids anytime soon. What would I do with a baby?”
Exasperated, she rocks back in her chair. “What am I going to do with you, Tate? You love a baby and raise it.”
I plop down in the chair again. “You make it sound so easy.”
“I know it won’t be, but I think our instincts will kick in. I also have a stack of books as tall as my bed to study in the next seven months.”
“You’re fifty steps ahead of me, friend.” I return her newly revised list to her and set the pen on the glass top desk.
Laughing, she studies the list. “I’m not going to be one of those people forcing others to join me for this ride.” Her eyes return to mine. “Having a baby is something Nick and I talked about for the past year. We weren’t trying, but since we weren’t using protection, I guess you could say we weren’t not trying either.”
“So, what you’re saying is this baby is a double negative?”
Horror squeezes her face. “What? No, I didn’t say that.” Two protective arms cover her stomach again, her instincts already kicking in. “This baby is a double positive.” When she grins, the tension releases from her shoulders.
“I’m only teasing. As for my epiphany . . .”
“Yes, back to that.”
I’m so excited I’m literally on the edge of the seat. “I want to take more of a lead at STJ. I assume you’ll be slowing down a bit since you’re growing a baby and eventually need some time off. When that happens, I want you to know the company will be fine.”
“You’ve always been a good partner.”
“Emotionally.”
“And you’re a hard worker. You helped me build this business. If not for you, I’d be wrapping stuff and hoping I’m leveling up for the clientele.”
“And you think I help do that?”
“I know you do, and this conversation is one we need to have. I suspect I’ll be away from the office more, especially after the baby is born. What are you proposing?”