But she couldn’t lie to herself. She didn’t just envy the tight family unit he had, she longed for the same thing for herself. Craved it, in fact. Being here today was like a big tease. A tiny sip of water in the middle of a parched desert, only to know it could be snatched away at any moment. She’d be devastated if she lost this personal connection to his family. She pulled in a shaky breath, mortified when a small, distressed cry escaped.
“Hey. Are you okay?” Sam walked up and placed an arm around her shoulder, pulling her against his warm, hard body.
“I’m great. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Sam eyed her warily. He’d gotten to know Nicole pretty well and although she said the right things, deep inside, something was brewing. He didn’t know what was bothering her, but he didn’t like that she wasn’t perfectly at ease and comfortable here.
“Do you want to leave as soon as Mike makes the announcement?” he asked quietly. “I can make an excuse and we can go.”
She shook her head. “No, of course not. I’m really thrilled to be here.” She stroked his cheek with her hand and in that instant, he wanted to make an excuse and disappear so they could be alone. “It’s just . . .”
“What? Tell me.”
“I’ve never experienced a real family celebration. One where everyone is truly happy for everyone else. No ulterior motives, no faking it for one reason or another. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s reactions.”
She looked up at him with blue eyes, so open and honest that she took his breath away. He didn’t know why she affected him so deeply, making him want to give her everything she’d missed out on in her life. “Okay, then. We stay.”
“We have an announcement to make,” Mike said, his voice a welcome intrusion into Sam’s musings.
Without thought, he reached out and clasped Nicole’s hand in his. Her warmth and presence grounded him.
“Michael? What’s going on?” Simon asked.
“It’s good news,” Cara jumped in, nudging her husband in the ribs.
“Well, come on, then,” Simon said, sounding relieved.
Sam stifled a chuckle. After the year of his father’s cancer, news and updates and problems, he understood why Simon reacted the way he had.
“Okay, grandpa times two,” Mike said, unable to contain his smile.
A grin split Simon’s face. “You’re having a baby!”
“I knew it!” Ella said, launching herself at Cara and pulling her into a hug. “Long bouts of nausea, unable to sit at the table and look at food. I was wondering when you would figure it out or at least fill us in.”
Cara hugged Ella back. Her relationship with her own mother was difficult because of the woman’s unwillingness to leave Cara’s abusive father, so Sam knew how much Ella’s love and support meant to her.
“I should have known you would figure it out before we did. There’s no keeping secrets from you, is there, Mom?” Mike asked laughing.
Erin and Cole stepped up next for congratulations, then Sam, who, of course, already knew, and Nicole, who pretended it was her first time hearing the news.
Sam watched as she interacted with his brother, who admittedly hadn’t been her biggest fan. But Mike had come around, trusting Sam’s feelings for her over his history with her mentally ill sister.
“I’m thrilled for you,” she said to Cara. “Are you feeling any better?”
“A little. I think telling people helped my mental state, at the very least.” She shot a glance at Mike, who pulled her in for a hug and a long kiss that had even Sam wanting to look away.
Nicole, on the other hand, watched them, a look of pure longing on her face. A look so wistful, like she knew she was seeing something she’d never have. Sam’s stomach cramped badly and he glanced away.
“Anyone ready for dinner?” he asked, hoping to break the tension building inside him.
Everyone jumped on the idea of his mom’s food, and the meal was one of the happiest and most fun Sam could remember in a long while. Considering his family always ribbed each other, joked, and had a good time, that was saying something. Erin wanted to know if Mike and Cara planned on finding out the sex of the baby. Either way, she was mentally planning baby play dates. By the time they’d finished coffee and dessert—his mom being smart enough to serve only Nicole’s meringue puffs and not anything she’d made or bought too—Sam was ready for grown-up time.
Beneath the table, he reached out and placed his hand on Nicole’s thigh. Through her long skirt, he felt the heat of her skin against his palm, or at least he imagined he could feel it. His body thought so too, igniting at the thought of getting her home and into bed.
He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Ready to get going?” he asked, his hand trailing higher.
“Behave,” she whispered back. “I want to help your mom clean up.”