about it. We can talk to Julia about it and see how she feels,” she suggested.
“Julia’s our editor, not the final arbiter.” His lips tightened.
Claire knew she’d have to tread carefully here.
“I know. But it’s still new, so let’s think on it a bit. Besides,” she said, linking her arm through his and walking him out of the baby’s room to avoid discussing work in there. “Remember how I mentioned starting a new series, but with a little girl?”
Josh’s eyes lit up. “Zoe, right?”
She nodded. “Or Hope. Or Sarah or even . . . what’s Tony Stark’s girlfriend’s name?”
“Piper?” His eyes twinkled as if he knew her thoughts on the name.
“Oh . . .” Her voice dropped. For some reason she thought it was Charlie. “Well, we can keep thinking.”
“So you’re still planning to try your hand at writing it?” Her husband turned his face away, and Claire wondered if the idea bothered him.
Jack was his baby. She drew the illustrations and helped with some plot ideas, but the words, emotions, and excitement that charmed their readers . . . that was all him. When he’d decided on a name, there’d been no hesitation or second thoughts. He knew right away he wanted to name the boy in their book after the son she’d given up.
If she’d ever had any doubts about how Josh felt about her giving up a child for adoption, all her fears and worries were eased that day.
“You wouldn’t mind? I’d need your help editing it and making sure it was okay, but I think I’d like to try.” She patted his arm. “Who knows? It may end up being a horrible mistake, and then you’ll have two projects to write.”
They walked into the kitchen, where Claire got herself a glass of water flavored with sliced lemon.
“Do you hear yourself right now? You don’t make horrible mistakes. It’s because of you Jack became such a hit—I would never have believed in myself enough to submit it. Plus, you’re the one with connections in the industry. You,” he said as he stepped toward her and grabbed her hands, “Mrs. Turner, are our magic maker. And our proof isn’t just Jack, but this little one as well.” He rubbed her flat stomach.
“You did have a hand in it.”
Josh straightened, his shoulders pulled back with pride. “I know. I’m pretty awesome too.” The look on his face at these moments always won her over. No matter what, her husband always knew how to make her smile.
“Together we make an amazing team, if I do say so myself,” he said.
“Yes.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. “We do.” They stood that way for a few moments, their lips locked, until her stomach growled.
“Why don’t you go on outside? I have your pencils and notebook out there, and I’ll cut up some fruit?” Josh suggested. “You know, we need to celebrate this and tell everyone. How about inviting your mother over for dinner tonight?”
“Whoa. Slow down there, proud papa. Let’s hold off on telling the world for a bit, okay?” Claire grabbed her water and headed out to the patio. Josh had indeed set everything up for her, even placing the umbrella at the right angle so the sun wouldn’t beat down on her colored crayons.
Since they’d arrived home, she hadn’t been able to work on the illustrations for their books as much as she’d hoped. She practically slept her days away, but now she knew why.
She was having a baby.
All she wanted to do was sit back and let it sink in. Her heart swelled with joy at the thought. She was having a baby. There were butterflies in her stomach as she contemplated this utterly unexpected gift. She still couldn’t believe it. Ever since the end of the trip, she’d worked hard to be okay with the idea of being infertile, and she’d concentrated on moving forward with their lives. Even when Josh asked if she could be pregnant, she hadn’t dared to consider it.
But he’d been right.
Yes, they needed to celebrate.
“I do need to
“Julia’s our editor, not the final arbiter.” His lips tightened.
Claire knew she’d have to tread carefully here.
“I know. But it’s still new, so let’s think on it a bit. Besides,” she said, linking her arm through his and walking him out of the baby’s room to avoid discussing work in there. “Remember how I mentioned starting a new series, but with a little girl?”
Josh’s eyes lit up. “Zoe, right?”
She nodded. “Or Hope. Or Sarah or even . . . what’s Tony Stark’s girlfriend’s name?”
“Piper?” His eyes twinkled as if he knew her thoughts on the name.
“Oh . . .” Her voice dropped. For some reason she thought it was Charlie. “Well, we can keep thinking.”
“So you’re still planning to try your hand at writing it?” Her husband turned his face away, and Claire wondered if the idea bothered him.
Jack was his baby. She drew the illustrations and helped with some plot ideas, but the words, emotions, and excitement that charmed their readers . . . that was all him. When he’d decided on a name, there’d been no hesitation or second thoughts. He knew right away he wanted to name the boy in their book after the son she’d given up.
If she’d ever had any doubts about how Josh felt about her giving up a child for adoption, all her fears and worries were eased that day.
“You wouldn’t mind? I’d need your help editing it and making sure it was okay, but I think I’d like to try.” She patted his arm. “Who knows? It may end up being a horrible mistake, and then you’ll have two projects to write.”
They walked into the kitchen, where Claire got herself a glass of water flavored with sliced lemon.
“Do you hear yourself right now? You don’t make horrible mistakes. It’s because of you Jack became such a hit—I would never have believed in myself enough to submit it. Plus, you’re the one with connections in the industry. You,” he said as he stepped toward her and grabbed her hands, “Mrs. Turner, are our magic maker. And our proof isn’t just Jack, but this little one as well.” He rubbed her flat stomach.
“You did have a hand in it.”
Josh straightened, his shoulders pulled back with pride. “I know. I’m pretty awesome too.” The look on his face at these moments always won her over. No matter what, her husband always knew how to make her smile.
“Together we make an amazing team, if I do say so myself,” he said.
“Yes.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. “We do.” They stood that way for a few moments, their lips locked, until her stomach growled.
“Why don’t you go on outside? I have your pencils and notebook out there, and I’ll cut up some fruit?” Josh suggested. “You know, we need to celebrate this and tell everyone. How about inviting your mother over for dinner tonight?”
“Whoa. Slow down there, proud papa. Let’s hold off on telling the world for a bit, okay?” Claire grabbed her water and headed out to the patio. Josh had indeed set everything up for her, even placing the umbrella at the right angle so the sun wouldn’t beat down on her colored crayons.
Since they’d arrived home, she hadn’t been able to work on the illustrations for their books as much as she’d hoped. She practically slept her days away, but now she knew why.
She was having a baby.
All she wanted to do was sit back and let it sink in. Her heart swelled with joy at the thought. She was having a baby. There were butterflies in her stomach as she contemplated this utterly unexpected gift. She still couldn’t believe it. Ever since the end of the trip, she’d worked hard to be okay with the idea of being infertile, and she’d concentrated on moving forward with their lives. Even when Josh asked if she could be pregnant, she hadn’t dared to consider it.
But he’d been right.
Yes, they needed to celebrate.
“I do need to
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