Read Online The Dance by Alison G. Bailey - Free Book Online Page B

to resort to trashy talk, dear.” Keeping her gaze focused on the rippling waves of the harbor, she continued. “My son married you because he wants a child, a family of his own. Someone to carry on the Forsyth name. You’ve had six months of coddling. It’s time to grow up, be a dutiful wife, and give Will what he desires most.” She stood facing me with pursed lips. “I’ll let you know when dinner is ready.”
    I held my ground—no words, no expression, no blinking. I stayed frozen in place as the sound of Karen’s heels clicking across the wooden slats faded and the front door closed. Staring out into the harbor, I wondered if between all the bitchiness from her there was some truth.
    Physically nothing was stopping me and Will from trying to conceive again. But neither of us had brought up the topic. I felt we were still out of sorts. Bringing a new baby into the mix didn’t seem like the best choice. In my heart it felt disrespectful to replace our first child so soon after we’d lost him or her. I still couldn’t bring myself to read the report letting me know the sex.
    After the earful from Will’s mother, I wondered if he was truly ready to give it another try. It was possible he’d been waiting for me to bring it up, feeling it was more my call since it was my body. We’d both been wading in grief for so long, finding it hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe a bright new glimmer was what Will and I needed to reconnect.
    I stayed on the porch until Will came out and got me for dinner. Sitting quietly at the large formal dining table, I pushed the food around my plate, pretending to eat, as I listened to Will and his parents discuss business and people I didn’t know. As we said our goodbyes at the front door, Karen pulled me into a slight hug, whispering in my ear to strongly consider her words from earlier. On the drive home I decided to feel Will out on the subject.
    I opened my mouth to speak but it suddenly went dry and sticky. I wet my lips while thinking of my opening line.
    “Your mother’s roast was really moist tonight.”
    He chuckled. “That sounds wrong on so many levels.”
    The words ran through my head, causing a chuckle. It felt good to share a light moment for a change.
    I twisted and untwisted the strap of my purse around my finger. Glancing over at him, I was taken by how handsome he looked in the dim light of early evening. The sun was just about to disappear but still cast a warm orange glow across Will’s chiseled jawline.
    “You’re so handsome.”
    Small crinkles appeared in the corners of his eyes as his mouth formed into an appreciative grin.
    “You sweet-talker you. Now tell me what’s really on your mind.”
    “What makes you think anything else is on my mind?”
    “Because you either ramble or fidget when you’re nervous.”
    I lifted my nose in the air, pretending to be offended. “You think you know me that well, Will Forsyth?”
    “Yes. And if you have something to say you better do it now. I have work to do when we get home.”
    Filling my lungs with oxygen, I started. “I know the first time was a surprise. And things didn’t work out like we’d hoped. We really haven’t talked specifics about the future. We’ve both been dealing with a lot. It’s been six months.” The words were spitting out of me like random bullets. I wasn’t even sure if they made any sense.
    “Bryson, get to the point.”
    “I was wondering since Dr. Jamison said it was okay, if you might want to think about trying again?”
    The car fell silent. Will’s entire upper body seemed to tense.
    He stole a quick glance at me and asked, “Are you ready?”
    “I think it would be good for us.”
    “Okay.”
    That was all Will said on the subject. He didn’t act nervous, hesitant, or scared. He also didn’t act excited or happy. Even though I was used to Will’s lack of emotional displays, his reaction caught me off guard. I assumed once we broached the