Seatbelts and baby bumps were not compatible. Tess tugged and shifted until she was as comfortable as she would ever be with the three-point harness wrapped around her and her bulging belly.
What had she been thinking? Having Nick stay at her place was not a good idea. It was quite possibly the worst idea in the world, but at the moment, she was pretty much out of other options. From her hospital room, she had called several agencies that provided home care aides, and she had interviews scheduled with two possible candidates once she got settled in at home.
She glanced to her left and watched Nick grip the steering wheel with both hands and drive a conservative ten miles per hour below the posted speed limit. It seemed as if he wanted her encased in bubble wrap before buckling her into the front seat.
“You can drive the speed limit, Nick. Traffic is backing up behind us and this time of day is the after-school rush—”
Nick glanced in her direction, and the glare he delivered cut her short. The issue of accepting help was new territory for Tess, and she had to make it work. She also had to figure out Nick’s thoughts about the baby. The rather dramatic way he had learned of his impending fatherhood had to grate on him. But now wasn’t the time to ask him outright. She would have to ease into that question. But drama or not, her mind buzzed as she speculated over his feelings.
When they turned into the driveway of the large Colonial home where, she had learned, Nick had grown up, the sun was past the midway point in the sky. The doctor had done rounds while Tess waited anxiously to be discharged, but Dr. Merrell hadn’t given the okay for Tess to be released until two o’clock. She knew the doctor wanted her to stay in the hospital for another night, but she had begged to go home to the comfort of her own bed and promised the doctor she would rest. Nick’s assurances that he would enforce the doctor’s ordered convinced Dr. Merrell to sign her release papers and let her leave.
Tall oak trees filled the yard in front of the house, and landscaped beds of neatly trimmed shrubbery lined the sidewalks and perimeter of the house. Tess’s life had begun in similar surroundings, but those surroundings hadn’t lasted like they had with Nick’s family.
Nick drove to the back and pulled up to the carriage house located at the rear of the property. Nick lived in an apartment on the second floor and used the ground level as a darkroom. Tess had been there a few times, when it had been quicker to get to his bed than to hers. His living quarters were Spartan, not because he didn’t care, but because a man who traveled most of the time just didn’t have time to turn a house into a home.
Tess’s apartment had been better furnished, but only because she had hired someone to do it. But it hadn’t been a home. She had enjoyed living in the center of Atlanta, right in the middle of the action. But one trip to the Baby Super Center brought the stark realization that a one-bedroom apartment would not be adequate living quarters once the baby arrived. So after considering a move to a larger apartment, Tess conceded that her child deserved the suburban house, picket fence, big backyard kind of life. A life just like Nick had apparently experienced.
“You can wait here while I pack a few things,” Nick said. “The doctor warned you about overdoing it and I don’t want to risk you falling on these steps.”
There he goes with the bubble wrap again.
“I deal with stairs every day, Nick. And I use the railing and I wear sensible shoes and I look both ways at the top and bottom—”
“Don’t be a smart ass. It’s not becoming of a woman in your…It’s not becoming.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “I’ll sit right here. Master,” she added.
When he learned her bedroom was on the second floor of her new home, he would probably suggest she have an elevator installed. Or rearrange everything and turn her den into a bedroom, complete with a hospital bed and wheelchair.
Tess watched every muscle in his body flex as he took the steps two at a time. When she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye, she turned and saw two women lean their leaf rakes against the privacy fence surrounding the backyard and stare at the vehicle where she sat. One was older—most likely Nick’s mother—and the other bore a strong resemblance to Nick. She guessed her to be one of the sisters Nick had mentioned on occasion.
The women spoke to each other, glancing back toward Tess a few times before retrieving their garden tools and resuming the pretense of raking leaves. Tess preferred stairs to stares, so she shouldered open the car door and swiveled out of the seat and to the ground. As she waddled to the staircase she realized she had just made a huge tactical error. Lord knows what conclusions these women would jump to when they saw Nick leave with a suitcase and a pregnant woman.
Tess had to laugh, though, because at least one conclusion was absolutely correct. If they were Nick’s mother and sister, they’d soon find out they were going to become a grandmother and aunt, respectively.
She navigated the steps carefully then walked in through the door Nick had left open and surveyed the space. The apartment was much the same as she remembered, though most of her memories were made in the bedroom and shower.
She started to lower herself onto the overstuffed plaid sofa then had second thoughts. It might be comfortable, but she recalled it being low and deep, remembering other occasions where she’d had to struggle to get to her feet after sitting on it. Not pregnant. Her emotional state was fragile enough without a reminder she was as big as a barn and wore clothing that looked like it had been designed by a tent maker.
Nick walked out of the bedroom, a duffle bag in one hand and his camera case slung over one shoulder. He came up short when he saw Tess.
“Is something wrong?” he asked anxiously, setting the bags on his small dining table and moving to her side. “If you needed something you should have just blown the horn. I’d have come down instead of you climbing the steps. You know what the doctor said about what could happen if you—”
“Stop being such a mother hen,” she interrupted with exasperation. “And no, nothing is wrong. Well, truthfully, I just got a little bit uncomfortable with those women out there staring at me and whispering to each other. A lot uncomfortable to be precise.”
Nick walked to the doorway, looked out and waved.
“That’s my mother and my sister Bella.” He chewed his lip nervously. “You know they’re going to ask questions since they saw…your condition.”
“I don’t have a condition. A condition is something like pink eye or toenail fungus. I’m pregnant, Nick. This is the twenty-first century and it’s okay to say the word in mixed company.”
His jaw clenched, then relaxed. “I can tell them you’re someone I know from the magazine and—”
“Don’t lie to them, Nick,” she pleaded. “Honestly. I should have tried harder to get in touch with you when I found out I was pregnant. I called several times but didn’t want to tell you about the baby in a voice message. Hell, I could have called them and asked how to get in touch with you. But I was scared and confused, and the longer I waited, the more difficult it became to face reality as far as you were concerned. Everything just snowballed out of control until it was easier to ignore it than deal with the truth.”
“Yeah, I can imagine. It’s not like we had any sort of a commitment thing going on. I mean, it was just sex with no promises of anything except a good time. And I was always careful, but as you said, nothing is foolproof.” His gaze darted to the doorway. “I did see that you had called, but since you didn’t leave a message, I figured it was nothing important.”
Tess remembered her lie to Maddie two days before.
I don’t love Nick.
And his comment reinforced that he didn’t love her—that she had merely been a friend with benefits arrangement for him, which, up until their last time together, has been true for her too. She’d been a good time when he was in town, and though she wouldn’t ask, she suspected a handsome man like Nick probably had a lot of good times scattered around the world. He was the sort of man any woman would fall for.
Even though love and relationships had been the furthest thing from her mind, she had to admit, falling for Nick was a kick in her self-sufficient, no-strings-attached backside.
She would just accept his gracious offer of assistance—or was the offer driven by guilt?—and hire some household help as quickly as possible. Then she could ease Nick back out of her life and get that life back to normal, whatever “normal” was going to be from now on.
“Come on. I need to get you home and in bed.”
“And where have I heard that line before?” Tess joked.
Nick nudged her in the rear with his knee. “As I said before, don’t be a smart ass. It isn’t becoming for a woman in your condi— a preg— It isn’t becoming. I’ll take my stuff to the car and then come back and help you to the car.”
“I am not an invalid. I made it up and I can get back down,” she said in a huff. “But can we make a fast getaway so I don’t have to talk to your family just yet?”
Nick peered through the open door again. “They’ve gone inside, no doubt to call my father and see if he knows anything about the pregnant woman his son just drove up with.”
“I don’t want to cause you any problems with your family.” The tears began again, and Tess gave in to them. It was difficult not to cry and feel sorry for herself when she’d made such a mess of her life and perhaps put her baby’s life in danger too.
*****
Nick pulled her into his arms. He never had forgotten the feel of her; while her swollen belly kept him from pulling her close, she still smelled like sunshine and felt like magic in his arms. Tucking her head under his chin and feeling her heart beat against his chest kicked his ticker into high gear. The baby forced a sideways hug, but awkward as it was, holding Tess felt wonderful.
They were a good fit in more ways than one, and he willed his body not to react to the memories of how fantastic they had been in bed.
Tess had been an inventive and adventurous lover. She was comfortable with her body and appreciative of his. Damned appreciative, and his cock twitched at the memory of a silk scarf, some scented massage oil and—
He wrenched his thoughts from that memory. Tess needed assistance now, not some randy man. She had admitted in her hospital room that she hadn’t been with another man since the last time they had been together. Perhaps he should admit he hadn’t been with anyone else either. There was no shame in self-imposed celibacy.
“I’ll deal with my family,” he reassured her. “We’re Italian. We’re used to drama.”
“And I feel like I’ve been the poster child for drama queens the past few days. I don’t like being this way, but these damn—”
“Hormones,” he interjected and then rested his chin on the top of her head, catching a whiff of her floral-scented shampoo. “I know. One of my sisters has thirteen-year-old twin daughters. I remember things got quite lively when she was pregnant. Between my mother, my two sisters, my brother’s wife and Angie’s daughters, let’s just say our family get-togethers are a real estrogen fest.”
“Is that what I am? An estrogen fest?” She sniffled and Nick heard her voice catch in her throat.
He stepped back and studied her, starting at her spiky mop of sun-streaked brown hair and stopping at her eyes, which were as green as emeralds. Tears caused them to sparkle like the finest of gems, but Nick could live a lifetime without that sort of sparkle.
Those eyes had captured his interest the night he had met her at a costume party two years before. She had worn a white dress with a sexy deep neckline. Wicked strappy do-me high heels added several inches to her already tall frame and had him fantasizing about those shapely legs being wrapped around him.
When they had stepped out onto the ballroom’s balcony overlooking the city, the wind had whipped her skirt up and she let out a raucous laugh while she patted it back into place. He realized the significance of her costume at that moment. Her hair was completely different from the blonde Hollywood bombshell’s both in color and style, but she had a strategically placed beauty mark above her left lip—a mark he’d kissed off before midnight.
God, yes, she was an estrogen fest complete with hormonal horror, maudlin mayhem and bitchy bedlam, and all of it would be sure to keep him in a constant state of anxiety. He had to hide that, though, and make sure she remained calm and carried the baby—his baby—for as long as possible.
Nick pulled her back against him and pressed his lips to hers. He wanted to deepen the kiss, but resisted. Now wasn’t the time for arousal because they could no longer run off to bed and douse the fires of passion. Offering to move in and help until she found someone else to assist her was merely doing what was right, but he had no business getting romantically involved with Tess. So he’d better learn to keep his body in check.
Her lips softened against his and a soft moan slipped from between them. He was hard in an instant.
So much for keeping the body in check, you ass.
In the past, he would have taken her right then. Picked her up and carried her straight to bed. If this was any indication of how much she still affected him, Nick imagined he would be taking lots of cold showers in the next couple of days.
He ended the kiss abruptly. “Come on. I need to get you home before you get too tired.”
Tess’s eyes fluttered open and she grabbed the back of a chair to steady herself. Then her gaze traveled slowly from his face down the length of his body and lingered at his crotch for a few seconds before shifting back to his face. A perceptive grin curved her mouth.
Damn. Busted.
With a nervous cough Nick shouldered his duffel and camera bag and helped Tess take the steps one at a time. At the hospital, an orderly had helped get her into the SUV. Now it was just the two of them, and he was wishing he’d paid closer attention to how the orderly maneuvered her into the passenger seat.
“Hold onto my shoulders,” he suggested. “Let me lift you.” He reached for her waist and realized she no longer had one. He studied her body to find some other place to grab hold of her, and then peered over his shoulder to see if his mother and sister were watching from the window.
Wouldn’t that be a riot?
Seeing no faces at any of the back windows, he first placed one hand on her ass before figuring out that method wouldn’t work. With one smooth move, he put one hand around her shoulders, the other under her knees and simply scooped her into his arms and placed her into the Range Rover.
“I can’t wait to take a shower and get into some other clothes,” she said after Nick had positioned himself behind the steering wheel. “I feel like I’ve been in these things forever. And I need to get my car from Do-It-Yourself Depot too, if they haven’t already had it impounded.”
“I called the store manager and explained, and he said it wasn’t a problem. He’s even going to have his security guys keep an eye on it. I’ll get my dad to drive it to your place.”
Nick backed out of the drive and wove his way out of his parents’ old, established neighborhood. He’d ridden his bicycle through these streets as a kid, climbed the trees in their front yard and caught frogs in the creek nearby. Would his son be able to do those things too? He frowned, remembering the small apartment where Tess lived. No trees, busy traffic all around and definitely no creek.
When he reached the main thoroughfare, he turned and headed in the direction of downtown Atlanta. “I’m going to take the back roads to your apartment since the interstate is a nightmare this time of day. It’ll take us longer but I don’t want to add to your stress level.”
“Apartment? I don’t live in the apartment anymore. I have a house in Tucker. I’m having a baby in case you didn’t notice and I’m going to need more than one bedroom.”
“Okay, well…”
Tess squinted at him with a slightly annoyed look on her face. “If you thought I was still in my apartment, just where did you think you were going to sleep? With me?”
Nick opened his mouth to reply, but Tess continued, clearly on a tear. “If you think you’re sharing my bed, think again, buster. This baby and I have enough trouble getting comfortable without an extra body taking up space in the bed, even if it is a king. You’re lucky I have a furnished guest room or you’d be in a sleeping bag in a tent in my backyard.”
Nick held up one hand in a gesture of surrender. “Just tell me how to get to this house of yours and we’ll sort out the sleeping arrangements once we get there.”
Tess snorted. “There’s no sorting about it. Junior and I sleep alone. Well, as alone as… Oh, screw it.”
Nick bit back a laugh. “You know you’re going to have to tame that tongue of yours. Haven’t you heard the phrase little pitchers have big ears?”
“Just drive,” she ordered as she leaned her head against the headrest and closed her eyes.
Twenty minutes later, Nick pulled into the driveway of a two-story, white-frame home situated on a cul-de-sac in a modest neighborhood. The house and yard were well kept and appealing. A front porch spanned the width of the house and had a rocking chair and a swing–a nice place to relax on a pleasant evening. The lot had mature trees and he had seen other children playing in yards all along the street. He was reminded of his own childhood.
“Which way is your bedroom?” he asked after getting her out of the car, a task far easier than the reverse.
“The stairs are this way,” she began.
“Stairs? Your bedroom is upstairs? Oh, no. we’ll have to move you to a downstairs bedroom. Well, not we—you and me. I’ll get my pop to help. You can’t be hauling ass—”
“Stop right there, mister potty mouth.” She crossed her arms, a motion that drew attention to her breasts, which were larger than Nick remembered. “First, I do not remember the doctor specifically banning stairs. He said for me to take it easy. And second, there isn’t a bedroom downstairs.”
“Then we’ll… I’ll rent a hospital bed and set up your den as a bedroom. You do have a den, don’t you?”
“Yes, but there’s only a powder room down here. No shower. I guess you could rent a big wash tub too and heat water on the stove for me, but if I ever got into it, you’d have to rent a crane to lift me out.
He closed his eyes and pursed his lips. “Point taken. I’ll carry you up—”
She held up one hand to silence him, and Nick knew when to surrender.
“Can I at least walk up the stairs behind you in case you lose your balance?”
“Don’t be a smart ass.”
“Isn’t that my line?”
“You won’t have a line or anything else if you don’t can it.”
He kept vigil outside the bathroom door while she showered and dressed. When she emerged from the bathroom, she wore a demure, flower-print nightgown that hung loose and fell to her ankles. He was quite sure it wasn’t part of the Victoria’s Secret collection.
“What’s the matter? Have you never seen a granny gown before?” she asked as she towel-dried her hair.
Yes. On his granny. But he certainly wasn’t going to tell her that. This nightwear contrasted sharply with what she had worn the nights they’d spent together. Or more accurately, the nightwear he had taken off her the nights they’d spent together.
He struggled for an appropriate response. Was this what the next few days would be like? A never-ending walking on egg shells?
“I’m sure it’s comfortable,” he replied.
A wistful look crossed her face. “Yeah, it’s comfortable, but it’s so much easier to intimidate a hostile witness in a navy power suit and stilettos than a maternity dress and shoes so ugly the fashion police would have me indicted.”
She sighed heavily and waddled across the room. He settled her into bed, where she propped herself against the headboard, a book on childbirth spread on her lap. Within minutes, she fell asleep.
He’d have to remember to borrow that book, or buy his own copy, in case she wanted him with her when the baby arrived. He’d like to witness the birth, but ultimately, it was up to Tess whether or not she was going to allow that to happen. He would argue his case, but he wasn’t sure of his rights since they weren’t married. He didn’t know if he could demand to be in the delivery room. If not, he’d have to accept that fact and try like hell to convince her otherwise before her due date.
He retrieved his belongings from the Range Rover and placed them in the guest room, which was down the hall from Tess’s room. As a photographer, he had an eye for people and their surroundings and had done some interior design photography several years earlier for friends opening a design firm. Tess’s bedroom could have come straight from their showroom. Her apartment had been more a mixture of styles and colors designed for utility. This room with its king-sized bed with a white wood headboard and matching nightstands lacked personality. Where was the Tess he knew?
A self-guided tour of the rest of the house was in order. The upstairs contained another full bathroom and a smaller bedroom next to the master. From the unassembled chest and stacks of other baby things, he presumed this was going to be the baby’s nursery. Samples of several colors of paint chips were taped to one wall and a magazine photo of a baby’s room was taped to the window frame. The pieces of the chest of drawers that had precipitated the events of the last few days lay strewn in one corner. Two other boxes, one containing the pieces for a crib and the other a changing table, were stacked against one wall.
Lots of work remained to be done if the room was to be ready by her due date. And what if, despite all their precautions, the baby arrived early? Nick had heard tales of babies sleeping in dresser drawers and laundry baskets. His son might not care where he slept, but Nick sure did.
He slipped downstairs quietly and helped himself to a tall glass of milk and a couple of cookies from a package lying on the kitchen countertop before wandering through the other downstairs rooms. The rest of the house seemed cozy enough, but nothing of Tess jumped out at him. That made him wonder where the Tess he’d spent so much time with had disappeared to. Where was the woman with panache and a take-no-prisoners attitude? The woman who could cuss like a sailor one minute and whisper sexy innuendo in his ear the next?
Nick carried the milk and cookies to the front porch and settled into the swing to contemplate how his life had been upended in the last forty-eight hours. He pushed his foot against the porch floor to set the swing in motion and had settled back when his cell phone vibrated in his jeans pocket.
The caller ID indicated it was his sister Bella, and for a moment he contemplated letting the call roll to voice mail. The last thing he wanted now was an interrogation. He knew Bella and his mother had seen Tess in all her pregnant glory and had been whispering to each other. Hell, he didn’t even know all the answers, so what could he tell Bella? But, he answered, knowing exactly what she’d ask and that he’d have to deal with her and his mother sooner or later.
“Hey, Bella.”
“Do you have something you want to tell me, Nicky?”
“The weather in Sydney is damn near perfect in February, but I believe I could live a lifetime without seeing someone eat grubs and goanna. I mean, Crocodile Dundee is alive and well in Oz even today. I got some great shots, the boss is pleased and—”
“I love the travelogue and can’t wait to see the article, but you know what I’m asking about.” Her voice held that big-sister tone of authority he hated as much as he hated the nickname she’d used. Regret over answering the phone already settled in his gut.
He took in a long breath and exhaled slowly. “Yep, I do. But I’d rather talk to Mom and Pop together and explain everything to them all at one time.”
Once I know everything there is to explain.
“Okay, that’s understandable. I’m still at the house, so I’ll get them on the speaker phone and you can explain away.”
“No,” Nick said forcefully. “I mean, I’ll explain everything, but I’d rather do it in person. I can’t get back to the house until at least tomorrow, maybe the day after. Do you think y’all can wait until then?”
“Why can’t you come sooner?” Nick detected a hint of exasperation in her voice. “Mom and I know what we saw and we’re dying to know where you were going with a suitcase and a woman who looked like she was ready to give birth any moment.”
Anger and annoyance grated at him. Bella could be like a bloodhound on a scent, and he was tempted to tell her to do something unpleasant. He refrained, though, because he wanted his family’s support, both for himself and for Tess and the baby. Pissing off Bella wouldn’t be a wise move. “She’s about seven months along with what just became a high-risk pregnancy and she just got out of the hospital, dammit. I need to make sure she’s okay through the night. She’s supposed to hire some help in the next day or so, and then I won’t have to stay so close.”
“So I suppose the baby is yours?” Again the temptation to tell her off was strong, but he tamped it down.
“Yep,” he answered curtly. “The baby is mine. And it’s a boy too. But please don’t say anything to Mom and Pop yet. They deserve to hear this from me. Promise?”
Bella hesitated before answering. “I promise. But are you sure it’s yours? You were gone an awfully long time this year, Nicky.”
Red-hot anger swelled inside him, and his fist clenched at his side. He shouldn’t be mad because his older sister was concerned for him. Families looked out for each other. But she should also believe what he told her. Families were supposed to trust each other as well, and pretty soon he’d have a family of his own—of sorts.
“I’m positive, so drop the subject and don’t bring it up again.”
“I’m just looking out for you, little brother.” The older three Russo children were stair steps, each born a year apart. Bella had enjoyed being the baby until she was three and Nick had come along. Born eight weeks early, he commanded even more attention than the usual newborn. It hadn’t escaped Nick that Tess was at the same point in her pregnancy that his mother had been when she’d given birth to him. Should the baby arrive early, perhaps his mother could provide emotional support for Tess. After all, he’d grown up to be healthy and strong.
“I can take care of myself, though I appreciate your concern. Really, I do. Tess and I aren’t in any sort of formal relationship, but if she says the baby is mine, it’s mine. I know her well enough to believe her.”
“Did you ask for DNA testing to rule out any other possibilities of who the father is?”
“What part of trust don’t you understand, Bella? She offered to have the DNA tests done and I told her she didn’t have to do it. It’s an unnecessary expense on top of everything else.”
“People lie.” Nick noted an odd tone in her voice but dismissed it. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you if this baby is born with carrot-red hair and freckles, which are nowhere to be found on the Russo family tree.”
Now he was really pissed. “Good-bye, Bella.” Nick cut the connection and placed the cell phone beside him.
The front door swung open and Tess stepped out, her white robe barely covering her swollen belly and her feet encased in pink fleece slippers.
“You’re supposed to be resting and taking it easy,” he said, grabbing his phone and pushing himself off the swing in one smooth motion. “And you shouldn’t be going up and down the stairs by yourself. Why didn’t you get me to help you?”
“I called out and you weren’t there. I needed some juice so I got it myself. I’m not paralyzed. And I’ve been going up and down those stairs alone for months now.”
“You weren’t on doctor-ordered bed rest then either. What if you’d fallen down the stairs? What if you slipped in the hallway? Are those bedroom shoes safe on the kitchen tile? What if—”
“What if you stop being such a damn worrywart,” she snapped. She stepped back into the house and headed toward the kitchen with Nick following close behind.
“Sit,” he said, pointing to the closest chair. “I’ll get your juice.”
“Geez, Nick. Do you honestly think I’d do anything deliberately to hurt this baby?” She lowered herself into the chair with a low grunt. “Believe me when I tell you I’ve learned my lesson after what happened yesterday, and tomorrow I’ve arranged interviews with two women so I can have someone to come in and help me.” Her face darkened with a frown.
“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” Nick was at her side in two strides.
She pinned him with a look that screamed back off. “No, but I need help aside from what a home aide can provide. I’m going to need a painter too. I don’t have the furniture and decorations for the baby’s nursery finished yet.”
“Well, I told you I’d assemble the chest. I took a peek at it a little bit ago and it shouldn’t take long. And my dad is a retired painting contractor, so I’m sure he can find you someone who’ll do the job for a good price,” he said.
She shook her head in protest, then stopped and nodded instead. “That would be nice. Thank you. I guess I’d better learn to be a little more willing to accept help, huh?”
“And I need to stop hovering.” Because he had been born prematurely, Nick’s mother had been a helicopter mom before the term even existed. He often believed that had been part of the reason he was driven to travel the world and not put down roots. Looking at him now, no one would suspect he had been a three-pound baby who practically had Fragile! Handle with Care embroidered on his bibs. Mama Russo had handled him with kid gloves to the point where he had become an adrenaline junkie to prove to the world—and to his mother—he was unbreakable.
“Let’s get you back upstairs,” he said, trying not to sound dictatorial. Tess might need handling with care, but he had to be diplomatic about it. “It’ll be dark soon. Do you need anything besides juice? Something to eat maybe? It’s been a while since you had lunch.”
After a turkey sandwich, pickles and a bowl of frozen yogurt, Tess settled in for the night with a new romance novel, which surprised the hell out of him. He’d have guessed she preferred crime novels or legal thrillers. But then their discussions had never leaned much toward reading matter, unless it was an article in some magazine about a new and exciting way to enhance your sex life or a review of a great new downtown restaurant.
Nick had made sure everything she needed was within easy reach—the TV remote, a glass of water and a flashlight so she could navigate to the bathroom alone in the dark. He made a mental note to ask his dad to buy some nightlights when he went to pick up Tess’s car.
Nick unpacked his overnight bag and staked out the guest bedroom and bathroom as his territory, at least until Tess found household help to take his place.
When his phone rang at nine o’clock and he saw his mother’s name on the display, he opted to ignore the call. He didn’t want to explain Tess and the baby over the phone, and waiting until at least tomorrow to face his mom gave him plenty of time to figure out just exactly what he was going to say about the situation.
Guess what, Grandma? You’re finally going to get a grandchild from me.
Carol Russo, in his dad’s words, was a tough broad. But Nick knew telling her about Tess would be awkward and embarrassing. And he knew she wouldn’t let him off easy, either. That was not her way, and the family knew it. His mother ran a tight ship; she’d had to with a husband and four children. Even though he was an adult, he still felt an obligation to follow her rules when he was home and practically living under her roof. And after his experience with his college girlfriend, he wasn’t quite sure what his mother’s reaction might be. At least this outcome would be more positive.
He hoped.