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“I’m taking my lunch break now, Marion,” Grace called out to her assistant, a matronly lady who loved reading historical romances.
“No problem, Grace.” Marion smiled at her and bustled behind the counter.
She’d been lucky to find Marion. Although she wasn’t a livewire like Tanya had been, she was easy going, dependable, and just plain nice.
Soon after she and Sam had married, four months after they’d declared their love, Tanya had handed in her notice. She was moving to Seattle to be with Parker. Before Grace and Sam’s one year wedding anniversary, Parker and Tanya had announced that they were engaged, and running the art gallery together.
Parker had also turned down the deal proposed by the investor, to run a string of art galleries across the country under the Hartwell name. He’d said there was too much travelling involved, even for him. Now he and Tanya were married, and Grace was sure Tanya was the perfect choice for Parker – and he for her.
And Sam – Sam was definitely the perfect – and only – choice for her.
Her hand touched her belly. Today she had a surprise for her husband – one she was sure he would be pleased about.
Every day they had lunch together – either at the diner, the coffee shop, or bringing their lunch from home and eating it in the small break room in the bookshop, or in Sam’s private office at the art gallery – formerly the vacant storefront across from her bookshop.
Sam’s small gallery was doing well – and so was her bookshop. Emmet alternated between showing his paintings at Sam’s gallery in Spring River Bend and the big Seattle gallery, and she and Emmett talked on the phone from time to time.
They’d restored the old farmhouse, her sisters happy for her and Sam to live there. And he got on well with her sisters and her brothers-in-law. Everything was perfect. And this surprise would make it even more so – she hoped.
“Sam,” she called out, entering the gallery. There weren’t any customers, so she turned the Open sign to Closed and locked the door. She wanted to have total privacy with her husband.
“I’ve just picked up lunch for us, sweetheart.” Sam emerged from his office. A silver pen nudged out of his jacket pocket. She’d bought him that pen for his wedding present since he constantly seemed to need one, and he always carried it with him.
“Great.” She smiled at him, unable to hold her excitement in any longer. “But first, I have something to tell you.”
“It must be good news from the look on your face.” He wrapped his arms around her waist.
“It is. We’re going to have a baby!”
“We are?” Surprise and pleasure creased his face. “We are?”
“Yes!” She hugged him hard.
He let out a whoop, and then sobered. “Have you had it confirmed by the doctor?”
She nodded. “I’m two months along.”
“That’s wonderful, sweetheart.” Then he frowned. “I don’t want you overdoing it, though. Maybe you should give Marion more hours at the shop so you can rest.”
“Perhaps in a few months,” she conceded, loving his concern for her – and the baby. “But right now I feel fine.” She giggled. “All that practicing for four years has paid off.”
They kissed for long minutes, then she placed his hand on her belly. “We’re going to have a baby,” she said softly.
“Our baby.” He looked at her wonderingly. “And she’s going to be as beautiful as you.”
“Or he’s going to be as handsome as you.”
As she relaxed in Sam’s loving embrace, Grace wondered how she could ever have been so lucky. She was married to the man of her dreams, they were going to have a baby, and she owned a bookshop.
Sometimes life was exactly like a romance novel.
** *** ***
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Have you read:
Tess and Garth:
The Billionaire's Secret Bride (BBW Western Romance - Sisters of Rose Lark Ranch 1)
Harriet and Coop:
Claimed by the Cowboy (BBW Western Romance - Sisters of Rose Lark Ranch 2)
A list of all my titles are on the next page.
