relationships. He’s convinced he’s bad at them. What does he say? That he comes from a long line of men who pick the wrong woman?”
“Something like that,” Nicole admitted. “But it’s just what he says. It doesn’t have to be what he believes.”
“You’re his friend,” Claire said. “What do you think?”
Nicole hesitated for a second. “That he’s so used to hiding that he has no idea what he wants.”
“The politically correct answer. You’re sweet to try to make me feel better.”
“Wyatt could change. People change.”
They could, but they didn’t all that often. “Do you really believe, in your gut, that Wyatt could fall in love with me?”
“Yes,” Nicole said firmly.
Claire didn’t believe her for a second, but the fact that her sister would be so supportive was enough. At least for right now.
“MRS. OLIVE SAYS the counselor will talk to Daddy and me,” Amy said, so excited that she was difficult to understand. “I’m going to need…” She paused to finger spell at the speed of light.
“Slower, please,” Claire signed. “You’re going to need what?”
“T-h-e-r-a-p-y.”
“Oh, like what Nicole is getting for her leg but for you it will be your ear and your brain.”
“Uh-huh.” Amy grinned. “Daddy says we’ll do my bad ear. It’s a comp…Compy something.”
“Compromise.”
She nodded again. “After the counselor, we’ll meet with the doctor.”
Amy climbed out of the car and ran up to the front door of Nicole’s house, where she would wait until Wyatt came by to pick her up.
Amy hurried over to the sofa to greet Nicole, then signed about her impending surgery.
“Are you happy with just one ear?” Nicole asked. “One and not two?”
“Uh-huh. I need to wait until there’s better ways for me to hear with the other ear. I’ll still be able to hear good with the one implant.”
She spoke with a combination of signing and speaking.
“You’re very mature,” Claire told her.
Amy dimpled.
“Go in the kitchen,” Nicole told her. “There’s a surprise.”
Amy raced in that direction. When she’d left, Nicole said, “I agree. She’s very together. I wouldn’t have been at her age.”
“Me, either.”
Nicole rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Of the two of us, you have the best shot at the title of mature child. You were practically living on your own as you studied and toured the world.”
“I couldn’t have handled what she’s doing. Amy has backbone. I would have listened to the adults around me and done what they told me to.”
“If only that were still true,” Nicole said with a sniff.
Claire laughed.
Amy burst back into the room. “You made cookies! Can I have one?”
“Of course,” Claire said. “My first attempt at baking. Be kind.”
“They’ll be fine,” Nicole told her. “Baking is in your blood.”
“I hope so.”
“As long as you didn’t use too much salt.”
Claire remembered the unfortunate incident the first day she’d gone to the bakery. “We’re not going to mention that.”
“Aren’t we?”
“No.”
Claire led Amy back into the kitchen and served her a couple of cookies, along with a glass of milk. She sat across from her at the table and listened to the details of her day.
As the girl spoke and signed and laughed, Claire realized something. She didn’t just love Wyatt. She loved his daughter, too. Leaving them both behind, not to mention Nicole and even Jesse, was going do more than hurt. It was going to break her heart.
CLAIRE HOVERED impatiently, dancing from foot to foot, counting to herself. She’d used three different tests at the same time and then lined them up on the bathroom counter on a paper towel. Now came the hard part-waiting.
The sticks offered her nothing at first, then one by one they changed and gave her the same message. She shrieked and ran into Nicole’s bedroom.
Her sister was still in bed. It was barely after six, so Nicole being asleep wasn’t a huge surprise. But Claire didn’t care. It was only in deference to her sister’s still-healing knee that she didn’t jump on the mattress. But she did yell.
“Get up! Get up. You have to be awake so I can tell you myself.”
She pulled back the drapes and opened the blinds. Sunlight spilled into the room.
Nicole sat up and blinked at her. “What’s your problem? It’s early.” She glanced at the clock. “Dear God, I’m going to have to kill you.”
Claire didn’t care. She spun in a circle, her happiness giving her speed and momentum. She couldn’t possibly be expected to contain all the happiness bubbling up inside of her.
“I’m pregnant,” she announced. “I peed on three different sticks in three different tests and I’m pregnant. I’m having a baby. Isn’t that the best?”
Nicole’s mouth dropped open. “Since when?”
“This morning. Oh. I guess technically since that first night Wyatt and I, you know. I’m so happy. I’ve always wanted children. I never thought I could get pregnant so easily. I thought I’d have to work for it more. This is going to change everything. I get to be a mom and start a family.” She stopped spinning and planted her feet until the room stopped moving, too.
Nicole laughed. “Too bad no one can harness that energy.”
“I know. You’ll be an aunt. I hope I have a girl. Is it okay to hope that? Except a boy would be great. I definitely want a boy.”
“I know you haven’t been drinking, but you are totally out of it.”
“I’m happy! I’ve always wanted kids but that seemed impossible, like I would never be that normal.” Claire laughed. “I should have gotten pregnant years ago.”
“Apparently.”
Claire settled on the edge of the bed and grinned. “You’re worried. I can see it in your eyes.”
“Just about Wyatt.”
The man who was probably not going to be so happy about this, Claire thought, bubbling too much to have anything break her mood.
“He’ll come around or he won’t. Either way, I’ll deal.”
“Good for you,” Nicole told her. “He may surprise us both. And if he doesn’t, I’ll break his kneecaps. I happen to know that can be really painful.”
Claire leaned forward and hugged her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. Even if I am a little bitter.”
Claire pulled back. “Why?”
“Because I always wanted a family, too. Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful Drew and I never got around to the kid thing. But a baby would be nice.”
She sounded wistful as she spoke.
“So go get pregnant,” Claire told her. “It’s easy.”
Nicole laughed. “So I’ve heard. I appreciate the advice, but I think I’ll wait a bit. Things are a little complicated right now. But I’m happy for you.”
