"I hope you don't have it for that long."
"Me either." Her lips curved in a careful smile. "The ginger ale you bought helps, so thank you."
"Then I'll buy it by the truck full." They were still in the entryway. "Do you need some? I have it here."
She laid her hand on her stomach. "I'm fine. But, thanks."
The urge to touch her there was so strong. He wanted to place his hand alongside of hers and be close to the place where his child grew. "Come into the living room."
She sat on the end of the couch. He sat half-on the middle and half on the opposite end's cushions, close but not closer than they were ready for. She linked her fingers together, then pulled them apart, then brought one leg up to rest on the cushion and shifted to face him. "We need to talk."
"We do."
"This pregnancy has terrified me. I was so sick I couldn't do my job. I didn't know if any of the medicines were going to work. When Ray approached me, I didn't feel like I could tell him no. If he saw me as uncooperative or not a team player, there's nothing to stop him from replacing me too. I couldn't risk that happening now, not with the baby."
"I understand." He did. He really did.
She reached toward him and then hesitated and returned her hand to her lap. "The thought of being involved in lining up your replacement made me physically sick. I threw up twice that night. I know losing the job would devastate you. I told Ray that too. I couldn't stand having any part in hurting you."
He nodded. Hearing that helped.
"I didn't know how to tell you about it. And I didn't know how to tell you about the baby either. There never was a perfect time. We've only been seeing each other a few months and this pregnancy is a shock."
"It is. We were always so careful. I've wracked my brain trying to remember if we'd ever forgotten to use a condom. But to be honest, I was always so lost in my head over you that I don't think I would've realized if one had broken."
"Worrying about the how doesn't help now. But I'm surprised you haven't made any jokes about your sperm having shark strength or something about them being stealth swimmers." She offered him a hopeful smile.
Laughing, he shifted closer, relieved they could laugh and that she didn't hate him for his hand in the major change in their lives. "You know how my mind works. Believe me, the jokes are forming fast, but I've held back because I wasn't sure if you'd find them funny."
"It's laugh or cry. And I've done my share of crying."
"How long have you known?" He wasn't angry she hadn't told him or that she'd told Savanna first, only curious.
"I found out the day you sprained your ankle."
Rubbing his hand over his forehead, he shook his head. "Talk about timing."
"Listen, Liam..." Pausing, she bit her lip. Eyes wide, she watched him as nerves played over her face.
He couldn't have her worried. Shifting closer, he covered her hand with his. "I'm going to be here for you and the baby every step of the way. We're in this together."
"Together?" Her gaze searched his and she leaned closer but stopped before any other parts of their bodies connected.
"I didn't react well yesterday. There was too much emotion. I should have stayed and talked it out. And I definitely shouldn't have said what I did about us. It isn't true. We're not over. We can't be, not when I love you like I do."
Her eyes welled with tears. She closed the distance, wrapping her other arm around his shoulders. "I love you too."
His lips found hers and he felt the love flowing between them. He shifted their hands to her stomach and thrilled at the idea their baby was right there.
After long moments, Claire drew back. "We still haven't solved the problem of what to do about work. Tomorrow's game will be a test to see how well the medicine works over the smell of the ballpark food. If I can't get a handle on this nausea, I won't be able to do the job. And I honestly don't want to work with another Fin. You're what makes Fin the lovable, dynamic character that he is. Maybe we need to remind Ray of that."
"We can adjust our timing on the field to accommodate whatever breaks you need to take until you're feeling better. The team doesn't have to know about the baby unless you want to tell them."
"Thank you."
"When are we having him or her?"
"Mid-February."
"I can't believe we're actually having a kid." He loved the idea. Maybe the baby would be the next in line for Fin or Fiona. That was the only replacement he'd accept. He pulled his laptop from the coffee table. "Let's get Ray on video chat. Settle this now."
She leaned her head on his shoulder as they waited for Ray to accept the call. Liam's fingers stroked over her shoulder.
Finally, Ray's face popped up on the screen. "Oh. Liam and Claire. What's going on, guys?"
Liam started right in. "We need to talk to you about the mascot situation."
"What about it?"
"As I continue to heal, I'll be more mobile. I'll be able to dance on top of the dugout. Jog around. Do light stunts on the ATV. So even if I'm not doing flips in three weeks, it'll be a lot better than things have been."
"Liam, the backup is a backup plan. I explained that to you yesterday."
"I respect that, Ray. But I made Fin into the character that the fans love. Not some other guy. Me. No one else has
