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“You too,” Gabe said, as they started down the sidewalk.
“They seemed like nice people,” Zoe said quietly. “They think we’re married.”
“Yeah, I suspect they do.” Gabe didn’t look at her while matching his pace to hers.
What was he thinking? Some of the joy of the day had dimmed. They continued in silence until they were in front of his house. She wanted their earlier camaraderie back. “I enjoyed our walk.”
“I did too.”
Zoe gave him a suspicious look. “What’s happening to you?”
“Uh?”
“I’d have never guessed the always-busy type A doctor would’ve ever said something like that.”
He grinned. “Could be you’re a good influence on me.”
Did she really have that kind of effect on him?
As they entered the house through the carport door, Gabe said, “I brought us some of the best Italian in town. Or so I’ve been told. It’s from a little restaurant close to the hospital. I’ll get it warmed up.”
“Then I’m on dish duty.” Zoe headed for the kitchen. She’d forgotten about the bag waiting on the table. Picking it up, she held it out. “By the way, you left this in my bathroom last night.”
He gave her a wolfish grin. “I had other things on my mind.”
Heat warmed her cheeks. She’d had other things on her mind as well.
Gabe took it from her. “You didn’t peek, did you?”
She shrugged and tried to look innocent. “Maybe a little.”
“Why am I not surprised?” He dug into the bag. “What do you think?” Gabe proudly held up a ball and a tiny baseball glove.
She smiled. “I think it’ll be a while before he can use them.”
Gabe grinned. “Maybe so but he’ll have them when he’s ready.”
“Yes, he will.” But would Gabe be around to play with him? Go to the games?
They worked around each other for the next few minutes. During one of her passes by him, Gabe caught her hand and pulled her to him. “I haven’t had one of these in too long.” He gave her a tender yet searching kiss.
The insecurity of earlier disappeared, replaced by the bliss of being in his arms again.
His lips left hers. “I could do without a meal to have you again but you need to eat. You tempt me so much.”
She tempted him? Had she ever received a more exciting compliment?
After dinner Zoe stood at the sink, washing up the few dishes they had used. Gabe came up behind her. The heat from his body warmed her from shoulders to hips. His arms circled her before he pushed her hair away from her neck and gave her a kiss.
She could get used to this attention. His change in attitude and all his actions were almost surreal but they were everything she had dreamed of having in a husband.
“Forget those and let’s go outside and sit for a little while.”
Her heart opened more. Even that simple statement made her melt. He wanted to spend time with her. The impression she’d had of him when they’d first met had been that he would never have slowed down long enough to enjoy anything as simple as sitting outside under the stars. Then his life had seemed to center on his career. “Almost done here. You go on and I’ll be right there.”
Minutes later she wiped her hands off on the dishrag and headed to the patio. Gabe was sitting on the settee with one foot propped on the table. He looked relaxed and content. With his stressful job, he needed downtime. She was glad he could find it.
She moved to take a chair but he grabbed her hand and tugged her toward him. “You’ll be too far away if you sit there.”
She sat next to him. His arm went around her shoulders, pulling her close.
“This is much better.”
Zoe sighed softly. Much. The evening sounds of bugs and the occasional bark of a dog joined the sound of Gabe’s soft breathing. Could life get better than this? Only if it could be like this forever.
“I’ve been thinking about a baby name now that we know what it’s going to be.” She sat so near she could feel the tension of anticipation in Gabe’s body. Did he hope the baby would be named after him?
The calm of his voice didn’t give anything away. “Have you decided on something?”
“I have.”
“Will you tell me?”
“William. Call him Will. What do you think?”
“I like it.” The hint of disappointment in his voice didn’t escape her.
She couldn’t help but tease him, prolonging saying more.
In a huff he asked, “What about the middle name?”
“Well...” She turned so she could see his face. “...I was thinking about Gabriel, after his father and grandfather. What do you think?”
“William Gabriel Marks. That’s a fine, strong name.”
“Avery. William Gabriel Avery.”
He gave her a searching look. Would he argue? He couldn’t expect the baby to have his last name if they weren’t married. He nodded. Was it acceptance or appeasement?
“Tell me what you know about your daddy. I’d like to know something about Will’s heritage.”
* * *
Gabe didn’t like the sour taste in his mouth that came with knowing his boy wouldn’t carry his last name. Yet he didn’t believe he could demand the name be different. He was well acquainted with Zoe’s strong will and determination. She wouldn’t easily change her mind. Neither probably should she.
He wasn’t sure he was qualified to answer the question about his dad. This wasn’t how he would have imagined their romantic moments on the patio going. But then, he’d have never guessed he’d be enjoying an evening like this.
Zoe wouldn’t let the question about his father go either. He could only name a few people he’d ever share the story with. “I don’t know a lot about him. Like I said, Mother never told me much. I think it’s too painful even to this day. He was from Arizona and a teacher. He liked the outdoors. I think my parents had a good marriage but a too short one.”
He’d never thought about how deeply his mother must have cared for his father. Had his mother never remarried because she’d missed his father so badly she couldn’t bear the hurt of losing another? What would it be like to love that deeply? Could he? Did he already?
“That’s a shame. It can be hard to find the right person, and when you do, to lose them so...” Zoe’s voice trailed off, as though she’d said more than she wanted to.
She must know from experience. Her father had run out on her and she’d lost him, and now for all intents and purposes her mother was gone as well. She had to understand loss far better than he. Possibly love as well.
“Zoe, if you don’t want to answer this I’ll understand, but would you tell me about your father?”
She was close enough he felt her body stiffen.
He squeezed her shoulder. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“It doesn’t make the hurt any less by not talking about it. I was crazy about him. He could do no wrong. If he was at home I was under his feet. I don’t know if I just didn’t want to see his unhappiness or I couldn’t, but it had to have been there.”
She was too hard on herself. “You were a kid. You weren’t supposed to see.”
“I know, but it would have been easier than him just not coming h
ome one day.”
He hugged her again. It would have.
“I asked Mom what happened and all she could say was that he just wasn’t happy. That he had to leave.”
“You never saw him again?”
“No. We found out a few years later he had died of an overdose.” The last few words were but a whisper.
Her pain must be at a level he’d never experienced, yet she still believed in and wanted a marriage, husband and family. Misery filled him. That wasn’t something he felt he had the ability to give her, even if he wanted to. What if he failed her? He cared too much to have her hurt like that again.
It was time for a change in subject. Talk about something more pleasant. “Have you given any thought to decorating the nursery? Especially since you know the sex now.”
“Not really...” Her voice trailed off as if she wasn’t really listening.
“I wish you would. Will needs a place to come home to.”
“Mmm...” Her head rested heavily against his shoulder.
Gabe just held her as she slept. A while later, he gently shook her. “Come on, sleepyhead. We need to go to bed.”
“I didn’t mean to go to sleep on you,” she mumbled.
“Not a problem.” He walked her inside.
Zoe headed toward her side of the house.
“Hey, where’re you going?”
“To bed.”
“Wrong way. You’re with me.” He extended his hand.
For a second he worried she might not take it. To his relief, her palm met his. She curled her fingers around his as they walked to his bedroom. There he led her into the bath and turned on the shower, adjusting the water temperature.
“Are you getting a shower?” Zoe asked, her voice drowsy.
