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Matt wished he was with her but she’d insisted he go to work, saying it was silly to take time off when her missed period might only be a hiccup in her normal cycle. Matt suspected she’d been protecting herself against his disappointment. They’d both been riding high on hope this past week.
“I’m going home now to spread the good news,” she crowed triumphantly. “I’ll let you tell your mother, Matt.”
He laughed. No doubt she’d be on the telephone for hours. “I’ll come home early. This calls for a celebration. We’ll go out for dinner.”
“No. Let’s eat in. I’ll buy something special and we’ll have an intimate dinner for three. You, me and our first child.”
Her sigh brimmed with heartfelt satisfaction. Matt felt a tightness in his chest himself. “A family celebration,” he said huskily. “I’ll bring the very best champagne.”
“That would be lovely,” she enthused. “’Bye for now.”
Gone before he could hold her talking to him longer. Some of the fizz died with the disconnection but Matt assured himself it would return in full measure this evening. A happy celebration. The happiest. A baby gave them a very solid footing for their marriage to go forward.
Not that it wasn’t highly satisfactory already. No man in his right mind could knock mutual lust and there’d been plenty of it since the night of the rose incident. For a brief niggling moment, he wondered if Peta’s desire for him would ease off now she had what she most wanted. Was he just a stud to her?
He shook off the thought. Stupid to spoil the pleasure of this day. Besides, their relationship was just as good out of bed as in it. He couldn’t ask for a more companionable partner. Nothing was going to affect that. With a baby on the way, they’d have even more to talk about and plan for.
Smiling, he dialled his mother’s telephone number.
She answered on the second ring. “Cynthia Davis,” she rattled off as though in a hurry.
“It’s Matt.”
“Hello, dear! I’m just off to the Bridge Club. Can we chat this evening instead?”
Bridge Club, View Club, an Asian cooking course—Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese—weekly Tai Chi sessions...his mother had certainly thrown herself into activities these past few months, making good her promise to establish a new life for herself. Matt was delighted at the efforts she had made to pick up and pursue interests.
“No, I’ll be busy this evening,” he answered. “I thought you’d like to know Peta’s pregnant with your first grandchild.”
“What? Already!” she gasped.
“You could say, ‘Congratulations,’” Matt teased.
“Of course. Congratulations, dear. To both of you,” she gushed. “Though it is early days, Matt. I do hope...well, you are old enough to know what you’re doing.”
He grimaced...still the doubt about his rushing into marriage with Peta. And now parenthood. “It is what we want, Mum,” he assured her.
“Oh, it’s lovely news, dear. My first grandchild. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it was a girl? I’d be able to buy all the things I couldn’t buy for a boy. What a thrill!”
He laughed. “I can’t guarantee a girl.”
“No.” She laughed at herself. “Don’t mind me. It doesn’t really matter as long as the baby’s healthy. I’ll love it anyway. My first grandchild.”
It was good to hear the pride and pleasure in her voice.
“Have you thought of any names yet?” she asked hopefully.
“No. Maybe we’ll do that tonight.”
“Well, tell Peta I’ll call her tomorrow since you’re busy tonight. Lots of love to both of you, dear.”
“Thanks, Mum. Have a good bridge game.”
She sighed. “I won’t be able to concentrate now. Never mind. I’ll have happy thoughts.”
On that uplifting note, Matt was happy to end the call. He walked over to the door leading into his secretary’s office, opened it and stood there, smiling benevolently at the woman who had advised taking his mother to the health farm.
Rita Sutcliffe was in her early fifties, a widow who’d been out of the work force for years before Matt took her on as his secretary, mostly because she could actually spell, partly because she’d brought up five children which proved considerable organisational skills, as well as having a wealth of common sense which appealed to him.
