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The image of a baby with Lily’s stunning, natural beauty gripped his heart. No matter if the baby had his bright blue eyes or her dark features, Nash knew one thing, this baby would be loved, would know her place in the family and would want for nothing...and he didn’t just mean monetary things, either.
* * *
After the doctor had come and gone, giving Lily a clean bill of health, Nash had still insisted she lie around and do nothing. Absolutely nothing. This hero act was sweet for about five minutes, but she was really getting tired of him jerking around to see if she was okay with every move she made.
Lily settled deeper into the propped pillows behind her back and crossed her ankles. She probably should warn Nash she didn’t plan on staying in this bed the entire time she was here. Tomorrow she would get up and do...something.
Her phone chimed on the nightstand and Lily glanced over to see a text from Ian. She hadn’t checked her phone since this morning, considering she’d planned on a more fun-filled day she hadn’t wanted to be interrupted. But when the events had turned more worrisome, she’d not even given work a second thought.
Reaching for her phone, she quickly read his text.
Did you get my voice mail?
Lily went to her messages and listened, her heart thumping as she realized Ian was presenting her with a role made for her and she had to make the decision rather quickly. As in, by Monday morning.
After she listened fully to his message, she fired back a text stating she’d listened and she was definitely interested and he would have a decision by tomorrow night. She didn’t go into details of her day’s events because even though he knew she was expecting, he didn’t need to worry she couldn’t do her job.
As she was pondering the role and how wonderful the opportunity would be for her, Nash rounded the corner with his phone in hand.
“Still feeling good?” he asked, coming to stand beside the bed.
“I hope you don’t think I’m lying in this bed for months,” she informed him. “I’m going to have bedsores.”
Nash lifted her legs and sat down, placing her feet across his lap. “Yeah, well we had one outing and you went out like a light. I don’t think my heart could take too much more of that.”
His heart. That was an area they’d yet to explore. She honestly wanted to know what was in his heart where they were concerned.
“I just got off the phone with Damon.”
Lily perked up. “Did he call you?”
Nash smiled. “Yeah. He wants us to come out to the estate for lunch tomorrow. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Don’t feel obligated.”
Lily sat straight up. “First of all, that’s a little hurtful that you think I wouldn’t want to. Second, if you’re not comfortable with me around your new family, just say so. I know you’re wanting to get to know them and I’m still an outsider.”
Nash slid his hands up her legs to her thighs as he gripped her and leaned forward. “I want you there. Never doubt that I want you with me. I didn’t want you to feel like I was dragging you through my family drama right now.”
“Fair enough.” The fact he wanted her there spoke volumes for the direction their relationship was headed. “Are you going to tell them about the baby?”
Nash’s thumbs slid back and forth over her bare thighs, making this conversation hard to focus on. But she realized he wasn’t even paying attention to the gesture when he sighed and shook his head.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “I want to leave that up to you since we’re not ready for the media to get wind of it.”
“Well, Ian knows, so Cassie may, too. Although he did promise to keep the information to himself.”
Lily thought about the Barringtons, about how dynamic this family was and how the media tended to hound them, too. They would understand the need for privacy, especially when an innocent baby was involved. A close-knit family like that knew all about loyalty and protecting those around them.
“I don’t mind if we tell them,” she said, pleased when his mouth split into a wide grin.
“Seriously?”
“Sure. That will give everyone something positive to discuss, something that takes the edge off the intensity of you shocking them with your identity.”
The smile on his face faded, the muscle in his jaw clenched. Something she couldn’t identify passed over his eyes.
“You all right?” she asked, wondering what she’d said that had him so worried.
He blinked, and an instant transformation had his smile returning. “I’m good. Just thinking about how I’ll fit into Damon’s life now, I guess.”
