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Ruby settled on the sun lounger next to her and sent her a wicked grin. ‘They won’t have a choice when I tell them you and I still have lots of important business to conduct concerning the new Touch of Frosting opening in Hamilton.’
‘But I thought we got everything sorted yesterday?’ Ella said, remembering the fabulous brainstorming session they’d had discussing recipes and displays for the opening of her new bakery in two weeks’ time, which Ruby and her family were staying to attend.
‘Yes, but they don’t know that, do they?’
Ella laughed. ‘Ruby, you’re nasty.’
‘I try,’ Ruby replied, smiling back. Then she reached over to take Ella’s hand, her smile becoming hopeful. ‘So, Ella, you’ve been so upbeat, I’m assuming you got good news from the specialist last week?’
Ella gripped her friend’s fingers, and let the moment of melancholy pass before replying. Ruby knew she and Coop had been trying for another child for over a year, so of course she would ask. ‘Actually, it wasn’t the news we wanted.’
Ruby sat upright, her smile disappearing. ‘Ella, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up, I just assumed...’
‘No, that’s okay.’ She tugged Ruby’s hand to reassure her. ‘Really, it is. We knew it was a long shot.’ She allowed her gaze to drift over to her two precious guys, still playing like loons together in the surf with the Westmores, and the smile that was never far away returned. ‘It would be incredibly selfish of me to expect another miracle in my life.’ She paused, the smile getting bigger. ‘After the two I already have.’
Because she considered Coop to be as much of a miracle as their baby. He’d rescued her, she thought, in so many ways, and she’d rescued him. They had both found something wonderful together, not just in Jem but with each other, something made even more wonderful by the fact that they hadn’t even realised it had been missing from their lives until they’d found it.
‘Even so,’ Ruby said, ‘it seems such a shame it should be so hard for you to have more children when you make such incredible parents.’
‘I know,’ she said, not caring if the statement sounded a little smug. ‘Which is why we’re thinking of becoming foster parents.’
‘You are?’ Ruby’s smile returned. ‘That sounds like a great idea.’
‘We think so. It’s early days yet, but we’re both excited about it. Cooper runs free snorkelling classes at the marina for kids with...’ she paused ‘...challenging home situations.’ Something he knew far too much about himself. ‘Anyway, one of the social workers who escorts the kids suggested it to him—because she’s seen how well he handles them. So we’ve started the ball rolling. There’s a lot of paperwork and we have to do a...’
The sound of a toddler’s crying reached them, interrupting Ella’s enthusiastic reply. She sat up, seeing her husband strolling towards her across the sand, with Jem clinging to his neck and rubbing his eyes—his little head drenched in seawater.
‘Oh, dear, what happened?’ she said as they approached, trying not to smile, Jem looked so forlorn.
‘We had to retire from the field,’ Coop announced, casting a stern eye at Ruby. ‘Thanks to a sneaky stealth attack from Super-Splash-Girl.’
‘I should have warned you.’ Ruby smiled, handing Coop a towel to wipe Jem’s face. ‘Ally takes no prisoners, and she always plays to win. I’m afraid
it’s the curse of having two brothers.’
‘Want ice cream, Daddy,’ Jem wailed as if he’d just undergone an extreme form of water torture.
‘OK, buddy.’ Coop handed Ruby back the towel. ‘I guess you earned one.’ He rubbed his son’s back as the small head drooped onto his shoulder. ‘As well as a lecture on the wiles of women.’
Ruby chuckled. ‘Good luck with that.’
‘Do you want me to take him?’ Ella asked, reaching for the exhausted child.
‘Nah, he’s good. I’ll see if I can sneak a scoop of strawberry past Inez, then I’ll put him down for his nap.’ Holding his son securely against his chest, he leant down to press a kiss to her lips, whispering as he drew back, ‘Then maybe we can have our afternoon nap?’
The heat sizzled happily down to her core as she caressed her son’s damp blond curls and grinned up at her extremely hot husband. ‘Possibly, as long as I don’t have to listen to a lecture on the wiles of women.’
‘No problem.’ He winked. ‘I’ve got a whole other lecture planned for you, sweetheart.’
Saying goodbye to Ruby, he headed towards the beach steps up to the house.
Ella studied his broad tanned back, the muscular, capable shoulder where her drowsy son’s head was securely cradled, and then let her gaze drift down to the wet board shorts clinging to tight buns.
She let out a contented sigh as her happiness combined with the hum of heat. While her husband would still rather have his teeth pulled than talk about his feelings—when it came to lectures in bed, she’d never been able to fault his energy, enthusiasm... Or his expertise.
* * * * *
If you want to read Ruby and Cal’s story, look for CUPCAKES AND KILLER HEELS
