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Cal was.
She looked at him, confused, then worried. “Where’s Hazel? Is she okay?”
“She’s sleeping in her own bed. Like a princess. Just like her mom. Jody came over to watch her.”
“Oh.” Jody was their next-door neighbor, a sweet older woman who doted on Hazel. “Is something wrong?”
“No. I love you.”
“I love you, too. You’re kind of scaring me.”
“I want to move up the wedding.”
“What? Why?”
“I love you, I love Hazel, and I want to marry you. Now. On Sunday. I talked to your dad, he’s already changed his schedule, so he has the time off. He’ll be here Saturday and said he can’t wait. I talked to Ted—he’ll marry us out at sea. We’ll have our closest friends there, my mom is coming in from Seattle, your dad, and Hazel. If anything, this last week has showed me that time is too short. I’m not perfect, but I will do everything I can to make you and Hazel happy.”
Jamie burst into tears. She didn’t know why. She loved Cal, and crying wasn’t the right response, but she knew why her emotions were all in turmoil.
“What’s wrong?”
“I—I’m pregnant. I found out last week and I think—that’s why I was so emotional and went to my dad’s after—”
“Shh.Don’t talk about that. Don’t talk about anything butus. And our family. I’m so happy.”
“We didn’t plan it! I don’t know how it happened—”
“We didn’t plan Hazel and she’s the best thing that has ever happened to me, other than you.”
She nodded as the tears rolled down her face. “I’m a mess.”
“A beautiful mess.” He held her face in his hands, kissed her, smiled. “When?”
“December. Around Christmas. I think it happened in April when we got a babysitter for the day and had that picnic on Henry Island.”
He grinned. “That was amazing. Maybe if we have a boy, we can name him Henry.”
“Oh, no. Then we’ll have to tell him why!”
“I’m sure one of us has a dead relative named Henry. Only we will know the real truth. And I think it would be cute, to have Hazel and Henry. But if it’s a girl, I’ll be just as happy.”
“You’re okay with this? With another baby?”
“I’m more than okay.” He put his hand on her stomach, gently squeezed.
A wave of emotion rushed through her and she wrapped her arms around him. “I love you, Caleb McKinnon. But I have a lot to do before Sunday!”
“I talked to Pete. He’s giving us a wedding present: ten days paid time off.”
“Really? He shouldn’t—”
“Don’t question it!”
Cal really had covered all the bases. The time off, the money, her dad, Ted marrying them at sea. “I need to go out to my dad’s tomorrow and air out my grandmother’s wedding dress. I’ll see if Jody can make any adjustments real quick, but I want to wear it. I’ve loved that dress forever.”
“It’s simple and beautiful and perfect. Just like you.” Cal kissed her again. “Let’s go home and celebrate.”
Rena was preoccupied as she finished her side work—rolling utensils with napkins, filling salt and pepper shakers, topping off the malt vinegar bottles that people here drenched their fish and chips in. She’d never liked vinegar. Give her a good tartar sauce any day—and Pete made the best, from scratch.
