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Gabby:I’ll tell Shane once you’ve had time to process.
Ah, it was a follow-up text from their previous conversation. He sent a reply.
Logan:We can do it together.
He dreaded it on so many levels, but acting as a team was the right thing to do. He was just as responsible for this pregnancy as she was.
8
On Saturday morning,Gabby was blessedly free of nausea. A relief, since she’d spent the day at work yesterday running to the bathroom every half hour. She got up to take care of the animals, then returned to bed and snuggled beneath the blankets with a notepad and a pen. Raising a baby required a lot of stuff she didn’t have. A crib, clothes, diapers, a stroller, formula, toys, and who knew what else? Even though it was still early days, she should think about getting what they needed. With the help of the internet, she compiled a basic list. She separated the items into necessities, nice to haves, and super cute but totally impractical.
That done, she needed to assign a room to be the nursery. Fortunately, her house had three bedrooms. She’d taken the largest, sunniest room for herself. The other two bedrooms were smaller but still nice. The one at the front of the house had a beautiful view of the paddocks and the sun would stream through the windows when the weather was fine. That could be the nursery. She’d repaint and redecorate. Perhaps in white, cream, or a light shade of blue-gray. She’d put a patterned trim around the skirting boards and maybe stick some glow-in-the-dark stars to the ceiling.
She grinned, excitement flickering in her gut. She was going to make the best nursery Haven Bay had ever seen. Even Logan wouldn’t be able to deny how cute it was. She pursed her lips, some of her excitement fizzling out. She wondered how he was feeling today. Was he still upset? Did he think the sky was falling, or had he come around to the idea? She suspected the former. Logan was not only averse to being a father, but he also had a flair for the dramatic.
Her stomach rumbled. She rubbed it and considered making toast for breakfast, but she didn’t feel like that. Hmm, a nice cinnamon bun, perhaps. Yes, that would do.
She made the short trip into town and bought a cinnamon bun from Cafe Oasis, then sat on the edge of the fountain in the center of the square to eat. Her eyes wandered to The Den. Was Logan inside, or was he out on the water? What was going through his mind?
Cool it.
She needed to talk to someone, but he’d made it clear that he’d come to her when he was ready, so she wouldn’t hunt him down now. She could call Charity, the only other person who knew the truth, but it wasn’t fair to burden her with so many secrets. Shane was her usual go-to for advice on anything except the romantic. He’d married a she-devil prior to finding Faith, so she didn’t put much stock in his dating tips. There was always Marley. She hadn’t spoken to her best friend as much as she’d like since moving to Haven Bay, and Marley would be furious if Gabby didn’t share something so monumental with her.
She relaxed, licking cinnamon sugar from her fingers. That was it. She’d call Marley as soon as she got home. She drew in a deep breath and got a whiff of something meaty. Even on good days, she didn’t like the smell of cooked meat, but now it turned her stomach. She launched off her seat on the edge of the fountain and ran for the nearest trash can, throwing up violently into it. She gripped the edges and panted as her stomach tightened and rolled. Another retch. She sucked in air. Released it. She was fine. Everything was under control.
“Um… are you okay?”
Gabby released the trash can and turned slowly. She hated to think how she looked. Probably splotchy and sweaty. A petite brunette stood behind her, wearing a form-fitting dress and designer sunglasses. She shifted the sunglasses to the top of her head, revealing warm brown eyes full of concern. Gabby vaguely recognized her, although they’d never met. Mikayla Talbot, a friend of Charity’s and the town’s elected councilwoman. The man beside her, clad in jeans and a cashmere sweater, was gorgeous and startlingly familiar.
“You’re Anderson Gray!” she exclaimed, cringing as soon as the words were out of her mouth. People probably fangirled over him all the time, and she doubted it was something he enjoyed.
“Yup.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, visibly uncomfortable. “I prefer to go by Gray.”
“I’m Gabrielle. Shane’s sister.”
Mikayla smiled. “I thought you looked familiar.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a tissue. “Here. It looks like you need this.”
“Thanks.” Gabby’s face burned hotter as she took the tissue and wiped her mouth clean. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Mikayla rolled her eyes. “Somehow, I don’t think seeing it was nearly as unpleasant as experiencing it. Seriously, are you okay?”
Gabby took another long, slow breath, double-checking the current state of her stomach. It seemed to have settled again. “I think so. I must have eaten something that didn’t agree with me. I’ll be all right as soon as I get home.”
“Hmm.” Mikayla’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure it wasn’t the smell of Lana’s chicken and bacon waffles? It seemed like you made a run for it as soon as someone came out with a plate of them.”
Gabby’s stomach dropped. Mikayla had noticed that? She pursed her lips and scanned the other woman’s face surreptitiously. Had she put two and two together?
“Do you need a ride home?” Mikayla asked.
Gabby gave a weak smile, relieved she wasn’t pushing the waffles angle. “No, I drove in.”
“We can get your car back to your place,” Mikayla said. “I’ll drive while you ride shotgun, and Gray can follow in our car to pick me up after.”
Gabby shook her head, immediately regretting it as something throbbed at the back of her skull. “I’m really okay. I’d hate to put you out like that.”
Gray smirked. “Just agree. There’s no point arguing with her.”
Her shoulders slumped. She really would like to get home, and she felt a bit shaky. Driving probably wasn’t the best option, but she also didn’t want to spend more time around Mikayla, who seemed too perceptive for Gabby’s liking. She’d just have to put on a good face.
