Page 28 of Be My Baby
Millie hadn’t even realised they’d been dating. Lucy hadn’t said a thing. It had surprised her, and upset her a little that her best friend hadn’t confided in her, but in the end it hadn’t mattered because they’d both been so happy.
They’d married fast, only three weeks after their engagement announcement, in a large, loud, country wedding that’d had Lucy smiling for weeks.
Only to find out she was dying.
Max had been so attentive, so caring, never leaving her side. You couldn’t have asked for a more devoted husband.
Would he ever be willing to let himself get that close to someone again? To risk that kind of pain? He’d worn his wedding ring ever since, had never taken it off. That alone made her question her sanity that she could, or should, try to start something romantic with him. That he’d actually agreed to her insane baby idea had shocked the hell out of her.
Honestly, who was she to diminish his memory of Lucy?
“But he’s still here,” she murmured, then straightened her back.
That was the only thing that gave her hope. He was still here and he deserved to be happy. Could she be that person for him? Didshedare try? She cared about him, was extremely attracted to him. He’d been there for her through almost every single major event in her adult life, and many of the teenage ones as well.
Did she dare threaten that friendship by asking for more?
Yes, asking for a baby was definitely more, but it wasn’t an emotional attachment toher. Would it be selfish to ask that of him, particularly when she likely reminded him of Lucy?
She sipped her steaming tea, breathing in the heady aroma of the fragrant blend.
A faint, nagging pain twinged deep down, low in her belly, catching her attention.
Millie’s eyes widened. She placed a hand on her stomach.
“No.”
Surely not?
She sat the mug down on the counter and hurried to the front door to lock it and flip theback in ten minutessign, then rushed to the bathroom.
She knew the first try was unlikely to work, but that didn’t stop her hoping against all odds that itwould.
Another vague cramp twinged and she placed her hand on her belly again and leaned against the wall, her shoulders slumping, and closed her eyes, fighting back frustrated tears.
*
Max watched Millieslide up on the bar stool she’d claimed as her own so long ago. Simon nodded and grinned at her while serving someone beside her. She tried to smile back but seemed to have trouble doing so, twisting a ring around on her thumb.
Max finished up with his customer and stepped in front of her, gripping the edge of the thick bar top with both hands, the very picture of easy familiarity.
“Whatcha want, Mil?”
She looked up at him. No sparkle lit her eyes. No sign of a cheeky smile on her delicious mouth.
“Red wine. Merlot.”
Max blinked and his stomach sank to his boots.
Well… damn.
He turned and grabbed a new bottle from the back wall and picked up a glass. He held up the bottle to her.
“This one okay? It’s from Sapphire Sky.”
She nodded, the label not even getting a cursory glance. That just made his heart beat double-time. Milliealwayschecked out the wine thoroughly before letting him open it, even from local wineries.
He poured her the glass and pushed it gently toward her hand.