Page 21 of The Mrs. Clause
"Mrs. Del Laurentis, this is Vivian from Little Miracles Adoptions. I'm calling because we have a mother who would like us to discuss an adoption with you."
I froze, my body on high alert. "I'm… I'm sorry. Can you repeat that?"
Vivian's voice was warm and supportive. "The mother chose you and Mr. Del Laurentis from the applicants list. The baby was born yesterday and the mother would like us to discuss an adoption with you today. Are you still interested?"
We'd met Leo later that afternoon and taken him home later that week. For a month we'd been on tenterhooks, falling in love with our baby but still knowing that the birth mother had thirty days to change her mind. Instead, she'd only asked one thing of us – that we send updates about Leo every year via the adoption agency.
I didn't know her name, I didn't know anything beyond the barest of details about her medical history and Leo's birth. But I prayed for her every day and had made a promise to myself that I would send her letters every month for the rest of my life in order to thank her for the gift she bestowed upon us. Leo would never know anything but love.
To ensure we could always take care of our son, Nick had set up a trust fund. Even if the world collapsed on our business, Leo's future would be secure.
I found Nick sitting at a table in the café in the lobby of the building.
"Hey," I said, settling at the table. "Have you ordered for me?"
"Just a coffee." He slid a menu across to me with a wink. "I know you like to find the most chocolate thing on the menu and refuse to order it so I've already got two coming."
I glanced down, laughing as I realized he was pointing at the chocolate fudge waffles. "Sounds perfect actually."
The small bundle tightly strapped to my chest make a small wet sound. A familiar smell immediately followed.
"Here, I got it." Nick bent, scooping up the strap of the diaper bag and throwing it over his shoulder before holding out his hands for Leo. I transferred then watched, heart expanding, as my two boys headed off to the bathroom, Nick muttering about how impressed he was with Leo's ability to produce gag worthy smells.
Those boys are going to be trouble.
"Here you go, Hun." The waitress arrived, sliding the two plates onto the table. "You need anything else?"
I glanced at Nick's cup and ordered another coffee. We weren't getting a lot of sleep with the little one at the moment.
"Gotcha," she made a note on her pad. "Just gotta say, it's nice to see he finally made a move." She winked at me. "Looks like it paid off too."
I tilted my head, giving her a small smile. "Sorry?"
She nodded towards the bathrooms. "That guy? You're married, right?"
I nodded mystified by the direction of this conversation.
" I've owned this place for twenty years. I know all my regulars, know all the ones to keep an eye on. He's been coming in here for the better part of a decade. Cool guy, big tipper. Doesn't come in very often but does it enough that I pay attention. Every year he'd come in, sit down at this table and watch you." She grinned. "Nice to know he finally manned up and asked you out. Looks like it paid off for him too, what with you being his wife and that little bubba you got now." She tapped her pen against her note pad. "I'll bring you that coffee."
I watched her walk away, a suspicious feeling niggling in my gut. I reached for my phone, dialing Alistair.
"Collins? Did we forget something?"
"I just had one question. The last say five years, did Nick come to New York to do his paperwork or did you ship it to London?"
"New York. He always came to the office. Actually, he always came and finished about an hour before you."
"Thanks, Alistair."
"Is there a reason you—"
"No." I interrupted, that warm gooey love feeling spreading. "But thank you."
"Anytime." The man sounded confused, but I didn't care. This would be my little secret.
Nick returned to the table; Leo's tiny body cradled against his shoulder.
"Our son is clean and smelling daisy fresh. At least for the next five minutes," Nick declared, sitting down.
