Page 17 of Maybe My Baby

Her throat was tight. “Yes.”

“We’ll make do the rest of this week. Saturday I’ll get boxes and pack up your apartment. Your job will be to sit and watch and boss me around.”

Ginny badly wanted to ask him outright if he loved her. But she was afraid of the answer. Maybe the roommate thing was just an arrangement for frequent, convenient sex.

“You should go work,” she said. “I can entertain myself.”

“I thought that wasmyjob.” He grinned, waggling his eyebrows with exaggerated lust. “Entertainingyou is one of my favorite activities.”

“Very funny.” His reference to sex relieved her. She didn’t want her current situation to interfere with their physical relationship.

He kissed her long and slow, rekindling the need that made her want him badly. “I’llentertainyou night and day, Ginny. But only after we get you in better shape.”

“I’m not feeling sick right now,” she protested.

“But you’ve had a tough day, a tough week. I’m a grown man. I can wait.”

“What if I can’t?” she said, aggrieved that he apparently had more self-control than she did.

“Patience, little mama.”

Thursday and Friday followed a pattern. Ginny was sick every morning, multiple times. But the B6 and the ginger did seem to help, even if only a little.

Once her stomach settled and she fell back asleep, Donovan headed to his workshop. He came in to check on her every hour, and he brought her food and drink—as much as she could tolerate. In the evenings, Donovan continued working while Ginny watched Netflix or looked at baby stuff online. More importantly, she spoke with Myrna about keeping tabs on the ice cream shop for the immediate future. Aside from that, Ginny made sketches of a series of jewelry designs that had popped into her head.

Saturday afternoon, they went to her apartment. After a difficult early morning, she felt weak and shaky, but less nauseated than before.

She had rented the apartment furnished, so Donovan’s job wasn’t onerous. There were a few boxes that would go into storage in his attic, but other than that, he had all her important personal things packed in three hours.

Ginny sat in the bedroom and wondered if she was doing the right thing.

When Donovan joined her and flopped down on the bed, eyes closed, she brushed the hair from his forehead. “You’re a miracle worker,” she said. “Remind me to always call you when I’m packing.”

He opened one eye and glared at her. “This is your last move for a long, long time, Sunshine. Don’t get any ideas.”

“I have some news,” she said quietly.

He sat up and yawned. “Oh?”

“Myrna and her husband have offered to buy the ice cream business from me.”

Suddenly, he looked far more alert. “I didn’t know that was a possibility.”

“It wasn’t. Until yesterday. But I need the money. I’m not moving in with you and becoming a financial burden. Besides, I thought I might use the months before the baby comes to work on my jewelry. The materials are pricey. I could start building an inventory of pieces and continue even after the baby is born. Then at some point, I could think about opening a small boutique. Or instead, maybe sell my things on consignment at Just Peachy.”

Donovan absorbed her fast-talking, nervous explanation and nodded slowly. “I’m on board if that’s what youwantto do. But I have money, Sunshine. An embarrassing amount of it, in fact. I want to take care of you and the baby.”

Ginny frowned. “Are we about to have our first big fight?”

He sighed. “I can’t fight with a ghost. That’s what you look like right now. A beautiful, fragile spirit. Money is not an issue, Ginny. I could afford to buy the Peaches and Cream building from your landlord. What’s important to me is your happiness.”

“If you’re going to say sweet things like that, I can’t fight with you at all. You don’t play fair.”

He grinned. “All part of my evil plan.”

Ginny leaned forward and kissed him desperately. She honestly didn’t care if he had money. This man was her future, the father of her baby. Her eyes pricked with tears. The two of them were rushing into something thatcould haveunfolded organically, romantically.

Instead, Ginny was unable to work right now. Donovan was seeing her at her absolute worst. And even though his words about caring for her could possibly mean marriage or at least something long-term, neither of them had been brave enough to say the actual words,I love you, out loud.

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