Page 65 of Gabriel's Angel

She swept her gaze up to his. “I’d like to.”

“Sounds as though I’m going to have to watch my step.”

“Probably.” She was giddy with success, but she was still practical. “I really shouldn’t have champagne. Michael—”

Gabe kissed her, and signaled for his car.

Chapter 12

“You look exhausted.” Amanda gave a quick shake of her head as she stepped into the house.

“Michael’s teething.” The excuse was valid enough, but more than a fretful baby was keeping Laura from sleeping at night. “He’s been down all of ten minutes. With luck, he might make an entire hour straight.”

“Then why aren’t you napping?”

Since Amanda was already stepping into the parlor, Laura followed her in. “Because you called and said you were coming over.”

“Oh.” With a faint smile, Amanda took a seat, then tossed her purse on the table. “So I did. Well, I won’t keep you long. Gabe’s not home?”

“No. He said he had something to see to.” Laura sat in the chair facing her and let her head fall back. Sometimes small luxuries felt like heaven. “Can I get you some coffee, or something cold?”

“You don’t look as though you can get yourself out of that chair. And, no, I don’t need a thing. How is Gabe?”

“He hasn’t been getting a great deal of rest, either.”

“I’m not surprised. No word from Lorraine Eagleton or her attorney?”

“Nothing.”

“I don’t suppose that you’re able to take the attitude that no news is good news?”

Laura managed a smile. “Afraid not. The longer this goes on, the easier it gets to imagine the worst.”

“And if she takes this to court?”

“Then we’ll fight.” Despite her fatigue, her newly discovered power came through. “I meant everything I said to her.”

“That’s really all I wanted to hear.” Sitting back, Amanda adjusted the pin on her lapel. A little too thin, a little too pale, she thought as she studied Laura. But, all in all, she thought her daughter-in-law was holding up well. “When this is over, you and Gabe should be able to tie up a few loose ends.”

Laura caught herself before she dozed off. “Loose ends?”

“Yes, little things. Such as what you intend to do with the rest of your lives.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Gabe has his art, and you both have Michael, and however many other children you choose to bring into the world.”

That was something that made Laura sit up straighter. More children. They’d never discussed the possibility of more. As she began to, she wondered if Gabe even wanted any. Did she? She passed a hand over her now flat stomach and imagined it filled with another child—Gabe’s child this time, from the very first moment. Yes, she wanted that. Glancing over, she saw Amanda studying her quietly and with complete understanding.

“It’s difficult to make decisions with so much hanging over us.”

“Exactly. But it will pass. When it does, what are you going to look for? Since I spent more than two decades under the same roof as Gabe, I know that he can, when the muse is on him, lock himself in his studio for hours and days on end.”

“I don’t mind. How could I, when I see what he can accomplish?”

“A woman needs a solid sense of accomplishment, as well. Children can be the best of that, but...” She reached for her purse, opened it and took out a business card. “There’s an abuse clinic downtown. It’s rather small, and unfortunately not well funded. Yet.” She intended to correct that. “They need volunteers, women who understand, who know there can be normal life after hell.”

“I’m not a therapist.”

---