Page 9 of Miracles and Marriage (Making a Family #5)

The future was ahead of him. He’d do his best to be the perfect father for any child he might have. He knew what a good, steadfast father was. He merely had to be like Uncle Hal.

Not the man who had fathered him. He’d never even gone looking for him when he’d become an adult. If the man hadn’t wanted him, Cal wanted nothing from him. Not even to meet him.

Would Zoe say yes? It’d make things easier.

He had certain stipulations, however. Would she go for them once he told her?

Used to making quick decisions, he wanted her answer instantly. He didn’t want to wait until morning. But he understood her uncertainty. Until he’d told her he wanted to make a baby, she’d been a business colleague. This changed everything.

Maybe she didn’t want to sleep with him. He’d never thought about her in that light before, but after considering the situation this afternoon, he knew it wouldn’t be a hardship to make love to her.

She was pretty, intelligent, even-tempered. She liked the work she did, and she did it well. They’d have more in common than most parents did with a common business background and a mutual desire for a baby.

She had to say yes.

Cal awoke early the next morning before the sun was up. He lay in bed for a short while, reviewing all the tasks he needed to do today before heading back to Washington. He planned to take his time in closing up the house.

He’d come down on the weekends for a while, sort through each room and eventually decide whether to sell the place or rent it out.

He couldn’t see living in it—at least not for a long time.

His business was in D.C. But maybe he’d hold on to it and keep it for a retirement place or something.

He could always rent it out in the meantime.

He and Uncle Hal had never discussed this scenario.

His uncle must have also thought he’d be around for another couple of decades.

Wouldn’t he have loved to be a grandpa! If he and Zoe did have a baby, he’d always regret his uncle didn’t get the chance to see him.

Or her. What would it be like to have a little girl?

Cal knew nothing about children—but he could learn.

Rising, he quickly showered and dressed in faded jeans and a pullover sweater he’d left in his old room.

Walking quietly down the hall, he paused at the guest room.

There was no sound. Zoe was still asleep.

Had she really considered his suggestion, or was she only waiting until this morning as a stalling technique?

It would be awkward if she said no—both for the return trip and work.

It could be awkward if she said yes.

He’d had a night to mull it over himself and still found it a sound idea.

She wanted a baby and now so did he. The contrast between Zoe and Suzanne was like day and night.

This felt right. He liked her, she liked him.

And knowing each other’s work habits and schedules would make it even easier to deal with a baby. It was the perfect solution.

If the baby was a boy, would she agree to name him Hal?

His uncle would have loved that. Hadn’t he urged Cal enough times in the last few years to settle down and start a family?

When Cal had countered that Hal had never married, he’d come back with he had his family with Cal—didn’t need to have a wife for that.

It was almost nine when Zoe entered the kitchen. Cal had heard the shower earlier and started breakfast. He’d spent the early hours contacting some of his field agents and getting in touch with what was happening in the office. Now it was time to eat. And to talk.

“Good morning,” he said when she entered. “The omelets will be ready in a minute. Coffee’s on.”

“Nice,” she said.

He studied her as she poured the hot beverage into a mug.

Her hair was glossy brown. He knew it was as soft as it looked from when he brushed it from her cheek at the beach cottage.

He’d like to thread his fingers through the tresses and let them drift away.

There was faint color in her cheeks—natural not artificial. There was nothing artificial about Zoe.

She looked up and caught him staring, her eyes bright blue. Would any child they made have blue eyes like her or dark like his? Most likely dark. Too bad. She had the prettiest eyes.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing, I’m hoping you like ham and cheese omelets.”

“I do. I also love a man who can cook.”

“You’ve seen the limits of my accomplishments—order pizza and cook omelets. The rest I eat out.”

She smiled.

“I like to cook. My mother’s a great cook and is used to feeding a crowd. And she made sure every one of us knew how.”

They sat at the small table in the kitchen. As soon as Zoe finished the last of her breakfast, Cal nudged aside the plates.

“So, what’s it to be?” he asked, impatient to know her answer.

She met his gaze.

“I have a couple of thoughts before saying either way. I don’t want to put my job in jeopardy. I love what I do and I’m good at it.”

“I don’t plan to put your job on the line, either way you decide.”

“Well, a relationship like this could become disconcerting to others at the office.”

He nodded, not so much in agreement as in encouraging her to get to the point. Yes or no?

She licked her lips. They glistened with the moisture. For a moment Cal stared. He wanted to feel their warmth, kiss away the wetness and taste her sweetness. He swallowed and looked into her eyes again.

She dropped her gaze to her coffee cup, which she was turning around and around. “Actually I hope I made it clear that there’s no guarantee I can get pregnant. There’s a strong possibility I can, but my doctor said there is also a chance I won’t. If you are expecting a sure thing, this isn’t it.”

“Fine.”

He waited, drawing on every ounce of patience he possessed.

She risked another glance up at him. “I suppose we do this scientifically?”

He frowned. “And that is how?”

“I’ll know when in my cycle I’m most fertile. I guess we try then.”

“And the rest of the time?”

“Go on as normal?” she suggested.

“Meaning?”

“Darn it, you’re deliberately making this hard, aren’t you?”

A flare of temper surprised him, and gave him insight into how tense she was.

“I’m not trying to. Just lay it out.”

“I thought maybe we could go to the sea cottage when it was the right time. Away from our normal places, regular friends and all,” she said tentatively.

“Keep it clandestine?”

“Sort of.”

“Why?”

“Because if it doesn’t work, no one else needs to know,” she said quickly.

Cal thought about that a moment. He wasn’t sure if he liked the idea or not. What did it matter what other people knew or thought? Then he got it. She was the one who didn’t want sympathy if she couldn’t conceive. She was guarding herself.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” she repeated.

“If that’s one of your terms, I’m fine with it. But once you’re pregnant, then we tell the world.”

She blinked.

“Sure. I’ll be thrilled. You can come see him or her whenever you want. That’s the whole idea, to have a father who will be there for the baby as he grows up. He’ll want to know you and learn from you and all.”

“Good point. I have a condition of my own,” Cal said.

“You do? Okay. What is it?”

“We get married first.”