He studied her, processing it all. “I forgot your kids are leaving today.”
She tipped her head. “You’ve been a little preoccupied. And, God knows, we need the space, even in this oversized monster built by my favorite architect.” She grinned and leaned in, giving that favorite architect a light kiss.
“We’ll give the smaller of the two bedrooms downstairs to the baby, and Jonah can go in the other one right across the hall,” she said. “So Floor One will be baby central. I’ll move in with Tessa now.”
He frowned, thinking through the logistics, very happy he had designed such a spacious house when his mother had given him the assignment to build on this property well over a year ago.
“My mom and Jo Ellen are moving into the apartment above the garage,” he reminded her. “Why wouldn’t you take the other room upstairs? Lacey and Vivien are glued to each other in the main suite, so that leaves an empty bedroom up there.”
She shook her head. “I’d rather be with Tessa. We should keep that room ready in case someone else from your family shows up. Crista might come back, or Meredith.”
“My daughter leave work? Not only would my firm collapse, I don’t think Meredith Lawson knows the meaning of a vacation.”
“Does she know Jonah is here with Atlas? And what happened to Carly?”
He nodded. “I called her late last night to fill her in.”
“And?”
He made a face, remembering the call. “She seemed really distracted. Sympathetic, of course, but something was on her mind. Knowing Meredith, she was face down in blueprints, reveling in the fact that she passed the ARE test and is now a licensed architect. Nothing will get in my little overachiever’s way, even family tragedy.”
“So she won’t come here?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Unlikely, but by now she’s probably ordered a two-month supply of diapers and vetted five nanny services on our behalf.”
She laughed. “She sounds like a force, and I can’t wait to meet her. But tell her to hold off on the nannies, please. We have two great-grandmothers, multiple aunts, and you, Grandpa. We don’t need outside help for Jonah.”
He sighed at that, cupping her cheek and looking into her dark eyes. “I’m sad about something,” he admitted softly.
“Being a grandfather at fifty-three?”
“Are you kidding?” he laughed. “I’m thrilled about that, just not about what poor Jonah has to endure. No, I’m sad about this summer. It’s going to turn into one big…babysitting gig. And I had…plans. A few fantasies. Some very romantic ideas.” He leaned down and kissed her lightly.
“Plans?”
“To make you fall madly in love with me.”
“Halfway there,” she whispered, then lifted her brows playfully. “And the fantasies and romantic ideas?”
“Oh, you know. Long walks on the beach. Some champagne sunsets. Don’t make me belt out the ‘Piña Colada’ song. I know it’s on Tessa’s oldies playlist.”
She laughed. “We can squeeze in a few walks and sunsets, I promise.”
“We will, but this isn’t going to be the summer interlude I hoped it would be.” He sighed. “But God always has different plans than we do, and they’re always bigger and better.”
A shadow crossed over her face, as it often did when he talked openly about his faith. She never questioned it, but she never wanted to hear more, either.
Instead, she snuggled closer and wrapped an arm around his waist, and they stood quietly in the sweet hush of morning.
“It’s good Jonah had somewhere to go,” she finally said.
“Family,” Eli said. “It was the only place to go. But the poor kid believes he’s cursed.”
“Ridiculous,” she said. “Do you really think Carly’s parents will try to take Atlas?”
“They could try,” he said. “He shouldn’t have up and left without telling them where he was going.”
“He has every legal right to take his child,” she said matter-of-factly. “He said Carly put Lawson as Atlas’s last name on the birth certificate. Theyweregoing to get married.”
