“She’s beautiful.”
“You can make out her face… just.” Zoe pointed to the image.
He could see it. Their baby. He was going to be a dad. His stomach roiled.What sort of dad was he going to be if he was too busy working on the farm?
“We need to come up with some names for a baby girl,” said Zoe.
“You’ve got a few suggestions?”
Zoe nodded, grinning secretively at him. She glowed. What people said about pregnant women blossoming was true. Instead of being annoyed. He’d missed seeing the baby for the first time with Zoe, but her happiness was infectious. If he was going to be frustrated with anyone, he knew that person had to be himself. It wasn’t going to be as simple as Zoe moving in, giving her some money to do up the house and the room for the baby, he needed to change too.
Max sat on the bed, next to Zoe, stretched his legs out over the top of the sheets. She snuggled into him, her head resting on his chest. He put his right arm around Zoe, and held her close, while they looked at the photo.
“Do you think the name Isla might suit her?” asked Max. “
“Not close to what I was thinking, but I like it.”
“I do, too. I saw it once in my family tree. I think it was my great, great, great, great, grandma’s name.”
“I’ll add it to the list.”
“And where are you keeping that list?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Somewhere reliable, I hope.”
“Of course.” She pretended to look surprised. “In my head, it’s a very reliable place.”
He chuckled softly. “What’s your top name.”
“Harper.”
“You’ve been thinking of names then?”
“I had to do something to pass the time.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here.” Max felt like he’d be apologizing for the next few months over this one.
“That’s fine. I know there will be times when you have to do things on the farm.”
“Not when I’m going to miss out.”
“I didn’t plan for everyone to find out.”
“I’ll just have to be around more.” He believed her. “I like the name Harper by the way.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” The change in the tone of her voice set him on edge.
“How do you cope with being on the farm by yourself for so long?”
He shrugged. “It’s the only life I’ve known, I guess.”
“That’s all?”
Max rubbed his chin with his left hand. “I have a lot of jobs to do, I think that helps. And when I feel lonely then I go into Burra and see my mates.” He could guess why she was asking.
“You know you can invite your friends Ellie and Billie over to stay. I think Billie might be doing a shearing run, up at Burra in late January, maybe she can stay then?”
“I’ll ask her.” She glanced up at him. “You think you’ll cope with two women in the house?”
