Cameron knew the older man wanted to say things to him he didn’t want the women to hear. “Sure. What do you want to talk about?” he asked in a quiet voice after they’d entered the kitchen.
Richard gave him an incredulous look before he recovered. “What is it you do?”
“I’m in wealth management.”
Opening the refrigerator, Richard took out four lemons and three limes. “How’s your net worth?”
Cameron struggled not to smile. “It’s good. If you’re asking whether I have enough money to take care of your daughter and our child, our grandchildren,andgreat-grandchildren then the answer is yes. I’ve made provisions to take care of Jasmine in the event something happens to me before we’re married.”
“I’m only asking because her first husband—”
“I know about the slug,” he interrupted, angrily.
“If that’s the case I’ll never bring him up again.”
“Agreed, Richard,” Cameron said, addressing Jasmine’s father by his name.
* * *
“We’ll come back before the baby comes,” Cameron promised Jasmine as he headed south.
They’d spent six days with her parents, and he had enjoyed every moment. She’d said her parents were amateur golfers, but he’d discovered they were good enough to join the semi-pro circuit. One day they’d rented bikes and rode into the countryside, stopping for several hours to enjoy a picnic lunch, and when they returned everyone retired to their bedrooms to rest before going out later that evening. Richard had insisted they check out of the hotel and stay at the house. When Marta recognized Cameron’s hesitation she said they had to be sharing a bed in order for Jasmine to get pregnant. That said he drove back to the hotel, packed up their belongings, checked out, and moved into the guestroom.
Jasmine stretched out her legs. “I know. Mama told me she can’t wait until the baby comes. She said as soon as the inn is open for business she and Daddy are coming to New Orleans to stay.”
Cameron squeezed her knee. “My mother has seven grandbabies, and for her it’s still not enough.”
“Well she’ll soon have eight. I doubt if she’ll get another one out of us, which means it’s up to Evie to try again after having twins.”
“Evie’s done. She had a hard time carrying two babies at the same time. She was on bed rest for the last two months.” He took his eyes off the road for a second. “Are you sure you’re not carrying more than one baby?”
“Bite your tongue, Cameron. There’s only one baby inside of me.”
“It’s only wishful thinking.”
“Wishful nothing,” she drawled. “We lucked out with this one and I’m not willing to toss the dice again and come up craps. This will be my first and last baby.”
Cameron knew she was referring to sterilization and again he refused to discuss what she wanted to do with her body. He saw the signs for Route 17 and headed in that direction. Jasmine wanted to spend three days in Charleston and another three in Savannah before heading back to New Orleans.
It was nightfall when they checked in the hotel in downtown Charleston. They showered, ordered room service and fell asleep, not waking until the next morning when the sun was high in the sky. Cameron suggested eating in one of the more popular restaurants before embarking on the Gullah Tour.
Cameron noticed Jasmine was much more animated and she didn’t sleep as much as before. Her eating schedule had also changed when she had three full meals with two light snacks rather than five small meals. She stopped in a shop along King Street and purchased a number of tops, leggings, and slacks with stretchable waistbands. It was as if she’d grown comfortable with her body.
She was like a kid in a candy store when she couldn’t decide among the many vendors selling sweetgrass baskets and planters. In the end she purchased several from each, and arranged to have them shipped to New Orleans. Her eyes shimmered in excitement when viewing an elderly woman with a collection of handmade quilts. She bought six and when the woman tallied the total Cameron stepped in and handed her one of his credit cards, whispering in Jasmine’s ear that he didn’t want her to max out her card when his had no spending limit.
She pouted when they left Charleston for Savannah because she’d fallen in love with the city, and Cameron promised they would return next year, but she reminded him she wouldn’t have much spare time with taking care of the baby and working at the inn.
When she told him she would take maternity leave and then make arrangements for someone to look after the baby while she helped Hannah manage the inn, he was filled with rage. He’d expected her to take at least a year off before going back into the workforce.
Cameron stood with his back to the window in their Savannah hotel suite, hands clenched behind his back as he watched Jasmine slather lotion over her belly. She claimed she wanted to prevent stretch marks.
“When you told me you’d be working with Hannah I thought you were only going to be responsible for hiring.”
She glanced up, her unbound hair falling over her shoulders. Her hair was longer now than it had been when she lived in New York. “I’m going to be doing more than hiring, Cameron. I’ll have to conduct training and development sessions, and oversee employee benefits.”
“Why can’t Hannah do that? After all, it’s her inn.”
Jasmine looked at him as if he was speaking a language he didn’t understand. “Hannah is the owner and I’m H.R.”
