My heart pinches tight in my chest as I slide my hand into my wallet.
“I’m really sorry.” The young mother keeps digging through her purse. “I wasn’t expecting it to be this much. Maybe if I put back the?—”
“Excuse me, ma’am?” Tapping her shoulder, I point to the ground near her feet. “I think you dropped something.”
She stares at me blankly, then drops her gaze to the pair of crisp hundreds folded in half on the floor near her little girl’s shoe. “Oh,” she says softly. “That can’t—I mean, I’ve never had?—”
“I saw it happen.” Luke bends down to pick up the bills. He presses them into her palm as he rests a hand at the small of my back. “Watched both of ‘em fall out of your bag just a second ago.”
“It’s true,” I agree. “They’re clearly yours.”
The young woman stares as tears pool in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispers. “I—you must be right.”
“Mama.” The little girl tugs on her mother’s pantleg. “Can I help you make the cake for Grandma’s birthday?”
“Yes, sweetie.” Swiping her eyes, the woman turns back to the cashier. “This should cover it.”
“Perfect.” The cashier rings her up, then places the change in the palm of the young mother’s hand. “You have a good night, Kelsie.”
“You too, Joan.”
We all watch her go, my heart firmly lodged in my throat. As soon as she’s gone, the cashier gives us a kindly smile. “That was sweet of you,” she says softly. “Kelsie’s my sister’s cousin-in-law. She’s had a real tough time of things since her husband left.”
“It was nothing,” I say as Luke piles our purchases on the conveyor belt.
“No, hon,” the cashier says kindly. “To her, it was everything.”
“That was delicious.” Folding my napkin, I try to stand up from the table.
Try being the operative word.
Luke’s out of his seat in an instant. “Up you go.” He needs both hands to hoist me out of my chair, and by the time I’m standing, we’re both out of breath.
“Ugh,” I wheeze, pressing the heel of my hand to my lower back. “How is it possible I still have six weeks to go?”
“You heard what Molly said. The average duration of a twin pregnancy is anywhere from thirty-two to thirty-eight weeks. You’re at thirty weeks now, so you might not be too far away.”
“I feel like I’m going to pop any day now.”
Grinning, Luke leads me away from the table. “I just reupholstered those chairs, so try not to pop in the general vicinity.”
“Charming,” I grumble. “What would I do without your selfless, compassionate support?”
Luke lifts an eyebrow. “That was a joke, right?”
“Of course.” I frown. “Is my sense of humor so shaky that you can’t tell?”
“Nah, just sensitive, I guess.” He guides me toward the hall. “Want a tour?”
“I’d love one.” I’ve never even seen photos of the nursery he’s spent so much time on. “Your house is really cute.”
“Thanks.” He looks a bit sheepish as he steers me down a narrow hallway. “Had some help from my mother and sister. I’m not great with decorating.”
“It looks wonderful to me.” There’s a framed photo on the wall of a much younger Luke with his arm around a pretty blond woman in a police uniform. “This must be your sister?”
“Yeah, that’s Amy’s graduation from the police academy.” He looks proud as he straightens the frame. “There’s the guest bath over there if you need it.”
“I’m good for now.” For once I don’t have to pee. “Can I see the nursery first?”
