“She’s started on solid food.” He hoped if he stuck to the facts, he could avoid the bigger confrontation he felt just below the surface. “And if she’s getting her teeth, it might make sense.”
“She doesn’t have them yet,” snapped Claire. “And it’s not like she’s going to be ready for take-out from Comme Ci.”
It was his friend Eric’s flagship restaurant and the first place he’d taken Claire the day they met. The tone of her voice and the fact that she was so willing to throw the name out made it clear how close he was to starting a fight.
“I know that, sweetheart,” he said patiently. “I thought it might be time to start thinking about it, for you as well as her.”
Claire slumped in her seat beside him, and his heart ached for her. She put so much pressure on herself. She always had. It’s what made English Electric the best contracting firm on the East Coast and her such a powerhouse. But unlike when she handled work-related matters, the challenges of being a mother seemed to beat her down instead of encourage her to reach for more.
“I said I was going to nurse for a year,” she said, and he could see her steeling herself.
“I said I was never going to get married.” He reached up to cup her face, letting all the love he felt shine through his eyes. “Thankfully, plans change. What used to make sense sometimes doesn’t any more. Listen.” He shifted the drowsy baby in his arms. “I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I just want you to be happy, and I don’t want you to feel like you have to hold on to an idea because of some ideal you think you need to meet. Promise me you’ll think about it.”
After a long moment, she nodded. “I’ll think about it.”
