Gwenyth giggled. “True. It’s not like my brother has a steady job. Every six years he faces getting the boot.”
Sam grinned. Gesturing toward Marc, he indicated that the floor was all his. “You tell ‘em.”
Apparently delighted with the topic, Marc proceeded to enlighten the group with an excited air about him. “It’s true that a lot of ball players open up restaurants, but those pubs tend to be sports bars. Well not us. We are going to open up a bar and grille with the theme being—are you ready for this? Dead civilizations!”
The table grew quiet. There was an embarrassed pause before the silence was broken.
“What are you boys sayin’? Willy asked. “The waitresses are gonna be walkin’ around dressed as pharaohs, or wearin’ togas, or somethin’?”
“No we’re not sayin’ that at all!” Sam countered defensively. “Well, maybe we are. Is that such a bad idea?” he asked combatively.
Gwenyth swirled apple juice around in her cup as she considered that. “Perhaps not,” she said thoughtfully. “I admit that the idea takes some getting used to, but let’s face it, part of owning a successful establishment these days comes from being able to stand out from everybody else.”
“True.” Harry seconded that notion with a nod of his head. “The more I think on it, the more I know I want in on this.” His eyes lit up with a boyish excitement. “Even the rooms could be different themes.”
Marc smiled, his own sense of excitement showing. “An Egyptian room, a Greek room…”
“A Roman room,” Sam added.
“You could build by the beach,” Candy enthused.
“This is Florida,” Verlene gracefully intoned, “tackier things have been done.”
Gwenyth grinned at her husband, her dimples popping out seductively. “Tourists love tacky, Sam.”
Sam shook his head and laughed. “Believe it or not, we don’t want to be tacky. We were thinkin’ of havin’ the eatin’ rooms in different themes, but the waiters and waitresses would be dressed up like explorers, not wearin’ togas or anything like that.”
Willy harrumphed, but admitted the idea had possibilities. “Y’all have a long while to work out the particulars, but it does sound like a plan.”
The group talked enthusiastically about the tentative restaurant while Gwenyth worried her bottom lip. She wondered how Sam would take to the idea of fatherhood now that he apparently had other things he wanted to do when he retired. After all, she could hardly take a baby on a photo shoot. Would Sam be willing to watch their unborn child at his restaurant? Briefly succumbing to a newfound hesitancy to tell him her news, Gwenyth mustered her courage and plowed full speed ahead. “I have an announcement to make.”
The table’s guests stopped what they were doing and regarded Gwenyth speculatively. She swallowed nervously, noting that even mousy little Monique had looked up from her rather adorable task of tucking Harry’s napkin onto his lap. Sparing the gathering one last glance, Gwenyth turned in her seat and smiled serenely at her husband. She didn’t see any point in dragging the pronouncement out. “I’m pregnant.”
Forks clanged against plates as they dropped from stunned hands. Laughter and energetic “congratulations” rose throughout the room. But Gwenyth had eyes only for Sam. Biting down hard on her lip, she watched the expressions that passed over his face as if in slow motion. First there was shock, then surprise, and if her senses didn’t fail her, Gwenyth was certain she was now looking at elated happiness.
“Gwen, are you serious?” Sam clutched his wife’s hand in his own and squeezed it. “We’re gonna have a baby?”
Gwenyth nodded up and down, smiling brightly.
“I’m gonna be a daddy?” Sam lilted out shrilly, his eyes exultant. “A father?”
She nodded again.
Verlene dabbed at her watering eyes, then did the same for her husband. Clutching Willy’s hand in her own, she waited to see her grandson-in-law’s reaction. It wasn’t long in coming.
Sam jumped up out of his seat with a whoop, plucked his wife up out of hers, and swung her into his arms with a laugh. “A baby! We’re gonna have a baby!”
The Tremonts heard the cheers and the laughter and they knew that their family and friends were nearly as excited as they were, but they had eyes only for each other.
“This won’t get in the way of your restaurant plans?” Gwenyth asked hesitantly.
“Are you kiddin’, woman?” Sam hooted. “My babies go where their daddy goes!”
Tell me you love me, Sam. “I’ve made you happy then?”
“I’m the happiest man alive.”
But do you love me?“Really?”
