He nodded. “I almost stopped one evening this week, but I wasn’t sure what you usually buy, and I thought it would be better if I waited for you.”
“Always better to wait for me. Mundane chores are better if we do them together.”
Once they were sitting at the diner, he glanced down at the menu. “What’s good here?”
She shrugged. “Not sure. I get the same thing every single time. I’m a creature of habit, you know.”
“I have noticed that about you. I’m surprised you don’t just plan for the same meal every night. Mondays you have soup. Tuesdays you have grilled cheese.”
She tilted her head to one side. “You know . . . that would make things easier. Maybe not every week the same, but how about we make up a menu tomorrow? We can hang it on the fridge, and whoever is home from work first can start cooking?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Have you been writing in the evenings?”
He nodded. “Some. I got a little done early in the week, and then the last couple of nights after you’ve gone to bed. I figure if I can get this book ready, it might make me feel better if the bookstore crashes and burns.”
“The bookstore seemed to be doing great today. Are you still worried about that?”
“A little, but not as much as I was. The word of mouth has been amazing.”
After they’d both ordered, she looked over at him. He’d told her he loved her right before they were interrupted. She felt the same for him, but did she tell him that now? Or did she wait for a more appropriate time?
After a little deliberation, she decided to wait until they were home that evening. She wished she had more kolaches to give him as part of her declaration, but she’d think of something.
After dinner, they went to the grocery store, and each of them grabbed items willy nilly. It’s how she liked to shop. When they were done, he frowned at their shopping cart. “I think a menu will help us not buy a million things from the store, too.”
She shrugged. “Probably. Are you usually organized about shopping?”
He shook his head. “No, but I feel like I should be.”
“Nah. It’s more fun not to be.” She grinned. “I love getting home and being all excited when I open the bags that I bought and not remembering half of it.”
He laughed. “I’m not sure that’s the right way to do things . . .”
“That’s what I love about life. There’s rarely one right or wrong way to do things. If you do them how it feels natural to you, then it’s probably right for you.”
“Interesting philosophy.”
“I’ll have to write a book about it someday,” she said with a grin.
As they were unpacking the groceries, he realized she was right. He looked at some of the things that came out of the bags and couldn’t help but wonder what they’d been thinking purchasing them. “Why did we buy Jell-O?”
“I bought lime Jell-O for a lemon cake. I try to always have that on hand in case there’s a surprise wedding and I need to take a dish. Or a surprise anything. We have lots of pop up potlucks around here.”
“What on earth is a pop up potluck?”
“Well, it’s when someone calls and says, ‘We have an event tomorrow. Everyone is bringing a dish.’ If they don’t tell me I can’t bring dessert, then I take a lemon-lime cake.”
“And if they say you can’t bring a dessert?”
“I always keep a frozen shepherd’s pie in the freezer in the garage. I defrost and bake. Then I have my potluck dish ready.”
He grinned. “And you say you aren’t organized!”
“Only about pop up potlucks. Nothing else in my life is half as organized.”
“I have a hard time believing that.”
She shrugged. “Believe what you will. I’m really not organized at all.”
“I suppose . . .”
Sammy put the last thing into the fridge and walked into the living room. “Grocery shopping is done for the week. I think we should watch a movie.”
“I like watching movies with you!”
She laughed. “No, I mean really watch a movie. We’ve never done that before!”
He frowned. “I can always think of parts of you I’d like to be touching during movies . . .”
“You’re an absolute mess, Barry. I think that’s why I love you so much.”
He stared at her for a moment. “Really? You love me?”
“I wouldn’t have married you if I wasn’t already half in love with you. And then you were so wonderful about me being called away over and over this week. I guess that cemented it for me. I’m so glad we’re married.”
He wrapped his arms around her, resting his cheek on the top of her head. “I love you, too, Sammy.”
She stayed like she was for a moment, just glorying in the feel of him and knowing he loved her. “I guess I knew what I was talking about when I walked into the bookstore announcing I loved you.”
“Of course you did. I have a store named Barry’s Books!”
“And soon, it will have lots more romances!”
He grinned, kissing her head. “It sure will. My sweet little Sammy is going to take care of that for me.”
“You just show me where you order your books from, and I’ll take care of it.”
He sighed happily. “Everything seems to be going my way. I have a wife to love, I’ll hopefully soon have a kid or two to love, and my brother is moving to town to work with me. I would say everything is coming up roses.”
“You really do like that movie Gypsy don’t you?”
“Yes, I really do.” He smiled. “It was one of my mom’s favorites, so I got to know it well.”
“When am I going to meet her?” she asked.
He sighed. “I want to say never, but that’s not fair. She has the right to know she has a new daughter-in-law. I’ll call her and see what she says.”
“That would be great!” She grinned at him. “I will introduce you to my parents eventually, too.”
“You will?”
She nodded. “I guess I should call them and tell them I’m married. I was planning to Monday night, but everything got all crazy with deliveries.”
“Do you think the full moon is why we got married?” he asked.
She laughed. “Absolutely not. I think we got married because we had feelings for each other . . . and because you couldn’t keep it in your pants.”
“I guess I should work on that, shouldn’t I?”
“Everyone should . . .”
Epilogue
Ten months later, it was Sammy’s turn to be on the delivery table. “You’re doing great, Sam. Wright’s going to have a cousin any minute now!” Tabby told her.
Barry was at her side, mopping the sweat off her forehead. “I’m glad you’re here for this,” she told him just as another contraction hit her.
Dallas stood ready to bathe the baby as soon as it emerged. “I’m so happy you invited me to be part of this!” She was very swollen with child as well, due in only a few weeks.
“Push, Sammy! You can do it!” Tabby said, her hands out and ready to catch the baby as it emerged.
Twenty minutes later, Barry and Sammy were left alone with their new daughter. “She’s perfect!” Sammy said for the twentieth time. “No matter how many births I’ve been through, my little girl is the most beautiful baby on the whole planet.”
Barry smiled. “I wasn’t expecting her to be quite so gray . . .”
“It’s the vernix. It’ll be gone soon, and she’ll be nice and pink and ready to take the world by storm.”
“Just like her mama?”
“Absolutely.” Sammy laid back on the bed, still cradling the baby against her. “Do you want to hold her?”
Barry had never really held a baby, but he nodded. “I’ll try.”
“Just be sure to support her head and hug her against you. You’ll do just fine.”
To his surprise, Sammy was right. Holding his little girl this
way was the most wonderful thing he’d ever done. “Thank you for giving me such a beautiful little girl.”
Sammy smiled, tears filling her eyes as she watched father with daughter. “I love you both so much.”
Barry looked at her with awe. “I love you, too. I can’t believe we grew this beautiful baby all on our own.”
“She’s a true child of love.”
About the Author
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Also by Kirsten Osbourne
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