Page 39 of Solid Ground

“Well, in my own house. But I’ll share with you.” He winks, and I let out a little sigh before catching myself.

“I should think so.” I lean my elbows on the bench. “Seeing as I’m carrying your heir.”

Declan snorts with laughter, and I join in, loving the sound.

I thought at least in these early days we’d be tiptoeing around each other, but it’s almost like we’re a couple already.

Already?

That might never happen.

And that’s beginning to be a depressing thought.

“I need to call my parents. They don’t know I’m pregnant yet.” Today seems as good a day as any given how well it’s going.

“Want me to sit in on the call?”

My eyes widen. “You’d do that?”

“In this together. Remember?”

I blow out a breath. “As grateful as I am, I think I need to do this alone. Maybe introduce you later?”

He shrugs. “Whatever you think. As long as you know I’m here for you.”

“I think you’ve shown that already.”

“Go and make your call. I’ll have dinner ready when you’refinished.”

I pat the bench. “You’re so good to me.” He gives me a pleased smile before I walk away.

After grabbing my laptop from my desk in the living room, I carry it into the bedroom and close the door behind me.

My parents will be at home—it’s around three p.m. on Sunday afternoon there. This is the time I would usually call them. I haven’t spoken to them in a couple of weeks, which isn’t unheard of but also isn’t like me, so they’ll probably already know there’s something up.

I take a deep breath and hit the call button.

It takes a few moments, but my mother’s face soon fills up the screen and she beams a smile at me.

“Zoe. I wondered if you’d call today. It’s so good to see your face.”

“You too. Is Dad around?”

Her brows twitch. “Sure.”

“I wanted to talk to you both.”

She smiles. “I’ll go and get your father.”

Video calling was something I had to teach my parents about when I left New Zealand and talking on the phone wasn’t enough. Mum often had to lay eyes on me to make sure I was okay in that first year, and Dad can be a bit overprotective with me being their only child.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Dad smiles as he appears on the screen. Mum joins him a moment later. “You okay?”

Might as well dive on in.

“I’m pregnant.”

Both of them stare at me as if I have two heads. Of course they know I have sex—I’m thirty. I’ve had relationships bothshort and long, but nothing that ever got close to me having a baby with someone.

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