Page 27 of The Bride's Desire

“Is there anything you don’t understand or want to ask him, Naomi?” Carolyn asked.

She thought about it for a moment. “Not that I can think of right now.”

“So, you’re going to stay?” Joe asked.

She wanted to believe it so badly. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

He nodded. “Yes. I want that very much.”

Naomi looked at Carolyn to see her smile gently at her.

“Everything will be okay,” the older woman said. “Give him another chance, honey.”

Naomi nodded. “I’ll stay.”

Joe smiled. “Good. We’ll have to work on our communication.”

“That’s a fact,” Carolyn said sarcastically.

Naomi sputtered out a laugh when Joe groaned.

“Mom…”

“I know. I’m sorry, dear.”

His mom turned to her, and the look in her eyes almost scared her. “What?” Naomi asked hesitantly.

“We saw that you were looking for a doctor.”

“Yeah, is something wrong?” Joe asked.

Naomi glanced at his mother and got the feeling she already knew about the baby.

“I … no, I’m not sick.”

Carolyn stood, pulled her up, and hugged her. “You call me whenever you need me or anytime my son acts like an idiot. I’ll help you find the right doctor, too. I know a good one I think you’ll like.”

Naomi blinked a few times when tears swelled in her eyes. “Thank you.”

Carolyn kissed her cheek. “You’re welcome. I’m so glad you came here and are staying. I’m going to leave the two of you, but I think you might have some things to talk about, and I want to give you your privacy.”

Joe came over and hugged his mom. “Thank you for saving me.”

“That’s a mother’s job. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Call me,” Carolyn said and walked out of the room.

They heard the front door close, and then her car drove off. When it got quiet, they turned to face each other.

“I got the feeling you two have a secret,” Joe said.

“Oh, well, it’s not…” She thought about his mother knowing and assumed most of the town already knew. Shecouldn’t put off telling him because she didn’t want him to find out another way. “I do have something I need to tell you.”

Joe leaned against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay. You can tell me anything.”

Naomi walked across the room, suddenly terrified. What if he didn’t want kids so soon, and they weren’t even married? What would the town think of that? She knew it was the twentieth century, but small towns always seemed to have an old-fashioned mentality.

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