Page 3 of Oh Baby: A Holiday Novella
“Hello, darling.” The luxurious carpet swallowed all sound from Asha’s pointed-toe stilettos as she crossed the room and kissed Samara on both cheeks, then drew back and ran an approving eye over her nude midi dress and matching nude pumps. “You’re looking very lovely this morning.”
“Thanks, Mom. So are you.” Asha Dubois-Wolf couldn’t look bad if she tried.
Her secretary hovered by the door, holding Asha’s python leather satchel and cashmere shawl. “Can I bring you some coffee or tea, ma’am?”
“Not yet,” Asha declined, peeling off her elbow-length leather gloves. “Can you make sure the conference room is ready for the shareholders’ meeting at eight?”
“Yes, ma’am.” The secretary turned and hurried off to do her boss’s bidding.
Sighing, Asha perched on the edge of Samara’s desk and crossed her long legs, winding them around each other with the graceful elegance that was her trademark.
“If I didn’t have that meeting this morning, I would have stayed home with Sterling,” she confided with a naughty gleam in her eyes. “Lord knows that man didn’t make it easy for me to leave the bed this morning.”
Samara laughed. “Uh, thanks for sharing.”
Asha grinned unabashedly, patting her sleekly coiffed black hair. She and her husband had more sex than many couples half their age. It was ridiculous, but totally in a good way.
Smiling, Samara picked up a tiny remote control and pressed a button that made the glass walls of her office turn opaque.
“Emma says you were looking for me,” her mother said.
“I was.” Samara’s smile widened. “I have something to tell you.”
“Oh? What is it?”
Samara wasn’t fooled by her mother’s mildly inquisitive tone. “You already know, don’t you?”
Asha blinked at her. “Know what?”
Unable to contain her excitement a moment longer, Samara jumped to her feet. “I’m pregnant!”
Asha gasped. “You are?”
“Yes!”
“Oh, darling! Congratulations!”
Samara laughed as her mother stood and hugged her fiercely, then drew back and cradled her face in her palms. She was smiling from ear to ear. “This is such wonderful news. Baby number four!”
“I know.” Samara beamed. “Remember when I had that false positive test last year?”
“Yes. And I remember how disappointed you and Marcus were, especially Marcus. That man really wants a big family—”
“—to add to an evenbiggerfamily,” Samara said with a laugh.
Asha chuckled. “Indeed.”
“Anyway,” Samara continued excitedly, “when my period was late this time, I didn’t say a word to Marcus and I didn’t bother taking a home pregnancy test. I just went straight to my doctor for a blood test. I got the results yesterday afternoon.”
Asha grinned. “And how thrilled was Marcus?”
“I haven’t told him yet.”
“You haven’t?”
“Uh-uh.” Samara grinned. “I was going to tell him when he got home from work last night, but then I decided to wait and surprise him for Christmas.”
“What a wonderful Christmas gift,” her mother enthused. “It’s absolutely perfect.”
