Chapter ELEVEN
The next few days rolled along in a monotonous rhythm. Before long, Emma had completed her first week of bed-rest. She read, she watched TV and movies, and she visited with Casey and Connor as well as Aidan’s sisters. True to her word, Grammy came down for a day, and neither Emma nor Aidan could keep her from cooking them a huge meal along with a dessert. Emma especially enjoyed when Patrick came by. She was so glad to see him looking healthy and a complete opposite from when she had seen him last. They were both on the road to recovery, and she was so grateful.
Fortunately, Aidan’s leave of absence had turned into more of a work from home situation. Emma liked the fact he was kept busy so he wouldn’t be hovering over her 24/7 acting like a deranged mother hen. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy having him around. She loved the fact he was willing to do anything and everything she asked him to. He was good company with the fact he ate all his meals with her and usually fell asleep watching movies, which meant he ended up sleeping by her side.
Every day they seemed to grow closer and closer. But worry gnawed deep in the pit of her stomach. She feared her hormones and the close quarters of her bed-rest situation were making her blind to the truths of Aidan’s character. After all, she’d been fooled by him once before. Could she really ever trust him completely again? Could she emotionally withstand building a life with him only for it to all fall apart if he cheated again?
On Monday afternoon, she had just settled in to watch a marathon of one of her favorite old series, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, when her phone buzzed beside her. At the name on the screen, her heartbeat accelerated so fast it threatened to beat out of her chest.
It was from Pesh. Would it be presumptuous of me to inquire about checking on you tonight?
She shook her head as she read and reread his text. Not only did he always sound so different than the men she knew, but he was always so kind and thoughtful. He had already called twice to check on her, but he had yet to broach the subject of coming by.
Sure. That sounds great.
I’ve even secured a portable ultrasound machine, so we can check on Little Man.
At the mention of Noah, Emma’s heart melted. Aw, thank you so much.
Is five too early? I have to go in at nine tonight.
That’s fine.
Wonderful. Do you like Indian food?
Emma nibbled her bottom lip before responding. Actually, I’ve never eaten any.
Seriously?
Yep.
Wish you could see how far my mouth is hanging open right now.
With a giggle, Emma typed Sorry. Diehard Southern girl raised in the boonies.
We’ll have to remedy that. I’ll bring you several courses from my favorite Indian restaurant.
That sounds wonderful.
Just text me the address, and I’ll see you in a little while.
As her fingers punched out the street number of Aidan’s house, revulsion flooded through her. Was she seriously about to bring another man into Aidan’s house? A man whose very presence had the ability to confuse her about the depth of her feelings for Aidan? “Ugh, you’re a hateful, awful person, Emma Harrison!” she moaned, her head falling back against the pillows. Why did everything have to be so complicated?
She knew what Casey would say. It became complicated because Aidan almost banged another woman and broke her heart and her trust. If he hadn’t made such a mistake, she wouldn’t even be entertaining the idea of Pesh. But at the same time, Aidan had been trying so hard to win her forgiveness, and she couldn’t ignore the fact he was her child’s father.
“Heartless bitch,” she muttered as her internal monologue worked on overdrive of calling herself out.
But in all honesty, it wasn’t like she was inviting Pesh over to have sex with him. He was coming in a medical capacity for goodness sake. Just because he happened to be bringing dinner didn’t mean it was a date or anything special. She had told him at the hospital that she wasn’t sure she had anything to give him, so it wasn’t like she was leading him on…or being unfaithful to Aidan.
Now all she had to do was figure out a way to tell Aidan about Pesh coming over. Her stomach churned at the prospect. Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long. He appeared in the doorway only a few moments later as she still sat staring at her phone screen.
“You need anything?”
She forced a smile to her lips. “No, I’m good.”
“Listen, I know you hate me hovering and all, so would it be okay if I ran some things down to the office? They don’t seem to understand this whole ‘leave of absence’ thing.”
“No, no, that’s fine.”
“I may run by the gym after that. I shouldn’t be gone more than two hours. I can pick us up some dinner on my way in.”
“Oh, um, that won’t be necessary.”
Aidan gave her a funny look. “Won’t you be hungry then?”
“Actually, Pesh is coming by for a house call in a little while. He’s bringing dinner with him.”
Emma sucked in a breath as Aidan’s blonde brows disappeared into his hairline. “You’re having a date with Pesh tonight?”
“It’s not a date!” she protested.
Aidan crossed his arms over his chest and countered, “He’s not just stopping by to take your pulse, Em. The f*cker is bringing dinner.”
She winced. “No, it’s not like that. Pesh knows that I’m not looking to start anything right now. He’s just checking on me to be nice. You know, friendly and all.”
“It sure as hell doesn’t sound like that to me.”
At his harsh tone, Emma stared down at her quilt. “Look, this is your home and your hospitality I’m imposing on. So if you really feel that strongly about Pesh, I’ll tell him not to come.”
When she dared to look up again, Aidan’s expression momentarily softened. “You mean you would do that? For me?”
“Of course I would. Give me a little credit for considering your feelings.”
After jerking a hand through his hair, Aidan gave a frustrated grunt. “And you’re sure you’re not trying to start something up with him?”
“The last thing I need right now is more stress in my life, and any relationship, especially a new one, is always stressful.”
“Even with me?”
She cocked her head at him. “I wasn’t the one who caused the stress in our relationship, remember?”
Aidan cringed. “I’m well aware of what I did as it continuously comes back to bite me in the ass. Like with this foreign f*cker sniffing around you.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “He has a name, and it’s Pesh. If you would take the time to get to know him, you would realize he’s not the type of man trying to take advantage of me or get in my panties.”
“No, it’s worse because he isn’t,” Aidan grumbled.
“What?”
“I’d rather he be some douchenozzle trying to get in your pants because you’d be totally repulsed by that and tell him where to get off—just like you did me at first.” Aidan grimaced. “But it’s worse because he’s some honorable dude who doesn’t care that you’re pregnant with another man’s child. He reeks of commitment for God’s sake. Hell, you’ll probably be engaged by the time he leaves tonight!”
After taking in Aidan’s words, Emma remained speechless. When they had stared each other down for a few agonizing seconds, Aidan sighed. “Fine. Let him come by and check you out.”
“He’s not checking me out. He’s checking my vital signs. He even has a portable ultrasound to check on Noah.”
“Fabulous,” Aidan muttered before starting to the door.
“You’re not being fair,” she said.
Aidan whirled around, fire burning in his eyes. “Excuse me?”
“Can’t you at all empathize with what I’m going through? All this confusion I’m feeling about you and about us and all the uncertainness—you felt this too, didn’t you?”
“Are you insinuating that what you’re going through right now is the same thing I did about committing to you?”
“No, it’s just—”
Aidan held up a hand. “I’d think long and hard about making any comparisons, Em. Because in the long run, my confusion led me to screw up the most wonderful thing I ever had.” He shook his head sadly at her. “I wouldn’t want you to have to go through the same thing.”
Her chest caved in at his words, and she had to suck in a few harsh breaths. Was Aidan right? Was she throwing away happiness with both hands because of her stupid uncertainty?
His voice brought Emma out of her thoughts. “How long should I be gone tonight?”
“Aidan, you don’t have to leave. You can stay right here and see that there’s nothing going on.”
“I may be a masochist but only to a certain extent,” he replied bitterly.
Emma sighed. “He’s coming at five, and he has to go into work at nine.”
Aidan bobbed his head in acknowledgement. “I’ll have my phone if you need me.”
Without another word, he left her. When the back door slammed shut, she jumped. Beau came into the bedroom and gave her a WTF look. She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, it’s all my fault, right?”
Beau barked and came over to the bed. Emma sat up and leaned over to scratch his ears. “Come on. I need to get ready. We’re having company this afternoon.”
Beau’s ears perked up at the mention of company, but she shook her head at him. “But I’m sure you’re not going to like Pesh very much. You’ll get all territorial, which means I probably need to put you in the basement.”
He whined and backed away, causing Emma to giggle. “Not now, silly. Just before the company gets here.”
She then got busy getting ready for Pesh’s arrival. After she showered, she put on a small amount of makeup. To prove to herself and to Aidan it wasn’t a date, she didn’t bother putting on one of her nicer maternity dresses or outfits. She maintained her daily wardrobe of stretch pants and a long-sleeve shirt.
After banishing Beau to the basement, she was lounging on the couch with a book when Pesh rang the doorbell. “Come in,” she called.
Pesh pushed through the door. His gaze scanned the room for her. When his eyes met hers, he gave a beaming smile. “Well hello. Don’t you look wonderful?”
Emma glanced down at her clothes and then back up to him. “Seriously?”
He chuckled. “I don’t mean your attire. I meant that your color looks very good. Your bed-rest appears to be agreeing with you because you have a healthy glow.”
“Oh, well, thank you. That’s good to hear.”
“You aren’t starting to feel a little stir-crazy, are you?”
She grinned. “Maybe a little. I’ve only been out of the house once to go to the doctor. Nothing exciting.”
“Well, speaking of the doctor, let me get my bag and the monitor, and we’ll check to see how you’re doing.”
“That sounds good.”
Pesh disappeared out onto the porch for a moment before returning with a black medical bag and a large box with a handle. He sat them down on the side of the couch. He then glanced around the living room, taking in the décor. “You have a very beautiful place.”
“Thank you, but I can’t take the credit since this isn’t my house.”
He eased down on the couch beside her. “I should have realized you were staying with someone.”
Nibbling her lip, Emma replied, “Actually, this is Aidan’s house.”
Pesh grimaced. “I’m alone with you at his house.”
Emma’s cheeks warmed. “I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. He’s the only one who could take care of me.”
“It’s fine.” He placed his hand on top of hers. “I’ll go anywhere if it means getting to spend some time with you.”
She met his intense gaze. “Thank you,” she murmured. Everything that she had argued with Aidan about being interested in Pesh seemed to fly out the window when she stared into his soulful, brown eyes.
He flipped over her wrist and began taking her pulse. “A little fast, but it seems good,” he noted.
Leaning over, he started digging through his medical bag. He stuck the stethoscope buds in his ears and brought the silver disc to her chest. His demeanor was all professional as he instructed, “Breathe normally.” As he shifted the disc across her chest, his arm brushed across her breasts, and she stiffened. If Pesh noticed her reaction, he didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, his brows furrowed as he listened to her heart and lungs.
Pesh’s closeness caused her heartbeat to accelerate. His woodsy smell, the heat from his body, the tousled dark hair she wanted to run her fingers through—it drove her to distraction. Breathing normally like he had requested was completely out of the question. Instead, she managed to draw in several harsh pants. Pesh’s dark eyes swept from the stethoscope up to hers. He took the buds out of his ears and smiled knowingly. “Either I’m making you nervous, or you need to get back to the hospital for your erratic breathing and heartbeat.”
She felt a warm flush creeping across her cheeks. “No, it’s you,” she murmured.
He cocked his eyebrows. “So you’re saying if Dr. Pendleton were here taking your vitals you wouldn’t be reacting this way?”
Laughter sputtered from her lips. “Of course not.”
Shifting his body, he leaned in closer to her. His dark eyes penetrated hers. “Why do I make you nervous, Emma?”
Her mouth ran dry, and she licked her lips. “Because…” You’re so damn good-looking, and your fabulous body kicks my pregnancy hormones into overdrive, making me think things about you I normally wouldn’t. But more than the lust, you’re kind and compassionate, and if given the chance, I could see myself falling for you.
Emma exhaled the breath she had been holding. “I told Aidan that there was nothing between us, and that you knew I couldn’t give you more. But now that you’re in front of me, looking at me…” She shuddered. “You confuse me.”
“I confuse you?”
Staring down at her hands, she said, “I still care very deeply for Aidan, but when I’m with you, I start to feel…differently.”
“I could argue that it’s merely biological, and that your body is just seeking out a mate to protect you and your child.”
“If that’s the case, then I would only feel for Aidan, right?”
Pesh’s expression grew serious. “So I at least have a chance to woo you?”
“To woo me?”
He laughed. “Not a word you would usually use?”
“Not exactly.”
He tilted his head in thought. “Hmm, a chance to win you over by romancing you? To wine and dine you?”
Emma smiled and pointed to her belly. “There will be no wining, and with my bed rest, our dining is going to be a little limited.”
“Ah, but that’s why I brought food to you.” He rose off the couch. “Let me go get it, and we’ll commence our wooing.”
When he winked at her, she laughed. “Okay.”
Pesh stopped when he got to the door and turned around. “As long as I have a chance to win your heart, Emma, I’ll take whatever you can give me.”
Emma tried not to be overwhelmed by his words. All she planned on giving him was her friendship, and that was it—nothing more and nothing less. Regardless of what her traitorous body wanted to feel that was going to be it.
He carried two large food bags when he swept back through the door. “Goodness. I don’t eat that much you know!” Emma teased.
Pesh laughed. “I know, but I just wanted you to get a good flavoring for different Indian courses and dishes.” He glanced around. “Should I take these to the kitchen?”
“No, just put them here on the table. We’ll have a picnic of sorts.”
“Sounds good to me.” Once he sat the bags down, he turned back to her. Rubbing his hands, he said, “Before we dig in, let’s check on Little Man.”
Emma laughed at his enthusiasm. “Okay.”
“It’s hard to believe technology has come so far that we actually have portable ultrasound machines.”
“It’s crazy.”
Pesh set up the device and then turned to lift her top. Emma instinctively reached out to knock his hand away. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I’m sorry. I was just—”
“I know. I was being ridiculous.”
She then eased her top up over her belly and lamented the fact Pesh had to see her like this. If he managed to see her swollen stomach and didn’t appear totally repulsed, maybe he really was worth giving a chance romantically. She quickly shook the thought out of her head when he squirted the cold jelly on her skin.
He ran the wand over her stomach, and Noah’s grainy image appeared on the screen. “There he is. Looking good too, I might add.”
Emma focused in on Noah. His arms and legs flailed a bit as the wand seemed to disturb his resting. In fact, he gave two enthusiastic kicks to prove he wanted to be left alone. “His heart rate is normal, and everything looks good with the placenta.” Pesh glanced up from the monitor to meet Emma’s gaze. “No more contractions or pain?”
“Nope. Everything has been fine.”
He smiled. “Such a blessing to hear. I’m sure once you’re off bed-rest in the next week, you can look forward to a happy and healthy remainder of your pregnancy.”
“That’s what I’ve been hoping and praying for,” Emma replied.
Pesh patted her hand reassuringly. “Just believe it.” He then put away the wand.
Emma glanced down at her sticky belly. “Do you mind grabbing me a hand towel from the kitchen?”
From his medical bag, he produced a towel. “I always come prepared.”
She laughed. “Well, thank you then.”
“While you get cleaned up, I’ll go get us some plates and silverware.”
“Sounds good.”
As Emma swiped herself clean of the jelly, she heard Pesh opening and closing cabinets. He had started into the living room when a bang at the basement door caused him to jump and almost drop everything. His wide-eyes met Emma’s as scratching and howling persisted at the door. “Is Aidan keeping someone hidden in the basement?”
She giggled. “That would be our…um, well, Aidan’s very spoiled dog, Beau.”
Pesh nodded as he set down the plates. “Want me to let him out?”
“I guess so. I wasn’t quite sure how he might react to you.”
“Animals usually love me, so we’ll see if I can win him over.” When Pesh opened the basement door, Beau came bounding in. He raced over to Emma and licked her hand. “Hey good boy.”
Then his ears perked up, and he swung around to take in Pesh. A low growl erupted in his throat. “No, no, Beau. Pesh is our friend,” she said, grabbing his collar.
Pesh slowly walked over to the couch. Tentatively, he stuck his hand out for Beau to smell. After Beau took it in, he still stared hard at Pesh. “I would almost think Aidan had warned him about me before he left tonight,” he mused.
Emma laughed. “He’s usually really good around strangers, but I was afraid this might happen with Aidan gone.”
“He’s just being a good, territorial dog. Since he doesn’t know me, he’s protecting you and the baby.” Pesh tilted his head to the side. “Hmm, let’s see if I can make friends.” He dug his hand into one of the bags. “Let’s see if a piece of Samosa might seal the deal.” He reached out to Beau with the piece of what looked like a tortilla.
Beau glanced back at her. “It’s okay. You can have it.” Reluctantly, he inched forward and snatched the bread out of Pesh’s hand.
“What exactly is that?”
“It’s a wrap of potatoes and spices.”
“Oh jeez, then he’ll be in heaven. He loves potatoes almost as much as his daddy does.” When she realized what she had said, she couldn’t fight the flush filling her cheeks.
“So while I get things unpacked, do you want to tell me what happened with you and Aidan?”
Emma grimaced. “Do I have to?”
“Not if it’s going to upset you. I would never want to cause you any pain.”
She groaned. “No, I guess it’s only fair that you know what you’re dealing with.”
“Or what I’m up against?”
“I guess,” she murmured.
“So, you and Aidan were dating, you got pregnant, and he couldn’t commit?” Pesh suggested, as his hand delved into one of the bags.
Oh God. How could he be further from the truth? “Not exactly.”
Pesh drew his attention away from the containers he was taking out and looked at Emma. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s just at the hospital when I said it was a long story, I wasn’t kidding.” After drawing in a deep breath, she proceeded to tell Pesh everything from the start of wanting Connor to father her child to Aidan’s betrayal.
When she finally finished, Pesh shook his head. “You’re right. That was a really long story.” At his teasing, Emma smacked his arm playfully, and he grinned. “Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it couldn’t have been easy unburdening yourself of all that pain.”
Emma cocked her head at him. “Do you always talk so proper—so worldly?”
“My parents like to say I’m an old soul. I guess that’s why I sound the way I do.”
“Were you the oldest?”
Pesh nodded. “Yes, you could say I’m the classic oldest child stereotype. My baby brother…well, he’s a whole other story for another day.”
Emma laughed as Pesh started pouring out some soup into a bowl. She sniffed appreciatively at the bowl. “Hmm, what’s this?”
“Rasam or tomato soup.”
She took a tentative bite. “That’s really good.”
“I thought you might like it. It’s very healthy too. Good for digestion.”
Emma laughed. “The restaurant should hire you to do PR for them.”
“You think?”
She nodded. “I should know. I mean, I do work in advertising.”
After taking in a few spoonfuls of the soup, she eyed another container Pesh was opening. At her apprehension, he said, “Just take a bite of the Daal Makhani.” When she gave Pesh a skeptical look, he laughed. “Trust me. It’s good for you. It has a lot of protein and fiber in it.”
The moment she thrust the spoonful into her mouth she knew she had made a mistake. “That’s hot.”
“Seriously?”
She bobbed her head while waving her hand in front of her mouth. “I guess I should have mentioned I’m kinda a wuss when it comes to spicy foods.”
“Oh, well, then. Why don’t you skip out on that and take the Butter Chicken instead.” Pesh put some orange looking chicken on her plate.
“So tell me about your family,” Emma said. It was hard to talk considering her tongue was still enflamed.
“Well, my father came to America with his parents when he was just a teenager. He wanted to leave India behind and become Americanized.” Pesh shook his head. “He even changed his name to Charlie.”
“Really?”
Pesh grinned. “Yes, no one I know except my mother and my late grandparents called him by his real name.”
Emma pushed her fork around the plate, uncertain of what to eat next. “What about your mother?”
“She’s the reason why I’m not completely Americanized, or have a name like Bill or something.”
Emma giggled. “I can’t quite see you as a ‘Bill’…William maybe, but definitely not Bill or Billy.”
“Me either.” Pesh wiped his mouth with his napkin. “She came over to marry my father when she was just eighteen. They had known each other as children, but it was very much an arranged marriage.”
“Oh,” Emma murmured. She took a tentative bite of the lesser of the spicy evils. “Was your marriage arranged?”
“No. In fact, Jade was the first non-Indian girl I ever dated.”
“Was your mom angry?”
He bobbed his head. “At first. But Jade very much wanted to acclimate herself to my life and my customs. Over the years we dated, she slowly grew on my mother.” He grinned at Emma. “As for my father, the traitor to his culture, the thoughts of a blonde hair, blue eyed daughter-in-law was a dream come true!”
Emma laughed. “I can only imagine.” When she glanced up from her plate, she saw that Pesh’s expression had turned serious. “What?”
“I can only imagine he would be thrilled with an auburn haired beauty with sparkling green eyes.”
Her fork clattered noisily onto the floor. She and Pesh both leaned over to retrieve it, and they ended up bumping heads. “Oomp,” Emma muttered. She brought her hand to her head and rubbed her aching hairline.
“I’m sorry I upset you,” Pesh said softly.
“You didn’t upset me. It’s just that…” She nibbled her lip, unsure of how to proceed. “When you say things like that, I feel like I’m leading you on. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Emma, I am a grown man. I’m fully capable of taking care of myself and my feelings. I’m also well aware of how plain you’ve made your intentions to me.”
She shook her head. “Then why bother wasting your time on me if I’m all closed off?”
“That’s the same question one might pose to Aidan. Why should he bother pursing you after what he’s done and how you still feel about him?” He gave her a hesitant smile. “Because you’re worth fighting for.”
“Oh God,” she moaned. She covered her face with her hands.
“Did I say something wrong?”
From behind her hands, she replied, “Oh no. That’s the problem. You never say the wrong thing. Everything you say and do is absolutely wonderful.”
Pesh laughed. “I’m sorry for confusing you, Emma. I really am.”
She peeked through her fingers at him. “Really?”
“Well, I could lie and say yes, but the truth is I’m glad I’m slowly breaking down your walls. I want you to be able to see that whenever you’re ready and if you really want me, I’ll be here.”
“You would say something like that,” she grumbled.
Standing up, Pesh stretched his arms over his head. “Okay, I think it’s time for a conversation change and for me to clean up.”
“Oh no, you don’t have to do that.”
“I wouldn’t dream of overstepping your hospitality by leaving a mess.”
“There you go with that worldly talk again,” she remarked.
He wagged his finger at her. “Okay, so I talk worldly. What’s something unique about you?”
“Hmm, well…”
“Oh come on. I know there has to be tons of unique things about you.”
“Okay then, I’m a singer.”
His dark eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You are?”
She nodded and then told Pesh all about growing up singing at her cousin, Gary’s, bar.
“You sang at bar called ‘Doc’s’?” Pesh asked, the corners of his lips turning up in amusement.
“Yes, I did. That was Gary’s nickname.”
“Hmm, I like the irony.”
When Pesh winked at her, she shook her head. “Okay, so I’m a singer. What’s something else unique about you?”
Scratching his chin, Pesh said, “Well, I own and fly my own plane.”
Emma widened her eyes. “You do?”
“Yep. Actually, it isn’t entirely my own plane. My father and middle brother also have their pilot’s licenses.”
“Wow, I’ve never been up in a small plane before.”
“Then I’ll have to take you some time.”
Emma’s heartbeat fluttered at the insinuation. As if he read her confused thoughts, Pesh grinned. “Are you sure you’re done eating?”
Considering her stomach was already churning from the mixture of spices and dishes, she knew she couldn’t eat another bite. “I’m good. Thank you.”
“You won’t mind if I take the left-overs in for the other doctors and nurses?”
“No, no. Go right ahead.”
Pesh grinned. “So I didn’t sell you on Indian food, huh?”
Emma laughed. “I think from now on I better stick with one dish instead of sampling them all.”
Pesh had just finished cleaning up when his pager went off. “Seriously?” he grumbled.
“What’s wrong?”
“They need me in a little early tonight. Full moon has all the crazies coming out I guess.”
“Really?”
Pesh glanced up at her and smiled. “Which part? Them needing me to come in or that a full moon really brings out the craziness in people?”
She giggled. “Both I guess.”
“Oh yes. Full moon nights in the ER are something out of a horror movie.”
“Then I’ll keep you in my prayers.”
“Please do.” He glanced at the bags around him. “I think I’m going to have to make two trips. Be right back.” He grabbed the food bags and his medical bag and headed out the door. Beau started to follow after him.
“No boy. Come here.”
He immediately came to Emma’s side. The look he gave her brought a smile to Emma’s lips. “No, I’m not running off with him. Your bed buddy and provider of table scraps is staying put.”
Beau wagged his tail at her comment. When Pesh came back in the door, Beau stiffened. Pesh eyed him as he came around the couch for the ultrasound machine. “Hmm, guess that Samosa didn’t cement our friendship, huh buddy?”
Beau proceeded to jump on the couch and lay his head down on Emma’s lap. Pesh laughed good-naturedly. Wagging a finger at Beau, he said, “You take good care of her and the Little Man, okay?”
Emma smiled. “He will.”
“Thanks for letting me come over tonight.”
“No, it’s me who should be saying thanks for the fact you were willing to check on me and for bringing dinner.”
“It was my pleasure, and one I hope to repeat in the future. But I think I’ll wait until you’re off bed-rest to commence more of my wooing.”
“Okay, I guess we can do that.”
Pesh stroked his chin in thought. “Do you like the opera?”
“Oh, yes, I adore it. I’m a big fan of the cultural arts.”
After digging his wallet out of his pocket, Pesh produced several tickets. “These are for next week’s performance of Aida. You should be off bed-rest by then. Would you like to go?” At her hesitation, Pesh said, “Just as friends, Emma.”
She exhaled in relief. “Thank you. I would enjoy that.”
“Then I look forward to seeing you again next week for our non-date to Aida.”
“Me too.”
Pesh grabbed the machine and then leaned over to tenderly kiss Emma’s cheek. Beau raised his head and gave a low growl. “Beau!” Emma admonished. He ducked his head and gave her his best sad hound dog face.
“I guess that’s my cue to be going.”
“I’m sorry about him.”
Pesh shook his head. “Don’t be sorry about anything, Emma. For Beau, for not enjoying dinner…” His face hovered inches above hers. “Most of all, don’t be sorry for what I might’ve made you feel tonight.”
She stared up at him, unblinking and unmoving. “I won’t.”
“Good.” He then stood up, and with a final wave, he walked out the door.
Once they were alone, Beau whined and snuggled up to her. “Oh give me a break, would you? It’s not easy being a big, pregnant ball of hormones!” She then fell back against the pillows and turned on the TV.