“Jeez, I didn’t earn any points by keeping the big Gavin secret for as long as I did?”
“True.” Though she’d prefer not to tell anyone her private business, she was dying to tell someone, and Charley had proven herself trustworthy in recent months. “This morning, when we were . . . together . . . It was just . . . I don’t know how to describe it.”
“We’re talking about sex, right?”
Ella gave her a withering look.
“What? I’m just making sure we’re on the same wavelength. Are we?”
“Yes,” Ella said, exasperated.
“I bet it’s really good with him. He’s got the whole studly, brawny, sexy thing going on like Caleb did, too.”
“It is amazing with him, but this morning it was . . . I don’t have the words.”
Charley fanned her face. “Wow. I’ve never seen you speechless before.”
“I was after that. I was speechless. There’s like this connection between us that defies description.”
“You’re lucky. That’s hard to find.”
“You’re going to find it, Charley. I know you are.”
“I’m not holding my breath, and I’m perfectly happy just the way I am.”
Megan returned with their drinks. “Hunter called from the hospital. They’re saying it could be another couple of hours until your new niece or nephew arrives.”
“Oh, good for us but bad for Chloe,” Ella said. “I hope she’s doing okay.”
“I hope she’s not a dick to Max after the baby’s born,” Charley said bluntly.
“That, too,” Ella said.
“She’ll have the Abbott army to contend with if she is,” Megan said.
“Indeed she will,” Charley said. She perked up and waved someone over to their table, sliding in to make room for Elmer. “Hey, Gramps.”
“This is a nice surprise,” Elmer said. “Three of my favorite ladies all in one place.”
“Coffee?” Megan asked him with a warm smile that was full of affection. Elmer had that effect on people.
“Would love some, honey. Thank you.”
“Are you going to Burlington, Gramps?” Ella asked.
“I’m leaving shortly with Wade. He offered to give me a lift.”
“You can come with us if you’d rather get there alive,” Charley said.
“Your brother is a very good driver, and I already said I’d go with him, but thanks for the invite.”
“Ready to be a great-grandpa?” Ella asked.
“I can’t wait. Have you heard any more?”
They told him what Hunter had reported through Megan.
“This is so exciting,” Elmer said. “It’s been a while since we had a baby in the family.”
“It’s funny that Max was the last baby, and now he’s having one of his own,” Ella said. “I vividly remember the day he was born.”
“I do, too,” Charley said with a smile for her sister. They were eight and nine years older than Max. “And here he is beating us to parenthood.”
“He always was an overachiever,” Elmer said. “And he’s going to be a great dad to that little one.”
“Yes,” Ella said, “he is.” A fierce pang of yearning overtook her. She wanted to be a mom. For so long, when it seemed like it wasn’t going to happen with Gavin, she’d managed to contain the yearning. But now . . . Now the yearning was like a live wire burning inside her.
After a delightful lunch full of laughs with their grandfather, Ella and Charley set out for Burlington to meet their new niece or nephew. They arrived at the hospital shortly after three to hear that Chloe and Max were in the delivery room, and the baby was coming soon.
The waiting room was full of Abbotts, eager to meet their new family member.
“Where’s her family?” Charley asked Ella.
“I don’t know that she has much family. Does she?”
“No idea.”
Molly, who’d been pacing from one end of the small room to the other, dropped into the chair on the other side of Ella’s. “I hope he’s holding up all right in there.”