“Thank you.” I knelt down and looked at the picture. “I’m going to hang it in my office. Is that okay?”
“That sounds good.” He ran the back of his hand across his nose three times and then smiled. “Hang it where you can always see it.”
“That I can.” I wanted to hug him so badly, but I knew that might push him over the edge. So instead I held up my hand for a high five. After three quick slaps on my palm he ran back to the craft table and picked up his pencil.
David was watching me from where he sat surrounded by seven little girls all giving him googly eyes. He was holding the small merlin that Alex had given Sam as a wedding present.
“Help!” he mouthed at me, and I giggled.
“You’d think he’d be used to it at this point.” Sam stood next to me, shaking her head.
“It’s kind of cute, right? All those little girls in love with him.” I chuckled when he frowned at me.
“You bet. And he might just be the reason they go into wildlife studies when they get older.” She leaned against the wall and tapped her gloves against her thigh.
“I don’t think that will make him feel any better.”
“Wah.” Sam rolled her eyes. “In the end we’re all winning because he’s a cutie.”
“That he is.” I eyed her with interest. “Tell me something.”
“Something.”
“God, you’re bitchy today.” I bumped my shoulder against hers. “Did you think I would end up with David that night we were talking in your kitchen?”
“I thought it might happen when you gyrated your hips and told him to take his clothes off.” She laughed while I groaned.
“Did you tell Mom about that?”
“Um, that’s a negative.” She shook her head and turned green.
“Someone did and let me tell you, she was not amused when she thought I had hired a stripper.” I reached out and touched her arm. “Are you going to be sick?”
“No!” She put a hand to her mouth. “I don’t think so.”
“I thought you were going to wait a year before you tried.” I looked down to where Sam had her hand on her stomach.
“It’s almost been a year.” She frowned. “I don’t know. Alex . . . he just talks circles around me sometimes and before I knew it, BAM! First try.”
“Bam, huh?” I laughed loudly, drawing some looks our way, and Sam dropped her hand. No one knew that my brother and best friend were expecting a baby. It was a family secret for now.
“Yes, and now all I want to do is sleep and puke.” She frowned. “Sometimes at the same time.”
“Are you happy?” I leaned close so no one could hear us.
“Very.” She smiled and her face practically glowed. “I’m scared to death but so, so happy.”
“I wonder if you’ll have a boy or girl.”
“Won’t know for a while.” Her hand fluttered to her stomach briefly. “So tell me something.”
“Something. Hey!” I chuckled when she smacked me with her gloves. “What?”
“When are you two going to make things official?” She glanced to where David was sitting. He had finally been saved by one of the other workers and the girls were asking questions instead of just staring at him.
“We’re taking our time.” I shrugged. “Besides, with you making little heirs, I don’t have to rush.”
“I noticed you moved your stuff to Rousseau.” She smiled.
“Well, with you at D’Lynsal it made sense.” I shrugged. “Besides, it’s a long drive in the middle of the night just for a booty call.”
“Tell me about it.” Her laugh was infectious.
“Really, I want to finish school first. Then, we’ll see.” I watched David lean over and place the merlin on the gloved arm of a girl. “We talked about it. I hope we’ll get there someday.”
“Pfft. You’re there, you’re just killing time at this point.” Sam shook her head. “But I get the degree thing. It was painful to give that up when I moved to Lilaria.”
“I want to accomplish something first. Have something that I earned for myself, not just something I was born into.” I shrugged. It was hard to explain but I wanted to feel like I had done more than just been a figurehead.
“Uh-oh.” Sam stood up from the wall she was leaning on. “He’s coming and I think you’re in trouble.” She darted away from me quickly as I turned around to see who she was talking about.
“You left me for the vultures.” David leaned close and whispered in my ear.