“I don’t think she knows when they’re visiting yet. Once we’re done here, I’m running into town for a few minutes.”
“I’m sure Gwen and I can find a way to occupy ourselves. You take your time, Julió.”
“Don’t wear her out before I get home, Guido.”
Chris wondered if Julián realized that now even he was referring to the house that Gwen stayed in as home. Wherever she was, that’s where he’d call home.
* * * *
On the drive into town, Julián’s phone began to ring.
“Julián Alvarez.”
“Hey, Julián! It’s me, Tracy.”
“Who?” he asked in a teasing tone.
“I’ve been telling Peter and Jordan that we needed to come visit. Now this proves it, when you don’t even recognize your own sister-in-law’s voice. How you been?”
“Well, I’ll tell ya—”
Tracy giggled. “Okay, cut the crap. Tell me all about her.” She sounded voracious for news.
“Are Peter and Jordan keeping you locked up at your house in Lusty? Not getting out enough so that even my love life is exciting news?”
“Nuh-uh. Don’t try to deflect me. I know there’s a woman.”
Julián laughed and teasingly said, “Now how do you know that?”
“When was the last time you thought to buy a baby gift for an expectant mother, much less actually remembered to send it in the mail?”
Busted. “Uh, never?”
“Exactly! So, who is she? Is she pretty? Does she keep you in line?”
Giving in, Julián laughed and said, “Actually she keeps me and my best friend and coworker Chris ‘in line’ if you know what I mean.”
There was an audible gasp on the other end of the line. “No! Really? Oh, wait until Peter finds out about this. Wait until Grandma Kate hears about this! Can I tell her? Now we have to come visit.”
“You can tell anyone you want to, including Grandma Kate. I would love to see all of you. But you have your hands full, don’t you?”
“I’m bored. They want to wrap me in cotton. I’ve got too much energy and not enough to do but then I’m suddenly tired and can barely move.”
“Sounds about normal for an expectant mother.”
“Come on. Tell me about her! I want to know everything!”
Julián spent the rest of the drive telling Tracy all about the woman he loved and hoped like hell that when they came to visit she was still a part of his life. Tracy commiserated with him and told him she would hope for the best.
Ending the call as he walked through Cheaver’s front door, Julián chuckled at the sight that greeted him. Expectant mothers were evidently the theme for the day. “Little lady, do your men know that you’re up here?”
Rosemary Garner scrunched her nose and rolled her eyes as she grinned, and waddled up to him. The petite woman impressed him with her ability to maneuver through all the apparel display racks with her very pregnant belly clearing the way “Are you kidding, Julián? With all the helpful, tattletale-ing men in this town? Of course they know I’m here. It was either this or drive them nuts at home. I needed something to keep me busy. They freak out anytime I go anywhere near the workshop, because of the solvent fumes, and I was done getting the house ready.”
“So you’re up here working?”
Rosemary looked down at her protruding abdomen with a sheepish grin. “I wouldn’t call it working. I’m mainly just hanging out and helping if I can. Not much I can do since it’s hard to reach anything with this monster belly in front of me, but it beats hanging around the house with nothing to do. I’ve mostly just been visiting with people like you—who want to know if my men know I’m up here,” she added with a playful grin as he offered her his arm. “So what are you in for today? Need jeans? Or are you picking up something for the Cooks?”
“Well, that’s the reason I’m glad to see you in particular. I’m shopping for a surprise for Gwen for Valentine’s Day.”
“Oooh!”
“I have a feeling you know what she’d want.”
Rosemary was already directing him toward women’s apparel. “Hell, yes. I know exactly what she wants.”
“I’m not sure about sizes, though.”
“Don’t worry about that. I keep all the girls on file in my phone, since I never know when some incredibly sweet, thoughtful, loving, generous, handsome man might come in and feel like shopping for her. Let me just show you a few things,” she added with a giggle.
A few things? Julián thought he felt his wallet clench in fear. “Set me up, sweetie.”