Rosemary looked at him like he’d just made her whole damned day. Julián considered it an investment in Gwen’s happiness. Twenty minutes later, she handed the selections he’d decided on to Bernadette and then Rosemary looked up at him with innocent eyes. “If I knew of something that would go perfect with that outfit, which I know Gwen has already tried on, and darn near cried over when she had to put them back because of the price tag—you’d want to know, wouldn’t you?”
Trick question. Only one right answer here.
“Of course I’d want to know.” She waddled slowly with him toward the boot department. “You sure you’re okay to go traipsing all over the store like this?”
Rosemary chuckled softly. “I promise I’m fine. I’m a week overdue and I feel like every move I make might be the one that finally gets things rolling.” She reached for a box in a stack beside a display of women’s fashion cowgirl boots.
She held the box and let him open it, smiling as he revealed the contents. The scent of new leather wafted up as she parted the printed tissue paper and he whistled in admiration.
Rosemary giggled and smiled. “I know, right?”
“Pretty.” Nestled in the tissue was a pair of white, pointed-toe, high-heeled cowgirl boots, heavily embellished with turquoise crystals. “I don’t think she’d wear those in the arena.”
Rosemary nodded and looked like she wanted to pat him on the head. “Astute observation. That’s why she wouldn’t buy them—besides the fact they’re a little pricey. These are strictly ‘going out and showing off’ boots and she’s just a little too practical. But they’d go perfectly with that cute dress you found for her.”
“I guess you’d better put those with my order then, huh?”
“You’re a prince among men, Julián,” she said as she took the box from him and set it down to put the lid back on. “This is her size, too.” She made a soft groaning noise and put a hand beneath her burgeoning abdomen.
Concern filled him when she braced herself against the counter for a second. “You okay, sweetie?”
Rosemary eventually stood up straight again and smiled, but he could see the lines of pain around her eyes. “The baby is so still these days but every so often he—or she—does this…squirming around thing…like he’s trying to get comfortable and it hurts.” She let out a deep breath and then gave a couple of quick pants before sighing in relief. “It’s probably time for a glass of water too.”
“Come on and I’ll help you to the water fountain.”
“I have a water bottle in my office. I just need to sit down for a few minutes. Hey, Bernadette?”
Bernadette came over, suspicion in her eyes. “You okay, Rosemary?”
“Yeah. Will you gift wrap these for Gwen?” She handed Bernadette the boot box. “I’m letting Julián walk me back to the office but he needs those done up for Valentine’s Day.”
“Sure thing. I’ll have them up front when you’re done, Julián.” She watched Rosemary speculatively for a second as she waddled, still hanging on Julián’s arm, to the stockroom doors. “You want me to call the guys?”
“No, they’re coming to get me in a few minutes anyway. This is just the baby moving a little, nothing to fret over.”
Once they were through the stockroom doors, she paused again and made a frustrated sound. Julián whispered, “You sure you don’t want me to call them, Rosemary? I’d want to know if Gwen was feeling like this.” The thought of Gwen expecting his baby lightened his heart a little even if it was a vicarious dream.
“That’s the thing. I’ve been feeling like this a lot and we’ve already had a few false alarms. It’s wearing the guys down, especially poor Evan. He’s the most reactive of the two but that also means he’s the most upset if he thinks I’m in pain. Even Wes is feeling the strain and watches me like a hawk if I so much as sneeze. I just don’t want them alarmed for no good reason.” Once they were in her office, he helped her sink into the chair and she took a long drink from her bottle of water.
She sat back and rubbed her abdomen and smiled at him. “Thank you, Julián, for the help and for the company.”
“I can understand how your men feel. I’d probably be the same way.”
“You’re a sweetheart, Julián. Wes and Evan would like to swaddle me and put me to bed but I’m afraid that’d just slow things down further. I need to keep moving even when it’s uncomfortable. Being overdue, I’m feeling a little desperate here. The next thing is hot and spicy barbecue. If that doesn’t work, then it’s a long drive on a bumpy road.”