Worth It All(84)
“It’s only complicated if you make it complicated.”
“Things are about to get a lot more complicated,” Lynn said.
They both whipped their heads around to see their frighteningly pregnant friend walking slowly.
JT stood, moving toward her. “Lynn?”
“Yeah.” She squeezed his hand and tried to smile, but it was more like a grimace. “It’s happening. At work.” She gritted her teeth against obvious pain. “I’m pretty sure my water just broke halfway down the hall. You might want to call someone about that.”
Simon stood, then immediately sat back down, his face white.
“I called my husband but his plane must still be”—she broke off to breathe—“in the air. Ouch. One of you is going to have to drive me to the hospital.”
—
Paige stood at her kithen sink, the phone to her ear.
“I don’t expect you to say yes,” Hannah said. “I wouldn’t even ask you to, but maybe you could just come out for another week and see what you think. You have more hands-on knowledge with children with amputated limbs than anyone. Having your own child here would give other parents the peace of mind only a mother could give. Just think about it. I know it’d be a lot to consider, but I didn’t feel right going to someone else without even asking you.”
She’d thought about the work Hannah did quite a bit since she’d left. Envied her a bit, if she was honest. How great it would be to have a meaningful job, a home surrounded by trees.
“I know it’s far away from California, far away from JT. I wasn’t even sure if I should call you. I almost didn’t, but he said I should so…”
“You talked to Jake?”
“Yes. I wasn’t sure this was the right thing to do, but like I said, you were the first person I thought of.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
“Think about it. Talk to Jake. If nothing else, you could come for a week or so. Casey could ride and you could see if it’s something you really want to do, regardless.”
“Okay.” She thanked Hannah again and hung up. He’d told Hannah to call her? And possibly ask her to move to Virginia?
“I have to tell you something.”
Paige whirled around at the sound of Jenny’s voice behind her. “Hey.” She moved to turn on the water at the sink and waited for it to get hot.
“No. I need you to stop for a second.”
She stopped. “Okay. What’s going on?”
Jenny stepped closer and took her hands. “I’m telling you first.”
Seconds ticked by and Paige’s heart rate picked up.
“I’m getting married!”
Even Jenny’s high-pitched squeal didn’t cut through the shock. “To who?”
“To Simon, of course! And don’t freak out, but…I’m pregnant!”
Oh no. Oh, Jenny. Her stomach sank.
“I wanted this, what I have with Simon. I’ve wanted it my entire life. I love him and he loves me. Please be happy.”
She hugged her cousin with everything she had. “I am happy. If you’re happy, I’m happy, and Simon is a great guy. A really great guy. And I have something to tell you too.”
Jenny wiped at her happy tears and waited.
“That was Hannah, Jake’s sister-in-law.”
“The one with the horses?”
“Right. Her assistant quit and she wants me to come back and fill in.”
“Wow. For how long?”
“She said for a week, but also asked me to try it. Like if I wanted, it could be long-term.”
“You mean you’d move to Virginia? You’d leave me? What about Jake?”
“Well, you’ll be pretty busy,” Paige said, grinning with Jenny.
“I know!” They shared another excited hug. “But what about Jake?”
“I don’t know. Hannah said she called him first, to see what he thought about it, I guess. That sounds like something she would do, but…he told her to call me. What does that mean?”
“Probably that he knows how much you loved it there.”
“Maybe.” Had Hannah told him it could be long-term?
“Well, tell me what she said.”
“She said she thinks I’d be great at it.” Paige walked to the kitchen table but didn’t sit down. “I’d make more than I’m making now, and almost all the work would be afternoons and weekends. I’d be there for Casey before and after school. I’d never work at night, and I could take classes during the day while Casey’s in school.”
“Wow. Sorry, I can’t seem to say anything else.”
“I know. And the cabin we stayed in last time is where we’d live. Jenny, you can’t imagine how beautiful it is. It’s a house with a porch surrounded by woods. It even has a porch swing.” She sank into a kitchen chair. She could picture herself sitting there at night alone or with Casey. Or with Jake. The swing definitely made her think of Jake.