“Talia.”
“Nothing bad,” She assured him. “She has to prove that she can love you and not hurt you. I won't stand for that.”
“I'm sure you won’t.”
*****
“Why the cloak and dagger meeting?” Andrea asked as she sat down at the table. “I had to drive half an hour to get here from the offices and that took a huge bite out of my lunch break. I understand that you're the boss’ wife now but still…” She ordered a club sandwich as soon as the waiter came over. “And you're eating plain tomato soup which you hate.”
“It’s the only thing my stomach can take.” She put her spoon down and looked at her friend. “I'm pregnant.”
“Oh.”
“My reaction exactly,” Donna said wryly as she continued to drink her soup.
“So no longer a marriage of convenience.”
“No, and introducing a baby into a situation like ours wasn't something I wanted to do.”
“Yet you had sex without using protection. Kind of how babies are made, honey.”
“I know,” Donna said with a sigh. “When he touches me, I lose all logical reasoning.”
“So the sex is that amazing.”
“More than amazing. More like apocalyptic great!”
“And you're in love with him, so what’s the problem?”
“He wants us to stay married because of the baby.”
“Again, what's the problem?”
They waited until the waiter had put Andrea’s order down and left the table. “I don’t want that to be the only thing.”
“Honey, you're making a mountain out of a speck of dust.”
“It’s making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“Really?” Andrea asked dryly. “What I'm trying to say is this: you married the guy knowing the score. It was supposed to be a marriage in name only and now you're in bed together, literally. This could be a good thing.”
“I think he has feelings for me—” She frowned down at the vibrating phone. “It’s him.” She whispered as she touched the accept button. “I'm fine, I'm actually having some tomato soup‚” She stopped and listened for a moment. “You were checking up on me? Thomas, stop being such a pain. I just stepped out to have lunch and before you tell me that there's a perfectly wonderful lunchroom at the office, I'm going to tell you that I felt the need to step outside for a moment.” She closed her eyes wearily. “I completely forgot that we were meeting with the OBGYN this afternoon. Can he or she reschedule?...Okay fine. I'll be there.” She hung up. “Listen, this is just between us. His mother and sister don't know yet and we want to keep it that way.” She got to her feet and pulled out some bills. “I have to run.”
“Go! And your secret is safe with me.”
*****
He got up from his desk the minute she rushed into his office and came around to meet her.
“I'm sorry I'm late,” she murmured to the woman who got to her feet.
“Gillian and I went to Harvard together. Donna, this is Gillian McPherson. Gillian, this is my wife.”
“Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Hoffman.”
“Oh, please call me Donna.”
“Okay Donna, I'd like to examine you first thing. I already got the heads up from Dr. Simpson.” The woman indicated the sofa.
“I told Jeanette not to send any calls through,” Thomas told her as he pulled a chair and sat next to the sofa.
“Do I need to take off my clothes?”
“I brought a hospital gown with me so you can go into the bathroom and change.”
Donna did so and came back a few minutes later. “You're four weeks pregnant.”
“So I was told. Is it weird that I'm feeling queasy so soon?” she asked as she lay back against the cushions.
“Not at all. I'll do a full examination. I already told Thomas that his office is fine for now, but I'll need you to come into my office for the next checkup.”
“It’s just that we don't want anyone to know right now,” Donna told her.
“I understand.”
*****
“I'm sure he'll agree that this is extremely important,” Talia told the woman impatiently.
“He said no disturbances,” Jeanette told her firmly.
“Who's he in there with? The President of the United States?”
The woman stared at her over her glasses and didn't respond.
“Come on, Jeanette! He's my brother; my name happens to be Hoffman too.”
“And when Mr. Thomas Hoffman—who happens to be my boss—tells me no disturbances, I have to listen. He writes my checks.”
“Okay fine!” she said with an impatient look on her face as she slapped the report on her desk. “Tell him to call me after he's finished with his oh so important meeting!”
*****
“Everything looks fine and I would like you to come and see me at the end of February. I've prescribed something for the nausea. Your delivery date should be the end of September or before.” She snapped her bag shut and got to her feet.
“Thank you, Gillian.”
“You're welcome,” she said with a smile. “You still owe me a game of tennis.”
“I'll deliver as soon as I can.” He saw her to the door and closed it, waiting until Donna had come back from the bathroom. Walking over to her he tilted her chin up. “Are you okay?”
“I am, and I'm going back to work. I have been gone for two hours and just because I'm married to you, that doesn't make it okay.” She started to pull away from him, but his hand tightened on her chin.
“What did you eat?”
“For heaven’s sake Thomas, stop being such a nag!”
“What did you eat?” he repeated patiently.
“Tomato soup.”
“And?”
“Water. Can I go now?”
“I'm sending to the kitchen for cucumber sandwich and some chicken soup.”
“No you aren't.”
He let her go and went to the phone to place the order. With an impatient sigh she left the room.
Chapter 11
“Darling! Thanks for meeting me for lunch.” Caroline exclaimed as she got to her feet and gave Talia air kisses on both cheeks before taking her seat. “I ordered the shellfish for you.”
“You shouldn’t have.” Talia beckoned the waiter who came hurrying over. “The Caesar Salad and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.”
“Darling, I thought you loved shellfish.”
“I'm off seafood for the month.” She shook her head. “It’s a thing I'm doing for the month of February.”
“Why?”
“Cleansing. I think I put on a couple of pounds over the last few weeks.”
“Darling you're as thin as a rail,” Caroline protested.
“Thank you for that but still—” She waved a slender hand. “You look good. What is that? Dior?”
“It is, darling,” she said with a tinkling laugh. “I went shopping to get out of my funk. Your brother really broke my heart.”