they didn’t look at her while marveling over a growth spurt or finding joy in a sonogram. She was relieved when Allie talked about nursery decorations but didn’t invite her to see the room. Even Allie’s daily inquiries into the pregnancy were a reminder to Kate that the child inside her belonged to someone else.
Rio hadn’t been around for all that. He wouldn’t know the subtleties of keeping her at a certain distance. She’d have to make sure he understood them.
Living in the same house with the baby’s new guardian crossed the boundary, but that couldn’t be helped until she saw her doctor. Meanwhile, she had to keep an emotional distance from the Hawthorne’s while subjecting Rio to enough of the pregnancy experience to bond him to the child he would be responsible for raising. He’d said she had nothing to worry about in reference to him taking the child and seemed sincere, but she didn’t know him well enough to take his word for it.
Just as she was about to abandon her sitting position on the large four-poster, a soft knock sounded at her door. “Come in.”
Margaret entered, her face showing the strain of the day. She approached the bed where Kate sat, propped up with pillows. “Just checking on you. How’s it going?”
“Much less puffiness now. I told Rio this wasn’t necessary.” Kate’s wave indicated the suite, but she meant the house and her move here.
“I’d appreciate you giving him a little leeway. This particular responsibility doesn’t come easy to him.”
Kate hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I don’t think I can. Carrying a child for someone else without becoming attached to the fetus is like walking an emotional tightrope. I can’t jeopardize my ability to remain detached.”
Margaret shook her head. “No, of course you can’t. It wasn’t fair of me to ask. I’m afraid I’m not thinking straight today.”
“I understand. It’s a difficult day all around.” At the look of sadness on Margaret’s face, Kate sought to distract her. “Does Rio have something against kids?”
“It’s not that. Let’s just say my first marriage wasn’t the stuff of a young girl’s dreams. Even as a teenager, Rio was adamant about never marrying or having children, so taking on this child has been a shock for him.” She patted Kate’s hand. “But don’t you worry. He’ll do what’s right.”
“I wish I could be as sure as you.”
Margaret’s smile was wry as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Even as a child, Rio pushed himself to do the right thing, to be good, almost to the point of perfection. His father was not an easy man and didn’t have the patience to deal with a child. At times I worried ...” She broke off and shook her head. “Well, that’s all water under the bridge. He had to grow up too fast and that’s my fault.”
Kate was curious about the “had to” part but held the questions pushing against her tongue. Rio’s formative years were none of her business, but she gathered his hadn’t been any more idyllic than hers. His ability to raise her cargo wasn’t any of her business either. James and Allie had trusted him. That was all that mattered.
“Do you need —?”
“Margaret —.” They spoke over each other, Kate acquiescing first. “Go ahead.”
“I was wondering if you’d like a snack or something. It’s been a long time, but I still remember how perpetually hungry I was when pregnant.”
“That would be nice. I was just going to say I needed to stretch my legs a little. Oh, nothing strenuous,” she jumped to assure Margaret upon seeing a frown of concern forming. “I’m just feeling a bit antsy and need to move around a little, maybe get a glass of water and a change of scenery.”
“Of course, dear.” Margaret moved to the doorway and pushed a button on an intercom box that had escaped Kate’s notice. “Rio, could you come up to Kate’s room, please.”
Rio’s affirmative answer had a faraway
Rio hadn’t been around for all that. He wouldn’t know the subtleties of keeping her at a certain distance. She’d have to make sure he understood them.
Living in the same house with the baby’s new guardian crossed the boundary, but that couldn’t be helped until she saw her doctor. Meanwhile, she had to keep an emotional distance from the Hawthorne’s while subjecting Rio to enough of the pregnancy experience to bond him to the child he would be responsible for raising. He’d said she had nothing to worry about in reference to him taking the child and seemed sincere, but she didn’t know him well enough to take his word for it.
Just as she was about to abandon her sitting position on the large four-poster, a soft knock sounded at her door. “Come in.”
Margaret entered, her face showing the strain of the day. She approached the bed where Kate sat, propped up with pillows. “Just checking on you. How’s it going?”
“Much less puffiness now. I told Rio this wasn’t necessary.” Kate’s wave indicated the suite, but she meant the house and her move here.
“I’d appreciate you giving him a little leeway. This particular responsibility doesn’t come easy to him.”
Kate hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I don’t think I can. Carrying a child for someone else without becoming attached to the fetus is like walking an emotional tightrope. I can’t jeopardize my ability to remain detached.”
Margaret shook her head. “No, of course you can’t. It wasn’t fair of me to ask. I’m afraid I’m not thinking straight today.”
“I understand. It’s a difficult day all around.” At the look of sadness on Margaret’s face, Kate sought to distract her. “Does Rio have something against kids?”
“It’s not that. Let’s just say my first marriage wasn’t the stuff of a young girl’s dreams. Even as a teenager, Rio was adamant about never marrying or having children, so taking on this child has been a shock for him.” She patted Kate’s hand. “But don’t you worry. He’ll do what’s right.”
“I wish I could be as sure as you.”
Margaret’s smile was wry as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Even as a child, Rio pushed himself to do the right thing, to be good, almost to the point of perfection. His father was not an easy man and didn’t have the patience to deal with a child. At times I worried ...” She broke off and shook her head. “Well, that’s all water under the bridge. He had to grow up too fast and that’s my fault.”
Kate was curious about the “had to” part but held the questions pushing against her tongue. Rio’s formative years were none of her business, but she gathered his hadn’t been any more idyllic than hers. His ability to raise her cargo wasn’t any of her business either. James and Allie had trusted him. That was all that mattered.
“Do you need —?”
“Margaret —.” They spoke over each other, Kate acquiescing first. “Go ahead.”
“I was wondering if you’d like a snack or something. It’s been a long time, but I still remember how perpetually hungry I was when pregnant.”
“That would be nice. I was just going to say I needed to stretch my legs a little. Oh, nothing strenuous,” she jumped to assure Margaret upon seeing a frown of concern forming. “I’m just feeling a bit antsy and need to move around a little, maybe get a glass of water and a change of scenery.”
“Of course, dear.” Margaret moved to the doorway and pushed a button on an intercom box that had escaped Kate’s notice. “Rio, could you come up to Kate’s room, please.”
Rio’s affirmative answer had a faraway
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