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"She did great, Declan, thank you for asking"

Clearing his throat and obviously unco this conversation in front of Beth, Declan turned his gaze and finally acknowledged her presence She got the , Declan Ella, I’o check in with Suzy How about lunch today?"

Ella sreed immediately When Beth turned the corner, she saw Ella and Declan still standing in the sahtly colored firefly and Declan see so much about Ella and Declan? It seeh probleirl and there is no way Declan would get seriously involved with her She is way too innocent for him

When she walked into her sister’s office, Suzy was ra under her breath Sparing Beth a quick glance when she closed the door, Suzy said, "I have to be across town in twenty minutes and I can’t find my damn phone"

Beth smiled as she walked to the credenza behind Suzy’s desk and unplugged her sister’s iPhone "I think you plugged it in here to charge"

"Why can’t theywith a twelve-one until after lunch I’ to check out the new conference facility for next month Can you check with the suppliers and see where we are on our orders?"

"Yep, I have it onTraffic will be terrible at this time"

As Suzy started for the door, she turned and asked, "Did you tell hi He wants to get married and buy a house immediately I told hi to process this latest develop about the sa to be late and I’ about sex and I’et back" Suzy sla it back open In a low butwhisper she said, "You’d better not have sex in my officeever!"

Beth chuckled as she walked to her own office She hoped Suzy’s warning didn’t extend to her office because if it did, she had already violated that one Maybe after-hours sex didn’t count

When Ella tapped on her door at lunchti up the phone after another exhausting call from Nick At this point, she would rather him freak out and run than stay in the methodical nancy handbook froh it step by step Marry the little woman immediately Buy a house immediately Plan the next ten years of Junior’s life immediately She felt weak and dizzy after the last call, and it had nothing to do withher Noon as if he hadn’t heard her Was it really so hard for hi to marry him? Um, yeah, you probably are one of the feoh day?" Ella gave her a sympathetic smile as she perched on the corner of Beth’s desk

Dropping her head onto her desk, Beth said, "You have no idea Theme crazy I just want a moment to breathe, but he is after me constantly I haven’t even had a chance to co ly while reement "Grab your purse and let’s walk around the corner for lunch Getting out of here for a while will help"

Beth gave her friend a grateful sreat, but I’ you now If we see Nick anywhere on the way out, be prepared to run for your life because I a anyroan of disbelief behind her as they walked to the elevator "You only think I’ He’s already tried to talk me into natural childbirth, too Sole searches about pregnancy"

Chapter Eight

Nick opened Beth’s apartiven him a few months back Since their schedules were often different, it had o as needed She also had a key to the penthouse where he was staying

He laid his briefcase down on the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen froht on her answering e In all of the months that he had been in her apart on the machine He kneas none of his business and an invasion of her privacy, but he couldn’t see concerning the baby

Hethe button to hear the e and walked to the bedroom to find Beth She was curled up on top of the comforter on the bed sound asleep She took his breath away He didn’t kno long he stood in the door just watching her She looked so young and so vulnerable in sleep The need he felt to protect her since he had learned she was pregnant was suddenly overwhel there that it was hard to believe their child was nestled inside her