The tiny bundle in Camryn’s arms let out a surprisingly loud squawk and she laughed. “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you?” she said, gazing adoringly at the scrunched-up nose and the wide-open mouth as another shriek followed the first. “How can you be so cute even when you’re so angry?”
“She’s not so cute at three in the morning.” Camryn looked over at Jo, sprawled on the couch. Her morose words were contradicted by the glow of love in her face as she reached out her arms. “Come to mama, baby-doll. You can have a snack if you want.”
With some reluctance Camryn handed over her niece. “Baby-doll?”
“We haven’t decided on a name yet.” Jo settled the baby at her breast and the sound of contented sucking reached Camryn’s ears. “We’d decided on Sarah, but once we met her it didn’t suit. Now nothing seems right.”
Luke came into the living room, bringing the herbal tea Jo had requested. “She’s only three days old. We have a little time.” He set the cup on the end table and sat next to his wife and child. His palm cupped the baby’s head and Camryn felt tears well up at the beauty of the little family before her.
Looking away, she blinked until the lights of the Christmas tree in the corner were no longer blurry. The newest Donwell had been a wonderful first anniversary gift for her parents, arriving exactly on time.
The last year had been one of challenges and successes, adjustments and rewards, for all the Bendixon sisters. Jo and Luke delighted everyone with the news of their pregnancy, Mattie and Marcus’ wedding in September had been another joyous occasion...and Camryn’s life with Will and Laura was wonderful.
Bendixon and Sons was still struggling, but business was picking up, thanks in no small part to Will’s determination. She loved going to work with him each day, coming home to their daughter each night. Whenever someone questioned how they managed to live and work together, she had a simple reply. “Respect,” she would say. “I respect his knowledge and expertise, and he respects mine. With respect you can get through anything.”
Laura continued to grow and thrive. She still had the occasional nightmare, but they seemed no more than the usual bad dreams of any child, not the terrors that used to menace her.
She should be feeling contented and happy. And most of the time she was. But she couldn’t dismiss the feeling that something was missing from her life. Watching Jo, Luke and the Little Nameless One might have given her the answer.
***
Later that night, she lay with her head on Will’s bare chest, her body sprawled atop his, and waited to get her breath back. He stroked his hand from the nape of her neck to the base of her spine, and beneath her jaw his heartbeat slowed to normal.
She shifted to slide off him and his arms tightened. “Not yet,” he murmured.
Propping her elbows on either side of his chest, she rested her chin in her clasped hands so she could see his face. She studied the faint lines creasing the corner of his eyes, the light stubble across his jar, how his lips tipped up in a smile, even in repose.
“I love you,” she said.
He opened his eyes. “I love you, too.”
“I probably don’t say it often enough.”
He ran a finger down the bridge of her nose. “That’s okay. I know you do.”
Now that she’d made up her mind, the nerves she thought she’d feel had disappeared. “Wait right here.”
Slipping out of bed, she rummaged in her dresser drawer, found what she wanted, and climbed back under the covers. Will had turned on his side and she sat cross-legged at his hips, tucking the sheets modestly around her waist.
“What’s that?” he said, dipping his chin at the wooden box she held.
“You’ll see.” Giving in to impulse she leaned forward and brushed her lips on his, feeling the desire that was never far away rekindle. “I have a question to ask you.”
He raised his eyebrows.
Taking a deep breath, she said, “Will you marry me?”
Will’s eyes widened and he sat upright. “What?”
“This last year, with you and Laura, has been…I don’t have the words to describe it.” She lifted her shoulders in a small shrug. “I’ve loved every minute of it, even the tough ones.” And there had been some hard, hard days. Learning to be a mom of a blind six-year-old hadn’t been smooth sailing. And she was still dealing with the fall out of Anthony’s embezzlement. “You’ve been so patient with me, knowing I had to learn to trust myself again, both personally and professionally.”
“I’m glad you’re happy,” Will said, a deep glow warming his expression. “But can we get back to your question?”
“I want to marry you,” she said. “So I figured why wait any longer?” She opened the wooden box. Inside were nestled two plain gold bands. “Will Danson, will you be my husband? My partner? My love? I want to give Laura a sister or brother. Maybe more than one, if we can. I want a family. Will you stand by my side as we build a life together?”
He tossed back his head and laughed. “Of course I will, Camryn. Yes, to all of your questions.”
She was never sure who moved first, but in an instant they were wrapped in each other’s arms, lips clinging together, wordlessly promising a lifetime of loving, of sharing, of caring.
“She’s not so cute at three in the morning.” Camryn looked over at Jo, sprawled on the couch. Her morose words were contradicted by the glow of love in her face as she reached out her arms. “Come to mama, baby-doll. You can have a snack if you want.”
With some reluctance Camryn handed over her niece. “Baby-doll?”
“We haven’t decided on a name yet.” Jo settled the baby at her breast and the sound of contented sucking reached Camryn’s ears. “We’d decided on Sarah, but once we met her it didn’t suit. Now nothing seems right.”
Luke came into the living room, bringing the herbal tea Jo had requested. “She’s only three days old. We have a little time.” He set the cup on the end table and sat next to his wife and child. His palm cupped the baby’s head and Camryn felt tears well up at the beauty of the little family before her.
Looking away, she blinked until the lights of the Christmas tree in the corner were no longer blurry. The newest Donwell had been a wonderful first anniversary gift for her parents, arriving exactly on time.
The last year had been one of challenges and successes, adjustments and rewards, for all the Bendixon sisters. Jo and Luke delighted everyone with the news of their pregnancy, Mattie and Marcus’ wedding in September had been another joyous occasion...and Camryn’s life with Will and Laura was wonderful.
Bendixon and Sons was still struggling, but business was picking up, thanks in no small part to Will’s determination. She loved going to work with him each day, coming home to their daughter each night. Whenever someone questioned how they managed to live and work together, she had a simple reply. “Respect,” she would say. “I respect his knowledge and expertise, and he respects mine. With respect you can get through anything.”
Laura continued to grow and thrive. She still had the occasional nightmare, but they seemed no more than the usual bad dreams of any child, not the terrors that used to menace her.
She should be feeling contented and happy. And most of the time she was. But she couldn’t dismiss the feeling that something was missing from her life. Watching Jo, Luke and the Little Nameless One might have given her the answer.
***
Later that night, she lay with her head on Will’s bare chest, her body sprawled atop his, and waited to get her breath back. He stroked his hand from the nape of her neck to the base of her spine, and beneath her jaw his heartbeat slowed to normal.
She shifted to slide off him and his arms tightened. “Not yet,” he murmured.
Propping her elbows on either side of his chest, she rested her chin in her clasped hands so she could see his face. She studied the faint lines creasing the corner of his eyes, the light stubble across his jar, how his lips tipped up in a smile, even in repose.
“I love you,” she said.
He opened his eyes. “I love you, too.”
“I probably don’t say it often enough.”
He ran a finger down the bridge of her nose. “That’s okay. I know you do.”
Now that she’d made up her mind, the nerves she thought she’d feel had disappeared. “Wait right here.”
Slipping out of bed, she rummaged in her dresser drawer, found what she wanted, and climbed back under the covers. Will had turned on his side and she sat cross-legged at his hips, tucking the sheets modestly around her waist.
“What’s that?” he said, dipping his chin at the wooden box she held.
“You’ll see.” Giving in to impulse she leaned forward and brushed her lips on his, feeling the desire that was never far away rekindle. “I have a question to ask you.”
He raised his eyebrows.
Taking a deep breath, she said, “Will you marry me?”
Will’s eyes widened and he sat upright. “What?”
“This last year, with you and Laura, has been…I don’t have the words to describe it.” She lifted her shoulders in a small shrug. “I’ve loved every minute of it, even the tough ones.” And there had been some hard, hard days. Learning to be a mom of a blind six-year-old hadn’t been smooth sailing. And she was still dealing with the fall out of Anthony’s embezzlement. “You’ve been so patient with me, knowing I had to learn to trust myself again, both personally and professionally.”
“I’m glad you’re happy,” Will said, a deep glow warming his expression. “But can we get back to your question?”
“I want to marry you,” she said. “So I figured why wait any longer?” She opened the wooden box. Inside were nestled two plain gold bands. “Will Danson, will you be my husband? My partner? My love? I want to give Laura a sister or brother. Maybe more than one, if we can. I want a family. Will you stand by my side as we build a life together?”
He tossed back his head and laughed. “Of course I will, Camryn. Yes, to all of your questions.”
She was never sure who moved first, but in an instant they were wrapped in each other’s arms, lips clinging together, wordlessly promising a lifetime of loving, of sharing, of caring.