Expecting a Miracle. Jackie Braun

hadn’t meant to say that. At least not out loud. And certainly not on a sigh.

      Hearing the words didn’t send Gavin into panic mode. He nodded. “I hope to one day.”

      “You want children?”

      He looked slightly surprised by the question. “Not right now. But sure, eventually. Don’t you?”

      Lauren swallowed. The dashed dreams of the past and the miracle of the present clogged her throat. Before she could respond, a woman of about thirty rushed over to where they stood in line. She looked hot, harassed and, given the dark circles under her eyes, exhausted. And no wonder. She had a baby on one hip and a sticky-faced toddler in tow.

      “Gosh. I’m really sorry about that.” She motioned to the mark on Gavin’s shirt. “That was my son, Thomas, who ran into you.”

      Gavin chuckled easily. “He left a lasting impression.”

      The woman shifted the baby to her other hip and began to rummage through a large purse that did double duty as a diaper bag if the package of wipes peeking out the top was any indication. After pulling out a piece of paper and a pen, she said, “Here, let me give you my address. You can send me a bill for your dry-cleaning.”

      “Oh, there’s no need for that. Really,” Gavin assured her. “It will come out in the wash.”

      “You’re sure?”

      “Positive.” He reached over then and tickled one of the baby’s many chins, delighting a giggle out of the drooling infant. “Looks like someone’s cutting teeth.”