her family. In spite of her sister’s reassurances, telling the family was going to be difficult, making her worry how they would take it. An even bigger concern was how Zach would accept the news.
She picked up all her packages to carry them to her bedroom and open them. She had been buying baby things because she was excited and wanted to get ready even if it was early. A bassinet stood by the window and she had a new rocking chair that had been delivered two days earlier. She began to open packages and finally had the new baby clothes laid out across her bed where she could look at them. They would all go into the wash, but she wanted to look at them first: the tiny onesies, tiny socks, little jumpers and bibs, rattles and a baby brush, plus small blankets.
She ran her fingers over the blankets. Even if Zach wanted to marry, which she knew he would not, she couldn’t accept his lifestyle. He still wouldn’t put family first. Travel and work would always take first place with him and fulfill the need for excitement in his life. It would never be family that would hold his interest. Sadness tinged her excitement over the baby. Sadness and worry about her baby’s acceptance.
She showered to get ready to go to her parents’ house for dinner and then a midnight service. Her new Christmas dress was a red crepe with a low V-neck and long sleeves. The skirt ended above her knees and she had matching high-heeled pumps. She caught her hair back on either side of her face and had clips with sprigs of holly attached. Last of all, she fastened the gold locket, stepping close to the mirror to look at it and rub the gold lightly with her finger as if she could conjure up Zach by doing so.
Startling her, her intercom buzzed. She answered to hear Mr. Wilburton.
“May I come back a moment? There’s something else here.”
“Sure, come up. I’ll open the door,” she answered, curious what he had. She gathered things to put into her purse until the bell rang. Wondering what he had forgotten, she hurried to the door to open it.
The first thing she saw was a huge stack of packages that hid the doorman.
“Come in,” she said, wondering how Mr. Wilburton could have forgotten a mountain of gifts.
He turned slightly and she faced Zach. “Merry Christmas, Emma.”
Stunned, she could only stare at him. “Zach? You’re here? It’s Christmas Eve. Where’s Mr. Wilburton?”
Zach laughed. “These packages are getting heavy. Can I come in?”
“Come in,” she said, her heart racing as she took presents off the top of his stack.
He rushed to her sofa to set them all down while she closed the door and trailed behind him. He was in a black topcoat over his suit. When he turned, she took one look in his eyes and she was in his arms. He had brought a rush of cold air in and his coat still was cold and smelled of the outside. As she slid her arms beneath his coat and jacket, he felt warm, holding her tightly against him while they kissed.
Her heart thudded with joy. Giddy to see him, laughter bubbled inside her. She was overwhelmed by surprise.
Desire raged, more than all else, and she pushed the topcoat away, hearing it fall to the floor. His suit jacket went with it. With shaking fingers, she unfastened the buttons to his snowy shirt. He held her away to look at her, taking in her red dress before he kissed her again.
Picking her up in his arms, Zach carried her to her bedroom while he kissed her. Emma clung to him, wrapped in his embrace and filled with longing. When he set her on her feet, she could feel his hands at the top of her zipper as he started to draw it down.
His hands grew still and he raised his head. “Is one of your sisters expecting?”
Startled, she looked up at him. “No, neither one.” Zach looked beyond her at the bed and then his gaze went around the room and she realized why.
“Emma, that’s a lot of baby clothes and a lot of baby things. More than you’d take to a shower.”
His questioning gaze returned to her. Her heart drummed and her palms became damp. She hadn’t expected Zach. All the most recent baby things were laid out. Her mouth went dry and she felt weak in the knees.
“I know only one way to tell you. I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
“You’re pregnant?” Sounding stunned, he stepped back to look at her. “You don’t look it. You have all this ready for a baby. Are you sure? When are you due?”
“I’ve been to a doctor now. When I found out for certain, I couldn’t wait to buy things. I know it’s too early, Zach. I’m barely pregnant, but I’m excited. This isn’t the way I was going to tell you, or this soon. I know you have your life and you’re not the daddy type—”
“And you’re not the single-mom type. I’m going to be a dad,” he said and silence stretched between them. Suddenly his hands closed on her waist and he held her up while he gave a whoop.
“A dad! Emma, love,” he said, setting her down and wrapping his arms around her to kiss her hard and long.
Shocked by his reaction, the last possible thing she had expected, she stood immobile for seconds until she caught her breath. Wrapping her arms around him, she held him tightly to kiss him back.
He stopped as abruptly as he started. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely. The doctor says yes. The pregnancy test was positive. My body is changing. Ask Rosie. And Mary Kate guessed.”
“Rosie?” he said, looking stunned. “You knew then?”
“I suspected, but it was really early. Rosie did, too.”
He laughed. “Emma, that’s fabulous. We’re going to be parents. My precious love, I came to ask you to marry me.” He knelt on one knee and took her hand. “Emma Hillman, I love you and want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”
“Zach, get up,” she said, her smile fading because she hurt badly. He had just proposed, saying words she hadn’t been able to avoid dreaming about, but there was only one answer. She looked up at him as he stood. “I love you and I’m thrilled and scared about the baby, but, Zach, we can’t marry. Our lifestyles are poles apart. You wouldn’t be happy. I wouldn’t be happy with you gone all the time.”
“Emma, we have to work this out,” he said, framing her face with his hands. “I’ve been miserable without you. You’ve made me see a family can be happy and love each other. We’ll work this out.”
“I can’t. You’ll be gone and you do risky things. You won’t be there to be a dad.”
“Yes, I will,” he said patiently. “And love isn’t in one place or in a house. It’s between two people. Your parents would have had the same love if your dad had traveled. You have to agree on that one.”
“I guess they would have, but I don’t want a dad who’s gone all the time.”
“I won’t be. I can work more in the Dallas office and let others do the on-site requirements. For heaven’s sake, I own the place. I don’t have to go out and do hands-on work. I don’t even have to work if I don’t want to.”
She didn’t dare breathe as her whole being tingled and hope flared. “You might not be happy with a desk job,” she said, wondering if she dared accept his complete reversal of his lifestyle.
“I don’t want to be away from you.”
“You would do that?”
“Of course. Emma, you’ve made me open my heart and trust someone to return my love. Don’t turn around and crush that now. I love you and I want to marry you. Besides that, it’s been pure hell without you.”
She trembled, wanting to believe him, scared