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‘Lucy, I think you’re probably right –’
They had both started talking at the same moment and now they stopped. Their gazes met and they laughed self-consciously.
‘You first,’ Will said.
‘No, you tell me what you were going to say. What am I right about?’
‘IVF. I know it’s what you’d prefer and I think we should go that route.’
‘Really?’
Oh, hell. Had she really sounded disappointed?
Will’s blue shirt strained at the shoulder seams as he shrugged. ‘I can understand that it makes total sense to you and I’m prepared to do whatever’s necessary.’
Lucy gulped as she took this in.
He watched her with a puzzled smile. ‘I thought you’d be pleased.’
‘Oh, I – I am. Yes, I’m really happy.’ In truth, she couldn’t believe the piercing sense of anti-climax she felt. ‘I’m just surprised,’ she said, working hard to cover her ridiculous disappointment. ‘I spent the whole week worrying that you were going to back out altogether.’
Dropping her gaze to the ground, she hooked her thumbs into the back pockets of her jeans and kicked at a loose stone.
‘So what were you going say about the finetuning?’ Will asked.
Lucy’s face flamed. Now that Will had agreed to IVF, there was no point in telling him her decision. He’d never fancied her in that way, so it would be a huge challenge to become intimate.
‘Lucy?’
‘It doesn’t matter now.’
‘Why not?’ Will swallowed abruptly and his eyes burned her.
‘Honestly, Will, it’s really great that you’d like to help with IVF. I’m very grateful. I couldn’t be more pleased.’
His grey eyes were searching her, studying her. Suddenly they narrowed thoughtfully and then widened with surprise. ‘Don’t tell me you’d come around to – to the other option?’
‘No, no. If you want to use IVF, that’s good,’ she said.
‘I didn’t exactly say it’s what Iwant.’ A nervous smile flickered in his face, then vanished. ‘I was trying to look at this from your point of view. I thought it’s what you’d prefer.’
‘Thanks, Will. I appreciate that.’ Lucy bit her lip to stop herself from saying more.
He stood very still, his hands hanging loosely at his sides, and she knew he was watching her while she continued to avoid his gaze.
‘Or are you actually worried about IVF?’ he asked cautiously. ‘I know it didn’t work for you last time.’
Lucy drew a sharp breath, and let it out slowly. Without meeting his gaze, she said, ‘I can’t say I’m in love with the idea of going through all those clinical procedures again.’
‘The alternative is much simpler.’
‘In some ways.’ She knew her face must be turning bright pink.
To her surprise, Will looked as worried as she felt.
He pointed to a smooth shelf of shady rock hanging over the water. ‘Look, why don’t we sit down for a bit?’
‘Very well,’ she agreed rather primly.
