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To Will, Lucy looked absolutely fine, just as she was, but he offered to fetch her handbag.
‘No, it’s okay,’ she said. ‘You’d better go back to the party. Gina will be wondering why we’re taking so long.’
CHAPTER NINETEEN
LUCY’S words were prophetic. Will had barely left before Gina appeared at the bedroom door.
‘Oh, there you are,’ she said. ‘I was wondering –’ She stopped and frowned. ‘Is everything OK, Lucy?’
‘Yes.’ Lucy dropped a swift kiss on the baby’s head. ‘Mia’s fine.’
But gosh, she couldn’t quite believe that she’d actually agreed to try again for a baby with Will.
‘But what about you?’ Gina asked. ‘You look upset.’
Lucy tried to shrug this aside.
‘You’ve been crying.’ Gina came closer, her dark eyes warm with concern.
It was too hard to pretend. Lucy tried to smile but her mouth twisted out of shape.
‘Lucy, you poor thing. What’s the matter?’
‘I’m just emerald green with envy, that’s all.’ She looked down at Mia, curled in her arms and this time she managed a rueful smile. ‘I would so love to have a little one like this for myself.’
‘Oh.’ Gina made a soft sound of sympathy. ‘I know how awful that longing can be. It just eats you up, doesn’t it?
That was the great thing about Gina. She wasn’t just a good friend. She really understood. She’d been through years of painful endometriosis before her doctor finally told her that she needed a hysterectomy. The news that she could never havechildren had broken her heart, but then Mattie had stepped in with her wonderful surrogacy offer.
Now, just as she had when they’d been school friends, Gina plopped down on her old bed and patted a space for Lucy, who obeyed without question. She was so totally in need of a girly heart to heart and where better than Gina’s bedroom, still painted the terrible lavender and hot pink she’d chosen when she was fourteen?
‘Are you thinking about tackling another round of IVF?’ Gina asked.
Lucy shook her head and hastily weighed up the pros and cons of confiding in Will’s sister. Quite quickly she decided it was necessary. Out of any of the women in her circle of friends, Gina would most understand her longing for a baby. And she also understood her history with Will.
‘I’m trying for a baby, but not with IVF,’ she said.
To Gina’s credit, she didn’t look too shocked, although she was understandably puzzled. ‘So how’s that work? You have a secret boyfriend?’
‘Not exactly.’ Lucy settled Mia’s sleepy head more comfortably into the crook of her arm. ‘Actually, Will’s offered to help me out.’
This time, Gina did look shocked.
Momentarily.
‘Will’s helping you to have a baby?’
‘Yes.’
‘Wow!’ Gina gasped. ‘That’s – that’s – far out. You and Will.’ She gave an excited little squeal. ‘Gosh, Lucy, that’s wonderful.’
‘Unconventional is probably the word most people would use.’
Gina frowned. ‘Excuse me? I’m lost.’
‘Friends don’t usually plan to have a baby together.’
‘Friends?’
