last shred of hope inside Mary Louise died. Their baby still didn’t matter to him, not the way it did to her. “Sure,” she said stoically. “Later’s good.”
Maybe later her heart wouldn’t ache as if Danny had just stuck a knife into it.
5
Amanda’s backyard was crawling with people. Okay, there were only six adults besides herself, but the way the kids were scurrying around and getting in everyone’s way, it felt like more. Maggie had called Saturday morning and announced that she and Josh were coming by to help with the tree house construction and they were bringing Dinah and Cord, along with Josh’s mother, Nadine, and George Winslow.
“I take it Caleb recruited you all,” Amanda said.
“He mentioned it to Josh, who called Cord,” Maggie said. “I’m the one who decided the guys shouldn’t have all the fun. You, Dinah, Nadine and I can make curtains and stuff for Susie’s playhouse, which I gather is the next construction project. Something tells me these kids are going to be the envy of the whole neighborhood, if not most of Charleston. Our men must have had very deprived childhoods. They’re really getting into this. I haven’t seen Josh this excited about building something in ages.”
“And you’re not as into it as he is?” Amanda teased. “It sounds as if you’re already working on an interior-design plan for the playhouse.”
“It’s curtains,” Maggie protested. “I can whip those up with my eyes blindfolded.”
“I can’t get over the fact that you sew, too,” Amanda said, feeling instantly inadequate. Maggie seemed to possess all sorts of skills Amanda didn’t have. She’d even worked right alongside the men on the construction of Amanda’s house.
“In my world, little girls learned to paint and sew,” Maggie admitted. “Some of it took before I rebelled and learned how to use a hammer and saw. I much preferred playing with boys to doing sissy stuff with girls.”
“I’m in awe.” Amanda’s father hadn’t pushed her to learn any of the so-called feminine pursuits. He’d steered her toward his own interests. Instead of a little patent-leather purse, he’d given her a custom-made miniature briefcase. She’d had to beg for a doll, and then he’d managed to custom order one dressed in a designer business suit.
“I can barely hem the kids’ clothes, much less make something from scratch,” she told Maggie.
Maggie laughed. “Hey, don’t get the idea I’m on a par with a professional seamstress. The curtains will be frilly and they’ll do the job. They won’t be perfect.”
“Susie will love them no matter what,” Amanda said. “Now, what can I do for this gathering? It’s short notice, but I can whip up some hamburgers and potato salad for lunch.”
“Not necessary,” Maggie said. “Caleb said he’d have that covered. He’s going to be running late, so he’ll bring lunch for the whole crew with him. And Nadine said she’d make some lemonade and pick up sodas.”
A part of Amanda chafed at the generosity. It smacked of more charity. “I should be doing something,” she protested.
“Paper plates and napkins,” Maggie suggested. “Or maybe once the guys get there, you and Susie would like to meet Dinah and me at the fabric store. Susie might like to choose the material.”
Amanda declined. She’d wanted to make sure the house was spotless before her first impromptu party. She didn’t want any of these people to think she didn’t prize the home they’d built for her and couldn’t care for it properly.
Of course, the men had barely spared the inside of the house a glance as they’d headed straight for the backyard. And the women had immediately congregated in the kitchen, which had been turned into a sewing room and was now covered with yards and yards of pink eyelet fabric.
“I had curtains made out of material just like this when I was six,” Dinah said, her expression nostalgic. “It was the prettiest room I ever had. When I have a little girl, I’m going to do her room exactly the same way.” She scowled as the needle she was using to sew a hem pricked her finger. “Of course, someone else is going to make the damn curtains.”
Maggie regarded her with interest. “Any timetable for the arrival of this girl?” she inquired.
To everyone’s surprise, Dinah blushed. “Could be sooner rather than later.”
“You’re pregnant?” Maggie asked delightedly. “Does Cord know?” She shook her head. “Of course he does. You’d tell him first, wouldn’t you? When’s the baby due? How soon will you know if it’s a boy or a girl? Oh, Lord, this is going to give Josh ideas.” She sat back, looking stunned.
Amanda laughed. “I have never heard one woman’s good news cause such commotion for someone else before.”
“Then you haven’t spent nearly enough time around Maggie,” Dinah said dryly. “Trust me, she is not worried about this giving Josh ideas. She’s the one who’s always had to do everything I do and twice as fast.” She grinned at Maggie. “Sorry, sweetie. Not this time. I’ve got an insurmountable head start.”
Maggie’s gaze instantly narrowed. “How much of a head start?”
Nadine draped an arm around her daughter-in-law’s shoulders. “Maggie, honey, when it comes to babies, it’s all but impossible to make up any kind of a head start. Nine months is pretty much the rule. You can’t set out to have your baby in eight, though I for one would certainly like to see you try. I’m ready to be a grandmama.”
“But with those early pregnancy tests, Dinah could be only a few days pregnant,” Maggie argued. “If I take Josh home right this minute—”
“Give it up, Magnolia,” Dinah said. “This is one contest I’m going to win. Do you think I’m stupid enough to tell you news like this when you might have time to catch up?”
“So when is the baby due?” Maggie asked. “It’s November now.”
“I’m not telling,” Dinah said, her lips twitching with amusement.
Maggie headed for the door. “Cord will tell me. I always could wrap that man around my finger.”
“Not this time,” Dinah retorted. “I’ve put him on notice that he is not to tell you a blessed thing about this baby’s due date.”
Amanda listened to the two of them sparring as only best friends could and regretted that she’d never had a friendship that ran that deep. Her father had been her best friend, and then Bobby had taken his place. Now with both of them out of her life, she recognized the foolhardiness of not making more of an effort to surround herself with women like these.
“Hey, you okay?” Nadine asked, studying her worriedly.
Amanda nodded. “Just feeling a little envious, I guess.”
“Because of the baby?” Dinah asked. “Would you like to have another one someday?”
“Sure,” Amanda said without hesitation. “I loved every second of being pregnant, even the morning sickness. I loved it when
