She nodded her agreement. “I need to go shopping. I have an entire list of stuff we need. I’ll call Rusty and see if she wants to go.”
“Good idea.”
He lightly buttered the toasted bread and slid the saucer across the bar toward her. Her stomach rumbled, and her mouth watered in that icky way it did right before she usually got sick.
She stared cautiously at the bread and then peeked up at Ethan. His expression was worried but even she couldn’t eat it just to appease him.
“I can’t,” she said honestly.
“Is there anything I can do?” he asked anxiously.
She smiled and shook her head. “I’ll be fine. I haven’t eaten much of anything in the mornings for the last several days. Usually around noon, my stomach starts protesting and demanding something to eat.”
“Any particular cravings you have? You name it, and I’ll make sure you have it for lunch.”
Her chest ached with the love she felt for him.
“Maybe not for lunch, but if someone wanted to break out the grill tonight and dish up some Kelly barbeque, I certainly wouldn’t complain.”
“I’ll get Van on it,” Ethan said slyly. “He can’t resist anything for you. If I tell him you want some, he’ll do it.”
Rachel shook her head, stifling her laughter.
“Okay, so you’ll have the guys over to get the rest of the stuff from the other house, and I’m going shopping with Rusty.”
“Yep,” Ethan said. “Unless you need one of the guys to go shopping with you. I don’t want you lifting anything too heavy.”
She rolled her eyes. “I think I can manage groceries. I’ll pick up something for the grill while I’m out too.”
Ethan nodded.
Rachel reached for her cell phone just as it went off. She stared at the incoming number and other than recognizing it as local, she didn’t have it in her address book.
“Hello?” she said as she put the phone to her ear.
“Mrs. Kelly. This is Principal Talbot at the middle school. How are you today?”
“I’m fine, thank you,” she said politely.
“I apologize for calling you on a Saturday, but I have a situation with one of my teachers. Mrs. Ashton was in a car accident last night.”
“Oh, I hope she’s all right.”
“She’ll make a full recovery. But she’s going to be out for several weeks, and I’m scrambling to try and fill her position. I wondered if you’d be interested in taking over her class while she’s on leave.”
Rachel’s eyes widened. “Yes, yes, of course I would.”
She could see Ethan’s eyebrows go up in question from across the bar, and she held up one finger to signal that she’d let him know momentarily.
“That’s wonderful. We appreciate your willingness to step in. If you’d like to come in a little early on Monday, one of the other teachers will brief you on where the children are.”
“That’s fine. I’ll be there.”
“Okay then, I’ll see you on Monday, and again, thank you.”
“No problem. I’ll see you then.”
She ended the call and then stared up at Ethan, excitement dancing up her spine.
“One of the other teachers is going to be out for a few weeks, and they want me to fill in.”
Ethan was silent for a moment. His words were careful when he spoke. “Do you think this is a good idea? For you to go back to work being pregnant?”
She shot him a look of surprise. It never occurred to her that it wouldn’t be okay.
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t,” Ethan hastily added. “And I’m certainly not telling you I don’t want you to work. Even if I don’t,” he added ruefully. “I just want to make sure this is something that doesn’t hurt you or the baby.”
Her tension eased and she smiled. “We’ll be fine. Pregnant women work every single day. If I have to sit at home for my entire pregnancy, I’ll go insane. I’ll never make it. Teaching will give me something to focus on rather than worrying obsessively over the baby.”
Ethan nodded. “I just want you to be sure.”
“I am,” she said resolutely. “Now, I’m going to call Rusty and get going so we aren’t shopping the entire day. I’ve got my heart set on barbeque tonight.”
Chapter 6
Rachel checked her text messages and smiled when she saw three from Ethan. Two were checking up on her to see how she was coping at work, and the third was to let her know he’d gotten her an appointment right after school with an obstetrician in Murray, Kentucky, which was not far from where they lived, just across the border.
There was a big women’s clinic in Murray, and she preferred to use it rather than the much smaller hospital and clinic in Paris, Tennessee.
She sent a quick text back saying she’d meet him at the clinic and then turned her attention back to the papers in front of her. It was her planning period, and the classroom was empty of students and eerily quiet.
Her first day had gone well. Far better than she’d anticipated. Oddly, she hadn’t suffered the attack of nerves she had on the day she’d substituted the previous week.
For now, at least, this was her class. These were her kids.
She frowned when she got to the paper of one of the girls in her class. Rachel knew the child to be particularly bright. Her grades reflected a studious nature and someone who took her classes very seriously.