She shook her head again, wiping a tear that escaped down her cheek. Angel wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her even closer, refusing to drop the eye contact. “Look at me, Sarah. You can tell me.”

“I’m ashamed to.”

Angel’s breath caught. He wouldn’t let that statement and the fact that she just had a long conversation with Sydney, one she obviously didn’t want Angel to hear manifest into something ugly. “Don’t be silly. Just tell me.”

She leaned in and rested her head against his chest. “I don’t want you to think I’m not happy for Sofia and Eric. I really am. It’s just that…” She took a deep trembling breath and right then he knew exactly what was wrong.

He’d thought about it when he hung up with her after giving her the news. Maybe he should’ve waited until he got home to tell her. But Sofia had just told him when Sarah called and it was still so fresh on his mind. He stroked her back. “Listen, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. I wanted to bring it up but since you hadn’t in months I was afraid to. What do you say if it doesn’t happen this month we go see a doctor?”

She lifted her head away from his chest and stared at him. Her big beautiful green eyes were full of worry. “I’ve done some research, babe,” he said, kissing her forehead. “There’s all kinds of reasons why it might not be happening. It could be something really simple.”

“I’ve been looking it up, too. But I’m just so scared. What if they tell us we can’t ever?”

“Sarah, we already know we can.” God he’d never forget how devastated she’d been. He had been too but he hurt more for her than anything. He knew how excited she’d been. Not that he hadn’t been but he decided long ago that he could be happy going through life without kids as long as he had Sarah by his side. But since this was so important to her he’d do whatever it took to make her happy. “It already happened once, baby. It’ll happen again.”

Her eyes went from worried to hopeful. “You think?”

He smiled kissing her. “Yeah, I think.”

She smiled, taking a deep breath and leaned against his chest again. “Okay so if it doesn’t happen this month, I’ll make an appointment.”

“Good.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now you wanna tell me why you had to go outside to talk to Syd?”

She continued to lean against him. “I didn’t want you to hear me tell him I was upset about Sofia’s news.”

Angel clenched his teeth, taking a deep breath. He had to remind himself that Sarah had always been close to Sydney. So close that sharing something this personal with him was normal. He only hoped that now that he was getting divorced it didn’t mean she’d be hearing more from him. Best friend or not, Angel had never truly accepted it, just learned to tolerate it. Sarah had to know this. But he’d let it go for now.

He turned to the pot of white rice on the stove. “So you really making dinner?”

Sarah pulled away glancing at the pot then back at him with a smirk. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

Angel laughed. “I didn’t say that. I’m just saying,” he glanced around at the otherwise empty stove top. “Are we playing survivor or something? Is rice all we’re having?”

She laughed. “No I was going to make some teriyaki chicken.”

Angel crinkled his nose. “What do you say we go grab a pizza and some beer. Well, wine for you. ” He leaned his forehead against hers. “Might not be too long before you can’t have wine anymore .”

That brightened her eyes and she nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay,” he said kissing her. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Chapter 2

Sal explained the final task needed to close out the books for the month. Ever since the third restaurant had been opened up in La Jolla Shores last year, he’d had his hands full, but he was still insisting he could manage all three restaurants. The back office stuff anyway—things he’d gone to school for all those years. But knowing how busy he and Grace were with the new restaurant and now Grace taking time off to be home more with baby Sal; Sarah had finally convinced him she could take over some of the things he normally did at her and Angel’s restaurant. It was a bit more daunting than she’d expected. He always made it look so easy but she was catching on. If only her mind didn’t keep wandering.

She was two weeks late now but refused to make any announcements. The initial home pregnancy test had come back positive and even though she’d allowed herself to jump into Angel’s arms and cried overjoyed; there was still a very small possibility it could be a false positive, or she could lose it again. Her appointment with her doctor was still a few days away. Secretly she knew she was. She was already feeling all the signs from the first time. They would hold off until she was past that twelve week mark. It was a long time to keep it to themselves but she knew this family. They’d make a huge deal out of it which would only make things worse if something went wrong.

Raul, their newest waiter, walked in the back and started putting on his apron. Unlike most of the waiters they hired, since he’d worked at several of the trendy marina restaurants he’d needed the least amount of training and he doubled as a bartender when they got real busy on the weekends. He was a little cocky and outspoken and flirted wildly with the other waitresses, not to mention the customers, but Sarah had to admit he was good.