Page 71 of Her Faithful Protector

She snorted out a laugh, surprising herself. God, she really liked that phrase.

I wonder how many other good phrases Nic could teach me.

She put down the bottle, got out of bed, and looked at her face in the mirror. Okay, pale with dark circles under her eyes. Par for the course. The least she could do was brush her hair. So she did.

When she got out to the living area, she saw that pizza was set up on the dining room table. Nic and the other man stood up.

“You don’t have to stand,” she insisted.

“My mom would blister my butt if I didn’t stand when a lady entered the room,” the man she assumed was Cullen answered.

Camilla gave him a wan grin. He held out his hand. “You probably don’t remember me, but I’m Cullen Lyons, and this beautiful woman is my wife, Doctor Carys Lyons.”

The blonde woman smiled up at her. “Hello, Doctor Ross, it’s great to meet you. Nic has been telling us all about you.”

Camilla blanched, and Carys must have noticed. “He mentioned that you were a mathematics professor at William and Mary. That’s pretty impressive.”

Camilla snuck a glance at Nic who was filling up a fourth plate for her. “Why don’t you take a seat?” He motioned to a chair that he had already pulled out for her. Camilla sat down across from Carys.

“So you’re a doctor, what field do you practice?” Camilla asked.

“I’m taking it easy these days. I do some consulting at two of the hospitals in Virginia Beach.”

Carys stood up and reached for a piece of cheesy garlic bread.

“Honey, I would have got that for you,” Cullen admonished.

Camilla took note of the gentle curve of Carys’ stomach. She guessed that she was about five months pregnant.

“There will come a day when I can’t reach across the table. When that happens I’ll let you wait on me; until then I’m getting my own food,” Carys smiled at her husband.

“Would you like something besides water?” Nic asked Camilla. “There’s soda, lemonade, wine?”

“How about lemonade?”

He got up and got her glass of lemonade from the kitchen.

About halfway through dinner, Camilla could actually feel herself come out of her funk a little bit. Cullen was really funny, and Carys was like some kind of nurturing earth mother. She was going to be a fantastic mom.

“So Cullen and I are going to head over to the gym. We’re meeting some guys for a basketball game. Will you two be okay alone?” Nic asked.

“Sure,” Camilla smiled.

“Is there dessert?” Carys asked.

Cullen laughed. “There’s my girl. Nic ordered one of those brownie pies, so you’re covered.”

Carys blushed and looked over at Camilla. “I can’t believe how much I’m eating these days. As a doctor, I know this is part of the process, but as a typical woman I’m thinking it is out of control.”

“I can imagine,” Camilla said, unsure how to respond.

Nic kissed the top of her head. “Are you sure you’re good if we leave? We’ll be back in two hours.”

She took a deep breath and gave him a reassuring smile, “I’m sure.”

“There’s my girl,” Nic said with a grin. He turned to Carys, “there’s milk in the fridge and ice cream in the freezer to go with the pie.”

“I’m in heaven.”