“I... I don’t know if I can have children, Clay.”
I pulled back in surprise. It hadn’t occurred to me that she might think herself incapable of bearing children. “Why’s that?”
“Because... you know I’m not... young.”
I could hear the effort it cost her to say it and felt myself getting annoyed. “Look at me, Maggie Swift Callahan.” She turned her head and peeked at me over her shoulder, but I was having none of it and reached out to turn her until she was completely facing me.
“Clay!” she protested, but I ignored her.
“I thought we’d done been over this. I want you to stop talking about yourself like that, y’hear? You don’t look a day over nineteen, and if I hear you imply otherwise, you’ll be reacquainted with my strap sooner than either of us would like.” The last words came out as a growl and I knew they’d hit their mark with the way Maggie’s eyes widened and her body tensed.
“I...I’m sorry. Just... I don’t want to be a disappointment to you.”
I felt chastened by her words. It hadn’t ever occurred to me that she’d be worried what I’d think. “Maggie.” I pulled her close, gentling my voice. “Honey, it’s you I want. And now that I have you, it’s hard for me to mind if you have ten babies or none at all.”
“I’d prefer something in the middle of that,” she replied, the smile coming back to her face
slowly.