Shelley Galloway - Baby Makes Six

Eddie looked at her. Really looked at her.

Shawn’s chin was tilted up, her mouth curved in a forced smile. And her eyes—those eyes he could read, always.

Before he could think about what he was doing, he gave in to instinct. To what his heart wanted. To what he needed. Stepping back, he curved his arms around Shawn and pulled her close.

Automatically she wrapped her arms around him, tucked her chin against his chest and leaned close. Her clean scent filled his senses. Her soft skin felt incredibly familiar.

Right then, out of the blue, Eddie realized that all those feelings that he used to have for Shawn were still alive and well.

Dear Reader,

Though it seems not all that long ago, I remember the exact moment I met my husband. It was the second week of summer school before our freshman year in college. He was sitting at a lunch table in an old T-shirt and gym shorts and had a cast on his right arm. I had on a black sundress. Someone—I forget who—introduced us, and right then and there I knew he was the guy for me.

This past July we celebrated our twentieth anniversary.

I wish I could say that we’ve never had a single disagreement, but that wouldn’t be the truth. We’ve definitely had our ups and downs! But it’s because of them—not in spite of them—that we’re still happily married.

When I got the opportunity to write about a couple having some trouble but still very much in love, I jumped at the chance. It was fun and challenging to write a romance about two people who’ve been through so much but still have a lot to learn—about themselves and each other.

I hope you enjoy the book.

I love to hear from readers. Please visit my Web site at www.shelleygalloway.com and let me know how you liked the book.

All my best,

Shelley Galloway

Shelley Galloway

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Shelley Galloway loves to get up early, drink too much coffee and write books. These pastimes come in handy during her day-to-day life in southern Ohio. Most days she can be found driving her teenagers to their various activities, writing romances in her basement or trying to get ahead of her pile of laundry. She’s also been known to talk to her miniature dachshund, Suzy, as if she actually has opinions about books.

Shelley is the proud recipient of an RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award for her 2006 release, Simple Gifts. Shelley attends several conferences every year and loves to meet readers. She also spends a lot of time online. Please visit her at eHarlequin.com or at www.shelleygalloway.com.

This book is for Tom, of course.

The past twenty-five years

sure wouldn’t have been as wonderful without you.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Epilogue

Shawn Wagner shifted an overstuffed beach bag from one shoulder to the other and tried to concentrate on how good the cool, damp sand felt underneath her toes. The Florida surf crashed gently against the shore, the waves foaming along the coastline, rhythmically calming her nerves and reminding her how much was inevitable.

Just like the tide rolling in, she, too, would go on. Being pregnant again wasn’t the worst thing that could happen.

But still…this pregnancy had caught her by surprise.

She strolled along, frustrated that she couldn’t find the spot where they’d set up camp yesterday. It was so perfect, too. Quiet, near three big rocks. A wide patch of sand for the girls to build sand castles in.

But…none of the rocks they were walking by looked familiar. As the girls giggled and marched in front of her, Shawn paused again. Had they gone left after the third green garbage can or right?

“Mommy, what are you doing?” Mary called.

“Trying to remember where we set all our stuff yesterday.”

“Oh.” Ever eager to please, Mary stood by her side like a little sentry, looking this way and that.

But really, every spot on the beach looked pretty much the same.

“Kit, do you remember where we were yesterday?”

Her five-year-old looked around. “Uh-huh.”

“You sure?”

“Uh-huh!” Grabbing three-year-old Elsie’s hand, Kit started walking again. “Come on. It’s this way.”

Slipping her hand into Mary’s outstretched one, Shawn grinned. “Let’s follow our leader.”

“How come Kit always knows where to go?”

“I don’t know. I guess she’s got a lot of your daddy in her.”

“I never remember.” Worriedly, Mary chewed on her lip. “Does that mean I’m like you?”

It was humbling to realize that her middle child was actually worried about that possibility. “Maybe.” When they finally reached their destination and stopped in front of Kit, who was holding Elsie’s hand with more patience than usual, Shawn said, “Good job, honey. This is the exact place where we were yesterday.”

Kit’s smile could have outshone the sun. “Hooray!”

“Hooray is right. Let’s get settled, ladies.” With little fanfare, Shawn set down the beach bag, dug around for the king-size quilt, then shook it out over the soft-as-powder surface. Grains of sand flew up in its wake.

Once the wrinkles were smoothed out, Mary and Kit set up their towels, toys and floats. Elsie occupied herself by scooping up sand and watching it run through her fingers.

Shawn wondered just how in the world she was going to manage four girls. Because really, some days, she wasn’t so sure she managed all that well with three.

Well, that was an understatement if she ever heard one. No matter what she did, things just seemed to naturally go awry. She forgot where she parked because she was thinking about grocery-store coupons. She was late for almost everything because three girls didn’t always follow directions right away.

Being late, a little scattered and sometimes absentminded didn’t bother her. She figured it was a temporary thing, and probably not uncommon. After all, hadn’t she just read about other moms contracting “momnesia,” too? It had to be fairly prevalent for someone to have made up a new term to describe moms who forgot things.

And, well, with three kids under six, Shawn figured she was entitled to have a bit of momnesia every now and then.

Unfortunately, her faults had long stopped being endearing to Eddie. In fact, he’d only seemed amused by her antics when they were dating. Soon after they’d taken vows, it became apparent that he wished she was a little more on the ball.