Clouds and Rain

the cheek. “I was early and you two were still finishing up, so I figured I‟d get started. I don‟t have a lot of time, and I couldn‟t very well just sit here and wait.” When she turned around, she ended up right in Gable‟s arms.
    “Easy, girl,” Gable chuckled, hugging her tightly before letting her go.
    “In any case,” Flynn said, leaning over the lunch plate Calley had made, “I‟ll take two of these and take Bridget out under the tree. Then you two can talk.”
    He didn‟t give them a chance to reply, simply picked up two overstuffed sandwiches, wrapped them in a piece of paper towel and whistled for Bridget, who came bounding over only to follow Flynn outside almost immediately.
    “You told him I didn‟t want him here?” Calley asked.
    “Not in those words, but yes. I told him you wanted to talk to me alone.”
    Calley nodded, taking two plates out of the cupboard and putting them on the table.
    “He didn‟t seem to take it the wrong way?” Gable laughed. “No, why would he? He knows we go way back and, frankly, you‟re no threat.”
    Although she nodded in understanding, Gable could see she was still tight-lipped, and his curiosity had been piqued when she called him earlier. Now he almost couldn‟t hold back asking her. He knew she was a cut-to-the-chase sort of girl, though, so he was pretty sure he‟d find out in no time.
    “Coffee?” he offered.

    190

    Clouds and Rain

    After ten minutes of eating and talking about what was happening in town and with their neighbors‟ farms, Calley still hadn‟t said a word about why she was there.
    Gable was about to burst. He poured her another cup. “So are you about ready to tell me why we banished Flynn to eat under the tree?”
    “We didn‟t…!” Calley sighed. “I‟m sorry, but this isn‟t easy.” Gable nodded patiently.
    “Remember when I asked you a few years ago if you wanted to donate… sperm.”
    Gable chuckled. “Funny you should mention that, because I told Flynn about that just the other night.”
    “You did?” Her eyes went wide and she smiled. “How did he take it?”
    Gable waved his hand at her. “Don‟t you change the subject. Just tell me!”
    Calley bit her lip. “I know you said no, but I was wondering if you would reconsider.”
    Gable didn‟t immediately say no this time. Part of him still wanted to, but he could see the expectancy in Calley‟s eyes and he didn‟t have the heart. He wasn‟t going to say yes right off the bat either, though.
    “Are you and Bill going to try again?”
    “I am, yes,” she answered.
    Gable narrowed his eyebrows. “You and Bill splitting up?” She smiled vaguely. “No, we‟re not. It‟s been rocky, but I still love him and I‟m pretty sure he still loves me. We‟ve just been dealt another blow and told we‟ll never have kids together.” Gable moved closer to Calley and took her hand. “I‟m sorry to hear that.”
    “The doctors have figured out it‟s a genetic thing, so my only chance would be with donor sperm. I‟ve had some really difficult talks with Bill, and that‟s why I‟m here. Bill doesn‟t want some stranger to be our baby‟s father, but on the other hand he doesn‟t want to know who the father is. He wants to put the details in an envelope in case we 191

    Zahra Owens

    need them for some reason, if the baby gets sick or needs a kidney or something.”
    “So you‟ll know who to blame?” Gable chuckled to hide his unease.
    “That sounds bad, Gabe. No, but if the kid asks me who her father is when she‟s grown up, I don‟t want to have to tell her we got a sample from some doctor and have no idea who her father is.”
    “Instead you want to tell her that I am her father?” Calley sighed. “Since Bill doesn‟t want to know who it is, I need more options, so I also asked Hunter and Grant; and since Flynn already knows, maybe we can ask him as well? That way there are four options?”
    Gable chuckled and shook his head. “You and Bill are both blond, meaning if you choose any of your other three options, you‟ll end up with children that have dark hair. I‟m your only option for fair-haired kids, Calley. At least if I remember my biology lessons from school.
    It‟s been a while; I might have it all wrong.” Calley nodded. “We‟d like to leave it to chance. And if we get a dark, curly-haired kid, we‟ll still love it to bits.” Gable put his arm around Calley‟s shoulder. “Let me talk to Flynn about this,