But Jensen was already sitting in the big easy chair with Henry wrapped in his arms and looking intently at a picture book that Jensen was reading to him.
“Good morning,” Jensen said, looking up at her as she entered the room.
Henry looked at her too, his big eyes solemn.
She couldn’t help cataloguing his appearance. His eyes were clear, and his skin wasn’t flushed, so he wasn’t feverish. And thank goodness, he wasn’t coughing. A sippy cup on the table by the easy chair told her that Jensen was listening to her advice to keep him hydrated.
“Good morning,” she replied. “It looks like you’re feeling a little better, Henry.”
Henry just stared at her for a second, then he smiled a big smile, and she felt her heart melt.
“I was going to make us a great big country breakfast,” Jensen said. “But someone just wants to be held, so it might have to be cereal instead.”
“No pressure to cook, but I’d be glad to hold Henry if you want to take care of your own needs for a minute?” she offered. “Only if Henry would be okay with that.”
Jensen looked to Henry, but the little boy was already holding his arms out to Willow.
“Wow,” Willow said. “That’s so nice.”
“Let’s go to the kitchen,” Jensen said. “Grab a chair, and I’ll bring him right to you. You guys can keep me company while I throw together some breakfast for us.”
“That sounds great,” she told him.
They headed into the kitchen, and she took a seat. A moment later, a very snuggly Henry was deposited in her arms.
“Oh, that’s so cozy,” she told him as he burrowed into her.
“And I’ll just grab some books, if you guys feel like reading,” Jensen said, heading out again.
“What do you think?” Willow asked Henry. “Should we read a book?”
He grinned at her and shook his little head.
She was pretty sure she knew what he wanted, but he seemed to be enjoying the guessing game, so she pretended to have no idea.
“Did you want to make a pot of stew?” she asked.
He shook his head, dimples popping.
“Hmmm,” she said. “Do you want to scrub the floors? Or do the laundry?”
That won her a husky chuckle and a single cough.
“I just don’t knowwhatto do,” she pretended to think out loud. “What doyouthink we should do, Henry?”
She paused, fighting every urge to offer him what he wanted.
“Nah, nah,”Henry said softly.
She let her eyebrows shoot up and her mouth stretch into a happy smile.
“You want to tell knock-knock jokes?” she asked.
He nodded his head up and down, his eyes radiating pride.
“I’m so glad you told me,” Willow said. “Because Ilovetelling knock-knock jokes. Now let me think of a really good one.”
But when she broke eye contact with the boy to think of a joke, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to find Jensen standing in the doorway to the kitchen. His gray eyes flashed with emotion and when she smiled up at him, his return smile was so sincere that she felt the warmth of it down to her toes.
