“What does Tyler have to do with it? You’re a grown woman. Shouldn’t you be the one deciding who you date?” Cassie threw off the blanket, rising slowly from the couch.
Hallie reached for the bowl in her hands. “Let me get that.”
Cassie shooed her away. “I need to stretch my legs. My back hurts if I sit too long. But the nausea gets worse whenever I stand up. Seriously, I can’t win.”
She disappeared into the kitchen, and the clang of the bowl being set in the sink was followed by Cassie’s reappearance a second later.
She held one of the two water bottles in her hand out to Hallie. “Want one?”
“Thanks.” Hallie took a drink before continuing with her thoughts. “Tyler is just so … overprotective. I know he means well, and usually I ignore it. But Christian was his friend first. And I can’t help thinking that if I’d listened to him at the beginning, I wouldn’t have gotten into this mess.”
Cassie dropped back onto the couch, pulling the blanket over her legs again. “I won’t pretend to know what it’s like having an older brother—or any brother, for that matter. But if Tyler were mine, I’d tell him exactly where he could shove his unwanted opinions.”
Hallie sputtered out a laugh, water dribbling from her mouth. She dabbed at her chin with the sleeve of her sweater. “I’m so glad you’re in this family now.” Not only was Cassie’s feistiness exactly what Brad needed, she made the perfect addition to the Abernathy/Lucas women.
“I am too. It’s fun being part of a big family. When this baby comes, he’ll have so many people to love on him.”
Hallie gasped. “He?You found out? What happened to the big reveal you were planning?”
“The ultrasound tech let the news slip by accident at our last appointment,” Cassie said with a smile. “Don’t tell anyone. We’re still planning a surprise reveal at Thanksgiving.”
Hallie slid her fingers across her lips as though zipping them shut. “Oh Cassie, I’m so happy for you.” She joined her cousin-in-law on the long side of the sectional.
“Thanks.” Cassie returned the hug that followed. “But don’t change the subject. We were talking about you. What’s this about Christian being emotionally unavailable?”
Hallie sighed. “He told me he didn’t believe in love.”
Cassie’s hand emerged from underneath the blanket to give Hallie’s a squeeze. “That’s hard. Really, it is. But has he given you any signs that he really believes that?”
Furrowing her brows, Hallie thought hard about the last few weeks. From rebuilding her website, to buying all those cakes, toinsisting on paying her to watch his kids even after she’d told him not to, he’d been nothing but concerned about her welfare.
“He even calls me every night to make sure I made it home okay,” she said after recapping his kind acts out loud. Last night had been the exception. Her cheeks warmed at the reminder of that glorious, yet overwhelming kiss. “We live less than ten minutes apart.”
“Girl, those are not signs of an emotionally unavailable man.” Cassie leaned her head on Hallie’s shoulder, an unspoken sign of support. “Trust me, I’ve dated several.”
“But he said?—”
“I know what he said. And here’s what I think about that: Christian has been deeply hurt. He’d probably say anything to protect himself and his kids from letting it happen again.”
That rung true but?—
Cassie didn’t let her finish that thought. “Before you say anything, let me add that your concerns are valid. But if you really care about this man—and you obviously do—don’t be so quick to walk away. If it’s meant to be, Christian will show you how he truly feels. Don’t shut things down before giving him the chance.”
“But what about his kids?” Sure, she’d grown to care about the girls, but could she sacrifice her entire life plans to help raise them? Saving for her bakery could take years of focus, hustle, and hard work. And once she realized that dream, it would take just as much tenacity to keep it going.
Cassie made a sound that was part laugh, part squeak. “I’m not sure I’m ready to be a mom either, and Brad and I have talked about this since we were dating. Is anyone ever truly prepared to be a parent?”
She had a point.
“There’s nothing wrong with taking it one day at a time. If you’re honest with Christian about your fears, I’m sure he’ll understand.”
Would he? She didn’t even know if he felt the same way.
Before she could speak that doubt out loud, the men’s voices grew louder, signaling their approach from the hallway. Her gaze lockedwith Christian’s as he came into view, her breath catching at the devastating smile spreading across his mouth.
Cassie’s attention landed on her husband. “How’d it go?”
Brad clapped his hand on Christian’s shoulder. “Thanks to this guy, our baby now has a place to sleep.”
