He tipped his head, eyeballing me like he’d caught me in a lie. “You actually thinking of getting married and having kids? That might take a little remodeling.”
His tone was just shy of taunting. He and Tate had given me shit for building a place a fraction of the size of theirs. Dad had sat me down to see how I was doing. I’d told him I was just fine. More certain of anything than ever.
Now I was only certain that I wanted to keep seeing Ruby.
“I’m not engaged. Ruby’s not pregnant.” The image of her with a rounded belly flashed in my head. Would she wear a maternity dress so the skirt would still swish around her thighs? I would be able to press the fabric tight against the bump?—
Fuck. I wasnotthinking of getting married, and I sure as fuck wasn’t planning kids.
Was I more open to the possibility? Maybe. But taking it slow meant not planning a fucking wedding before our first month of official dating was in the books.
Were we officially dating?
Teller was still studying me.
I had to give him something to get him off my back. “I asked her to come to Billings with me earlier this week. Happy withthat?” She had turned me down, and I’d been... disappointed. I’d wanted to see her face when she entered the quaint little game shop. Her shy smile when she met the guys I played with. Her questions about our process and how we played. She wouldn’t have been rude or embarrassed, and that realization had made me glad I had asked. I trusted her.
A thoughtful expression played over his face. “Actually, yes. That does make me feel better. It’s definitely out of your comfort zone.” He frowned. “Didn’t she go out with Wynter and Autumn last Wednesday?”
“Yes. Because she knows we don’t have to be glued at the hip.”
He smirked. “Is that how you guys do it?”
“I don’t need glue.”
He put his palm toward me. “Treading too close to TMI.”
“I’m also meeting her parents. Soon.” Dread filled my gut. What would they think of me? How could I show them that I respected their daughter, that I wanted the best for her, even if that wasn’t me?
His brows lifted. “Both of them?”
I nodded. “Her mom and dad want to play doubles.”
He let out a low whistle. “Tennis even. Do they know who they’re going up against?”
“That was a long time ago. And to answer your next question, no, I don’t know when.” Hopefully it’d be a while. Next summer. The summer after.
He pushed himself to his feet. “Maybe you are making progress.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Anytime.” He sauntered out.
I scowled at my desktop for several moments.
What the hell? I wasn’t letting what Teller said get to me. Ruby and I were doing just fine.
I checked the time. The bar closed in a couple of hours, but I’d shut my computer down. I tapped my fingers on the armrests.
I wanted to see Ruby.
I wanted to talk to my girlfriend.
She was working and I’d either pitch in or be the customer who hit on her all night.
I was heading down the stairs when my phone vibrated. I waited until I hit the bottom before I checked. My boots thumped to a stop. First one. Then the other.
Unknown: Hey, it’s Katrina. Can we talk?
