“Not competitive at all.” Shar smirked, her hands resting on her stomach shelf.
Rob grunted, slipping off his shoes and following Chase to the kitchen.
Shar grabbed a bowl of clementines from the table and offered us one, then plunked into a chair while the guys unloaded. “This is really kind of you.”
Maddie and I sat on the couch beside her, peeling our oranges.
“We hope it helps,” Maddie said.
My pulse sped, my body anticipating what I had to say next. I worked on my orange and ate a slice, the sweet tang bursting in my mouth. It gave me the courage I needed. “It wasn’t just us at the store.”
“Oh?” Shar cocked her head to the side.
“Yeah, Logan paid for a big chunk of it.” I spit the words out like I hoped she wouldn’t catch his name. He’d paid for more than fifty percent, considering the diapers accounted for more than half our bill. I really hoped, for Rob and Shar’s sake, that his predicted usage numbers were off.
Sharla opened her mouth, then closed it. After a moment, she said, “You saw Logan?”
I nodded. “He heard you were expecting. I actually saw him outside Ranchman’s the night of your shower.” Now she and Maddie were both staring at me. “He didn’t want to go in, but asked if I could tell him when you were close to your due date so he could get something.”
I didn’t tell her how he still remembered her favourite foods or what he said about their relationship. I couldn’t see how any of that would be helpful, but it made my heart twinge. Shar, Maddie, and I told each other everything.Didn’t we?
Shar breathed for a second, then adjusted in the chair. “Wow, that’s—I’m not sure what to say.”
“You talking about Logan?” Rob re-entered the living room.
Shar tipped her head. “You knew about this?”
Rob shook his head. “Not that he was doing something, but I talked with him after he got back in town. He seems good.”
Shar pursed her lips, her brows pinching. “That’s good. It’s great, actually. I don’t know why I’m being weird.”
Rob took up residence behind her chair and leaned over, rubbing her shoulders. I watched the show like it was on Canadian Public Broadcasting.And this is a modern couple. The male attempts to bring comfort to his mate while she incubates his young.
That’s how out of reach a relationship like this felt to my subconscious, apparently. I needed to create a documentary to understand it.
“Want me to kick his ass?” Rob asked.
Sharla laughed, wrapping her hands over his. “I’m not still mad?—”
“It’d be fun. For old time’s sake.”
I’d heard about Rob and Logan’s “conversation” in the Outlaw’s locker room before Logan showed up and apologized to Shar. Less words, definitely more bruises.
“No, I better not. What if we want Logan to get us tickets to a game this season,” Rob teased.
Maddie laughed. “The whole team?”
“Why the hell not? We do it for friends of the Hitmen.” Chase squeezed in on the couch next to Maddie. And there I was again. Hugging the arm of the couch in the presence of two very in-love couples.
I pushed up. “Well, I should probably go. I’ve got a project to finish.” Lies. But I couldn’t exactly say, “I’ve become acutely aware of how unloved I am, and it’s making me sad.” Sometimes, white lies were necessary for all parties involved.
“You’re not walking, we’ll drive you home,” Maddie said, rising. She turned to Shar as I rounded the coffee table. “Have you landed on a baby name yet?”
Shar’s entire face lit. “We have a front-runner.”
Maddie leaned in. “Oh?”
“Carter.” Shar beamed up at Rob.
