“You don’t know that. If you are, it’s not the end of the world. Tyler is a standup guy. You have friends and family to help you. I’ll give you a pregnancy test in the car.”
My head shot up. “You keep them in the car?”
She shrugged. “I was shopping at Costco. They had them in bulk, and I figured why not pick up a package since the doctor said it may take a few tries.”
“Pregnancy tests aren’t like paper towels. How many did you think you’d need?” A hysterical laugh slipped out of me.
She cocked a brow. “Are you going to give me crap, or do you want one?”
I nodded, and she grabbed my hand, yanking me off the bench.
The entire ride to my apartment, poor Morgan exhausted herself trying to make small talk in a failed effort to distract me. All I could do was offer her a quick nod. How was I going to tell him or make any of this work?
This one favor I offered Tyler caused an unexpected rippling effect that wouldn’t stop.
I raced for the bathroom the minute I unlocked my apartment door, Morgan on my heels. I placed the test on the sink as if I were setting down a grenade. I stared at the results screen, waiting for it to go off and blow everything up.
“This could be a fluke,” she tried to reassure me. “All the adjustment from moving, worrying about your mom. It may not be positive.”
I didn’t answer as I watched the unmistakable plus sign float up to the surface. The example on the box showed the results as faint lines, but this was bold and almost glowing as I plucked the test off the sink for a closer look, as if a different angle would change what it was telling me.
“Okay, so,” Morgan began, scrambling for something to say while I was consumed by the little stick that upended my afternoon and was about to change my life. “They aren’t always accurate. Go to the doctor and see what they say.”
I nodded, even though I had all the confirmation I needed. It all made too much sense. The emotions that were all over the place, even for dramatic me. Weird smells and foods were turning me off for no reason. And now that I was paying attention to it, my stomach and breasts felt heavy.
I’d go to make sure everything seemed okay, but not for an answer because I already had one.
And then, finally, I would talk to Tyler.
TWENTY-ONE
TYLER
“You know, word on the street is that the deli next door is closing and putting the space up for sale,” Eli said as he lined up the trays in the back. “Might be worth looking into. Isn’t it the same landlord for the block?”
“You’re expanding?” Tegan squealed, the hoop in her eyebrow jiggling as her eyes widened. “I totally think you should.”
“And I think you’re both getting ahead of yourselves.” I turned to adjust the ovens. “The buzz or whatever this is could very well be temporary, just like when I first opened, so I’m just enjoying the ride and saving the profits.”
“Dude, it’s been almost a month and it has not stopped. If it was just from that random post, it would have faded by now, but we still have a line all day long, sometimes even before we open. And even withoutThe New York Timesdoing a feature on this place, you’ve been popping up on Instagram more and more.”
“How do you know?” I smirked at Eli, ignoring the twinge at his reference to Olivia as a random post. I told everyone that it was luck, not a connection I had, that a popular food blogger recommended us. She’d done so much for me, and I had no idea how to thank her. Or how to ask to see her again.
Instead, I just accepted her offer to come by with groceries or do busy work in the back. Despite the palpable attraction between us every time, we hadn’t acted on it—or said one word about the glorious night that we did.
“I may or may not searchHey, Batterto see if we get any more hits—as you should be too. And I’ve seen posts about the chocolate cream pie, the vegan and sugar-free items, and a few other things. I get keeping your hopes low, but I think instead of expecting it to end you should bank on it continuing and how to handle it. Just a thought.” He shrugged and pushed the door open.
I followed him, trying to think like a businessman and not a lovesick moron. The line wound outside past the display window, and several people stood next to the counter. We needed someone to handle crowd control, and that was first on the list of new hires I needed.
A smile pulled at my lips as I thought of what my uncle would say now about my “noble profession.”
“I’m sorry, the line starts outside.” Gabby, a new cashier that Staci was training, said in a timid voice. She seemed to work the register okay from what I could tell, but like me, she probably wasn’t expecting a crowd this large at a bakery.
“I actually need to speak to Tyler. Is he around?”
My head whipped toward the familiar voice, and sure enough, my eyes locked with Olivia’s.
“It’s okay, Gabby,” I said while I watched Olivia. Shit, she was gorgeous. Even in just leggings and a hoodie, everything clung to her in all my favorite places. Her hair was curly and wild, cascading over her shoulders. My fingertips tingled, wanting to sift through it, and I had to stuff my hands in my pockets.
