“Deal.”
We’re likely in trouble. And right now, I don’t care.
26
Ziggy
There’snothing like seeing your mom after a night of panty-melting sex to make you feel like a teenager again.
“Ziggy! Look at you. You’re glowing.” She hugs me tight as she meets me at her doorstep, where I’m early since she was making noises about coming to pick me up. I donotwant to risk her realizing the house I’m staying at is Holt’s house. What if she recognizes his Jeep? Or she sees him through the window? Or one of the neighbors sees her and mentions him? “Pregnancy looks so good on you, sweetheart.”
It’s not the pregnancy.
It’s the serotonin. It’s the sex.
It’s Holt.
If he were any other man, I’d tell her, and then she’d fuss about me dating while my hormones are out of whack and tell me to be extra careful with my heart right now.
Too late, Mom, and by the way, he’s one of Dad’s players.
I stifle a sigh and force a smile. “Second-trimester glow.”
“We’re finding the right house for you today. I can feel it.”
“Hope so.” Maybe.
Maybe not.
Holt’s house is comfortable. I like living there.
Before I left, I finished the grocery list and he ordered everything for delivery. Tomorrow, I’m making hand pies for Miranda with extras to keep at home for us.
Now, though, I’m getting into Mom’s Mercedes as she drives us to the first house of the day, a two-story colonial at the edge of Heartwood Valley.
Two weeks ago, I would’ve simply thought to myself that it won’t be this one. I can tell by the large, pristine lawn and the size of the neighbors’ houses that this one’s outside of my price range.
Today, I have a completely different reason I’m not interested.
It’s because I love the house I’m living in now.
The dog who just fits there.
The man who owns the house and is sneaking into my heart.
And it’s not the mind-blowing orgasms. It’s the thoughtful little things like ordering dinner when I’m tired or handling grocery delivery since I’m supposed to be looking at houses, even though that’s weird when we’ve basically agreed that we want to explore a relationship and we’re already living together. The admirable things like the way he keeps trying to win Jessica over. The easy things like telling him more about Abby Nora and working on the cruise ships, and listening to his stories of living overseas and things he misses about his brother.
Niki pulls into the driveway behind us, and Mom stops gushing over how pretty the lawn is to wave at her.
Moms are hilarious.
Of course Niki can see us.
But it’s polite to wave.
“Good morning, ladies,” Niki calls as she climbs out of her car. “We’re going to find something amazing today, I can feel it.”
I eyeball the house we’re supposed to tour first again.
