My focus moved to the door that led into the office that doubled as the shop’s lobby. Had she been sitting in there thinking about me all day, like I had her?
“Maybe take her on a date,” Wyatt suggested.
My gaze shot to him. “What?”
He crossed his arms, splotches of grease dotting his tan skin. “Take some time to catch up with her.”
“She’s living in my house. There’s plenty of time to do that there.”
He shook his head. “In a neutral place, Beckham. She’s not going to open up if she’s surrounded by your things, feeling like she doesn’t belong there.”
“For someone who doesn’t think before he speaks, you’ve sure got a lot of wisdom.”
He sent a frown my way. “Thanks. But complimenting me won’t get you a raise.”
“I’ll have to try harder next time.” Despite the teasing, Wyatt had a point. Parker likely felt out of place. Even though I’d told her she was more than welcome to stay, I’d seen her hesitancy in opening cabinets or closing doors. Like she didn’t feel comfortable enough to treat the place like her own. “I’ll figure something out with Parker.”
“You better, man. She’s carrying your baby. And by the way”—he arched a brow—“when did that happen?”
I rubbed the back of my neck, not knowing if Parker had told him anything I needed to keep in line with. Thiswhole ruse was going to be harder than I thought. “Few months ago.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie. She did get pregnant a few months ago. Just not by me.
Every time I remembered that little fact, my heart stung a little worse, my jaw clenched a little tighter. Someone else had the audacity to get her pregnant and then up and ditch her. I needed to know who the fuck he was so I could find the fucker and shoot him in the goddamn dick.
“Woah, there.” Wyatt held up his hands, taking a step back. I blinked back into reality, out of the red haze that always came over me when it came to protecting Parker, and noted him taking caution of me like one would with a bear. “Sensitive subject, I take it.”
I grunted. Paused. Maybe comparing me to a bear was the right thing to do. I was damn sure starting to sound like one. “Something like that.”
“Alright. Well.” He grabbed his hat from the workbench and popped it on. “Thanks for the help today. I probably don’t need you around till next week.”
Next week? I didn’t want that. I wanted every excuse I could take to be around Parker. Wanted a reason to talk to her, even if it was only for her to order a truck part.
“But,” Wyatt went on, casually walking across the shop toward the door, “because I know you probably want to be around your girlfriend, I tacked on an extra client this week so you have a reason to be here.”
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
He wrapped a hand around the knob, patting me onthe shoulder with the other. “You keep telling yourself that, buddy.”
Before I could send some smart-ass retort his way, he opened the door that led to the lobby. I followed after him, stopping short when I saw Parker and her big eyes staring up at me from the swivel chair.
“Good day?” she asked. For a moment, it felt like we were the only two in the room.
I’d done my best to avoid coming in here for the sole reason that she’d hate if I kept checking in on her. Parker was strong, and I had to keep reminding myself of that. But seeing her pregnant, growing an entire baby inside of her, awoke some feral need to take care of her at all times.
“Other than Beckham giving me shit for calling him out?” Wyatt asked, his back to the exit. “It went smoothly.”
He already knew how her day was, so he didn’t ask. He didn’t have a reason to avoid that desk. He’d come and gone like he always did, while I’d holed up in the shop like some broody wet puppy.
“I’m going to head out. Lock up on your way out?”
I nodded in Wyatt’s direction. “Will do. Drive safe.”
“You, too. See you two tomorrow.”
Then he was gone, and we were alone.
The small space felt like a live wire. Every flutter of her lashes, her small intakes of breath, the way her eyes held mine so intently—like she had a million things to say and didn’t know how to say them—all of it had my skin buzzing and my head a mess.
