“Says the man who doesn’t want kids.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t love on my nieces and nephews. Right, Snookems?”
“Right, Sweetie Pie,” Cate answered.
“It’s more fun when you argue.”
“I know, but now isn’t the time.”
Now I understood how Jay felt watching Matt and me as he and Cate teased each other.
“Ew, I don’t want to hear that,” I said.
“You don’t get to complain after making me watch that gross public display of affection.”
“It wasn’t gross.”
“It was a little gross. You were practically drooling,” Cate added, making Jay scowl.
“So much for the girl code.” I laughed, ignoring Jay until he laughed too.
If Jay were laughing, maybe he’d back off and stop threatening Matt.
We could be friends with benefits. Benefits my sister law was denying me tonight be going into labor.
What if we could date for real?
Where’d that come from? I wanted to jump the man’s bones, not create a future with him.
But I liked the way he made me feel protected and precious without making me feel small or helpless.
What if?
Matt pulled up, jumped out, and raced around to open my door.
“We’ll see you at the hospital,” Jay said. “Drive safe.”
“Yes, sir.” Matt closed my door and ran around the front of his truck.
His now-wet shirt clung to his gorgeous, muscular, tattoo-covered chest.
“Are you excited?” Matt asked as soon as I rested my phone on my lap. I’d spent the first few minutes of the drive texting my parents and the sibling chat, letting everyone know we were on our way.
“I am. Jamie’s wanted to be a dad forever.” He’d confessed one night in a rare moment of raw openness that he and Isabelle, hislate wife, were trying to conceive. Sadly, she was murdered by a stalker, destroying his dreams of starting a family. Her murder was the reason he, Dad, and Jack started SSI—to help people without all the red tape.
“That tracks. What about you, do you want kids?”
The question sounded innocent but felt loaded.
“Someday. Right now I’m focused on my career.”And I haven’t found a man worthy of my reproductive rights.
“Why can’t you have both?”
“Women can rarely have both. When I’m ready to be a mom, I want to be fully focused. Not working long days and missing all the important parts of my children’s lives.”
Taking over the clinic meant more than just treating patients. I had to learn how to run a business, keep up with modern technology and best practices, and manage a team. I only had experience in one area; the rest I had to learn.
“Did your mom own Grannie’s when she had you?”
