“Yep.”
“And threatened to let the nurses do it if you didn’t?”
“Also yes.”
“And she’sdatingyou?”
She’s having my baby.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’tnotsay it,” Logan points out.
“And she wasyoursurgeon?” Zoe asks.
“Well… yeah. She assisted Moreno.”
“She cut you open,” Chase says reverently. “And now she’s cutting in line to brunch.”
Eli groans and places his head in his hands.
“Honestly, that’s kinda hot,” Charlie admits.
“She told Logan to sit quietly in the waiting room, and he did it,” says Jake.
“It was the tone!” Logan protests. “She used that end-of-the-world voice. I thought if I moved, she’d revoke my health insurance.”
“I’m—” I pause. “She… she’s—”
“Oh my god,” Lulu says in awe. “Youarefucking her.”
“And she’s younger than you, right?” Zoe looks like she’s already mentally putting a list together of all the PR scandals that could arise.
“Yeah, but, uhh…” I am officially clutching at straws to deflect. “Gremlin likes her?”
Chase gasps and looks up at the cat with betrayal in his eyes.
“She must be awitch,” he says.
“A hot witch,” Lulu murmurs.
There’s a knock at the door, and everyone turns to me with glee in their eyes.
I smooth my T-shirt and take a breath. My heart is thudding hard in my chest, but I keep my tone even.
“Everyone be calm.”
No one is fucking calm.
And I swear to God, every molecule of oxygen in the house vanishes as I make my way to the door. When I open it, she’s lit from behind in the late morning sun, dressed in jeans and a soft sweater, hair loose and tucked behind her ears. A little windblown. A little hesitant. Gorgeous.
“Hey,” she says almost shyly.
I want to kiss her.
“Hey.” I step aside, but my hand lingers on the doorframe, resisting the urge to touch her as she moves past me. We haven’t discussed how much affection we’re showing yet, and I’m sure as hell not about to spook her by being too touchy.
The scent of her follows—clean laundry, citrus, warm skin—and I fight the instinct to ask if she’s cold, if she wants tea, if she needs to sit.
