“Yeah. I was thinking… to compensate for your lack of work ethic, you make an old man a 7-Up bundt cake. Something old school.”
I nodded. “Alright, I got you.”
I talked to him for a while longer before returning to the main part of the house. There I found Jordyn sitting at the island writing in her planner. She looked up at me and smiled warmly.
“I was wondering where you’d disappeared to.”
“To be nosy.”
She laughed. “Nah, to see your man. You both are so cute and tethered. When the fight is over, you should both definitely go on another vacation. Little longer, you know.”
“Now that would be nice, but I feel like I’m already going to miss some time when this really becomes a thing.” I motioned toward my belly.
She grinned. “Oh, it is. Have you already set up your appointment?”
I shook my head. “I’ve been meaning to. Every time I call the line is either busy or they’re closed. The truth is, I need to find another doctor. I guess I’m just too lazy to do the leg work.”
“And that is what I’m here for. My sister-in-law had a wonderful OB. I’ll get her information and set your appointment up. How does this week look? Any time off limits?”
“Um, not that I know of. I can fit my schedule around whatever date or time you set.”
She smiled and clapped, then glanced down at her planner. “Great. I cannot wait until the gender reveal. I can see it now, little baker or boxer. Though that sounds kind of sexist, it works to me. What do you think?”
I laughed. I definitely hadn’t thought that far down the line.
“If you don’t like it, we have time. Another thing I wanna run by you… I know neither you nor Indi like the idea of social media these days, especially with everything going on. But I need to get a feel for what our next steps over there are. As long as big mouth is still talking, there will be negative press. At least until afterthe fight. When he gets his ass handed to him, that’ll be the only news.”
I nodded. “Honestly, I can keep ignoring it. I don’t get on there. Lori, my shop manager, runs the bakery Instagram and I have mine muted.”
“How do you do that?”
I was confused. “Do what?”
“Ignore the entire world the way you do. I mean Indi does it, but I just call him a hermit. You on the other hand, you’re so normal. How?”
A small laugh escaped my lips. “Honestly, I’ve always been such an offline person that I don’t even consider it. I mean, unless it has to do with the bakeries… or him.”
She smiled hard as hell. “Oh, the love in your eyes. Ew.” Her phone began to ring and she rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “I’m headed out. Please don’t hesitate to call if you need me. I’ll be in touch.”
I nodded and watched her exit, smashing her phone against the side of her face.
Shortly after she left, I found my way to the bedroom. While I should have been getting dressed to go out the door, I was lying across the bed watching baking videos. It was literally my favorite pastime, plus I was fascinated with the technique this YouTube baker was using on a multi-tier cake.
“Are you good here?” Indiri’s voice made me look up from my phone to him.
“Yeah. I was supposed to be getting dressed to go see my grandmother, but this mattress called my name. You look exhausted.”
“I am.” He pushed the sweat soaked shorts from his frame to the floor, then leaned down and picked them up, carrying them to the hamper.
“When you get out of the shower, you should definitely join me.”
He returned to the bedroom void of any clothing, giving me a good look at all of him. “Or you could get up and come join me. I’ll give us both some energy.” A wink followed.
“I doubt that. If I join you, I know for a fact I won’t make it to see my grandmother today.”
“You would, you’d be just a lil late.” This time he tossed the words over his shoulder, going into the washroom. When he was in the room, I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. It was like there was nothing better to do than look at him. There was always something about taking Indiri in, like his presence was the most intoxicating aroma.
Jordyn saidshe’d set the doctor’s appointment up and did just that. We discussed it Tuesday morning and now here we were Friday afternoon, sitting in one of the quietest doctor’s offices I had ever been in. All my life I’d been a patient at Briar South Memorial, in the center of the city, never once stepping foot in Founders Medical Center. I’d never had a need to until now. Founders Medical Center in Uptown Briar was where the uppity people went. But not only that, it was also where folks went for privacy if they could afford it.
