“I looked it up once for an English teacher.”
“Interesting, babe, but what were you going to ask before?”
“Huh?” Piper looks confused for a moment before she raises her eyebrows in recollection and looks over at me. “Sorry, yeah … I was going to ask if maybe we should invite Lucy to join us?”
I suck in a breath at her suggestion. I’m equal parts nervous and excited at the thought of seeing Lucy right now. Aidan watches me closely in an attempt to decipher my state of mind. Good luck buddy, because my thoughts are chaotic right now. Ultimately though, excitement wins out.Andrationality, I tell myself. She’s the mother of my child and we have to start building this co-parenting relationship eventually–might as well start now.
But the truth is, I just want to see her.
Piper and Aidan are both waiting–one more patiently than the other, I note as Piper wriggles in her seat–for my response.
I clear my throat. “Sure, yeah, let’s see if she can join us.”
Piper squeals and pulls out her phone, already texting her best friend. The texting goes back and forth for a while, and my stomach drops. The longer it goes on the more anxious I become at the thought that she might need convincing to see me. I’d thought, after our talk last week, and then her decision today, that we’d made some progress. I don’t necessarily expect her to have forgiven me yet, but I had hoped that we’d at least moved beyond the discomfort of the past few months now with everything all out in the open. It’s not like she can keep avoiding me for long since I fully intend to be involved with the pregnancy every step of the way.
Piper gives a satisfied hum and sets down her phone. I raise an eyebrow in question and she nods. “She said she has to run home to change first because she smells like cinnamon from the bakery. I told her that was hardly a bad thing, but apparently, it’s making her nauseous.” She shrugs. “Anyway, she should be here in about twenty.”
“Did she–?” I hesitate to ask, but I need to know where I stand right now. “Did she not want to come?”
Piper’s eyes fill with understanding … and sympathy, but she’s quick to reassure me. “She was a little reluctant, but not because of you, Noah. It’s just that she’s been feeling pretty rough lately. She’s worried she won’t be able to keep dinner down and she’d rather not puke in public.”
I nod, not sure if I believe her. I know Lucy’s been dealing with morning sickness, but I’m not convinced that’s the only reason. At any rate, I decide not to press further. Lucy will be here soon and I guess I’ll see for myself.
The waiter arrives and we order some drinks, informing him that we’re waiting on a fourth to order our meals.
Piper launches into a story about Henry, their landlord and friend, and Mrs. Abernathy, the difficult and snooty Historical Society president, almost coming to blows over the single library copy of a new murder mystery release that came in that morning. They’re both members of the ‘Mystery Mavens’ book club that Piper moderates at the library. She solved the problem by running to the bookstore on her lunch break and buying a second copy for the branch. Piper shakes her head, giggling at the kookiness of some of the town’s residents, something that Aiden’s mentioned before she finds endlessly amusing and somehow also endearing.
“I think there might actually be some sexual tension there, you know? A little ‘enemies-to-lovers’ thing going …” she says. I’m only half listening as she continues her tale, explaining that the newly bought copy had a special edition cover that the first did not and that Mrs. Abernathy was still miffed when she was given the original version. Aidan and Piper chuckle and continue to make eyes at each other, and I’m glad for the slight reprieve from their observant gazes while I mentally prepare myself to see Lucy.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.
We probably should have gotten together privately to talk more about the baby and how we plan to handle things moving forward before attempting to socialize together. We probably–
I feel the change in the air a moment before I see her. When I lock eyes with those hazel beauties my breath catches in my throat. Lucy weaves through the surrounding tables, smiling shyly at me.
Lucy.Shyly.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look like that before. Her lovely golden skin appears darker than usual. It’s–
Her face … it’s … flushed?!
She’sblushing.
Oh, it’s adorable andcompletelydisarming.
I shoot to my feet, awkwardly causing my chair to wobble, and clear my throat.
“Hi,” I say as she draws near.
“Hi,” she replies softly.
I can’t take my eyes off her. She’s the mother of my child and she’s just …solovely at this moment. That saying about pregnant women glowing? It’s one hundred percent accurate–she takes my breath away.
Aidan snorts and I realize that we’ve just been standing there staring at each other. I chance a look down at them and find both Piper and Aidan watching us with amusement. Clearing my throat again I pull out the chair next to mine, gesturing for Lucy to take a seat. She ducks her head as she sits, hiding her face from me. “Thank you,” she murmurs.
I reclaim my own seat, settling in beside her. It’s only now that I realize just how small and intimate this table is. I can feel the heat of her body and that unmistakable scent that is just …Lucywashes over me. Memories–images–from that night start to flash through my mind. Of course,now,at the most inopportune time, I’m able to remember them with vivid clarity. My body begins to react to her proximity, my blood heating … my cock hardening … but I will it away.
We’re friends, and now, also co-parents.
