“Only nine more days, huh?”
“Thank God.” Baz sighed. “I’m not complaining. Honestly. But JJ’s putting a lot of pressure on herself to ensure this goes off without a hitch. I’d prefer she take a breather.”
Holt perched on the arm of one of the chairs across from him. “How’s she doin’? I can’t imagine it’s been easy for her.”
Baz assumed, like most people he talked to, that Holt was referring to JJ’s kidnapping.
“She’s okay,” he said honestly. “Better than I am, that’s for damn sure.” Baz hated to admit that, but he’d gotten used to it. Over the course of the past month, he’d come to terms with the fact that he was terrified that something was going to happen to her. He found himself staying awake at night simply to watch her sleep. And heaven forbid JJ wake up and see him doing it. Which she’d done. Several times. The last time she did, he’d gotten an earful.
Of course, afterward, she’d distracted him with sex, so he didn’t mind the verbal lashing he’d taken because she thought it was creepy that he was watching her sleep.
“And the babies?” Holt asked.
Baz was no longer surprised that the entire town seemed to be aware they were having twins. He’d even gotten a phone call from Ethan Walker, letting them know they had quite a few things they’d tucked in storage if they needed extras. According to Ethan, you could never have too much stuff when you had multiples.
“Dr. Tinder says they’re both doing well. Good weight and measurements.”
“That’s good. Does he expect her to make it to term?”
“Provided she doesn’t put too much stress on her body, he thinks it’s a possibility.”
“That’s great news.”
It was. Baz was grateful for that. Especially considering what JJ had been through.
“And the people who took her? They in jail?”
“For a good long while, if we’re lucky.” Baz hated talking about Molly Ryan and her crazy cohort, Sonny Gilbert. Hell, he hated thinking about them, although that was a feat he had yet to master. When he couldn’t sleep, they were what flooded his brain. Their harebrained scheme to fake their deaths and blame it on JJ had backfired in a big way and resulted in Baz being taken down to the station for questioning. But what worried him most was that they’d managed to come up with it at all. Who knew what would happen if they were ever rereleased into the world.
“Enough about us,” Baz said, shaking off all thoughts of Molly and Sonny. “What about you? How’s the new book comin’?”
Holt grinned wide. “My editor’s in love with it, so that’s a plus.”
“I guess a new source of motivation does wonders for the creative process.”
“That it does.” Holt’s entire expression shifted from the mere mention of Rafe and Bailey. It was clear to anyone who talked to the man exactly how in love with them he was.
“Any wedding bells in your future?”
“Yeah,” Holt answered decisively. “We’re settling in at the moment, but yeah, there’s definitely a happily ever after for us.”
Baz was glad to hear it. He didn’t know Holt or Bailey well, but he’d gotten to know Rafe pretty well over the past couple of years. Being the bartender at Moonshiners, Rafe was the one you talked to when there was no one else to carry on a conversation with. Now that he owned the place, he’d become even more popular.
“How’re the renovation plans comin’ for the bar?” Baz inquired. There’d been some hemming and hawing about how Moonshiners was going to be turned into a fancy suit-and-tie-required type of restaurant. A rumor started by the old timers who were pissed off at the thought of their favorite bar stools being replaced by linen tablecloths, no doubt. Rafe had cleared up the rumor by clarifying that the neighborhood bar was merely getting a facelift. Both to the building as well as the menu. He assured the naysayers that it would still be the same when all was said and done, only better.
“As soon as I can get Rafe to give a thumbs up, we’ll get ’em underway.”
“What’s the hold-up?”
“Money.” Holt laughed. “Although I’ve got more than enough to help him, Rafe’s a stubborn man.”
Prideful, Baz thought. Just like many of the men in this town.
They both turned to look toward the doorway when they heard voices. JJ and Bailey appeared, both women smiling, which Baz took as a good sign.
He got to his feet. “All good?”
“Better than good,” JJ said, her eyes dancing with happiness.
