“Suck it up, buttercup. I’m growing a whole human being here.”
I smile and tug her closer. “Can’t argue with that.”
I make a mental note to look into heated floors. The hardwood can be pretty cold in the winter months, and I’ve never cared much about it, but I want to make sure Angie’s comfortable.
We stay like that for a long while, letting the silence linger. When her toes have thawed, I slide down the bed, pulling the blankets down with me to expose Angie’s belly.
She squeals. “What are you doing?”
“Saying good morning to my baby.” I kiss the spot below her belly button and lay my head just above the rounded part of her stomach. “Good morning, tater tot.”
Angie’s fingers run through my hair from my temple all the way to the ends. It’s soothing. I don’t think anyone’s ever played with my hair before, unless you count the rare times I let my mom take her scissors to it.
“I can’t wait to meet you. I’ll take you riding and swimming in the creek. You can help feed the chickens and goats and run around with all of your cousins.”
Like the tiniest high five ever, the baby kicks against my palm.
“You like the sound of that? I can’t wait to show you the ranch and all of my favorite places to play when I was growing up.”
My brow furrows as Angie’s ministrations change from petting to something else. “Are you… braiding my hair?”
“Mhm. Honestly, it’s a bit unfair. I don’t know if I can stay married to a man who has better hair than me.”
Before she finishes the braid, I roll her beneath me, careful not to squish her belly. “Well, it’s too late. You’re stuck with me.”
I take her mouth in a lazy kiss, playfully nipping and sucking at her lips and tongue. When I pull back, her eyes are heavily lidded, and her cheeks are flushed.
“Do you have to work today?” Angie asks.
I slide up the bed and pull her into my arms. “Why? Gonna miss me?”
She rolls her eyes, but I don’t miss the smile she’s trying to hide. “Just wondering.”
“I promised Emmy Lou I’d give her another riding lesson.”
“Bring cash. You know she’s gonna take you for everything you’re worth.”
I bark out a laugh. “Yeah, she’s already on her second jar.”
“That’s my girl. Jess would be so proud.”
“She really would.”
Something solemn crosses her features, but it’s there andgone in a heartbeat. I know she misses her best friend. I just wish there was something I could do to make it better. This is the one thing I don’t have the fix for, and it eats away at me every day.
I slide out of bed and walk over to the dresser, returning with a pair of Angie’s fluffy socks. After slipping them onto her feet, I say, “Come on. Let’s get some breakfast.”
She throws back the covers, but before her feet can touch solid ground, I lift her into my arms. Irritation flashes in those deep brown eyes, and she squirms to get down. “I’m pregnant, not incapacitated. Let me walk.”
After I set her on her feet, she strides out of the room with purpose, and I follow after her, watching the subtle sway of her hips all the way to the kitchen.
While I pop two bagels into the toaster, Angie lifts onto her toes to reach for a bag of coffee grounds on the top shelf. She’d normally be tall enough to get it herself, but lately, her belly gets in the way.
She grumbles a curse under her breath and tries again. I walk up behind her, my chest brushing against her back as I grab the bag and set it on the counter.
“I’m perfectly capable of doing things myself! I can walk to and from bed, put on my own socks, even make my own coffee.”
I capture her chin and force her to look at me. “I know you can do it, but I'm going to reach for things on tall shelves and carry you when you’re tired because you deserve to be taken care of. You’re not helpless, but by god, sometimes I wish you were, so you’d stop fighting me.”
