“Where are we going? You forgot to drop my pregnant ass home, woman.”
We just left yet another checkup. Hopefully, it’s the last one before this baby arrives. I’m tired, my feet hurt, and I feel like a beached whale 99.9% of the time. So the comfort of my own home is my favorite place to be lately.
“Oh, hush. I need to do something quickly then we’ll be on our way. Come on.” She gets out and jogs around to my side, opening my door.
I give her my best glare. “What? Why can’t I just wait here?”
“Because I need to show you something I got delivered for the baby. I can’t lift it; it’s too heavy. I’ll get Seb to pick it up with his truck later this week. I want your opinion. So don’t whine, just get your fabulous looking booty out of my car.” She grabs my hand, and I reluctantly let her help me out.
We walk through the small yard of Millie’s two-bedroom villa, stopping at the door for her to unlock it. She waits for me to walk in before following. Then my back’s to the wall, one hand over my belly and one over my racing heart as about fifteen people shout at me simultaneously, “SURPRISE!!!”
Holy fucking shit. I try to catch my breath while I stare dumbfounded at the people, the unisex baby shower decorations, the food, and finally, at Millie, who has the biggest shit-eating grin on her face.
“Shit.”I hear come from who I’m guessing is Seb.
I turn to see him walking toward me with purpose. Then his hands are rubbing up and down my arms as he stares into my eyes. A worried look mars that handsome face. “You okay, Liv?” he asks quietly.
I swallow. “I think I just lost about twenty years off my life and might have peed myself a little, but asides from that? Yeah, great,” I blow out a shaky breath. Oh, God. Did I really just say that out loud? His laugh is confirmation enough that I did. He turns and grabs my hand, leading me into Millie’s living room where everyone’s gathered. Linda, Seb’s parents, Wilma and Ken, Beau, Maple, a few friends from high school, and even Mary Simmons.
I wave awkwardly. “Hiiiii, um, I think you succeeded in surprising the crap out of me. I’m good, though. Let’s proceed.” People laugh, and I’m immediately engulfed in hugs and hellos from everyone before we all settle down to mingle and eat some of the gorgeous food laid out buffet style on Millie’s dining table.
“How’re you doing without your caffeine? You’re a braver soul than I would be,” Maple says gravely while grabbing a plate. Sighing, I admit, “Terrible. I can’t believe how much I miss it.” She rubs my belly, looking genuinely remorseful. “Poor thing.” Then she’s stuffing her face as she wanders off.
Linda is piling my plate high with food when I see Ken approaching the cake out of the corner of my eye.
“Ken, don’t you dare.” Wilma smacks his hand away. “Not yet, it’s for Olive. And the last thing that gut of yours needs is cake.”
He looks over at me sheepishly. “Sorry, Olive.” Then glares back at Wilma. “I tell you a thousand times a week, wife; I don’t know why it hasn’t sunk into that walnut-sized brain of yours yet, but I do what I damn well want.” He shoves a handful of M&M’s in his mouth and grabs a cupcake for good measure before striding away from Wilma’s glare.
“Don’t blame me when I outlive you then, dear husband!”
I hear familiar laughter from beside me and find Seb standing there, a beer in his hand and a relaxed smile on his face that has me staring at him a beat too long. “Having fun?” he asks.
I thank Linda and take my plate from her as she wanders off to get her own. “Yeah, it’s amazing. Whose idea was this exactly?”
He takes a pull from his beer, and I watch that corded throat swallow and suddenly feel kind of parched.
“Liv?”
“Mmm?” I shake my head and remember I asked him a question that he probably answered.
“I said it was mainly Millie, but I helped her a little with some things.”
I have a feeling he’s downplaying that. But I still feel an immense sense of gratitude toward that crazy best friend of mine.
“Thank you.” I smile up at him.
We stare at each other for longer than what is probably appropriate.
His presence is becoming somewhat of an addiction. It used to soothe the ache that someone else left me with, but now, he’s somehow got me searching him out in a room full of people like I need a fix. It’s a little terrifying, but something in his brown depths is screaming at me to trust him, to take a chance on him. I want to—God, do I want to—but I’m about to have another man’s baby. Complicated has become my life’s motto thanks to Zeke Walters. I honestly don’t know if I’m capable of trusting someone so completely ever again.
“Olive, darling! Give me a proper look at you,” Grace says as she turns me around to face her. She reaches up to pat my cheeks. “Glowing. And look at this tummy!”
“Mom,” Seb tries to interject. She shushes him, which has me holding back a smile.
“My goodness, I bet you’ll have a chubby one. Just beautiful. Have you been sleeping okay? How’s your blood pressure? Because you really—” She’s cut off by Millie hollering at everyone.
“Okay, y’all come and gather round and let the games begin!” She skips off toward her living room.
After a hilarious game of Pin the Diaper on the Baby, where Millie somehow ended up pinning hers to the adjacent wall, we get ready to play Guess the Baby Food. Seb pulls up a chair to where I’m sitting on the couch and sits directly in front of me. Taking a glance around, I see a few others pair up to play as well. I bite my lips when I see Beau trying to pair up with Millie.
“Oh, hell no. Nope.” She starts shaking her head.
He grins. “What, scared of a little baby food? Come on; I’ll take care of you, darlin’.”
She just glares at him. So he takes matters into his own hands and fastens the poncho-like bib around her.
“Okay, you wanna go first or should I?” I turn back to Seb at the sound of his deep voice.
“I’ll go first if you want.”
He nods and stands to help put the bib around me while I lift my hair. His fingers graze the back of my neck slightly, making goose bumps rise in their wake. Then it’s dark as he gently wraps a blindfold around my eyes.
“Ready?”
I giggle nervously before nodding. He doesn’t make too much of a mess. Swiping gently around my lips when some mush escapes due to gagging at what I think was some pumpkin concoction. I fail horribly at guessing any baby food flavors besides the chocolate custard.
Because yum.
Soon enough, we’re swapping, and I hear Beau murmur not too quietly, “I’ve waited an eternity to have you blindfolded and at my mercy, little spitfire.”
“And you’ll still be waiting an eternity from now, so how about you shut up and finish feeding me that baby food already, Ape.”
“Whatever you say, Millicent.”
I smirk and turn my attention back to tying the blindfold behind Seb’s head. His hair is softer than I thought it would be; my fingers could sink into it and disappear with how thick it is. I obviously get a little too carried away by it because Seb seems to notice.
“Liv, if you want to keep this PG-rated, you’ll need to stop that shit.”
I pull my hands back while mumbling a quick apology.
Shit.
My cheeks burn with embarrassment as I start opening a baby food jar beside me on the coffee table. I feel a large hand reach over and tap my arm as best it can with no sight to guide it. “Don’t worry about it. You can touch my hair anytime you want. Just not in situations where tented jeans are not exactly appropriate,” he whispers.
I laugh but try to ignore his comment for the most part and raise the spoonful of pumpkin and spinach risotto to his mouth. Now is not the time to try to wrap my head around Seb’s possible feelings for me. Feelings I was sure he’d gotten over ages ago or was happy to ignore.
I watch his lips wrap around the tiny baby spoon and have to fight back a shiver. Then he winces after he swallows and coughs.
“Holy fuck. They feed this shit to babies?”
“Language, young man.” Mrs. Simmons eyes him pointedly from her perch on the other couch where she’s sipping tea.
“Yeah, Seb. You kiss your mama with that mouth?” Beau says while grinning.
“Beau Daniels, you shut your cheeky trap. The things I’ve heard come out of your mouth would make the devil cringe.”
We all laugh at Beau, who has the good grace to duck his blindfolded head, looking a bit sheepish as he scratches the back of his neck.
“That was definitely pumpkin, and I think … spinach?” Seb scratches at the ever-present stubble on his jaw. The sound makes me itch to run my own nails over it.
“Ah, yeah. That’s correct. Well, pumpkin and spinach risotto, but close enough.” I put the lid on it and feed him some of the others, which he fails at guessing. Then we’re up to the baby custard, which is going to be a no-brainer. I watch his lips wrap around the spoon again. Then I slowly pull the spoon back as he swallows. His tongue runs along his full bottom lip, leaving a little excess custard behind. Without thinking, I reach over to wipe it off with my finger. I hear him suck in a breath as my finger drifts under his soft lip, scooping it up. His breath warms my hand as he exhales. Realizing what I’m doing, I quickly sit back and grab a bit of paper towel off the table to wipe my finger when what I desperately want to do is stick it in my own mouth and lick it off.
“Custard.” Seb’s slightly raspy voice snaps me back to what we’re doing.
I cough a little to clear my throat and start to remove his blindfold. He ducks his head to help. “Uh-huh. I think you won. Two out of seven to my one.”
I sit back and rest my hands on my tummy. Trying to keep my eyes anywhere else but on him. Feeling conflicted, embarrassed, and so damn tired.
“Um, no fart head. I won. I got three right first. You got three right after I did.” I look over to see Beau struggling to get the blindfold off his head.
“Woman, could you shut up a minute and get this thing off my damn head?”
“Sorry, I don’t respond to rude assholes.” Then she’s walking off, leaving Beau to spin around in a circle.
“Millicent! Get your perky ass back here.”
Seb gets up and goes to untie it for him. As soon as he’s free, he turns around to look for who I’m guessing is Millie.
“That fuc—” He stops when he sees Mrs. Simmons eyeballing him. “That freaking woman.” He sighs. “I need a beer.” He disappears into Millie’s kitchen just as Millie appears again with prize bags full of chocolate and jellybeans for the winners.
I’m soon surrounded by presents, as everyone’s eager eyes wait to see what I unwrap. The excitement perks me up a bit as I read cards and unwrap clothes, bottles, diaper bags, linens, soft toys, fancy moisturizers, and diaper rash cream. I realize that Millie wasn’t exactly lying when she said she got me something heavy when Beau awkwardly wheels a changing table with a cute polka dot mat on top into the room.
“Oh, my God, you sneaky little skank. This is crazy; you didn’t have to get me that.”
She wraps an arm around me, helping me off the couch so I can walk over and run my hand along the dark varnished wood and soft change mat cover.
“My little niece or nephew will have their butt changed in comfort, thank you very much. It’ll also save your back.”
I turn and wrap my arms around her as best as I can with my stomach being in the way. The threat of tears stings my eyes, not only for the gift or for organizing today but for everything she’s done for me over the past seven months. “Thank you. I love you,” I whisper into her hair.
“Love you, too, Mama. No thanks needed,” she whispers back.
I pull back and squish her cheeks, trying to lighten the moment. She laughs, swatting my hands away, then returns me to my seat to finish unwrapping the last of the gifts. The last present comes from Seb, and it’s kind of big, so I leave it on the floor and bend over to unwrap it. I lift my head up at Seb with what I’m sure is a shocked look on my face.
He shrugs. “Mom told me that she and Sienna had done their research, and this will be a godsend … or something.”
I glance over at Grace, who takes a sip of her coffee while nodding enthusiastically.
I reach over and run my hand over the baby swing box. “I’ve heard good things, too. I’ve actually been meaning to get one of these.” I swallow as I meet his eyes. “Thank you.”
And there I go with the staring again.
He stares back before smiling softly and rubbing his neck.
“Don’t mention it.”
Afterward, I walk into the kitchen to grab a drink of water from the fridge while Beau, Ken, and Seb load all the gifts out to the back of Seb’s truck. I find Wilma in there finishing a phone call. I pour my drink and put the jug back while hearing her snap, “Yes, of course. What do you take me for? I’ve been at this since you were in diapers, boy; one would think I know what I’m doing by now. Keep yourself in line. I’ll be in touch.” She stabs a french manicured finger at her phone screen before stuffing it in her handbag looped over her shoulder.
“Ah, good. I got you alone,” she says while I’m taking a big gulp of water. That sounds ominous.
“What the devil is going on between you and that man?” she inquires with a bit of a squint to her eye as she looks at me, causing me to almost shoot the water back out of my mouth. I’m assuming she means Seb; I’d play dumb, but she knows that I know exactly who she means, so what’s the point?
I put the glass down. “Nothing. We’re just friends.”
She laughs before saying, “Famous last words, my dear Olive.”
I just stare at her at a loss for what to say. I know something is there between Seb and me. I feel it every time he enters a room, every time he looks at me. I’ve already stopped denying that to myself. But there’s no way I’m ready to admit it to anyone else, especially Seb. Now isn’t the right time for me to explore whatever that is. I don’t know if my head or heart will ever agree on a right time to explore it.
I think Wilma must be using those freaky mind-reading skills on me. That or she’s just as perceptive as I believe her to be. Because her face turns soft as she reaches over to touch my arm.
“I know, dear. That stupid man did a number on you. But when you’re ready, don’t let that stop you from being happy with someone else. It’s painfully obvious to everyone that that man out there wants everything you come with—baby, baggage, and all. Don’t take that for granted when the day comes to make up your mind. No one can ever truly live if they don’t set themselves free from their past.” She leans in to hug me and gently touches a palm to my cheek.
“I expect a phone call as soon as that baby makes an appearance into the world. I’d prefer it washed before I come and visit, but it’s not a deal breaker.”
Then she’s gone, heels tapping on the tiles as she tells Ken to hurry up. Ken finds me first, giving me a hug and well wishes before he leaves.
Linda practically squeezes the air out of me with a promise to call her soon as she leaves right after them. I say goodbye to everyone, losing count of how many times I thank them and Millie before I’m given a boost up into Seb’s truck, which makes me feel about two hundred pounds heavier than I am. I watch as he climbs in on the other side and turns the key in the ignition. His mom comes running out of the house with something in her hand, waving at Seb to get his attention. He sighs but leaves the truck idling. I put my window down and she gives me a huge bag full of treats. “You need the energy, darling. Take care. We’ll come see you and that precious baby as soon as we can.”
“She needs energy, not diabetes, Mom.”
She ignores Seb and blows us a kiss while stepping back and waving animatedly. They’re leaving tomorrow to go back home to Graysfield. She may be a tad eccentric, but I’m actually looking forward to seeing her again.
I pull my seat belt on as he turns to look over his shoulder and backs out of Millie’s driveway. The scent of him invading my nostrils is becoming all too familiar. I let out a sigh and rub my belly; my baby seems to have dropped significantly since the end of December when I last took photos of my belly.
“Just under two weeks to go, right?” Seb flicks on the turn signal at the end of Millie’s street.
“Don’t remind me. I’m scared out of my mind. But I’m so ready for this baby to come that I’d be happy to have it right now. Okay, no. Maybe not right now, but tomorrow. After I triple check my hospital bag.” I see him smile as he watches the road.
“You know when it’s time, you can call me if Mil or someone doesn’t pick up. Hell, you can call me first if you want.”
The words make my heart clench. It’s so weird to be feeling this way for him when a tiny part of me is still hoping Zeke shows up when his baby is born. I’ve stopped believing he will, but a part of me can’t help but hold on to that tiny morsel of hope.
“Thanks, Seb. I should be okay. I’ll definitely let you know when he or she has arrived, though.”
“I’ll keep my phone on me anyway,” is all he says before he’s parking in my driveway and then helping me down from the passenger seat. I go to unlock the door for him as he carries gift after gift inside. I try to help with the lighter ones until he scowls at me and takes them from my hands.
“Go, sit, and put your feet up. I’ve got it.” Then he continues with a few more trips back and forth from his truck to the nursery, placing the changing table in the corner of the room before making me a cup of tea and bringing it to where I’m sitting in my favorite place to be lately, my couch. I fear it’s going to have a permanent ass groove by the time this baby comes.
“Thank you. Seriously, thanks so much. For helping Millie and then me with all those gifts. It was an awesome day.” I blow air through my lips into my mug before taking a small sip.
He sits on the arm of the chair opposite mine and just stares at me for a minute, looking as if he wants to say something. I guess he thinks better of it because he stands and steps toward me. “I’ve gotta get home and get ready for my shift tonight.” He bends down, surprising me with a soft, swift touch of his lips to my forehead. Then he pulls back.
“And stop thanking me all the damn time, Liv. Get some rest. I’ll text you later.”
I hear the door close softly behind him and reach up to touch the skin on my forehead. It’s still tingling from the feel of his lips while my heart flutters like mad in my chest.