I snorted. “Sully again, not Cole?”
A laugh burst out before she could help it. “Cole is for serious conversations, or if I’m pissed, and then I’d need to break out the ‘Cole Patrick Sullivan.’ I was just going to ask what you were thinking about.”
Before I could stop myself, I grabbed her hand and kissed it, placing it back on the counter after I realized what I did. Space, Sullivan, give the woman space. “I just wondered what you were doing tomorrow night? Want to come to The Homestead for dinner? I’m on, but I could break away to eat with you if you wanted.”
She looked worried for a minute. What was that about? Maggie looked down before finally meeting my eyes. “Um, Sully, I’m down for eating at the brewery anytime. But I want to make sure I’m clear. Just because I’m pregnant does not mean we’ve automatically become a couple, okay?”
A flash of irritation welled up in me before I could tamp it down. “What the hell, Mags. Why not? We already established we’re attracted to each other. We’ve found out that there is some hot-as-fuck chemistry between us. And now we’re having a baby together. Why wouldn’t we explore becoming a couple?”
It sounded like Maggie growled. Interesting.
“Sully, we aren’t going to screw this up. This baby needs a mom and dad that are on good terms, not two people who jumped into a relationship out of a sense of obligation and then had the relationship implode on them. I’m not willing to chance that friendship.”
“You were four weeks ago,” I pointed out.
“Momentary insanity,” she growled again.
I pushed away from the counter and walked toward her living room. I needed a breath. Running my hands through my hair, I fought to get a grip on my emotions. After I counted to ten, and then again, I turned to see Maggie fighting a smile. “What?”
She clearly tried not to laugh. “It’s not funny. I mean, I know it isn’t. It’s just you had the same posture on a regular basis when Emma and I were going through high school and you were trying to keep us out of trouble.”
I shook my head at her. “That’s because you were always convincing her to break out of her mold.” I took a breath. “Okay, we’re just going to table this relationship conversation for a bit because I can’t rationalize with you when you’re being you. Never could.”
“Hey!”
“Moving on, we’ll proceed for the moment as what we’ve always been, friends. And FYI, this friend is spending the night tonight.”
“Fine,” she bit out, throwing her arm out toward the couch. “You know where everything is.”
“Nope, friend. We have a kid growing inside you right now. I’m not saying this is what has to happen every night, but tonight I really want to be in your bed, next to the two of you.” Glancing at her expression, I raised up my hands in reply, “No, no, nothing is happening. We’re just sleeping. I just want to be there.” I paused, looking down at her worn carpet, then meeting her eyes again. “Please, Mags?”
Maggie’s expression softened. “Sure, Sully. You can stay, but clothes on, your side of the bed.”
I gave her a big smile. “Yes, drillmaster.”
A few hours later, I lay on my side facing Maggie who was sprawled out on her back. She’d growled at me when I climbed into bed in my boxer briefs but hadn’t fought when I pointed out how uncomfortable sleeping in my jeans and shirt would be. I hadn’t missed the heat that flared in her eyes but figured we could tackle that issue later, maybe literally. It had only taken her a little bit to fall asleep, but I couldn’t drift off. There were far too many things on my mind.
Sliding closer to Maggie, I looked at her tiny pajama shorts and tiny tank. Good Lord, she was amazing. My body begged to do more than sleep, but I ignored it. Maggie’s curves were on full display in all their glory, although her stomach didn’t give any indication of the enormous transition that was underway. Well, at least not yet.
Moving ever so gently, I slid up her tank so her stomach was bare and laid my hand over it. I slid down and gently kissed her belly before lifting my head up an inch or two to whisper to our unborn child. “Hey, kid. I’m your dad.” I glanced up, making sure Maggie was still out. “You have no idea how lucky you are. You have the best mom in the world. We can’t wait to meet you, but make sure you’re easy on her, you hear?”
I lightly kissed her stomach again before settling back in the bed. I glanced up at the ceiling, wondering how quickly sleep would find me. I grabbeda spare pillow to pullover my face with my arm draped across it, soaking in the feeling of being here with Maggie.
6
Looking Up
Maggie
I rolled up my yoga mat, nerves threatening to overwhelm me. Moving as slowly as I thought I could get away with, I slid the mat away and took a fortifying breath. It was now or never, but I suddenly had a strong desire to live in the unknown. Goose bumps popped out on my arms, and I could sense her hovering. Chancing it, I glanced up and found that I was right. Emma stood there, watching me with eyes just like her brother’s. Damn. We’d known each other for over twenty years, so I could read the expression on her face at a glance. She was concerned and trying hard not to pepper me with questions or take over with some problem solving. I could make her wait, but why prolong the inevitable?
“Want to get some coffee? Looks like Allyson is getting ready to open,” I asked, hiding my inner amusement at the impatience rolling off her in waves.
I wandered over to the counter where Allyson was getting the machines ready to make coffee for anyone lingering after yoga. Glancing over my shoulder, I watched as Emma seemed to have a conversation with herself before deciding to follow me. I briefly wondered how long I could prolong the conversation she was dying to have. Not only was it a bit amusing to see her trying to figure out how to bring this up, I really wasn’t sure how to share this news.
Leaning against the counter, I glanced around the space. Emma’s neighbor, Lou, had opened the Sanctuary coffee shop in the town’s original Catholic church when the congregation had outgrown the space and they built a new one decades ago. The coffee shop was small, cozy, with high ceilings. Lou had run this place for years, and we liked to joke that her attempts of world, or at least town, domination had been headquartered at this very counter.
A year or so ago, however, Lou had hung up her apron when Verdell, her husband, made his own move toward retirement from the county’s sheriff department so the two of them could travel more and visit their kids. Allyson had moved to town and purchased this place and, before she was even a year in, opened a satellite location at the local park outside town, Highland Woods.
