I almost laugh and then I register what she just said. Holding Charlie away from me so I can look into her eyes, I watch as they twinkle like she’s brewing mischief and her cheeks flush. Koko makes a happy grumbling sound behind her, and it all clicks. “You’re pregnant?”
“Surprise!” she sings, throwing her arms in the air.
“Holy fuc—” I stare at her tiny, barely showing tummy and mind my manners. “Holy ducking snit!”
“Daddy Bear is officially going to become a daddy bear! I’m not too excited about losing my baby status, but mummy-bear suits me just fine.” She shares a long look with Koko and whispers, “Love you.”
“I love you too, baby.”
From the sheer affection radiating from his soft gaze, there’sno doubting how much he loves her back.
Which begs the question, “Why the hell did you let me tell her all that and get her riled up? You should have stopped me, Koko!” I back away from Charlie like my shit is contagious and glare at her gargantuan protector.
Koko shrugs. “Son or daughter, they’ll have her fire, and mine too. They’ll grow fierce and strong right from the start,” he announces, as if that makes any difference to anything. Stress is a major factor in pregnancy. Mum almost lost Casey because of the torment Eric put her through.
“And her blood pressure?”
“Is fine! Stop worrying. He coddles me all the damn time. A littlegrrisn’t going to hurt anything,” Charlie grumbles, swatting at me with the cloth she’s picked up again.
It’s too late to take it all back now, I guess. So, I need to get them to cover it up. Pretend to be naïve. “Then swear to me you’ll play dumb if Franz ever comes looking for me.”
“About that…” There’s guilt in Charlie’s eyes and anger in Koko’s.
“They’ve been here already?” I guess.
“Day after you called.” Koko grunts in the affirmative. “Chased them off pretty fast.”
“We told them we fired you for not showing up three mornings in a row. My sister hanging around helped to prove it, too. They told us to call them if you ever showed up.” Charlie nods to the shreds of a business card pinned to the cork notice board, and probably the wall, by knives and skewers. “Not sure we can even make out the number anymore. Oopsie.” Charlie grins, reaches in for another quick hug and then circles back to wiping the counters.
My phone buzzes against my breast. I wince and turn around to pull it out without giving either of them an eyeful.
“Did you just —?”
“I tucked it in my bra for safety earlier,” I explain withoutlooking up.
“With how great your tits are today, I’m surprised you had any room,” Charlie teases.
“I’m going to take that as a compliment from the woman who’ll have ripe melons soon enough.” Koko guffaws and cleverly exits the kitchen to man the front, knowing the immediate danger is over.
I check the message on screen and feel guilty for not thinking of checking in sooner. It’s Dax.
I know where, but is it safe? Yes or No.
Yes.
Good. I’ll send someone when everything is clear.
Something uncoils in my shoulders the minute I know he’s got me.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Someone will pick me up when they think it’s safe,” I explain, tucking the phone in again. “Okay, put me to work.”
“Dressed like that?”
I take the jacket off. “Better?”
“Not much, no,” Charlie teases, throwing me an apron and nodding at my arms. I roll up my sleeves as per her unspoken command and look around. It’s mid-afternoon, and things will be winding down out front. They close around three p.m. on light days and today seems quieter than usual. The counters are cluttered with the remnants of proving dough and the active yeast vats for the sourdough. I get to work storing the finished buckets for tomorrow’s bread and cleaning any residual flour.
