Page 13 of Fall Love

With our sides close, my arm brushes against hers when I turn my head to answer her, while she continues to stare at the ocean, hair whipping in the wind.

“Yeah. I haven’t left yet.” I can’t leave until I make this deal happen. “Thought I’d stick around through the holiday.”

Glancing back at her toes, the puff in them causes me to reach for her calves and lift her feet. The motion forces her to twist as I set her feet on my lap.

“What are you doing?” Her voice tightens, reminding me more of the feisty girl in Rusty’s Wrecks a few days ago.

“Trying to take the pressure off your feet.”

She shakes her head and slides her feet off my lap. They slap the cement base beneath the bench. “You sound like my doctor.” She sits upright, back removed from the bench. Her knee presses harder against mine. Her hands rub over her belly. I’m reminded again of someone waving their hands around a crystal ball, as if magic lives within her.

I chuckle at her snark. “Oh yeah? Is your doctor a good-looking guy in his early forties?” As soon as I ask, my laughter halts. I hope he’s not a handsome guy in his early forties. Even if it is for medical purposes, I don’t want some hot doc checking her out down low.

She scrunches her nose. “Funny.” Her tone is flat.

I bump her arm with mine, hoping she’ll open up to me a little more. “Well, what does your doctor sound like then?”

“An older woman who told me it’s time to stay off my feet.” Neve glances down at her toes, tipping her head to the side in order to see around her waist.

“What does that mean for you?”

“It means it might be time to stop working.” Her eyes narrow to disappointed slits.

My heart hammers for a new reason. Does this mean she’s ready to sell? I hate how that’s my first thought and quickly brush it aside.

“How do you feel about that? Slowing down?”

“It’s more like a quick stop. Slamming on the brakes.” Her right foot moves like she’s actually stomping down on a brake pedal. She finally glances at me, and I’m struck by how her eyes match the exact color of the sky. Bright and blue and miles wide.

“I don’t know what I’ll do with myself.”

She sounds slightly panicked. Like, without work at Rusty’s Wrecks, she has nothing else. Yet, she’s about to be a mother. Did she intend to return to work? Does she have a plan when the repair shop sells?

“Sounds like, for now, you need to take care of you . . . and Little Wrench.”

She turns her attention back to the ocean. The slightest tick of her mouth twitches upward. She has a dimple on this side of her mouth as well, but it’s much smaller than the other one. A secret dimple. One only those close enough to her might notice.

Her head suddenly whips in my direction. “See, the name is growing on you, isn’t it?”

“Maybe.” I tease. “I’m still partial to Rosie.” I lean forward and knock into her shoulder.

“Oh!” Her breath hitches, and she glances down at her belly before slouching back against the bench. The heel of her hand rubs in circles at one particular spot.

“What happened?” I ask, certain I didn’t hurt her, but still curious about the sudden pinch between her brows.

“The baby. She’s acting like it’s a soccer field in there.”

I stretch out my hand, eager to feel it, but pause, hovering my palm inches away from her. “May I?”

I don’t know what compels me to ask or why I’m so invested. Still, I’m grateful, almost high, when she nods.

Her stomach is hard, skin pulled tight, and my palm doesn’t even cover the expansiveness of it. But I feel the tiny poke of something pressing from inside her belly, like it wants to break out. The jut moves, and then . . . wham!

“Holy shit.” I pull my hand away and meet her eyes. “Did you feel that?” I ask like an idiot.

Of course she felt it. The kick is happening within her body.

“Can I . . .?” As much as I pulled away, I want to reach forward again. Feel that strange movement one more time.