AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s nice of them.” Carrie smiles at us.
“They pretty much insisted,” Marshall tells her. Just as he says it, a message pops up on his phone. I see it’s from his mom, and panic wells up inside me. “Go ahead and look, babe,” he tells me.
Normally, I’d never take his phone and open his messages, but they have my baby. Swiping the screen, I open the message and a picture pops up. It’s of Stanley and Madeline. They’re both still sleeping, but Madeline is now sticking her little bottom in the air with her hands curled under her face. Stanley had his hand on her back, and neither of them is remotely aware that Lena took a picture of them. I can feel the smile on my face.
“Everything good?” Marshall asks.
I nod. “Yes. Everything is perfect.” I turn his phone so he can see the screen, and he laughs.
“Dad is such a sucker.”
“Like you don’t ever sleep with her on your chest,” I counter.
He shrugs unapologetically. “She’s cute as hell and she’s a good snuggle buddy.”
“Let me see,” Carrie says. I turn the phone to show her. Elijah leans in to look as well. “Aw.” She smiles. “Looks like Madeline is being well taken care of.”
That line was for me, but I appreciate her attempt to show me her approval. “That she is.” I smile at Marshall and hand him his phone.
“You keep it in case she calls or sends another picture.”
His trust in me and the fact that he doesn’t care a single fraction of a bit that I have his phone does something to me. He’s not the player that I expected him to be. At least he’s not anymore. I want to lean over and kiss him, but I know that’s not appropriate. However, Marshall doesn’t seem to care about being appropriate when he leans in close and presses his lips to mine. It’s a soft peck, but it feels like so much more.
“You can’t look at me like that and me not kiss you,” he whispers.
“Hi, can I start you off with some drinks?” our waitress asks.
The next two hours fly by as we talk and laugh like the four of us have been hanging out for years. “This has been so much fun,” Carrie says as we stand to leave.
“We should do it again sometime,” Marshall speaks up.
“Definitely,” Elijah agrees. “Good to meet you both.” He nods at Marshall and me.
“Marshall, I think I owe my girl’s smiles to you. Keep up the good work,” Carrie says, embarrassing me.
Marshall slings his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his chest. “That’s the plan.”
Out on the street, we say our goodbyes, and then it’s just the two of us. “Are you in a hurry to get back?” Marshall asks.
“Not particularly. That last message your mom sent tells me Madeline is being spoiled rotten.” It’s true. She sent a picture about fifteen minutes ago of Madeline sitting on Stanley’s lap, and he was reading her a story.
“I have a few things I need to do. I wanted you to go with me.”
“Sure.” I shrug.
“Great. Let’s go.” He laces his fingers through mine and leads me to his SUV.
“So, where are we going?” I ask once we’re on the road and headed out of town.
“Well, there are a couple of houses that just came on the market that I want to do a drive-by on. My realtor sent them to me late last night.”
“You’re moving?” I turn to look at him.
He keeps his eyes on the road as he shrugs. “Maybe. I’m ready to get out of town. I’m jealous of my brothers being about to sit out on their back decks and have a cold beer at the end of the day.”
“Yeah, but you love your condo. You love that it’s close to the nightlife.”
“I used to love it.”
“You don’t anymore?”
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not exactly out partying every night.”
“I know, but you could be. I mean, when you’re bored, you could be.”
“I know what you’re trying to say, Wren, and you’re wrong. I’m not going to get bored of you. I’m not going to get bored of Madeline.”
“This is a big step.”
“I’ve grown out of the condo phase. It’s time to buy a big boy house.” He chuckles.
“I think you should think about this before you do it.”
“I have thought about it. Why do you think I’m looking at houses?”
“You’ve never said anything about it.”
“I’m saying something now.” He turns into a driveway of a house that takes my breath away. “I’ve been considering it for a while now. Conrad hooked me up with his realtor, and she’s been on the lookout for something that fits my wish list. Last night she sent me three, and all three are close to what I want.”
