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“Naw,” Luke answered and lifted his hands as he took a step toward the exit. “I’m not much of a baby holder. But congrats anyway, Luce. I think I’m just going to get out of your guys’ hair now.”
He shared a meaningful look with her as if they were sharing an inside joke, and I had to ignore the jealousy that swirled through my gut as she let go of my arm to follow him toward the exit.
The nagging envy must’ve lingered, though, because the moment she shut the door behind him, I couldn’t keep from sneering, “Stellar stepfather he would’ve made; he couldn’t even bother to cross
the room and look at her.”
Lucy sighed and dropped her hands from the doorknob before she slowly turned to face me. And the expression I saw in her eyes made my stomach drop with dread. She didn’t look pissed, exactly, but she certainly didn’t appear to be pleased either.
I swallowed, just knowing she was going to bitch me out for my behavior.
But then she finally answered, “He just thought he was doing what was right,” and I felt sufficiently chastised. It wasn’t my place to judge or criticize her choice in…friends.
A second later, she cracked a smile. “But no, Luke’s not who I automatically think up whenever I picture the model father.”
I lowered my face and took in Ava’s expression as she worked on my knuckles, trying to glean some sustenance from it. “I overstepped,” I said. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have—”
“Pushed him against the wall?” Lucy guessed, breaking into my apology with raised eyebrows.
With an uncomfortable clearing of the throat, I mumbled, “Yeah. That.”
“Yeah,” she repeated softly, strolling closer. “That was a bit...extreme. And even though I didn’t need you to stand up for me, I did appreciate the sentiment behind it, especially since it got him to shut up. So, thank you.”
My breath caught as she smiled and looked up at me with those blue, blue eyes of hers. I swear, I could get lost in those eyes. They were just so—
Ava let out an angry yowl between us.
“Oh!” I looked down and promptly handed her off to her mother. “She’s starving, so you should probably…”
Yeah, and now I was thinking of Lucy’s breasts again.
“Right,” Lucy said. “I’ll just be back in a bit. Make yourself at home.”
I nodded as she took the baby down the hall and disappeared into the nursery. Then, I blew out a breath, calming myself. Why I always reacted to her so strongly, I wasn’t sure, but I was going to fix it. I had to. Or I’d probably go mad within the month.
I paced for a minute, hands on my hips, and once I felt good again, ready to face her when she returned, I took in the front room, where my cleaning instincts took over.
All used and empty cups were returned to the kitchen, where I cleaned them along with the leftover pots and pans I hadn’t gotten to the day before. Then I straightened pillows, picked up discarded baby clothes, and put all the items strewn from the diaper bag back into its pack. I was refolding a throw blanket and draping it over the back of the couch when I saw movement outside the front window.
A man with dark hair was carrying a stack of plastic food containers up Lucy’s front walk.
Dammit. Again?
Already knowing she would ask me to answer the bell for her, I made my way to the door and opened it just as the stranger stepped onto her front porch.
“Whoa, hey,” he said in surprise, skidding to a stop in front of me. “I was not expecting the door to open before I could even ring the bell.”
“Sorry; I saw you through the window,” I answered shortly before adding, “but if you’re here to propose marriage, I’ll just tell you now: french fries, Frosties, and rings haven’t made an impact on Lucy yet.”
The man laughed. “Well, thank God I’m already married, then. I’ve never been good with rejection.” Then he furrowed his brow. “Just how many times have you asked her?”
I blinked in shock over the question, then blustered, “Not me. It was two other guys who asked. One yesterday, and then another this evening.”
“Aah…” The newcomer nodded in understanding. “Let me guess; it had to be...Trick and Luke, right?”
“Impressive,” I congratulated, stepping aside to let him in. “You must be another family...ish member. Lucy’s in the back, feeding Ava right now.”
Instead of stepping forward, however, the man pulled back a step. “Oh, I don’t need to come in and bother anyone. I already saw the baby at the hospital. I’ve just been instructed to drop these off. I’m Gray, by the way, who’s, yes, definitely a family-ish member of Lucy’s. And you must be the uncle.”
