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“Best friends? Yes, we are. Excuse me...” She maneuvered around Mary, but as she walked away, she heard her muttering behind her.
“Best friends, my ass.”
MIKEWASINa better mood after everyone ate. He was sure it had something to do with the laughter he’d shared with Zoey as they cooked. Having fun with her just made the world seem right. He wasn’t sure what had piqued his sister’s attention, but he wasn’t as bothered by it as Zoey was.
Zoey made sure she and he didn’t sit together. She’d taken a seat next to Vickie Pendergast—the only empty seat left at the dining table inside. She winked at him when he spotted her, as if she’d just won a battle. Vickie was staring at him intently. What had they done that caught so many people’s attention? Nana was staring at Zoey. And that Rick guy from the book club was watching Vickie watch Mike.Great.He decided to eat outside.
He had a nice meal with Owen, Lucy, Finn and Bridget. Owen’s landscaping business was running hot and heavy now that summer weather had arrived. He was still doing a few cleanup jobs from the storm, but mostly he was planting and doing some hardscaping projects, installing stone patios and retaining walls. Lucy was working more hours than ever at the flower shop, now that the original owner—and now partner—Connie was dating Stan Perelli. Connie was edging closer and closer to retirement.
Finn and Bridget had one topic of conversation—life with baby Moira. The lack of sleep. The silly sounds the baby made. The lack of sleep. How adorable she was. The lack of sleep. Mike nodded and laughed when appropriate, but the conversation brought him back to Zoey’s question about whether he wanted children. They’d talked about that before, and she’d been clear that she didn’t want another baby now that Hazel was thirteen.
Had she changed her mind? Was she feeling him out for the possibility of having a child together? His fork fell from his hand. Was Zoeypregnant?
“Dude, you okay over there?” Owen asked.
Mike blinked and looked around the table. He had no idea what they’d all been talking about. His skin went clammy. He had to know why Zoey had asked, and he had to knownow.Because if she was pregnant... He stood, doing his best to smile at his tablemates as his stomach churned.
“Fine. Sorry. I’m fine. Just remembered something I forgot to do at the office, so I’ll uh...have to go in early tomorrow. But it’s fine.” He glanced inside the house and saw Zoey heading into the kitchen with a stack of dirty paper plates. With any luck, he could catch her alone in the kitchen and get some answers. He gathered up his plate and utensils. “I’m going to check out the desserts...”
Bridget winked at everyone else at the table. “I’m sure they’refine.”
He didn’t know why there were snickers around the table at that. He shrugged it off and headed to the kitchen. Zoey was there alone, putting the paper plates in the trash.
“We need to talk.” He barked out the words like an order.
She looked up in surprise. “Now?”
“Right now.” Once the thought of pregnancy was in his head, it wouldn’t go away.
“O-kay.” She glanced over his shoulder and he realized his grandmother had joined them. Hopefully she hadn’t heard him demanding Zoey’s attention like that. Nana smiled, not showing any indication she’d heard a thing.
“Thank goodness for disposable plates and dinnerware—cleanup is easy!” Nana put more used plates in the trash bag. “And you even have a helper. You make a good team.”
“We’re not a team.” He winced at how that sounded. There was just something in the way his grandmother was examining them that made him defensive. “I mean... I just happened to come in the kitchen while she was here.”
“Well, as long as you’re in here, you two could clean the pots we used for the corn on the cob, and that big pan we baked the beans in.” Nana looked up as Mary started to enter the kitchen and waved her off. “You go take care of your husband, Mary. Mike and Zoey are in charge of the kitchen. Too many people in here will make it impossible to work.”
“I see,” Mary replied, giving Mike a strange twin-vibe look that he couldn’t interpret. “Let’s leave the two of them alone, then.”
Zoey’s forehead furrowed as the women left.
“I feel like we’re being set up.”
“I’m just glad we’re alone for a few minutes.” He put his hand on her arm and steered her toward the sink, which was loaded with pans.
“So what’s this urgent matter we need to discuss?” Zoey sprayed dish soap in a pan and started filling it with hot water.
“It’s about that question you asked earlier.” He took the pot from her and started scrubbing while she filled the next one. Zoey’s eyes closed and her cheeks went pink.
“Oh, that. I saw you with Gavin earlier and remembered what you said about you and Becca not having children and...”
“Are you pregnant?”
The pot dropped from her hands, banging against the sink and making them both jump.
Mary appeared in the doorway. Mike couldn’t help thinking she arrived freakishly fast. “Everything okay in here?”
“Yes—sorry!” Zoey waved, the pink gone from her cheeks. There wasn’t much color left in her face at all.
