AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Emily’s big green eyes widened in pretend innocence. “So… you’re moving in?”
I glared at her. “We’re justfriends, you weirdos.”
Emily raised her palms. “I didn’t suggest anything.”
I picked up a chip and threw it at her. “You didn’t have to. I know how your freaky little mind works.”
Em ducked her head to hide a smile. “I just think it’s odd you find yourself in this position with Will, of all people—the man you’re going to marry one day.”
She was referring to the deal Will and I had made to grow old together. Emily—a relative newbie to the Bay who fell in love with my high school friend Joshua Ford about the same time the whole town fell in love with her—was late to the pact party. She deliberately misunderstood the details over and over and thought it was fun to tease me about it. Spoiler: it wasnotfun.
I scowled. “I swear, Emily Jones. If you make that joke one more time—”
“All right, all right. I’m sorry.” She grinned as Birdie chortled but changed the subject. “Truthfully, I’m kind of surprised you didn’t run screaming in the other direction as soon as you saw the baby. We all know how you feel about procreation.” Emily flinched and threw Tash an apologetic look she couldn’t see with her arm back over her eyes. “No offense, Tash.”
Tash flapped her hand in our direction, her reply muffled. “I’m not exactly a poster child for the joys of motherhood right now. Go on.”
I shook my head and twisted the cap on my water bottle back and forth. “You should have seen the look on Will’s face when I walked through the front door. I think he was in shock, and when I dared to hint that maybe the baby might not be his…” I recalled his surprisingly protective vibe, then pictured him with Seb curled up in his muscled arms, and a shiver ran up my spine.
Tash raised her head again and squinted at me. “When you hinted the baby might not be his… what?”
“He shut me down. Hard. As far as Will is concerned, he is that baby’s father, and the birth certificate says as much. He’s taking responsibility for Seb, and he’s going to need help. I’d do the same for any of you.”
Emily leaned over and gave me a side hug, her head on my shoulder. I’d been there for her when she was faking an engagement with Josh to get rid of her slimeball ex-fiancé. She knew the lengths I’d go to for someone I cared about. “Will’s lucky to have you.”
“Oh, sweetie. You’re all lucky to have me.” Emily chuckled as she straightened, and I added, “And anyway, it’s only for a few days. I’m sure the insurance assessor will tell me I can move home in a day or two. That’ll give Will a chance to get the baby stuff under control, and it’ll be back to business as usual.”
It was best to make it clear right from the start that there was nothing more to my temporary stay at Will’s place. The fact I was here at all was circumstantial—forced to move in by a broken pipe and a meddling mother—and a baby wouldn’t change that. Will needed forty-eight hours of support—three days max—and I could survive that, sexual tension or no sexual tension.
Em appeared to believe me but the more adamant my thoughts became, the less sure I was about who I was trying to convince—my friends or myself.
It looked like Birdie was going to be a harder sell. She tapped the lid of her water bottle with her fingertips and pursed her lips to one side like she had something to say.
“What is it?” I asked.
Birdie glanced up and away immediately, meeting Emily’s eyes instead. Something passed between them, and Emily, confused at first, suddenly closed her eyes and groaned.
A little snore escaped from under Tash’s arm.
“I can’t decide if I’m worried or irritated,” I whispered. Not true. I was irritated. “What’s with the eyes?”
Emily screwed up her nose in Birdie’s direction. “Do you want to tell her, or should I?”
“Somebody better tell me something—and fast.”
“I had a business meeting with Will last night,” Birdie explained.
That’swhat this was about. I kicked myself for having let it slip my mind.
“About the property next door, right?” I asked.
I knew all about the meeting. It had been my idea. Will had been so freaking excited when the old warehouse became available out of nowhere, and he’d beaten himself up so hard over his rejected bank loan applications. I’d had to talk fast to convince him to approach Birdie with his proposal, and amid all the drama, I’d totally forgotten to ask how the pitch went. It had to have been the last thing on Will’s mind as well. Otherwise, it would have been the first thing we talked about…
Unless the news was bad.Fuck.
My stomach flipped, and I crossed my fingers where Birdie couldn’t see them. “How did it go?”
Birdie shook her head a little and smiled. “He had a fantastic business proposal, and I was impressed by the numbers. I think he’s onto a good thing, and I agreed to loan him the start-up funds—on one condition.”
