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“He cooked for me.” I’d been so brave, had really put myself out there, and I’d had fun . . . until I received the worst news possible.
“You went to his house?” Baker knew what a huge step that was for me.
“Yeah. I was okay.” I’d been more than okay. The night was pretty much perfectly imperfect until I’d looked at my phone.
“More kissing at his house?” Sonya prompted.
“You act like you’re sex deprived or something,” Vivian said, lifting her eyes toward the ceiling.
Sonya slapped the counter. “Give a pregnant lady a break.”
“Pregnancy isn’t an ailment. No breaks for you.” Baker flashed a cheeky grin at Sonya, who promptly flipped her off.
“Baby eyes.” Baker held up Ella.
“She’s asleep.”
“I don’t see how,” I said.
Sonya growled, and everyone else laughed.
“So you like this Andrew?” Muriella asked.
“I do.”
“How’s he feel about Ella?” Sonya literally had no filter.
I exchanged a look with Baker. “I haven’t told him about her yet.”
“I understand why you haven’t,” Muriella said softly.
“He assumed she was Baker’s. Every time I try to tell him otherwise, I can’t do it. But I have to. He said he doesn’t want to date anyone else.” I rubbed the side of my face. Unease that I hadn’t told him the truth didn’t settle well.
“He sounds honest. When can we all meet him?” Vivian snagged a piece of squash off my plate.
“I’m not sure. I kinda disappeared on him again last night.”
“Why don’t you like him, Baker?” Sonya patted her belly and looked at me. “And why aren’t you making cake yet?”
“I’ve caught him outside of Paths a few times. He says he was just in the neighborhood, but I don’t believe him.” Baker stared at me unapologetically. I appreciated her honesty, even if it wasn’t easy to hear.
“What was he doing?” Muriella asked.
“Loitering. And once it was right after Trish came in. I think he followed her.”
The possibility made me feel icky. Baker was my best friend. I believed her and a part of me feared she was right. I wanted to make excuses for him. But now that Huxley was free, maybe I shouldn’t be so forgiving. I’d blindly trusted the man I’d eventually married, and now I wondered if I had the ability to see beyond a pretty façade.
“I’ll have Daniel check him out,” Vivian said.
I almost said no, but that would be stupid. I couldn’t take risks with Ella. She deserved all the resources at my disposal, even if they felt a little creepy.
“He probably already has.”
“How would he know about him?” I asked.
“He knows everything,” Muriella said. Her tone was annoyed, but her expression was fond. “I think you should have fun. Just spend time getting to know Andrew.”
“Me too,” Vivian chimed in.
