by Maya Banks
then went into her bedroom to change.
Moments later she came back out and paused in the kitchen. Knowing she had to at least tell them where she was going, she cleared her throat. “I’ll see you guys later.”
They swiveled around to look at her. “Where you going?” A.J. asked.
“Work.” The word hung in the air a moment as they digested what she’d said.
“Work?” Matt asked. “You just got home from work.”
“I’m doing some PRN work for Lonnie over at dispatch.”
Their surprise was evident. “Huh? Since when?” Matt asked.
“Since Saturday.”
“Hell, Toni, you used to tell us shit like this. What’s the deal lately?” Matt’s voice rose, and he got up to walk toward her. “You should be in bed resting. Have you forgotten what happened a few days ago?”
“Look it’s no big deal. I just haven’t seen you guys what with your schedules lately. I gotta run, or I’ll be late. I’ll talk to you later.” She blew a kiss at Matt and spun around to leave.
Simon watched her walk out and suppressed the urge to put his fist through the coffee table. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out she was avoiding him.
Matt returned to the living room a deep frown on his face. “I don’t know what the hell is going on with her, but she isn’t telling us something.”
“Oh you think?” A.J. muttered.
“What’s with her getting a second job? She’s pregnant for Christ sake. She doesn’t need to be working two jobs,” Matt said in a raised voice. He turned to Simon. “You usually aren’t short on something to say. Do you know what’s eating Toni?”
Yeah he knew all right. But he wasn’t going to blurt out that he’d been putting the moves on Toni in her weak moment. Matt and A.J. would use his face for a punching bag. “No, I don’t. Maybe she just needed the extra cash with the baby coming.”
Matt snorted. “There’s no way in hell I’d let her work two jobs when she’s pregnant. If it’s money she needs, she only has to ask.”
“But that’s just it,” Simon said. “I don’t see her asking anyone for anything. You know as well as I do, she’d never do anything she thought would make herself a burden.”
“I think it’s something else,” A.J. popped up. “I don’t know what it is…yet. But I aim to find out.”
Nothing had changed in dispatch since she’d last worked, and she picked up the mechanics again quickly. She sat for a few hours watching and listening to Sarah and Cody, the other dispatcher.
When she was ready to leave, Sarah pulled her aside. “First of all, I wanted to offer my congratulations on the baby.”
“Thanks, Sarah. I appreciate it.” Sarah was a down to earth woman in her thirties. She had a no-nonsense approach to everything, and next to Lonnie, she called the shots around dispatch.
“Secondly, Lonnie figured you’d pick things back up quickly so he left a tentative schedule for you. Look over it and see what you think. If it’s okay, we’ll jot you down for those days.”
Toni took the sheet from her and glanced over it. She worked both days of the upcoming weekend, plus one weeknight in between. The rest of the month consisted of at least one weekend day and two to three weeknights. Not overwhelming, but it sure wouldn’t leave much time at home. It was perfect.
“These are fine,” she said handing back the schedule to Sarah.
“You sure it won’t be too much with you being pregnant?”
“I’ll be fine. I can always sit with my feet up.”
“That’s true,” Sarah said with a grin. “I’ll make sure Lonnie gets you a nice cushion. You could probably ask for just about anything at this point. He’s so grateful he’d likely give it to you.”
Toni laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Well, you get on home. I’ll see you Thursday.”
Toni waved and headed out to her Jeep. When she got home and let herself in the house, she nearly groaned aloud. Matt, A.J. and Simon were all sitting on the couch obviously waiting for her.
Ignoring them, she set about making a sandwich.
“It’s not going to work,” Matt announced.
She turned around and raised her brow.
“You’re ignoring us.”
“I’m eating,” she pointed out.
“Well, that’s something, at least. You haven’t been doing enough of that lately.”
“Don’t lecture,” she said with a frown. She turned back to her sandwich, but she felt their stares. If she were really brave, she’d go to
her room and bar the door. But that would immediately send the signal she was indeed avoiding them. Better to sit here and eat then go to bed.
“We want to talk to you, Toni,” Matt persisted.
With a sigh she turned back around. “Can a girl eat in peace?”
“By all means finish, but when you’re done, we’re going to have a little talk.”
She rolled her eyes. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“I think there is,” Simon spoke up, his voice strained.
Panic assailed her. Surely he wouldn’t bring up what happened in front of the guys. Her food coiled in a knot in her throat then hit her stomach like a ton of bricks. Her stomach lurched in protest.
Not bothering to explain, she bolted for the bathroom. Her stomach emptied in short order. She leaned heavily against the toilet, anxiety eating a hole in her gut.
“Toni, open the damn door,” Matt demanded.
Well, at least it wasn’t Simon. Weakly, she flipped the bolt then returned to her stance of hanging her head over the bowl.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he shoved into the small bathroom with her.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
He grabbed a washcloth from the closet and ran cold water over it. “Here,” he said offering it to her.
“Thanks.” She rose slowly, wiping her forehead with the cloth.
“Now suppose you tell me what the hell is going on with you.”
She flushed the toilet then lowered the seat so she could sit. “Nothing is going on. This is normal pregnancy stuff.”
“I see. You getting a second job is normal pregnancy stuff. And not saying anything to me about it is normal pregnancy stuff.” He crossed his arms over his chest and stared hard at her.
She let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s no big deal. I wanted the extra money for when the baby comes. Lonnie’s offered me a job before. I thought it would be a great job. You worked on Sunday so I didn’t see you.”
“You used to come around the station,” he pointed out. “And in the past you would have come right over to share any news.”
“I just don’t feel comfortable coming around right now,” she hedged. It wasn’t a complete lie. She was uncomfortable, but her pregnancy had nothing to do with it.
“Is my asking Stephanie to marry me bothering you? You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, Toni. If you want to stay here, just say so. I don’t want you killing yourself at a second job in order to afford to move out.”