“Lemonade.” I hold the menu up and set it back down. “And whatever today’s special is.”
“I’ll have the same,” Dallas tells her.
Shirley grabs our menus. “Coming right up.”
“She’s nice,” I comment when she scurries over to the booth across from ours.
“Blue Beech is filled with nice people,” he replies.
“I’m assuming you meant to say nosy people.” How bad will it get when news about my inhabited uterus gets around?
“Yes, they’re nosy, but they’ll lend you a helping hand without asking for anything in return, feed you, take care of your pets when you’re out of town, and always make sure you’re doing okay when something tragic happens. They’re only staring because they want to get to know you.”
“Or because they’re not used to seeing you with someone who’s not Lucy.”
A hint of a frown hits his lips, and his shoulders stiffen. “You could say that. I’ve been the town’s brooding bachelor for a minute now, who’s never been seen with another woman.”
“They see you as a traitor. You’re finally seen with a woman, and she’s an outsider.” I stop when I catch my words, my brain scattering to backtrack them. “Not that we’re, uh … more than friends. Just friends sharing a meal.”
“They’re well aware we’re more than friends sharing a meal.” He relaxes in his seat. “They’re really going to find out when you start to show and wear clothes that don’t swallow you up.”
“I’ll tell them I got fat.”
“And then lost all the weight, and we suddenly have two babies?”
I shrug. “Sounds legit to me.”
Shirley interrupts us and winks while dropping a turkey bacon club and our drinks in front of us. “You two enjoy.”
“You ready to come up with a plan yet?” Dallas asks when I take my first bite.
“Nope,” I answer after chewing.
He nods, telling me the conversation isn’t over but that he’ll save it for later. “What’s your favorite food?”
I look up from my plate. “What?”
“Your favorite food. We can’t sit here in silence, and I figure we’ll ask each other questions we never did when we worked together.”
I tell him it’s a tie between sushi and tacos. His is his mom’s carrot cake. We throw questions at each other back and forth while we eat. Having a normal conversation with him feels right. It’s comfortable. It doesn’t feel like first-date awkwardness because this is definitely not a date.
My dream vacation is staying in one of those tiki huts in Bora Bora. His is Yosemite. Black-and-white movies are my thing. He’s not much of a movie buff, but we both agree that anything with Tom Cruise is overrated.
Shirley collects our plates and comes back to set a delicious piece of blueberry pie in front of me.
“Oh no, I didn’t order this,” I say.
She smiles. “It’s on the house, honey. First slice for a newcomer is always free.”
“Thank you.” I take a bite and groan at the deliciousness. “Shirley is officially my favorite person in this town.”
He smiles in amusement. “She’s bribing you. The first piece is never free.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t think I’m the only one hoping you stay in Blue Beech.”
Chapter Seventeen
Willow
“Guess who’s back, back again. Willow’s back, tell a friend,” Stella sings when I slide into the passenger seat of her BMW SUV.
My best friend might’ve shut the door on the celebrity lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean she gave up her love of expensive handbags and foreign cars or that she doesn’t stop gifting those cars to her favorite personal assistant.
She’s grinning, her eyes pinned on me, and her charcoal-colored hair is pulled back into a high ponytail that shows off her Spanish features.
I buckle my seat belt while groaning. “I’m officially putting my two-weeks’ notice in.”
It’s my first day back at work since moving to Blue Beech, and it feels good being around Stella again. We went from spending endless days side by side to communicating through video conferences and text messages.
Her lips curl into a smile. “You’d miss me too much, but you can bet your ass I’ll be giving you maternity leave for as long as you’d like, and then you can bring the cute munchkin to work.”
No one knows we’re having twins yet, and Dallas promised to keep it that way until I was ready. I need time to wrap my head around everything in my life being multiplied.
“Paid leave, right?” I ask.
“Duh.” She wiggles in her seat before shifting the car into drive. “So … does this mean, you’re staying?”
I’ve lost count of the number of times Stella has asked me to move here—before and after the Dallas situation. I would’ve been fired for refusing to relocate if I worked for anyone else.
“Undecided. I’m giving it a chance, but I can’t make any promises. I still need to come up with my single-mom plan.”
We don’t leave the parking lot because she puts her car back in park to give me her full attention.
Her face fills with worry. “You’re not a single mom, Wills. You have Dallas.”
I’m single. I’m going to be a mom. Hence, single mom.
“Not sure that makes a difference,” I mutter.
Her hand tenderly brushes against my arm. “If you’re worried about that, I can assure you, Dallas will be there for your baby … for you. He’ll change diapers and wake up when the baby is screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night. He’ll help financially. If that’s not someone supporting you, I don’t know what is.”
I snort. She has a point, but I still want to see him as the jackass I thought he was that morning.
“Why are you so uneasy about a man being a good man? If I recall correctly, you were jumping my ass when Hudson and I were going through a rough patch. It’s your turn to listen.”
I hate when my actions come back to bite me in the ass. “Different circumstances.”
“How are they different circumstances?”
“Hudson had cheating fiancée baggage. He wasn’t a single dad who lost his wife. What’s Dallas going to do? Have sleepovers with Maven at my apartment? I won’t be stepping foot into his house after what happened there.”
She rolls her eyes, her understanding moving into aggravation. “Grow up. He was going through a rough time.”
“He didn’t seem to have a problem with me in his bed when we were screwing—only when it was time to face his mistake.”
“He doesn’t see you as a mistake.”
“You didn’t see his reaction. The way he still looks at me.”
“I’ll pay better attention today.”
“Today?”
She shrugs casually with a mischievous smile. “We’re bringing them lunch.”
“We?” I turn around to view the backseat. “Do you have someone shoved in your trunk?”
“You and me. Us. We’re bringing the guys lunch.”
“They’re grown men. Can’t they feed themselves?”
I’ve texted Dallas a few times on the phone, but I haven’t seen him since the diner. I’m still in the process of getting comfortable with him when we’re alone. Hudson and Stella breathing over our shoulders won’t make it any easier.
Chapter Eighteen
Dallas
I wipe my hands on a shop towel and toss it to the ground when my stomach growls. “Shirley’s for lunch?” I ask Hudson. “I’m fucking starving.”
I’ve been here since five in the morning, finishing up an engine on a tractor for my father’s friend who needed it done yesterday. One of our biggest battles of working with agriculture and construction customers is that they’re seasonal. They want their equipment done the moment they drop it off, or they’re losing money.
Good for our pockets.
Bad for our stress levels.
He shakes h
is head. “Nah, Stella is bringing me food.”
“Ah, yeah. Forgot about your little lunch dates.” I smirk. “Cute kids, you. Reminds me of when I was in third grade, trying to convince Lucy to kiss me by bringing her pieces of Mom’s pie on the playground.”
“Asshole.” He throws his towel at me and slides off a stool. “Want to join us? She brings enough to feed an army.”
“I’ll pass.”
He returns to putting all of his tools up, and I snap my fingers to gain his attention.
“And don’t forget, we have the auction tomorrow. What time do you want me to pick you up?” I ask.
That gets his full attention. “Shit, I forgot about the auction.” He narrows his eyes at me. “Now that you bring it up, I told you I couldn’t go.”
“Nice try, jackass. I would remember you trying to bail because I wouldn’t have let you. They have an excavator going through that I know we can get a kick-ass deal on.”
We’re in the process of expanding the family business my grandfather started decades ago. Our dad is ready to retire after twenty-five years and wants us to take over.
“I have plans with Stella.”
He runs a hand through his hair, which is lighter and longer than mine. All of us Barnes children look alike with a few exceptions. I don’t sport as much facial hair as Hudson. I’m convinced he does it to hide his jaw since mine is stronger than his, but he won’t admit it. He argues that the few inches he has on my height counts for more than good bone structure.
“Your fiancé will be fine without you for a day.”
“She’ll be fine … because I’ll be with her. Go alone. You’re a big boy.”
I frown. “It’s an eight-hour round trip.”
“It’ll give you time to reflect.”
“Reflection and I aren’t a good match. Trust me.” I fucking hate being in my head.
He winces, shocked at my response, and I’m positive I’ve won this discussion. “Ask Willow to tag along.”
And I’m wrong.
“She can hardly stand spending twenty minutes around me at a doctor’s appointment. I doubt she’ll be jumping at the idea of a road trip.”
He shrugs, his mouth curving into a sly smile. “Looks like we’re about to find out.”
“The fuck does that mean?”
I whip around at the sound of a door slamming. The shop is twenty minutes out of town. The only people who come around are employees, customers, and us. I like it—the quietness, the peace.
I follow Hudson out of the garage to find Stella coming our way while holding up a bag.
“Lunchtime!” she yells, stomping across the gravel parking lot.
Willow circles the car, slowly dragging her feet in our direction, making it clear she’d rather be anywhere but here.
Hudson slaps me on the back. “Would you look at that, brother? Perfect timing.” He jogs forward to meet Stella halfway and plants a kiss on her lips.
I follow his lead but trail a few feet behind in hopes of sparing myself from their lovesick hellos.
I’m a miserable bastard, but that doesn’t mean I’m not happy for my baby brother. He went through a messy-ass breakup. His ex fucked him over by screwing his best friend and used their scheduled wedding date to marry the so-called friend. Hudson ditched town, took over my job as Stella’s bodyguard, and somehow convinced her to fall in love with him.
“I’m starving, babe,” he tells her with another kiss. “Did you bring enough for my pain-in-the-ass brother?”
Stella throws me a look with a smile. “Sure did. I also brought a friend.” Her chin tips toward Willow when she makes it to us. “Do you two know each other?” She slaps her knees. “My bad, you knocked her up.”
“Funny,” Willow grumbles, throwing her a dirty look. “You remember that two-weeks’ threat?”
“You have anything going on tomorrow, Willow?” Hudson asks.
She peeks over at Stella. “No. Stella said I have the day off.” Her green eyes flash between the couple in confusion.
“You do,” Hudson replies. “You’re probably going to be pretty bored, so I have good news for you. Dallas has to go out of town for work and needs some company. You feel like tagging along?”
She bites her lip and shoves dirt around with her shoe, dirtying them up. “I have a busy day. I need to unpack.”
“Weird. You told me you were finished unpacking yesterday,” Stella says, exchanging a glance with Hudson, confirming this isn’t some last-minute idea.
Willow shoots her a death stare. “I have baby books to finish reading.”
“Read them on the way,” I suggest.
She sucks in a breath at the sound of my voice and finally acknowledges me.
“As a matter of fact, how about you read them to me?” I go on.
My jump into the conversation has shocked everyone, including myself. Making an eight-hour round trip alone sounds like a fucking nightmare.
Willow’s mouth presses together in a grimace. “You can’t be serious.”
“Sure am. I’ll bring the doughnuts. You bring the baby lit.” I grin. “I’ll be there at eight.”
Chapter Nineteen
Willow
I spent last night drafting texts to Dallas that I never sent.
The keeping-my-distance plan I made at the first positive pregnancy test is backfiring in my face. I can’t stop myself from reaching out and clasping on to every hand he holds out even though I know he’ll do nothing but drop me at the end. My heart is begging for a repeat of that soul-to-soul connection we shared.
Dallas gets me in a way no one else seems to. He understands what it feels like to have your heart ripped out and torn to shreds. He understands the way love can throw you into a pit of denial. He wouldn’t come to terms that Lucy was sick until it was too late, and I couldn’t grasp that my boyfriend since high school had been cheating on me for years.
Our hurt is the polar opposite. I know losing someone is nothing compared to a breakup. My pain doesn’t even register on the scale of his. His hurt snuck up on him, wearing him down on short notice, and I’m terrified he’ll drag me into the dark place with him.
We run from the truth because it’s easier to live a lie than face the monster. I was content with living with my struggles … until that positive test. I won’t allow my babies to be raised by two broken people. One of us has to be strong, and I can’t do that with Dallas Barnes playing with my heart.
The doorbell rings at eight sharp. Like me, Dallas is punctual. You learn to be that way when you’re working with tight schedules and dealing with celebrities who have no regard for time. I’ve had to drag people out of bed, brush their teeth for them, and even buckle them up in their private jets.
“I’m surprised you didn’t run off this morning,” he says when I open the door.
Me, too, buddy. Me, too.
Three red travel cups are stacked in one hand, and a white paper bag is clutched in the other. A pair of heels is tucked underneath his armpits. I reach out to help him with the cups when he slides past me to get into my apartment. I inhale his woodsy scent while following him into the kitchen.
He drops the bag on the counter and then holds up the familiar black peep-toe heels. “These belong to you.”
The shoes I left at his house.
The ones I thought I would never see and didn’t care to see again. He’d be on my mind every time I slipped them on. Where did he keep them? Did Maven see them?
I grab them from him and toss them onto the floor. “Thank you.” I take in all of the cups. “Someone joining us today?” I sound more disappointed than I should about having a third-wheeler on this trip.
He shakes his head. “All I know about your morning drink of choice is coffee is a no-go, so I had to get creative and bring options.”
“By creative, you mean …”
“Asking the woman behind the counter at the doughnut shop.”
I lean against the wall. “And what did she sugg
est?”
“Hot chocolate, decaf green tea, and passion fruit something.” He counts off the list with his fingers. “I have no damn clue what the last option was, but she said health nuts have been going crazy over it. Thought I might as well give it a go.”
His answer is so Dallas.
“Green tea for one then, please.”
He frowns. “Well … fuck.”
“What?”
“I didn’t take you as a green-tea lover, so I chugged it down on the way here.”
“A green-tea lover? I don’t see you as one either, considering you once told me not liking coffee was an abomination.”
“It truly is.” I keep staring at him until his lips crack into a smile. “I’m only fucking with you. Green tea is in the middle cup.” He snags the doughnuts. “We’ll eat on the way. Let’s hit the road.”
“I like the shirt today,” Dallas says.
We’ve been on the road for about an hour and have covered the weather, the latest news, our ideas for where Stella and Hudson should get married, and what the best movie that came out this year was.
Everything but baby talk.
Which I’m totally okay with.
I pull at the bottom of my You Had Me at Tacos tee. Graphic tees are my thing. “I thought I’d give you a hint of what we’re having for lunch.”
“Can we delay that until dinner? There aren’t that many stops on the way, and I doubt any of them serve quality tacos.”
I nod. “I can settle for dinner.”
It’s not like I have anywhere to be. It’s either hang with him or sit, bored, in my apartment. You can only watch so much Netflix before you’re ready to pull your hair out.
“I’ll find you the best damn tacos you’ve ever had for tagging along today.” He grins while peeking over at me. “I woke up this morning, expecting a text from you, bailing.”
I cast a curious glance from my seat. “Disappointed I didn’t?”
“Hell no. I told you I’d enjoy the company.”
I study his driving position. He’s leaned back in the seat, right arm stretched out and steering. It comes across so casual, so laid-back, and I never thought I’d be so turned on by the way a man drove.
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