Page 58 of Interception

Zee has got me distracted today. She’s been plotting something all week, and I’ve been trying to weasel it out of her, but she’s being tight-lipped. This morning, she handed me a piece of paper with coordinates on it—not an address—coordinates. Who does she think I am? I use Google Maps to get me around a city I’ve lived in for years.

I called Hunter to see if Faith knows what her best friend is up to, but he was in the dark too, until today.

“We got a message from your girlfriend this morning telling us to be at some random coordinates this afternoon.”

“Seriously? She gave me an envelope this morning with coordinates. I wonder what she’s up to. Maybe a fancy lunch before we’re parents and never get the time to do anything at a leisurely pace.”

“Why wouldn’t she just want to do that with you? Why include Faith and me?” He chuckles to himself. “I guess that isn’t so strange. Who’d want to actively spend alone time with you? The last time she did that, you knocked her up.”

“You’re a fucktard, you know that, right? I’m a catch. She’s lucky to have me.” My response only garners more laughter.

“The reverse is true, bro. You’re a lucky son of a bitch that she gave you the time of day, and even then, it took you a while.”

“It must be nice to sit up there on your high horse as the conqueror of virginity.”

“That’s a new one, but I’ll take it.”

“So, you really have no idea what we’re doing?”

“Nope.”

“Then how do I know what to wear? Should I wear a suit, or jeans, or somewhere in the middle.”

“I’m hanging up now. You just crossed the line from metrosexual to being the biggest girl on the planet. What should you wear? Shut the fuck up with that crap. Wear clothes, that’s all the direction you need.”

“Great, and here I thought I’d just show up naked. You’re zero help.”

“And yet you think I’m the best guy to raise your babies if you die. How messed up are you?”

“Thanks, fucknuts. I’ll see you at the random coordinates later. I may or may not be naked.”

“Later, bro.”

Hunter’s right, I’ve crossed a line. I’m standing in my closet having tried on four different outfits. Thankfully, Zee isn’t here to witness my demise. Everything I feel for her right now is so heightened. I’m not sure about her being more emotional with pregnancy hormones—I think I’m the one who’s acting like I’ve had an injection of estrogen. She’s so fucking amazing, though. I really lucked out. We’ve got eight days left until our babies are born, and I want to savor every minute. Things are going to get crazy around here for a while, and I’m cognizant of the fact that I need to let Zee know that I’m here, I love her, and we’re a team. Be a supportive partner and all that crap it says in the pregnancy books. She’s doing all the hard work right now, so I’m looking forward to being useful.

When I’ve finally settled on jeans and a semi-dressy shirt, I grab my keys and head off to meet Zee and the others.

I’ve never been to this part of town before, so I park my car within a five-minute walk of the coordinates Zee left me this morning. The air is crisp, and the sun is shining, so I take a moment to drink it all in as I round the corner to my destination. It’s then that I see her and drop my phone, listening to it smash on the sidewalk.

“What the hell is going on?” She’s standing before me with a huge grin on her face. Hunter and Faith are at her side, sporting some crazy smiles that would freak me out under any other circumstance.

“Hey, Coop.” Zee’s voice is raspy, just the way I like it when she has a devious plan.

“H-ey. What’s going on, Zee? I thought we were going for a fancy lunch or something. A last hurrah before the babies come.”

“Well, we can go for a fancy lunch after.”

“After what? Zee, you look… wow. I’m actually speechless right now. And I’m totally underdressed.”

Hunter chuckles, enjoying my bewilderment. “Shut up about your clothes, snowflake. Listen to the woman.”

I can’t take my eyes off her. She looks incredible.

“Cooper Danford, you have put up with all of my bullshit and loved me regardless.”

“Now, who’s being eloquent?”

She takes my hands in hers, and everything around us fades into the background, even my smart-ass best friend. “We’re about to go from a team of two to a family of four. I’ve never been loved by my family, not really. Faith has been my constant since the day we met. Then I turned up on your doorstep, and life has become all kinds of different.”

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