Page 106 of Roar & Lizzy: A Forever Kind of Love

Chapter 39

Bang!

Lizzy held the knife against the potato. "Did you hear that?"

Coco poured a can of corn into the dish. "It sounded like a car backfiring."

"Probably." She diced the last spud and tossed it into the mixture.

She'd only made the casserole once before. Both she and Coco enjoyed the recipe, but the amount was too much for both of them. With Roar living with her, no food went to waste.

She sprinkled grated cheese on top. "So, I'm going on birth control."

"Boom." Coco laughed. "That was a hell of a curveball in the conversation."

"I know. Sorry, didn't mean to throw that bit of info to you." She rinsed her hands off and put the dish in the oven, setting the timer. "Actually, I have questions. I've never been on them."

"Never?"

"Nope." She leaned against the counter. "I thought of going on them when I was in college. Right before my mom died, and afterward, relationships weren't a priority, so I never did."

Coco crossed her arms. "Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Will they mess with my body? At my age?"

"They work for me, and I'm almost two years older than you, but I know some women can't take them because of the side effects. The only way is to try and see if you can handle them," said Coco.

"I figured that would be the answer. I guess I'll make the appointment and do it." She rubbed her forehead. "Probably on Monday, if I can."

Coco tilted her head. "Do you ever think about having kids?"

"Sure." She shrugged. "I'm thirty-one years old. I always thought it would be nice to have at least two. Being an only child sucked the older I got. I would love to have a brother or sister now. It's lonely with no family."

"And that's all I dreamed about growing up with two stepbrothers and a stepsister." Coco laughed and then grew serious. "I hear you though. I'd like kids. Soon, before I'm too old."

"Women are having children later nowadays. I heard that on the news. Late thirties and even early forties is normal." She walked a few feet. "I'm throwing laundry in the washer. Will you need to do a load of clothes?"

"No, I'm all done."

Lizzy walked into the laundry room and started a load of her clothes. She smiled down at the pile of T-shirts, jeans, boxers, and socks on the floor. After the washer finished, she'd do Roar's clothes next. If it were left up to him, he'd start picking his clothes off the floor to wear.

The washer filled behind her. She scooped Roar's things up and put them in the empty basket.

"Lizzy," shouted Coco, running into the room. "Someone's pounding on the door like they're trying to break it down."

She hurried out of the laundry room. "Who is it?"

"I don't know, I ran to you and didn't look." Coco stayed by her side.

She went and squinted through the peephole, and the door shook with pounding from the other side. Bracing her hands on the wood, she tried to see through the hole again and exhaled in relief. "It's Peer."

"Shit, over dramatic much?" Coco turned the lock.

Lizzy opened the door. "What's the—?"

Peer pushed his way into the house and looked down. "Get your shoes on."

"Why?" Lizzy's heart raced, catching the sternness directed at her. Peer had always been nothing but kind and patient with her.

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