Page 42 of Trash the Dress

Her gaze immediately settles on me, and it feels like a punch to my gut. She appears pale and upset. Without hesitation, I slide the glass to the waiting customer and abandon the bar. I walk as quickly as I can to my girl without running.

“What’s wrong, sunshine? Are you okay? The baby?” I rush out nearly holding my breath.

She places her hand protectively on her baby bump and says, “Yes, we’re fine. I just wanted to see you. My last client ran late, and I came straight here.”

I pull her into my arms, not giving a damn who is watching. “Are you hungry? Dad still has the grill on in the kitchen.”

“Yeah, the baby is hungry,” she says smiling up at me as we walk toward the kitchen.

“Only the baby, huh?” I ask and then chuckle. When we reach the kitchen door behind the bar, Gabby is there, and I tell her to watch the bar for a few minutes. She looks at me like I’ve grown a second head but agrees.

Scarlett and I are so new, and then with the baby coming too, we haven’t made it official to anyone that we’re dating yet. And not many people know about the baby. I just told Brittney the other day and she squealed and demanded to meet Scarlett while Hawk shushed her in the background because their baby, Luna, was sleeping.

Maybe it’s time everyone knew about us. It’s not like Scarlett’s baby bump doesn’t give that part of our lives away. I suppose I’ve kept quiet because I want to protect what’s mine, and it somehow feels as if letting the world in on our love puts it at risk.

“Danny, how are you?” Scarlett asks as we enter the kitchen.

Dad turns and a grin splits his cheeks. “There’s my Zander wrangler. How are you feeling?”

“Okay, a bit tired and a lot hungry,” she says and then giggles as Dad comes over and gives her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“I’ve got you covered. Whatever you want, I’ll make,” he says just as Gabby comes through the door.

She glances at Scarlett, then at her rounded belly, then back at me. “There’s someone asking for you at the bar,” she says flatly.

“I’ll take care of our little mama. You go ahead,” Dad says.

I glance at Scarlett. “You okay?”

“Sure,” she says with a kind smile on her lips.

I start to turn and follow Gabby back out to the bar, but I stop and stride over to Scarlett and kiss her before walking away. When I turn back to the doors, Gabby stands there with her jaw clenched waiting for me.

I stop in front of her so I can clear this hostile air once and for all. Gabby is a nice girl, but jealousy over something she has no right to be jealous about isn’t a good look for her. I’m sure once it settles in that Scarlett is my girlfriend, she’ll back off and go back to normal.

“I don’t think I’ve introduced you to my girlfriend. Her name is Scarlett, and yes, we’re having a baby,” I blurt out.

Her eyes widen, but she recovers quickly. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you,” she says and then heads back into the bar area.

I shake my head and glance over my shoulder to find Scarlett watching me with a raised brow as if wondering what just happened. I’ll explain later and hope she understands it was nothing to be worried about.

When I walk back into the bar, Gabby points in the direction of a woman near the wall to the left perched on a barstool with her back to me. A sick feeling settles in my gut as I realize who she is.

I walk over to where she sits. “Vivian.”

She turns and her brown gaze lands on me. She smiles, but I don’t.

“Hey, Zander. It’s been a long time,” she says.

“Not long enough,” I say, and start to turn away. I have nothing to say to her. Not now, not ever.

She grabs my arm, and I jerk it back. She pulls her hand back and stares at me. “We should talk,” she says this time.

“We have nothing to say. You said it all the day you chose to leave me for my best friend right before what was supposed to be our wedding,” I say through gritted teeth.

Her eyes shimmer. “Please, Zander. It’s important.”

“You should leave.”

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