Page 30 of On Thin Ice

“You deserve only the best. I cannot wait to snuggle that baby soon,” Penny said, her smile bright. She and my brother had been married for just a year, and I knew they wanted kids, but Penny said they were just having fun, and when it happened, it happened. I couldn’t wait to have a niece or nephew to spoil.

I really needed to tell him about Dom.

Dom.

He’d checked in with me a few times today to see how I was feeling. Ugh, this situation was weird. I was enjoying getting to know him through our texts and chats, but I still had no clue what was going to happen once this baby got out here.

“You okay?” my mom asked, putting her arm around me as I stood next to Darcy’s car.

“Yep. Just tired,” I said, smiling.

“Totally normal. I swear, I could fall asleep standing up when I was pregnant. At least your father gave great foot massages. Honestly, that’s all I really wanted from him the night we conceived you.”

I gasped. “Oh my god, Mom. Seriously?”

She winked. “It’s the truth. But it turned out wonderful because I got you, and now you’re having my first grandbaby.” She gave me a squeeze and then grabbed another present my dad handed over for her to put in the car.

It was gross and adorable. I wish I had someone to massage my feet right now.

Then my phone pinged.

It was a picture of a bucket of popcorn with plain M&M’s in it.

Dom: This isn’t half bad. Let me know when you get home so we can do our movie night.

“That’s a pretty big smile on your face,” my mom said, trying to peer at my phone. “Who’s texting you?”

“Um, oh, no one. Wow, I’m really tired,” I said, faking a yawn.

“Car’s full. We can head back to your place now,” Darcy announced, holding my door open.

We said our goodbyes and Ethan promised to not be far behind with the rest of my loot. Then, we were on our way to my apartment.

“Dom texting again?” she asked.

Heat fluttered in my chest. “That obvious?”

“You smile like that when he messages you.”

I sighed. “Am I making a mistake? I mean, spending all this time talking to him and getting to know him? Darc, I like him.”

She glanced over at me—and at my belly. “Pretty sure you liking him wasn’t in question.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Very funny, Darc. Very funny.”

“Stop freaking out. This is going to be good for you and for your daughter. Just go with it. And if he hurts you? Well, we already know that you’d be a kick-ass single mom.”

I shook my head. “Oh, Darcy.”

She shrugged. “What? No one hurts my bestie.”

I laughed. “I love you.”

“Love you, too. So why did he text you this time?”

“We’re doing another movie night tonight.”

“I love this for you, and I know that everything is going to work out. Dom might’ve been a total player and may have not wanted kids, but he’s stepping up when it matters, and that has to count for something.”

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