Page 4 of Be My Baby

Nothing besides a yearning that was etched so deep it hurt to acknowledge it.

“I’m not. She’s a friend, you know that.”

Simon pushed up off the bar and lifted a hand to Gabe, who’d motioned him to come help serve.

“And? What’s so wrong with taking it from friends to the next level? You’re not getting any younger, dude. It’s okay to want to not be alone anymore.” His voice lowered and his face softened. “It’s not betraying Luce’s memory to be with someone else. It’s been nearly six years. You’re allowed to move on. You’re allowed to be happy.”

“Lucy has nothing to do with it.” Max almost grimaced at the outright lie, straightened and placed the rack of glasses down carefully. “And who’s saying Mil wouldn’t laugh at the thought?”

“Something tells me she wouldn’t. It doesn’t have to be the romance of the century. Just take her out and see what happens. No harm, no foul. Just give it a go.”

Max glanced up to see someone waiting at his end of the bar. He stepped forward to help them, a wide smile splitting his mouth.

Just give it a go.

He took the order from the stranger and glanced in Millie’s direction again while he poured the beer.

He could just imagine his family’s reaction if he were to agree to Millie’s crazy idea. Justgiving it a gowould take on a whole new meaning.

*

Millie took theglass of ginger ale that Simon handed her and spun, avoiding Max altogether. She didn’t even want to look at him. If she did, she’d be likely to embarrass herself and do something stupid, like blush. Or stammer. Or even worse, become mute and not be able to say anything at all and look a complete fool. As it was, she shook like a leaf and worried that each step in her stupidly high heels would turn her ankle and send her crashing to the floor at his feet.

She glanced at the Jameson booth as she walked back toward her friends and tried to keep her head high as she passed them all. Nerves skittered and bounced through her as she passed them.

She shook her head at herself. How stupid to behave like this.

She’d known these people all her life. What reason did she have to be nervous simply walking past their table? It was ridiculous.

But it didn’t stop the rampant butterflies from trying their best to smother her. What would they think of her request to Max? What would theysay?

Her hands actually shook. She didn’t dare show it, didn’t dare clench her free hand in acknowledgement of her nervousness.

Darby laughed and Millie looked over without thinking. The curve of Darby’s belly was obvious, even sitting behind the table as she was. She was not far from her due date. Ryan leaned in with his arm around her shoulder and pressed his face to her neck, seeming to breathe her in, a contented smile washing over his face as he squeezed his wife tight.

Wife.

Millie had to look away. Sadness flooded her and she bit her lip. Not over Ryan being with Darby. She’d gotten over him years ago and she truly was happy for him now that he’d finally settled down. Not even over Gabe and Emma, because she’d never actually loved the man, despite having pursued him.

If she was completely honest with herself, it was none of those things.

She was lonely. Completely, utterly, lonely.

She ached for that connection to someone, a life partner. It didn’t have to mean marriage, but she wanted someone who actually cared if she came home at night. Someone to be there to talk to at the end of each day, someone who thought her opinions mattered.

Lucy had been that support, the person she’d confided in, who knew her inside out.

Being an only child was an utter bastard at times. Seeing the Jameson family, as close as they all were with their partners and soon-to-be children? It was hard. And the fact that she’d always wanted children—plural—burrowed a little deeper every day.

She loved her parents, but they’d divorced when she was in her twenties and her mother had moved away to Bialga, remarrying and focusing on her new grandchildren. Millie rarely saw her, despite Bialga being under an hour away.

Her father was still technically here in the Crossing, but she didn’t see him all that often due to his job as a district supervisor for a large supermarket chain. He was only in the area for a few days each month.

She averted her eyes and made it back to her chair without making a fool of herself, a heaviness of spirit weighing her down that simply wouldn’t leave her alone.

She bit her lip as she slid into her seat beside her friend Mandy, who glanced at her and kept talking to the others over the noise of the music. Millie looked at the O’Brien brothers as they belted out one of the crowd favourites.

Had she done the wrong thing asking Max?

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