Page 27 of The Bartender's Baby

In the meantime, I studied him—and the wild lock of hair that drooped over his forehead. I’d always thought he was handsome. If you liked that brown-haired, blue-eyed, bearded-jaw thing. But having him sit here in front of me with sunshine streaming in through the window, he was beautiful. Or maybe it was because of all the ways he’d been taking care of me lately.

I couldn’t ignore him or how I’d always thought he was the ideal guy. Funny and caring, reliable yet layered. The problem was he’d always gone from woman to woman, and I’d been nursing a broken heart for a long time. By the time I’d recovered, I’d found Har—He Who Shall Not Be Named.

But at this particular moment, I couldn’t ignore how the tips of my fingers tingled with the need to touch Nate’s trimmed beard, tease him about those few grays coming in, trace my thumb over his lips.

And of course, I couldn’t ignore the soft patting at my belly.

When I scooted back from the table to rub over the spot, Nate’s eyes expanded. “How’s the tadpole doing? Jumping around a lot?”

“I think it’s the juice. Likes citrus.”

“Like Mama.”

The support group I had joined for grieving mothers espoused we were mothers, no matter where our babies lived, but without that weight in our arms, it was a hard concept to accept. How could I be a mother without a child?

But this time…

My nose stung, and I stood up for something to do. That was when Nate threw his arms out. “Whoa! Look at you.” He hopped up from his chair, stopping me from throwing my trash away. Healways waited for permission to touch my stomach, and when I nodded, he gently cradled the bump. “Look at this.”

“Sort of appeared overnight.”

He rubbed here and there, and the thunderstruck look on his face never ceased to amuse me. Gone from thinking babies were gross to pure astonishment. “You’re seventeen weeks, right?”

When I nodded, he muttered something that sounded like “pomegranate.”

“What did you say?”

“Oh, uh…” His face flushed pink. “Reminding myself about an article that listed fruits you should be eating.”

I didn’t believe him. Well, actually, I believed that he read the article because he was an overbearing ogre hidden under aSam Malone, but make it millennialcostume.

I had a hunch something else had made him turn pink. Something the honest-to-a-fault guy didn’t want to admit out loud, and I’d never been more curious.

As he backed away, his gaze journeyed over me, from the messy bun at the nape of my neck to my socked feet and back. “You’re glowing.”

The unexpected compliment warmed me from the inside out. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not,” he insisted, tucking an errant strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers lingered a moment, gently caressing my jawline before dropping away. “You’re beautiful.”

We stared at each other, tension crackling between us. Part of me wanted to lean into him, to let myself be swept up in the moment that had been simmering between us for longer than I cared to acknowledge.

But the wiser part of me knew that was a bad idea. He didn’t do permanent, let alone babies.

Clearing my throat, I brushed past him to throw away my trash and put my cup in the dishwasher, making sure to leaveno crumbs for the evident mouse empire that had taken up residence here.

Nate followed me down the hall to the front door, where I stepped into my boots. “So, what’s up with you and babies?”

His grin was positively delighted. “Youare askingmea personal question. I am honored.”

I ignored him, tying the laces. “Don’t make me regret it.”

“There’s not much of a story. I don’t mind babies. I love my buddies’ kids. They’re all basically my nieces and nephews.” He shrugged, hands in his coat pockets. “Just never wanted any of my own. Don’t think I’d be a good dad.”

I straightened and slipped on my coat, considering him. Then I gave in to a quiet laugh as he plucked his black beanie that had recently become mine from the hook and tugged it on my head, making sure my ears were covered.

I thought he’d be a wonderful dad.

Before I could ask him a follow-up question, he changed the subject. “So, you know what you’re looking for today?”

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