So, I did. I spoke about nearly losing the baby, the fear, and how I was still afraid to do anything. Sierra listened, and we spoke. And by the end of the day, when Austin came up and took her home, I hugged my cousin hard, Sierra and Leif, as well, the knowledge in my nephew’s eyes breaking a part of me but in the sweetest way possible. Because Leif must have been old enough to understand what had happened with his parents, and he had come today. Maybe not for college, but to visit. To hold me close.
And I knew I was damn lucky when it came to my family.
The doorbell rang soon after they left, and I opened it to see Lee. He had two bags of food in his hands and a worried look on his face. “I saw Austin and them leave. Are you okay?”
My tears had long since dried, the rest of my afternoon with Sierra and the others full of joy, and I just wrapped my arms around Lee tightly. “I’m okay.”
He set the food down on the table next to me, closed the door, and held me tight. Then he lowered his head and kissed me softly. So softly. “Are you okay?”
I wasn’t even sure he knew he had kissed me and what it might mean. Or the fact that we were so good about not talking about it.
“I am. I’m glad you’re here. That...that you’re my friend, Lee.”
He gave me a shuttered smile, and I didn’t know what it meant, but he held me close, and I held him right back.
Because we were friends. Nothing more, nothing less. But maybe exactly what we needed.
ChapterNine
Lee
Another month, another paper. The bane of my existence seemed to be myonlyexistence these days. Months had passed since I’d finished the last one and yet, here I was, doing it again.
I rubbed my temples, staring at the words in front of me, wishing they would make some sense. It wasn’t that I was necessarily bad at this. I just wished some things were slightly more manageable.
Andrea stood in the doorway, a stack of notebooks in her hand. “Are these what you asked for, boss?” she asked, and I rolled my eyes.
“Really? You’re going to call me boss now?”
Andrea just shook her head and walked inside, setting the notebooks by the other stack already there. “I was trying it out. You’re right. You’re still just Lee to me. Sorry.”
I grinned and leaned back into my chair. “Thank you for getting these. And for not calling meboss. Because I’m not your boss.”
“True. Are you going to be staying here all night?” She glanced at my desk and at the stacks of papers, notebooks, books, and pamphlets around me.
I shook my head. “No, I need to go and help Paige with the crib once I get out of here. And probably pick up dinner because she’ll want second dinner by the time I get there.”
Andrea snorted. “I remember when I was pregnant with my kids, the first one I wasn’t hungry until the third trimester unless it was for the cliches of pickles and peanut butter—just not together. And it was always at random times, like at two in the morning. And my husband would go out and get me anything that I wanted. He’s pretty amazing.”
I snorted. “I would have said he was amazing anyway, considering he could break me with his pinkie.”
“He doesn’t wrestle, or body build anymore, but he is still pretty fit,” Andrea said with a wink, and I rolled my eyes. “Anyway, with our second, I was hungry all the time for anything and everything. Thankfully, I still ate decently healthy and tried to work within my portions so my doctor didn’t rant at me, but all I wanted was food.”
“I think Paige is in that area right now, considering she’s due in a couple of weeks.”
Andrea nodded. “Just don’t tell her she’s eating a lot, or she will hurt you, and you will probably deserve it.”
“Like I would say that. What do you take me for? I’m the person who’s bringing her food so she doesn’t always have to cook.”
“You’re a good man, Lee. Especially to your…friend.” She paused before she said the wordfriend, and I barely held back the urge to roll my eyes.
“Wearejust friends.” Friends who had slept together. Ones who constantly gave each other looks and kissed each other gently, sometimes just to say hello, but just friends. Anything more would be a mistake; we both knew that. The baby was changing everything: how Paige felt, how we each thought about our futures. Paige’s focus needed to be on the upcoming birth and being a single parent. I didn’t need to be a part of that, messing things up with my needs and desires.
Andrea clapped her hands together, bringing me out of my wayward thoughts. “Anyway, it’s good that you’re taking care of her.”
I looked up as Andrea cleared her throat, her cheeks turning red. “Paige is pretty good about taking care of herself,” I said drily.
“She doesn’t have to do it alone.” Andrea scowled. “I know I don’t know the Montgomerys as well as you do. Just met them a few times in passing since you can’t throw a rock without hitting one these days,” she added with a laugh, and I snorted. “However, I’m still pissed off about what Colton did to her.”