Page 52 of By the Letter

“Good morning,” Kit chirped.

“Good morning!” I replied.

This was my second week working with Kit. Last week, she’d taken me through everything she was doing at Building Dignityand showed me the systems she had put in place. We’d divided up tasks and brainstormed ideas for the future. Before she’d asked me to work with her, I couldn’t have said what my dream job would be. But this was it. There couldn’t possibly be anything better than providing safe, quality housing to families in need.

Kit hooked her arm around mine as we strode through the lobby. Elliot stayed on her other side, hovering but giving us the chance to chat. Our offices were on the same floor as his, so he and Kit saw each other throughout the day—and he found every opportunity to stop in and check on her.

“Were the new stools delivered yesterday?” she asked.

“Yes. They fit perfectly at the island. Thanks for the suggestion.”

“I hope you’re planning on inviting me over so I can see all the decorating you’re doing in person.”

“This weekend?” I asked.

She turned to Elliot. “Am I free this weekend?”

“We have brunch Sunday, but no plans otherwise,” he replied. “I’ll be on Joey and Theo duty if you want to go out.”

She kissed his bicep then grinned at me. “I’ll be there for some adult time. We should probably do some shopping.”

I nodded. Kit’s taste was much more colorful than mine. I needed that kind of influence or risked ending up with a beige house. “It’s a plan.”

Moving had been the best decision. I’d been in my new house for almost three weeks, and with each passing day, it felt more right. I slept better than I had in years, at peace in my cozy bedroom, knowing my best friend was right next door. Mary was happy too. The house had tall windows, allowing long slashes of sunlight to spill through. She’d found new favorite spots to bathe in the warmth, and when I came home, she always pranced around merrily, talking up a storm.

We stepped into the elevator together, and a voice called for us to hold it as the doors started to slide shut. Elliot’s arm shot out, and the doors opened, revealing a slightly rumpled Roman.

Our eyes latched immediately.

We hadn’t seen each other since that night we shared a pizza. He’d been by every morning, just like he promised, but if I was awake, I stayed in my room. We still passed little notes back and forth, but I needed physical space from him before the warm feelings I’d begun to have possibly bloomed into something more. That, I couldn’t have. The last thing our co-parenting relationship needed was an unrequited crush. Keeping our meetings to doctor appointments and the in-between remaining friendly but distant was simpler.

“Are you getting on?” Elliot intoned.

Roman jerked as if he’d been in a daze, then moved into the elevator beside me. “Thanks for waiting for me. It’s been a rough morning.”

He turned to sweep his gaze over me again, stopping on my abdomen. In the three weeks since we’d been in each other's presence, my belly had gotten rounder, and my jersey dress molded over it.

“Did Mary give you trouble?” I asked.

He blew out a heavy breath. “She pounced on my feet as soon as I took my shoes off and made me spill half of your smoothie all over my shirt.”

I scrunched my nose. Mary had never attacked my toes. That didn’t sound like her. But half of my smoothiehadbeen missing. “I thought you drank some of it.”

“Who’s Mary, and why is she attacking you?” Elliot asked.

“Shira’s cat.” Roman’s eyes remained on me as he answered. “She hates me.”

Elliot sniffed. “Shira or the cat?”

Roman’s brow winged. “The cat. Though, the woman is questionable.”

“I don’t hate you. And I don’t think I have to remind you that you volunteered for Mary duty.”

“No, you don’t have to remind me.” His mouth hitched in a crooked grin.

“He brings you smoothies?” Kit asked.

I turned away from Roman, but I was all too aware of him studying me. From the side, my belly was even more pronounced.

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