Page 98 of By the Letter

Me:I do? Then what is it?

Roman:The thing that balances me is starting my day doing something for you. That’s what I’m missing.

Me:I don’t know what to say except that’s sweet.

Roman:Say you miss me.

Me:I miss you a lot ♥?

This time, I was awake and dressed when Adrian arrived. He started when he spotted me at the counter in the kitchen. Despite feeling like I looked like a lunatic, I beamed as brightly as I could at him.

“Good morning,” I singsonged as he dropped a bakery bag on my island. “I made coffee if you’d like some. I have tea as well if that’s more your thing.”

He scratched the side of his head and turned toward the utility room. “I’m going to go take care of the litter.”

I stayed where I was, waiting for him to return. He had to walk by me to leave the house, and I’d be damned if he didn’t at least speak to me for a minute or two. Surely Roman had told him to be nice to me. I couldn’t imagine he’d appreciate Adrian blatantly ignoring me.

But that was what he did. He swung through the kitchen, Mary yowling at his heels, and washed his hands. When he finished, he turned around, glancing over me as he dried his hands.

“Do you need anything else?” he asked.

I took a page from his book and ignored his question by countering with one of my own. “Would you like coffee or tea? I’d love company for breakfast.”

His gaze flitted to the coffee maker beside me then the bakery bag before he exhaled heavily, shaking his head. “Can’t. Havesomewhere to be. I’ll be back in the morning unless you need something before then. Goodbye.”

He walked out, and much like the day before, I was utterly confounded. How was I going to kill him with kindness if he didn’t stick around long enough for me to even get one shot off?

To be honest, his brusque dismissal was hurting my feelings. I knew I didn’t deserve it, but obviously Adrian thought so, and I couldn’t brush that off as easily as I wished.

Mary wound around my ankles, meowing a story to me, probably about how much more she liked Roman than his gruff brother.

“What can I do to make Adrian Wells like me, Mary?” With great effort, I bent down and picked her up. My bump had become her perch lately. She nestled in, her head butting my chest. “Don’t say ‘nothing.’ He’s Roman’s brother, so I know he can’t be all bad. I’ve just got to figure out how to get under his shell.”

“Reowwww,” Mary replied.

“I know, sweet girl.” I scratched the top of her head and sighed. “We’ll try again tomorrow.”

Roman:We’re getting somewhere in our negotiations.

Me:Somewhere good, I hope.

Roman:Somewhere good. Unfortunately, that means I’ll most likely be here through the week so long as you’re doing well. Are you?

Me:I’m doing great, Rome. Bea and Clara took me for ice cream tonight. Beanie kicked for ten minutes straight after that. He either loved it or the cold pissed him off.

Roman:Dammit, Shira. That doesn’t make being away from you two any easier.

Me:I’m sorry. I thought it was cute and you’d like to know.

Roman:It’s cute as hell, which is what makes it so damn hard to miss. I appreciate you telling me, though. Don’t hold back.

Me:I won’t.

Roman:Good. And since he’s my boy, he loved the ice cream. He was dancing to show you how much.

Adrian tried to repeat what he’d done the last two days, but I’d had enough. My trembling arms crossed above my belly as I stepped in front of him as he tried to make another swift exit.

“I don’t understand, Adrian.” There was no disguising the quiver in my voice. Confronting men was not in my wheelhouse. In fact, it went against every survival instinct that had been instilled in me at a very young age. But I was going to be a mother soon, and that made me brave. “Why are you being this way?”

---