Page 127 of Mile High Daddy

“I thought Alex was coming,” I say, buckling my seat belt.

Maggie checks her watch, wrinkling her nose. “He got caught up in something. So lucky you, you get to suffer through my driving.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Great. Can’t wait.”

She grins, throwing the car into gear.

As we pull onto the road, I feel a small twinge of guilt for brushing off my mother so quickly. But I push it aside.

It’s probably nothing.

And besides, work is waiting.

The shift passes quicker than I expect, and by the time I step out of the coffee shop, stretching my arms from the long hours, I half expect to see Mikhail’s car parked across the street like it usually is.

But it’s not.

Instead, Maggie’s leaning against her car, scrolling through her phone.

She looks up when she sees me and waves. “Come on, I’m your ride today.”

I frown slightly as I make my way over. “Where’s Mikhail?”

Maggie shrugs, opening the driver’s side door. “No idea. I offered, so here I am.”

That’s…weird.

Mikhail always picks me up. Even when I don’t ask him to. Even when I pretend I don’t want him to. But I shake the thought off and slide into the passenger seat. Maybe he’s busy. Maybe he finally got the hint that I can get home on my own.

Maggie starts the car, and as we pull onto the road, I notice she keeps glancing down at her phone, checking the screen every few seconds.

I raise a brow. “What’s that about?”

She flashes me a quick smile, but there’s something a little off about it. “Nothing. Just waiting on something.”

“Uh-huh,” I say, giving her a look. “And what exactly are you waiting on?”

She hesitates just a little too long before answering. “Well…we actually need to take a little detour.”

That gets my attention. “A detour?”

“Yeah, I have to pick something up,” she says, keeping her tone light, casual. “It won’t take long, promise.”

I narrow my eyes slightly. “Fine,” I say, leaning back in my seat. “But if this is some elaborate plan to make me try sushi again, I’m saying no in advance.”

She laughs, rolling her eyes. “I’d never trick a pregnant woman.”

“Uh-huh. We’ll see about that.”

I settle into my seat, the city lights passing by as we drive.

It’s probably nothing.

And even if it’s something, I’m too tired to care.

Maggie’s phone lights up again, and she barely glances at it before letting out an exasperated groan. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she mutters, tapping furiously on the screen. “We’re already here!”

I sit up, my suspicion growing. “Where?”

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