Page 69 of Taming You

“You’re just saying we. Sounds like you’re factoring Zoey into this all.”

“I am. I should have asked her out earlier. I’m all in with Zoey.”

“After a single date?” Josh asks.

“Yes. After a single date. It’s not like I haven’t spent hours and hours with her before. Zoey’s made me want to stop the endless cycle of women. Her and Jayden have me seriously looking at settling down. I’m not saying I’m going to get down on one knee and propose to her tomorrow. I’m not insane. But I am saying that if I’m taking this seriously, that means factoring her into my future plans. Thinking about what she wants and needs.”

The guys nod, and we make our way downstairs. I grab one of the realtors’ cards as we head to the cars and off to the next open house. I don’t love any of the next houses the way I did the first one. Something about it felt right.

After the open houses, I contact a realtor and we put in an initial offer on the place.

CHAPTER 27

Zoey

Ispend so much of my week helping Maggie with getting ready for the gala that I don’t see Matt except for our usual Monday and Wednesday mornings. On Friday night, Liv texts and asks me to come over Saturday morning. She’ll have breakfast and wants to talk. I tell her I’ll be there but spend all night anxious about what she wants to talk about. Liv should know better than to text me that far in advance with anI want to talk.

I don’t sleep well at all. I’m constantly tossing and turning and even waking up with anxiety. When I finally say fuck it and get out of bed, I throw on some sweats and a comfy shirt and hoodie before grabbing my keys and purse and leaving. If Liv’s going to give me anxiety, I’m showing up to her house butt-fuck early to get some answers.

When I pull up to the buzzer pad outside their place, it’s 6:30 a.m. Liv doesn’t answer the first time, so I buzz a second time and she finally answers.

“Yeah?” her groggy voice comes through the speakers.

“Let me in.”

“Zo?”

“Yeah, now let me in.”

A sound comes through, and the gate opens. I park quickly and dart to catch an elevator. When I get to their door, Liv is pulling it open before I have a chance to knock.

“What’s going on?” she asks, rubbing her eyes.

“Ummm, you texted me last night you wanted to talk this morning.”

She stops rubbing her eyes, and they widen. “Oh, fuck.” She fully takes me in and wraps her arms around herself. “I’m so sorry, Zo. It was late, and I wasn’t thinking. Everything’s all good. We’re all good.”

Some of the tension leaves me, but it won’t all leave until I know what’s going on.

“Have you eaten anything or had any coffee?” she asks, and I shake my head.

She turns on her feet, and I follow her to the kitchen, where she turns the coffee pot on and starts grabbing ingredients out of the fridge. When the coffee’s done, she pours me a cup and adds a healthy dose of flavoured creamer before handing it to me.

“So, really it’s both Josh and I who wanted to talk to you. He’s still in bed. Cate wasn’t feeling well last night, and he stayed up with her.”

I nod and watch as she makes her way around the kitchen, making us breakfast. I hear Cate through the baby monitor and collect her from her crib and bring her with me back into the kitchen.

When Liv spots us, she smiles. “Does your Aunty Zo got you?” she says to Cate, and I adjust her on my hip.

“I do. This little girl looks a little snotty.” I grab a tissue and give her nose a wipe.

“Yeah, I think she’s getting some kinda cold. Josh was standing in the bathroom with the shower on high heat at one point last night. I don’t know how he troopered through the whole night, but he did.”

Cate’s quiet as we sit and watch Liv cook, but she holds on to me pretty tight. When Liv finishes, she plates everything and heads to wake up Josh. He offers me a smile and a good morning when he sees me, but beelines over to take his daughter from me.

“How is my baby girl feeling this morning? Are we feeling better?”

That girl lights up when she’s in her daddy’s arms. She’s still snotty and I can tell she doesn’t have her usual energy, but she’s happy to be in her daddy’s arms. I hand him the tissue from earlier, and he gives her nose a wipe. We eat our breakfast before Josh finally turns to me and starts.

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