Page 99 of Sweet Escape
Sarah jumps up from her chair and starts pacing the floor. “Are we sexting? I have no idea what to do with this. Holy shit.”
“Breathe, babe. Just bring him back down to earth. Tell him he’ll have to wait for dessert unless he wants to give you an appetizer to hold you over.”
“Damn, girl. You’re good at this,” Nia says. “No wonder the hot cowboy knocked you up.”
It’s my turn to blush now. The reminder of my first encounter with Wilder and the subsequent ones that followed sends an unwanted rush of heat through my body.
“Oh shit. You’ve got it bad for your baby daddy,” Sarah says, deflecting from her predicament.
“You’re one to talk,” I say.
Nia sighs dramatically. “Fuck both of you. If I could have just a sliver of what you two have, I’d be on cloud nine right now.”
Sarah wraps her arms around Nia from behind, pulling her in for a hug. “You will. Someday someone’s going to see you for who you really are, and you’ll forget all about the piece of shit who didn’t value what he had.”
When I left for Denver, Nia and Mateo were blissfully in love and planning a future together. I don’t know what happened between them, but it’s clear she’s been deeply hurt. Nia's eyes turn glassy as she returns Sarah’s hug, and I’m struck by the need to tell them why I’m back in town, the pregnancy notwithstanding.
“Jake cheated on me with Amber,” I say. “I walked in on them fucking on my birthday.”
“That fucking slimeball! I have half a mind to fly to Denver and kick him in the balls.” Sarah’s nostrils flare as she plops down in the seat beside me once more, her arms crossed over her chest. “Amber, too. Whatever happened to the best friend code?”
“I’m over it. Honestly, it was probably the best thing that could’ve happened. I met Wilder that same day and then—” I rub my hand over my bump, letting the insinuation hang in the air.
“Rebound baby. Nice.” Sarah smirks. “You’re stronger than I am. I would’ve entered my villain era with a swiftness yet unseen.”
“I could’ve, but then they would’ve won. They already took the best years of my life and turned them to ash. I don’t owe them my future happiness, too.”
Nia squeezes my ankle, switching to the other foot. “I’m happy for you, Liv. Most people don’t get that lucky.” She sweeps her braid over the opposite shoulder and dips the nail polish back into the bottle.“Mateo already has his rebound baby. Didn’t even wait for the ink to dry on the divorce. Eight years out the window.”
“He didn’t deserve you,” Sarah says. “It might not feel like it now, but someone is out there waiting for you.”
Nia’s expression sobers, and she finishes the top coat before sliding my flip-flops back on my feet. “All set. Want me to take a picture so you can see them?” She teases.
“Very funny. I’m good. Besides, I don’t do feet pics for free.”
“Good point. Words to live by.”
“Thanks for this. It was nice to have some girl time.” I follow them over to the counter, rifling through my purse for cash.
“Nope. This one’s on me. Consider it a baby gift,” Nia says, “but you can feel free to bring me some of your famous cupcakes anytime.”
Not a moment too soon, the door to the salon opens, and I turn to find Wilder standing in the doorway with a familiar bag in hand.
“No way,” I say. “Is that what I think it is?”
“If you mean Death by Chocolate Frozen Custard from Roscoe’s, then yes.”
“You drove all the way to Willow Valley for me?” I only mentioned my favorite ice cream shop once in passing, and he rushed out less than twenty-four hours later, bringing back two pints of my favorite flavor.
He stalks over to me in three strides, palming my belly. “There’s not much I wouldn’t do for you, Cupcake.”
“Ok. I need a hot cowboy. Where do I sign up?” Nia cuts through the thick tension that’s settled over us.
Wilder chuckles.
“This one’s mine, but he does have a couple of brothers.” I don’t know what possesses me to call Wilder mine, but the look in his eyes when the words tumble out tells me he’s not opposed to the idea.
He wraps an arm around my shoulder in response, pulling me into his side. “Griffin’s down bad for the unavailable vet, and Jaxon is too busy with his nose in the books to care about dating,” he says. “But we have a few single ranch hands who might be interested.”
