Page 20 of Secret Baby Daddies
“And Harvey?” Jace nodded at Luc. “The plan is just to keep him in the dark until the deal’s done? You think that’s possible?”
I answered before Luc could. “It has to be.”
CHAPTER 18
Harley
“I missed you over the weekend, little buds. Did you miss me? Look at you go!” I had a corner in the flower shop with a bunch of succulents I was growing to make a living wreath and I firmly believed in speaking to them. I was dying for more of them to talk to. “And how was your weekend? Mine wasveryinteresting. I don’t think y’all are old enough to hear the details but I’ve got news. I’m not just growing plants anymore!”
I forced my voice to be cheery even though I didn’t exactly feel it. The plants didn’t need to suck up my sadness. I hummed to them as I opened up the shop for the day. I had a few bouquets to make before allowing in customers but they were simple ones for the display case so they didn’t take long. I talked to the flowers, too.
“Let’s talk about money. I need it for school. I need it for my apartment. I also need it for food and gas. Not that I need gas until I somehow get back to Club Devil and collect Belinda. Oh, and then there’s the elephant in the room.” I looked down at my already soft belly and bit my lip. “The Baby.”
He or she had officially become The Baby in my head. I’d considered Babygate but that seemed like something a good parent wouldn’t do. With every extra hour of sleep I got, I felt more and more comfortable with the idea of The Baby growing inside me. Once upon a time, I’d wanted a big family. No matter what, though, I wanted The Baby to come into the world with a place to lay their head.
“And we come back to money.” I finished the last arrangement and wiped my hands on my apron before unlocking the front door. “That’s enough talking to plants for the moment. I’m going to be the piss poor pregnant lady; I can’t be the piss poor, crazy pregnant lady. I havesomestandards.”
The door opened and I looked up to find Hunter grinning at me.
“Guess what!”
“What? And why are you here so early? I haven’t made Micah’s arrangement yet.” I motioned for her to follow me into the back and pointed to different flower options, letting her choose since she was here before I made it for a change.
“Um, the yellow roses.”
I scowled at her. “Are you trying to tell her you’re just friends? No.”
“Okay. Then I choose those ones.”
I gasped. “Hunter! Those are carnations! I don’t even know why they’re here. Did you know that there’s an origin legend about them? They say a woman gave her great love a carnation before he left for war and later, the flower was brought back to her, splashed with his blood. You want to give your girlfriend something like that?”
“Jesus, Harley. No, I didn’t know that.” She pointed at another one. “Does that one mean death and destruction?”
“Are you doing this on purpose? That’s a cyclamen. Some cultures think it means resignation and goodbyes.” I moved around her and grabbed my own choice. “You don’t get to pick anymore.”
“God, you’re already a cranky pregnant woman.” She laughed when I glared at her. “Kidding. You’re going to forget all about this when I give you what I came here early to give you.”
I loved gifts. It was a trait I’d never grown out of, despite the way it made me think of my dad and growing up with a man who gave gifts instead of attention and love. “What is it?”
Before she could tell me I heard the front door open and I bit back a groan. I told her to give me a minute and walked into the shop to find myself in an alternate reality. There was a man standing there with a huge bouquet of flowers.
He looked around and then grinned. “Never brought flowers to a flower shop before.”
“Yeah, I can’t say I’ve experienced it before, either. Are you sure you’re in the right place?”
“Are you Harley Beau?” When I nodded he grinned again. “I’m in the right place. Here you go.”
I had to put the heavy vase down on the counter and by the time I’d righted myself the man was gone. I looked back at the huge arrangement of Lily of the Valley flowers and just sort of gawked at it.
“Did you just get sent flowers?” Hunter came around to look at it with me. “It’s stunning. I bet I know who sent it.”
I couldn’t look away from the flowers. “Who?”
“I got a few messages over the weekend from three certain men. They’re looking for you. And since I would never give out your home address, I did give them your work address.” She smiled until she saw my eyes narrow. “Shit. Should I not have?”
I waved her off. “It’s not you. They hunted me down and then decided to send meflowers?”
“Um, Harley, you love flowers.”
