Page 42 of About Time You Noticed

Emily nodded her approval.

Ethan reached for a slice, and Emily smacked his hand. "This pizza is for those with child."

"But I have sympathy pains." He circled his belly. "And mine's bigger than yours."

She rolled her eyes. "You wanted the meat lovers."

"I do. But you can't eat a whole pizza by yourself, babe." He gave her a cheeky grin and took a slice, lowering it down like a crane into his mouth.

Emily smirked and pursed her lips. "You watch me eat the rest. I'm starved. The first trimester is over, and I'm making up for lost weight."

Sarah sensed someone watching her. Out of her peripheral vision, Tommy's smile widened. He studied her as if interested in her reaction to the newlyweds’ banter.

"You guys are like an old married couple." Sarah slid the second box out from the pile and peeked inside. Vegetarian. She looked at Tommy and mouthed, thank you. Why didn’t she say it out loud? It might look like they had a little secret between them.

He hadn't told Ethan, had he? The guys were big gossips, worse than Mrs. Baxter. Ethan and Jake shared everything, but Tommy gravitated toward her. Adorable.

No more nice thoughts about Tommy. She would wring his neck for allowing her to kiss him like that. Heat rose to her cheeks at the memory of Edward’s devastation. The poor guy wouldn't answer her calls or give her a chance to explain. What would she say anyway? Nothing believable. How could a woman kiss the wrong guy?

She removed two pieces of vegetarian pizza and put them on her plate. The rest of the slices had disappeared from the boxes within sixty seconds. Ethan had a ridiculous pile. He would outgrow Emily's belly for sure.

"Where's Damien?" Ethan said around a mouthful of food.

Tommy nodded to another picnic table across the park. "Bethanie's family's here. He doesn't come to Idaho Springs."

"That's sad." Sarah used a paper napkin to wipe her mouth.

"He stays in Georgetown. His company offered him a permanent position, but Damien hasn't accepted. Not sure if he's ready to leave Denver for good."

"What's the draw to staying in Denver?" Ethan asked.

"Not much. His family lives in Clear Creek. I hope he stays. It's been great having him around." Tommy cracked open a can of soda.

"It has." Ethan nodded. "I see Jake and Kaitlyn didn't come to the potluck. Did she have morning sickness again?"

"Yep." Emily sighed. "I'm glad I'm over that part."

"Me too." He held a deadpan expression, but the rest of the table burst into laughter. Ethan took the sympathy pains to another level.

Tommy reached across and brushed Sarah's pinkie finger and whispered, "Can we talk after...?" He motioned toward the food between them.

She nodded, darting a glance at the others. They hadn't noticed. Thank goodness.

***

AFTER TOMMY HELPED throw the empty pizza boxes in the trash and cleared the table, he gestured for Sarah to follow him. Sarah looked left and right before leaving the picnic shelter. Was she worried about someone seeing them alone together? When they rounded a cluster of trees, he pulled her behind a large oak. "Finally." He smiled.

She gave a shy smile. Light flittering through the leaves highlighted her face. Why had it taken him so long to notice how beautiful she was? A sprinkle of delicate freckles graced her nose, and lighter ones trailed near her collarbone. He breathed in deeply. He'd like to play connect-the-dots and kiss her neck again.

"Tommy," she hissed. "Stop looking at me like I'm a meat lover’s pizza."

He blinked. "Ugh. Sorry." Sarah wasn’t meat lovers. More like supreme. Probably too early in their relationship to voice those random thoughts out loud. He straightened and tried a professional tone. "I've called this meeting today because . . ."

Sarah grinned. "Stop making me laugh. You're in big trouble, buddy."

"Me?" His voice climbed to an unmanly octave. He smirked, stepped closer, and she backed into the tree. He rested his arm above her head and smiled down at her. “You’re the one in trouble.” He leaned to kiss her, but she dipped her chin, and he head-butted the trunk. Smooth. Lover Boy.

He rubbed his forehead, and Sarah giggled. "Very funny, girly."

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