Page 61 of The Hard Hitter

“She needs a sibling,” Sam blurts out—and then instantly stiffens.

“Sam,” I begin, even though I’m not sure what it is I want to say. Perhaps I want to tell her I agree, that Daisy does need a sibling, but that she also needs a mother…and ask if maybe she’s willing to take on that roll…maybe both. But she’s a girl not interested in relationships, and I’ve been telling her I have serious trust issues.

Do I trust Sam?

“I mean…oh, never mind. I guess I was just thinking about Quinn being pregnant. I think it’s great they want to give Scotty a sibling. I wasn’t suggesting…” She lets her words fall off, and glances over her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Daisy. There are going to be lots of kids for you to play with.”

“Yay!” she says and claps her hands.

“Have you given any more thoughts about having a kid?” I ask quietly, and clench my jaw until my muscles are tight. When it comes right down to it, I hate the thought of her going to a clinic. A girl like Sam needs a nice guy, one who will be there for her and her baby.

“A little bit, especially after Quinn telling me she’s pregnant. I think it got my maternal clock ticking.”

I give a tight nod and stare straight ahead. Daisy turns on her iPad and begins to sing along to that alligator song that makes me want to hang myself. I’ll have an earworm all day now. Since we’re unable to talk over the noise, we drive in silence, and when I reach her childhood home and find the driveway full, I pull up to the curb and park. I glance at the ho

use, hear laugher coming from the backyard, and longing pulls at me.

Her house is small, and quaint, and full of love. I want this for Daisy so much.

I want this for me.

“You sure you still want to do this?” she asks, and crinkles that cute little nose of her.

“I’m game, but are you sure you still want me to do this?”

She nods. “I think so.”

I pitch my voice low. “Remember the rules, though.”

Her mouth drops open. “You didn’t tell me there were rules.”

I laugh at her horrified expression. “There are going to be question, lots of questions. If you want your family to get off your back, to show Caleb you’re taken, we have to pretend we’re a couple. A real couple.”

What the fuck am I doing?

Oh, I don’t know, maybe trying it on for size, just to see how it fits.

She flips her hands over. “Well, yeah, I knew we were going to pretend we were together, but—”

“There will have to be touching, Sam. Public displays of affections. That’s what couple do.”

“You…want to touch me, in front of everyone?”

“I always want to touch you. In front of your family or not.”

Pink crawls up her neck, and it’s all I can do not to lean over and kiss her, but I have my daughter in the car and need to be careful.

“We better get in there before they send a search party.”

We all exit the car, and I scoop Daisy into my arms. We go up the small walkway, but Sam comes to an abrupt halt and leans forward slightly, balancing the casserole in her hands as air leaving her lungs in a whoosh.

“What’s wrong?” I ask when she straightens, my stomach tightening at how pale she’s gone.

“Cramps,” she says again.

Unease moves through me. Back in the day, Quinn got irritable and complained of cramps, but I don’t ever remember her nearly dropping to her knees. “Is that normal, Sam?”

“Yes,” she says. “It’s why I’m on the pill.”

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