Page 8 of Baby For The Billionaire Silver Fox

“And Matt and I are taking over the upstairs after we sell his modern monstrosity. But she’s stubborn about changing Ron’s and my childhood bedrooms.”

Lexi sighed. “My next angle is to tell her how many more guests we’d have come visit if the rooms were redecorated. She loves having guests. Any time you want to chime in for the cause, feel free.”

“I can work with that angle,” I said as I tinkered with the Erector set on the dresser.

We walked outside, even though it had turned a little blustery. To me, it felt good, like the wind was starting to clear away some of my cobwebs.

I looked around with interest, noting how the trees were so different this time of year. The leaves had almost all dropped, but the few left on the branches were small pops of brilliant orange or red with brown edges. The sky was very clear, and the air was fresh. It made me feel alive.

“I know you still have tomorrow off to settle in, but I have to go into the coffee shop. I have a thing I have to prepare for and make sure the staff knows what to do.”

“No problem, Lexi. I’m a big girl. I’ll do some exploring on my own, and I’m sure I’ll end up at your coffee shop because I haven’t seen it yet. I’m proud of you for taking the chance on this. I’m glad it’s going well.”

She squeezed my arm. “I’m proud of you. You’re forging a new exciting path for yourself.”

Boy, she didn’t know how right she was—way more excitement than I had intended.

“Want to get a drink somewhere?” she asked.

“Uh, no.”Think fast, Nicole. “I’ve, um, sworn off alcohol for a while. I find it lowers my defenses and leads to poor eyesight and bad decisions.” True enough.

Lexi laughed and squeezed my arm again.

“I’m totally down for getting some dinner, though. It’s almost dinner time, right?” I asked.

“Nana really wanted to fuss over you and feed you tonight. Let’s walk another block and grab a few things from the supermarket for appetizers.”

I was good with that plan. I could use a little fussing over right now.

And that’s when we ran into Dan. He was still hot and handsome, and I couldn’t help checking him out. His brown hair had some silver at the temples, and his beard was more like heavy stubble over his strong jaw. His green eyes were deep and instantly drew me in. I also found myself attracted to his friendly charm. He wasn’t fake-charmy. He was real. And his big smile was the best.

Who knows? Maybe we could be friends. Like, the platonic kind. I’d had male friends in the past in the city, and they were a lot of fun.

In the evening, I enjoyed being with Nana, Lexi, and Matt. Dinner was crab cakes with baked macaroni and cheese and a Caesar salad. Afterward, I had no responsibilities beyond clearing the table, and that was something I could handle.

Morning arrived with a bright sun ball peeking in through the gap in the rocketship curtains. I stretched and smiled, knowing I would get to explore my new temporary town today. I’d grown up in the city, so living here would be a culture shock. I mean, I enjoyed my week-long visit here last year. I remember being thrilled to walk barefoot in the grass without worrying I’d step on glass or a used needle and end up with an infection, leading to gangrene and a foot amputation.

Life could be good for me here. I tried to push down my anxiety about the baby. I needed to get used to the idea, and it would be best if I only let it slip into my thoughts for very, very brief periods of time. That way, the whole thing would normalize. In theory, anyway.

I got out of bed cautiously and noted I felt fine. That was a relief. I quickly showered, threw my hair into a ponytail, and added a minimal amount of makeup. I was going for a fresh and clean, small-town look.

I smelled coffee and made a beeline for the stairs, only to stop and return to my room to do some research on my phone. I needed to know how much coffee I was allowed to consume. I cross-referenced a few trusted medical sites. The conservative answer was two six-ounce coffees each day. I shrugged. It was better than nothing.

I decided to visit Lexi’s coffee shop for my first hit of caffeine. I’d already had one of her scones at Nana’s—like I could have resisted—but I wanted to show my support with my dollars and buy from her shop. Not that she needed the money because she was going to marry her wealthy man, but she wanted her own success. I would gladly support her. She was like a sister to me.

I pushed open the door to her shop and looked around in delight. She’d gotten the decor just right—trendy but warm, cozy but not in a frumpy way. I’d been in those overly homey coffee shops—the fabric on the furniture looking a little too well-loved—which made me suspicious about the probability of bodily fluids embedded in it.

Now I was just grossing myself out, and my stomach did a little rumble in protest.

Lexi came out of the back room, and I waved at her from my place in line. She motioned me over to the side and got me a coffee and pastry. I insisted on paying for it, and she ushered me and my goodies into the new section of the coffee shop.

I was wowed. I knew it had been in rough shape when she leased it. She’d shown me the depressing pictures. Matt had a crew open the wall between the two spaces and did most of the work himself. It was beautiful, and I couldn’t help but run my hand across the back of the overstuffed buttery leather chairs. The walls were exposed brick, and there were small tables and chairs strategically placed. Art hung on the walls, all for sale by local artists. It was an ample space and could hold a lot of customers. It was warm and inviting.

“Lexi, this has a great vibe. Well done!”

I settled into one of the leather chairs, and Lexi perched on the arm of hers, smoothing down her apron.

“Sorry, I can’t stay this morning. I’m still working on this thing.”

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