Page 31 of Intertwined Hearts

“Some of us have to work, you know. Hey, Jeff, how are you holding up?” I asked.

Mandy gave him a quick hug. “How’s it feel to be a dad?”

“I’m doing fine, tired, but what can I do? It feels great being a father. I had it easy, though. All I had to do was let Nikki break a couple fingers.” He smiled.

“Nikki, baby, I’m going to run. I’ll be back up tomorrow. I need to get home. I don’t want to leave Gary and his family there alone for long, in case they need something,” Rebekka, Nikki’s mom, said.

“Thanks for coming up, Mom. Tell Jim I said hi.”

“I will, sweetie.” She gave Nikki a hug and kiss, then walked over to Jeff and gave him a hug too. She tapped him on his chest. “Take good care of my little girl.”

“I always will. She’s worth more than gold to me.”

She said goodbye to Mandy and me before she left.

Just as Rebekka left, Hunter and Connor came in. The guys were high-fiving as if Jeff had done all the work of delivering the baby. I was holding Alexander. Having a baby in my arms felt so natural and good. I longed for the day I’d have my own. Hunter’s eyes found mine as soon as the bromance celebration was over.

“You look like a natural holding the baby,” he said me.

“One day, one day.” My eyes were fixed on him.

“Where’s Abby?” I asked.

“You just missed her. She just left with Sky and Hope,” Jeff said.

We all talked and laughed for about an hour, then Mandy and I said our good byes. Hunter and Connor said theirs as well and walked out behind us. We all went down in the elevator together.

“Nikki looked amazing. And the baby is just so cute,” Mandy said.

“She really does. How does she do that? She had the baby at five AM, barely got any sleep, and probably has had people in and out of the room all day, yet looks fabulous.”

“Oh, my gosh! Jeff looked amazing, didn’t he, Hunter?” Connor and Hunter both laughed. They were mocking us. Mandy and I both laughed at their silliness.

“You suck as a comedian, Connor,” I said.

Mandy chimed in. “Yeah. Ha, freaking, ha. It was good to see you both again, though.”

“It was. We’ll have to get together again soon. All of us,” I said.

Hunter winked at me, then I turned and walked with Mandy to her car. Hunter sent a text before Mandy pulled out of the parking spot. She drove me back to the parking lot to get my car, then we said our good byes. I really hoped no one picked up on the subtleties between Hunter and me.

When I heard the knock at my door at eight thirty, my heart sank. I couldn’t imagine who it was. I was supposed to be leaving to meet Hunter at the restaurant.

I peeked through the peep-hole and was shocked to see Hunter standing outside my door.

“I thought we were supposed to meet up at nine?” I asked.

When he turned to face me, he held a handful of beautiful lilies out for me. “I said we had a reservation for nine. I couldn’t wait. I had to see you now,” he said.

“What are we doing tonight? Have our plans changed?”

“Would you be upset if they were to change?”

“No. I wouldn’t be upset at all. It’s getting late, and it’s been a long day. I kind of wish you would have canceled it.”

“Good. I did cancel earlier. We can go another time.”

“What are we going to do now?” I asked.

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