Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“And I’m not hiding anything from Reg,” I continued irritably. Troy was the only one in town who knew about that—besides Viggo, by the way. “I’ve moved on, and so has he. I resent the implication that I’m pining for him. I’m not. And I’m not thinking about sexual conquests twenty-four seven, either.” Total lie. I was definitely thinking about Viggo. “I’ve got bigger things on my mind.”
Troy widened his eyes comically. To his credit, he didn’t make any sophomoric comments about bigger sex toys. He wanted to…I could tell. Sure, Troy had become an accomplished coach, I was a business owner, and we were both respected members of the community, but part of us would always be the eighteen-year-old college football teammates who used to get drunk on crappy beer on the roof of our dorm building.
We’d shared major milestones and had guarded each other’s secrets like vigilante soldiers when discretion had been the only recourse for a couple of closeted bi college athletes. We’d weathered concussions, broken bones, coming out, Troy’s mom’s death, my short-lived marriage and divorce, and a host of new starts that hadn’t panned out.
Troy was more like a brother to me than my actual brother, who I rarely saw, and that alone made me feel a twinge guilty for not being a thousand percent honest about Freya. I couldn’t. I didn’t dare jinx myself or the baby. I knew he’d forgive me later.
“Bigger things like…surrogacy?” he guessed, squeezing my elbow at my brisk nod. “Hang in there, man. It’ll happen.”
I changed the topic. “Did I tell you my mother is lobbying hard for me to go to Michigan for Gilbert’s seventy-fifth birthday?”
“Oh, boy. Sounds like fun,” he snarked.
“Yeah. She says you-know-who won’t be there, but of course, she will be. And Mom insists that I bring a date, so I’m guessing there’s a fair chance she wouldn’t mind fireworks.”
“Your family is nuts.”
No offense taken. It was true.
“I’m not going.” I leaned in to bump Troy’s elbow and fluttered my lashes. “Unless you come with me.”
“Fu-u-u-u-ck no. Hard pass. Busy that day. Wish I could, sorry I can’t. I could go on,” he singsonged.
I snickered. “Yeah, well…I feel the same way.”
“Your mom won’t let you off that easy, buddy.” Troy shot a mischievous glance my way. “But if you need a date…bring your new lumberjack.”
“He’s not my lumberjack.”
“Whatever you say, Dex. Whatever you say.”
I flipped him off, then gathered our empty bottles while Troy cackled like a loon.
I wondered if Troy realized he wasn’t totally off base. ’Cause in a twist, I one thousand percent had a crush on the lumberjack.
CHAPTER 12
VIGGO
Freya called later in the day to give me a health update. She was still feeling queasy; some days were better than others. Her good news was that she had a date set for her ten-week appointment.
“This is when we’ll get to hear the heartbeat. It’s Friday. Look at your schedule, and let me know if that works. I can change the day or time, but I wanted to get on the doctor’s calendar,” she said.
I adjusted my earbuds and stared out my kitchen window. “Frey…I shouldn’t go with you.”
“Why not? I don’t think Dex would mind. It’s not unusual for friends or family to support a surrogate at doctor appointments. He told me at the beginning that wouldn’t be a problem for him. And you’re my best friend and family, so…I want you there.”
“Freya…”
“Just say yes. Please.”
I’d skipped a couple of days’ worth of fritters after Dexter started hiding in the kitchen at seven a.m. I could take a hint. In fact, I hoped a small break would put an end to the trace of infatuation I felt for him. It was embarrassing, but the truth was…it was impossible not to like the man.
Dexter was friendly, upbeat, and good-natured. He was a genuinely nice person who cared about his adopted community, and it was easy to tell that he took impending parenthood seriously. He’d gone out of his way to ensure that Freya was comfortable and that she had whatever she needed. If she requested my presence at her next doctor appointment, I knew he’d be okay with it.
But I wasn’t sure I was ready to confront the realities of Freya’s pregnancy and the memories it stirred. It was heavy. Not the type of baggage anyone wanted to unpack with a handsome man they wanted to tear apart and put back together again.
However, I knew I’d go. No question.
The line was relatively short at Dexter’s Donuts the following morning. I nodded at Janey and gave her a thumbs-up when she pointed at the coffee machine.
“Hiya, hot stuff. I haven’t seen you in a couple of days.” Janey set the to-go cup on the counter. “Feel like trying the special of the day? It’s a sour cream donut.”