Cramps, I hate you.
Not because they hurt. Because of what they signified.
So, yeah, I had so many things I wanted. More than I’d ever dreamed of. Just one thing was proving elusive.
What had led me to Cabin Fortress—and Murphy—in the first place.
It was early days yet. So early. We’d only been trying for a few months. It was just Crescent Cove had been built up to be this great mecca of unplanned pregnancy, and here I was, planning the shit out of it, right down to the times I was supposed to be ovulating. I’d even visited Murphy for lunch at his work site with a sandwich and an edible thong.
Three times.
And so far?
Nada.
Which was why I was working on emails and chatting in our newly created Facebook group for Baby Daddy Wanted, that went along nicely with our new website. Along with all the other facets of our growing business that Murphy was working on in his spare time.
He didn’t have much, what with his now three jobs and his very horny, very desperate to be knocked up girlfriend. But the guy did not complain.
Like ever.
He was basically perfect, and I so was not. Too bad a girl could only use the PMS excuse for why she was being a raging emo-ball so many days out of the month.
I didn’t want him to know I was freaking out about the pregnancy thing. It was too early. I knew that logically. In my heart? I was a big ol’ mess of stress.
A knock sounded on the door and I glanced guiltily at my phone before I tucked into my pocket. I would reply to Murphy soon. Once I was sure I could say something like bring home Italian, please rather than omg, I have my period and I need chocolate and a million hugs.
Murphy wouldn’t blink if I blubbered all over his shirt. I’d done it before, usually related to my period. But I was trying not to burden him. He had so much on his shoulders, and he was so amazing. The last thing he needed was a meltdown from me.
Neither did whomever was at the door.
I whisked my thumbs under my eyes as Latte scampered up and ran over to the door, barking up a storm. I was halfway to the door when I heard Macy’s very distinct response.
“Hear all that? That noise is why I’m a cat person.”
I was laughing as I scooped up Latte and tucked him under my arm so I could open the door. On the other side of it stood Macy and Rylee and the cutest baby unicorn I’d ever seen in my life.
Here I’d been bored half the day since I had it off, and little had I known my friends were planning a sneak attack.
“Hayley!” I squealed so loudly that Latte looked at me in alarm as he was passed to his aunt Macy—who did not hate dogs, despite her cat-loving stance—and reached for baby Hayley. I hadn’t gotten to see the baby since shortly after she was born, and I couldn’t wait to get in some snuggles.
Rylee eagerly passed her into my waiting arms. “God, I need a drink.” Though she hadn’t been to Murphy’s cabin before, she breezed past me and right down the hall into the kitchen. “You gotta have a beer, right?” She opened the refrigerator. “No beer?”
“She’s having a rough mothering day,” Macy explained, rubbing noses with Latte. She was always happier cradling fur babies, no matter how she snarled.
“There’s a couple hard ciders on the door,” I called, smiling down at little Hayley with her bright blue eyes and long dark lashes.
Seriously long.
“Wow, she’s a beauty,” I murmured as she smiled up at me, as angelic as a Gerber baby, for pity’s sake.
And Rylee was finding it rough being a mother? My heart lurched. I knew it wouldn’t be as easy as it seemed from the outside. Of course not. But I wanted so badly to experience it for myself.
Yeah, it probably wasn’t the best day for a visit.
I dragged my gaze from Hayley and grinned at Macy snuggling my dog. “Let’s sit down.”
We’d just dropped onto the long couch when Rylee came back in and passed around the hard ciders.