Who's the Daddy (Crescent Cove 3)

Nope, that’s the one! Sorry, I told you I was totally lame & so far behind. But I know we can get caught up. Ugh, there’s the baby crying again. Did I say thank you? TY so much! Xo

I blinked and clutched my phone to my chest. Okay, no reason to panic. Sage had to be registered somewhere. At least I could add that bit of info to my checklist so I could include it on the invitations.

For a guest list I had approximately six names on, and I was new in town. I had no clue who all of Sage’s friends were, but I knew they were legion. She’d lived in Crescent Cove her whole life and pretty much bonded with anyone she met for more than five minutes.

I was screwed.

So screwed.

Without the sex.

I texted Sage, determined to get a win today. I didn’t like having such an empty checklist. It was unnatural.

Hey there, where are you registered? Want to get the bambina a few things but don’t want to overlap with your list.

Sage replied when I was digging through the box of books I’d upended on the couch to search for my first edition Keats. I knew I’d packed it. I had to have packed it. My bookshelves at my old place were empty. If it wasn’t there and it wasn’t here...

I could not contemplate it. Simply could not.

Oh, yeah, about that. We aren’t registered anywhere. It drove Oliver bonkers, which was another reason I didn’t register anywhere. Dude needs to learn the meaning of spontaneity. She totally doesn’t need anything, btw. But if you wanna get something cute, anything works. Thank you! *smiley face* *unicorn head* *heart* *smiley sunglasses face* *baby head*

Sighing, I shoved my way onto the couch, pretending not to feel the bruises on my heart as some of my precious books tumbled to the floor. I had bigger problems.

No registry.

No guest list.

No pizza.

I could not work under these conditions.

Oh, and best of all? I had forgotten my floor lamp, and apparently, this apartment didn’t have an overhead light fixture in the living room. Like what the fuck. And the sunset was gorgeous outside right now, but the orange and gold light would fade soon, plunging me into the blackness that matched my bitter soul.

Bah.

But all was not lost. I snapped my fingers. I had a desk lamp somewhere. Just had to find it in my twelve-thousand boxes.

I let out a long sigh and tugged on the knot in my T-shirt that I’d tied beneath my breasts. I’d changed into an old baggy shirt with my shortest pair of shorts to unpack, figuring I wouldn’t be leaving tonight. The pizza dude didn’t count as company. He’d probably seen much worse when dropping off pies. And he didn’t seem inclined to show in any case.

His tip was dwindling by the minute. Just like my momentary cheer.

I readjusted the top knot that barely contained my long hair and rose, rubbing my nose as it twitched. I sneezed and sneezed again, then once more for good measure. Dust. Always my enemy, even if it was fresh dust from a newly renovated place.

What was next? Locusts? The plague? Fire and damnation?

A loud buzzing sound filled the apartment and I jumped, setting off another round of sneezing. When I could breathe without my eyes watering, I frowned. It sounded like a giant oven timer, but that couldn’t be right. I could see the oven over my left shoulder and it definitely was not on. One perk to living in a place I could see the whole of with just one slow pivot was there weren’t any hidden corners. No surprises.

The buzzer was still ringing. Must be my doorbell. That was rather heinous.

What didja expect, Ford? A tinkle of the ivories? Be glad the pizza’s here.

Or else probably the first robber in Crescent Cove’s recorded history was polite enough to ring first.

I went to the door and fumbled around with the call box until it crackled to life. “Hello, pizza man.” I bit my lip. That wasn’t gender correct. I didn’t know it was a male, though he was late, so reason stood. “I mean, pizza person. Would you like to come up or should I come down?”

“I’ll come up.”

Okay, very deep voice. Definitely not female. A little rumbly and irritated too.