Who's the Daddy (Crescent Cove 3)

I

was babbling. The saw turned off and the hottie carpenter dude slanted a look our way. Yeah, someone needed to stop me.

He let out a strangled cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. But he didn’t say anything else. The snap of a measuring tape was cut only by Macy’s choice of music.

I really wanted one of those coffees though. Maybe it would erase seeing Dare outside. I thunked my forehead on the table. “God.”

Ally rubbed my shoulder. “Don’t mind her. She just peed on the devil stick and lost.”

“Thanks, Al,” I said to my lap.

“What now?”

“Knocked up,” Sage said sunnily.

“Oh.” Macy huffed out a breath. “I’m beginning to wonder if there’s an epidemic around here. Do you guys have a special club or something? ‘Hey, look at me I want a baby’?”

“Seems like that sometimes, doesn’t it?” Ally laughed. “However, I pumped milk for miles today. I want the most gloriously caffeinated beverage you can make.”

Macy winced. “Miles?”

“What I eat or drink, pretty much the baby does. So, I pregamed. I chose you over a glass of wine, so it better be awesome.”

Macy blinked down at Ally. “Gotcha. I don’t have a liquor license yet, but since I’m not selling…” She shrugged. “I can add a lil something.”

Ally clapped lightly. “Oh, that would be glorious.”

“You got it.” Macy folded her arms, her spray bottle of cleaner peeking from the crook of her elbow. “So now I have to figure out preggo drinks?”

“Yes.” I sighed.

I still wasn’t all the way on board with this new reality. Or the stares I got at school. Of course it didn’t help that I’d blurted it out to half the town at Sage’s baby shower. Nope. I couldn’t have waited until later.

Then again, it was all Dare’s fault.

“Good thing I only drink my own coffee. I don’t want any of what you guys are drinking when you’re not in here. Babies,” Macy said with a shudder.

Gideon’s measuring tape snapped a little more forcefully. Enough to make me lift my gaze from the colorful mosaic tile floor. “Believe me, it wasn’t planned.”

“Not to be indelicate, but we do live in a state that allows for such concerns.”

My hand instantly went to my midriff. “I know, but I couldn’t. I mean, it’s your decision if you want to do that and all that, but I couldn’t.” My heart fluttered like crazy at the thought. Even with all the doubts swirling in my head and the less than favorable situation I found myself in at school, I wanted this baby.

I swallowed down a lump in my throat. It was probably the first time I’d actually thought about it as more than just a shocking speck of insanity making my food choices a bit more precarious.

“Then we’ll find a way around the baby business. Any allergies? Dislikes?”

We all shook our heads.

Macy swung her spray bottle around her finger then slapped her towel over her shoulder. “I guess I need to learn how to work with the town, huh? I’ll be right back.” She glanced at the hottie carpenter with a small frown before busying herself behind the counter.

“You sure you’re all right?”

“Hmm?”

“Have you talked to Dare yet?” Sage rubbed her hand over the top of her beach ball belly.

“No.”