Claim My Baby (Crescent Cove 2)

“Cut the crap. It’s because he’s a man. Full stop.”

“He’s not Sage.” I hit the gas again and stomped harder than was necessary on the brake. “Double cheeseburger, you said?”

“Why does that make a difference?”

I tapped my fingers on the wheel and prayed for patience. “Large fries, was it? With a large shake?”

“Oliver, seriously. Do you think she’s going to get in trouble or something?” Ally bit her lip. “I’ve never been to Vegas. Is it that bad?”

I was tempted to regale her with statistics that would make her ponytail spin, but she was pregnant. On the verge of popping, no less. She did not need undue stress or speculation.

“It’s a large urban city, with everything that goes along with it. But most likely, everything will be fine.”

“She’s never even traveled out of New York.” Ally fiddled with her wedding ring. “Not even for college. She went to a SUNY school, so she could be nearby to come home to work at The Hummingbird’s Nest whenever her parents needed her. Breaks, summer vacation, stuff like that. She found out they were selling the place while she was home for a break and put her degree on hold, purportedly so she could help with the sale. But that was the end of that.”

That fit Sage all too well. Even though I didn’t know that much about her, it was obvious she was a people pleaser.

Just not an Oliver pleaser, since clearly, I was a threat to the happy domestication impulses of every woman in town. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day I walked into the diner to see a photo of myself with a slash through it and the words “just say no” plastered over my face.

“She never went back?” I gave the gas a light tap and we surged forward another couple of inches. We might be able to order sometime this century. “Not even for night or online courses?”

“No. The news her parents were selling really rocked her. She’d lost that impulse to make spaces pretty, I think, because she didn’t really feel like she had her own home anymore. Then we moved in together, and I bailed on her too.” Ally sighed. “We have a spare room at the house. More than one. I’ve debated asking her to move in.”

“So she can be your live-in babysitter? Well, that’s handy.”

Ally paled. “How can you say that?”

I wasn’t sure why I’d said it. My sister-in-law wasn’t a user. Besides, I was their favorite victim for babysitter, not Sage.

I could only imagine the fun I’d have watching two of their offspring, especially when one of them could indiscriminately spray me with pee.

Clearing my throat, I wrapped my hands around the wheel. Just two cars left. “It sounds as if she’s been awfully convenient for a lot of people, including ones who love her.”

Ally fell silent. My first impulse was to change the subject. Apologize. Something.

Ah, hell, this was why I stuck to pleasant meals that were heavy on flirtation and innuendo with women of the opposite sex. Obviously, I didn’t know how to converse with them otherwise.

“You’re right,” she said finally. “That wasn’t my intention, of course. But she’s so good with Laurie and such a natural at making a house a home…” She sighed. “We’d probably end up leaning on her without meaning to.”

It was my turn to remain silent—minus my growling stomach. Maybe a double cheeseburger didn’t sound so bad after all.

That was what I got for sitting in line looking at signs advertising the place for fifteen minutes. They’d actually made me long for grease.

A moment later, I finally rolled up to the ordering box and asked for two of what Ally had requested. She gaped at me as I rolled forward in line toward the next window.

“How did you know I wanted two fries? I’m not sure I can manage the two burgers though, but maybe…”

“One is for me.”

“Oh.” Her brows rose. “Wow.” She was quiet for half a second. “So, Friday night with Ursula? Got anything else planned for the weekend?”

I made a noncommittal sound. Usually questions like that led to marathon baking sprees in my kitchen, with Laurie and me competing to see who could be covered in more flour.

“No other plans?” she pressed as I tapped the gas and moved forward in the endless line.

“No,” I said finally, guilt gnawing at my spine. I really did love Laurie, and we hadn’t had much time to hang out lately. “What do you want from me this time? Let me guess, a trip to Chuck E. Cheese’s? She mentioned that the last time I saw her. Or maybe a viewing of the latest Pixar classic at the movies. As long as it isn’t a repeat of that vile Trolls.”

“Aww, Trolls was super cute. We’ve watched that three times so far as a family.”