Harper’s stomach gurgled again, the sound echoing through the room.
“Oh my, you’d better eat something,” Louise said. Then her eyes caught the swell of Harper’s stomach and her brows knitted together. “Oh.”
Without thinking, Harper cradled her bump with her hand, leaving James’s mom with no room for doubt.
“You’re pregnant,” Louise said.
“Um, yeah.”
“How far along?”
“Fifteen weeks tomorrow.” Harper attempted a smile. “It feels like forever already.”
“I bet. Now eat,” Louise said, pointing at the pasta. “I can still remember what second trimester hunger is like. I used to drive my poor husband crazy with all my demands, but the way I saw it he’d contributed to the problem and he could help with the solution.”
Harper laughed in spite of herself.
“How about your partner?” Louise asked. “Does he have to run out at midnight to grab you jars of pickles?”
“I don’t have a partner,” Harper told her. “I guess if I want pickles I’ll go get them myself.”
“Oh.” Louise shifted in her seat. Harper was acutely aware how uncomfortable this situation was. In a few days, James would tell his mom about the baby, and presumably about Harper. Would she be angry Harper hadn’t told her?
But it wasn’t her place to say anything, was it? This was James’s mom and it was his news to share. She’d already made enough mistakes, she didn’t need any more.
“I should probably eat,” Harper said. “I’ve got a ton of work to get done this afternoon.”
“What is it you do?” Louise asked. She’d regained her calm demeanor.
“I’m a dress designer.
That’s what I’m doing down in James’s basement.”
“Well that’s a relief. I was starting to worry you were some kind of serial killer. Or maybe you were running a BDSM club down there.”
Harper coughed out a laugh, and a piece of pasta flew from her mouth. “Oh god, I’m sorry. That’s so disgusting.” She covered her lips with her hand.
“It’s my fault for making you laugh.” Louise’s eyes twinkled. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t lying, though. I’m really curious about what you’re doing down there.”
“I’ll tell you what, once I’ve finished my pasta I’ll show you.”
“If you promise not to tie me up to the wall, I might take you up on that offer.” Louise grinned.
God, James’s mom was nice. And so different from Harper’s mom and grandma. Down to earth, funny, and kind.
More than a little bit like her son.
* * *
“So your mom popped in earlier,” Harper told James when he’d arrived home that evening. She’d just finished her day’s work and was ready to leave. Caitie had messaged to see if she wanted to meet at the diner. If it involved food and not having to make it, the answer was always yes.
“Yeah, I know. She called me.” He kicked off his shoes.
“She did? What did she say?” Harper looked down at her bump. “She could tell I was pregnant but I didn’t tell her about you being the father of the baby.” Her face paled. “I hope I didn’t cause you any problems.”
“It’s fine.” He shrugged off his jacket and hung it on the back of the chair, his t-shirt rising up to reveal a thin sliver of his abdomen.
She wasn’t going to look. No way, siree. But those damn hormones practically hijacked her gaze and forced her to glance at his smooth, tan skin, and the ridges of muscle there.