“To Daddy, for our baby. xoxo, Olive.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as I went in search of my phone because Olive wasn’t just some sweet little woman with killer curves and old lady cardigans. She was all fire and sass and spunk. And thankfully, she picked up the phone on the first ring. “This is Olive.”
“Olive? Oh sorry, I thought I was calling Santa Claus on account of all the gifts that showed up on my doorstep this afternoon.”
Her laugh sounded soft but full of amusement, maybe even mischief. “Wouldn’t Santa leave the gifts under a tree?”
“Probably, but I suspect given the time of year that he employed the help of one of his little elves. A little green eyed elf, to be exact.”
This time laughter exploded down the line and I couldn’t stop myself from joining in. “I take it you’re not upset about the gifts?”
“No, but I wish you wouldn’t spend your money on me.” I knew she made decent money since she owned the business with Sophie and Eva, but babies were expensive according to the entire internet.
“Right back atcha, Liam. Look, we’ll need two of everything and there’s no good reason you should pay for it in two households.”
I sighed and dropped my head because, once again, Olive was right. “I hadn’t thought of that. But I still don’t like it.”
“Really? Because I loved it.” Her words dripped with sarcasm and I just shook my head. “You were right when you said this was our baby, but your heavy handed move deserved one in return.”
“Yeah, I guess maybe it did. Thank you for saving me another full day of shopping.”
“My pleasure,” she answered, her voice thick with good humor. “Now I’ve got a class to teach so talk to you later.”
“Right. Later.” After the call ended I stared at the baby items for five full minutes and felt my blood pressure rise thinking of how small all of it was, for such a tiny, vulnerable human. One that I was responsible for teaching. For guiding. For protecting. “I gotta get out of here.”
I changed and made my way to Stone Cold Fitness, one of the gyms owned by Stone. I needed to work out some of this tension and maybe I could convince Stone to spar with me. He was just finishing up with one of his many admirers who were willing to pay the outrageous personal trainer charge just for a shot at drawing his attention, when I scanned my card.
“This is unexpected. Finally ready to let me get your ass in shape?” He laughed and I joined in and gave my flat, six-pack a good hard tap.
“Maybe I should making that offer man, you’re getting soft in your old age.”
“Screw you. Did you come up here to give me shit or to sweat?”
I shrugged. “Since when do I have to choose?”
“Come on.” We made our way to the weights, lifting in silent until both of us worked up a good sweat. “So, why are you here? I mean, really?”
The dude was too damn perceptive for his own good but he was right, I had come for a reason and there was no reason to deny it. I told him about Olive’s afternoon delivery. “My house looks like I just hosted a baby shower!”
Stone threw his head back and laughed, drawing a few stares from those who weren’t already paying attention to us but trying hard to pretend they weren’t. “What did you to do prompt that, or do I wanna know?”
“She asked if I wanted to go to the doctor with her and I did. Afterwards she wanted to go shopping, so we did. I paid.”
His brown eyes went wide and Stone shook his head as if he knew that was a bad idea. “Did she ask you to?”
“No, but she’s carrying my baby,” I whispered as if the whole town didn’t already know. “Was I supposed to let her pay for it?”
“Well she is a grown woman with a job and a mortgage, so yeah.”
I shrugged and picked up a set of dumbbells. “Well then consider yourself ahead of the class on that because I paid and this was her retaliation.” I felt the smile form on my lips and refused to look at it in the wall of mirrors ahead of me.
“You like her. You like Olive.”
I glared at Stone and he laughed. “You sound like a teenage girl.”
“Maybe so, but it’s true.”
“Of course I like her, she is a likable person.” Hell, she was more than likable. She was funny and sassy. And sweet. And smart as hell, probably too smart for the likes of me.
“Yeah,” Stone agreed while he shook his head. “But you don’t like women. You want them, lust after them and you have them, but you don’t really like them.”