“Not that sort of hot flash.”
Cady led the way into her home and Lacey looked around with interest. It was a gorgeous house. Cady sat on a plush sofa. Lacey sat across from her.
“So what sort are of hot flash was that? Or let me guess. The sort you get from thinking about a certain hot, gorgeous Dom who also happens to be your boss? And we both know I’m not talking about Hunter.”
Lacey narrowed her gaze. “So, how’s the nausea? Still throwing up?”
She needed something to divert Cady’s attention. This was the first time she’d seen the other woman since that night at the club when Lacey had been left in Gray’s care.
Heat worked its way through her body again.
Cady shook her finger at her. “Oh no, don’t try to change the topic. I want details about the other night, so spill. I’ve heard from a few people that the two of you looked good together the other night. Apparently, Gray was very protective of you.”
“He needed someone to demonstrate with.”
Cady snorted. “Gray has subs lining up, just hoping he’ll choose them to scene with. He chose you. Apparently he wasn’t at the club last weekend. Gray has spent nearly every Saturday night at the club since it opened. So what was he doing, hmm?”
“Maybe he had a headache,” she muttered.
Cady grinned. “A headache, really?”
“For someone who’s been in her sickbed, you’re surprisingly well informed about my life.” And it was a toss-up between being pissed by the lack of privacy or shocked someone as boring as her had been the subject of gossip. She was pretty sure no one had gossiped about her before.
“I haven’t been lying around sick in bed,” Cady said with a scowl. “Although Hunter would be happy if I stayed there for the next nine months.”
Lacey smiled. “So, I was right? You’re pregnant?” All Hunter had told them was that she was sick and wouldn’t be in to work for a while. Well, he’d growled it at them.
Cady nodded, looking almost lost and very unlike her usual confident self.
“What’s wrong?” Lacey sat forward, anxiety tightening her stomach. Didn’t she want the baby?
“Nothing’s wrong exactly. It’s just . . . I’ve never even changed a diaper. What do I know about caring for a baby? They’re so fragile, and I’m just not the motherly type. I grew up in foster homes, I was a cop, I lived on the streets. I don’t know how to look after a kid. What if I screw up, and it has to bear the brunt of my mistakes?”
Lacey sat for a moment, thinking. “You know what I think?”
“That I’ll be a great mother, that once the baby arrives I’ll instinctively know what to do, blah, blah, blah. Don’t bother I’ve been reading those damn baby advice sites on how to be a good mother. None of that crap helps.”
“Actually, you’re putting words in my mouth. What I was going to say is that you’re tough. You’re resilient. And you care about people. You wouldn’t have become a policewoman if you didn’t care. I imagine growing up in foster homes was hard, but it’s probably a good way to figure out what to do or not to do when it comes to caring for kids. Listen, Cady, I can give you all the pep talks you want about how you’ll be a great mother but it won’t matter what I say it if you don’t believe it. But the fact that you’re worrying about what sort of mother you’ll be tells me you’ll be fine. It’s the people who don’t worry, who don’t care, they’re the ones you should be careful of. Have you spoken to Hunter about this?”
“He’s in denial.”
“What?”
“I think it’s shock or something. I showed him the positive test result, and he just stared at it and said ‘that’s nice’ then told me to get to bed and rest. He hasn’t spoken about it since.”
“At all?” Hunter wasn’t exactly shy about stating his opinions. Just the other day he’d spent nearly half an hour moaning about how much he hated yogurt. Yes, yogurt. She was certain if he had his way it would be banned across the US. It made no sense, and she’d simply nodded and smiled as if she’d agreed with him, while hiding the container of the creamy treat she’d bought from home behind her back. He’d argued that it was a cross between rotten milk and ice cream, which made no sense.
Yet he had no opinion about the fact that his fiancée was now pregnant? His fiancée who was currently freaking out.
“Nothing. And when I told him that enough was enough and I was going back to work tomorrow, he just nodded and said, ‘yes dear.’”
Lacey felt her jaw drop open. “He actually said those words?”
“Yep.”
“Okay, there’s definitely something going on with him. You need to talk to him.”
“Hunter doesn’t deal well with emotions. Well, you know unless it’s his hatred of yogurt, lawn mowers, and reporters.”