Page 79 of The Best Friend Problem
“Just because Pru is taking her pregnancy hormones out on you, doesn’t mean you get to be a pissy dick to the rest of us.”
It wasn’t pregnancy hormones. Hell, he wished it were. This went deeper. When you denied something long enough, it took on its own life. Could become real. Maybe the years they’d spent ignoring their true feelings for one another wiped them out? It hadn’t for Finn, but perhaps it had for Pru. Maybe it wasn’t time she needed, or fear she had to face. Maybe she simply didn’t love him.
And wasn’t that a shitty truth to swallow.
So, yeah, maybe he was being a pissy dick as Ward so eloquently put it, but he had good reason. The woman he loved might not love him back. That was enough to turn any person into a raincloud.
“I’m hitting the shower.”
He pushed past his friends and crewmates, heading to the tiny showers with shitty water pressure that barely trickled enough to wash the soap off his back. While vigorously scrubbing off all the sweat and negative thoughts of the past few hours, he tried to look at the bright side of things. Tried to stay positive.
What if she never comes around?
The thought burned through him hotter than any fire he’d ever fought. But he had to admit, even if only to himself, it was a real possibility. Pru might never love him, And what would he do then? Work out until every muscle in his body died of exhaustion?
Whatever he did, he’d still be by her side. Still be her friend. He’d promised. And there were the twins to think about. No way would he abandon his kids. Pru might want to take the lead, but he’d damn sure be there every step of the way, helping as much as she’d let him.
Shutting off the poor excuse for a shower, he dried off and tugged on a fresh pair of pants and a Denver Fire Department T-shirt.
The loud high-pitched yip of Bruiser echoed through the vent in the bathroom.
“Bru Baby?”
He knew all his dog’s barks. The hungry bark, the squirrel bark, the “evil delivery man is at the front door and I’m your big, bad guard dog” bark.
But this one…this one he recognized as her “happy to see her second favorite human” bark.
Pru?
His heart raced in his chest, beating faster than it had over the past few hours of torture he’d put it through with his vigorous workout. He hurried out of the bathroom to the main area, where he saw his crew sitting around the table, lovin’ on his pup and talking to the woman who held his entire heart in her hands.
The second he stepped into the room, her gaze swung up as if she’d felt his presence. That had to be good, right? But her worried expression made his gut sink.
“Pru.” He hurried to her side, his hand automatically reaching out to cover her stomach. “What’s wrong? Is everything okay with the babies?”
Maybe the doctor ran more tests after he left, or called with news, or maybe she’d had more pain. Shit! He shouldn’t have left her. Sure, she had her friends and she’d told him to go, but he should have insisted on staying and taking care of her.
“I’m fine, the babies are fine. But, um, I was wondering if we could talk?”
The last time she asked that, it turned his entire world upside down. He wasn’t sure if he could handle another spin.
“Yeah, sure.”
Grasping her hand, he tugged her into the workout room, away from prying ears, though he knew his crew was listening because they were all a bunch of gossips.
“What’s up?’
She took a deep breath before launching in. “So, I know you’re still on shift until tomorrow morning, but we have a wedding this weekend, and I wanted to do this before that.”
“Do what?”
Digging through her purse she came up with a folded sheet of paper. One of her very detailed lists, no doubt. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. His Practical Pru. God, he loved her so damn much.
“Here.”
She handed it over. He took it, making sure to brush his fingers along hers as he grasped the piece of paper. He felt her tremble at the contact, hoping it was a good sign, but when he glanced at the slip, his brow drew down in confusion.
“What’s this?” He stared at the black ink, what appeared to be a list of addresses with prices next to them, written in Pru’s familiar handwriting.
