Page 61 of Slap Shot Surprise
“You have nothing to worry about either. I won’t let you down,” he said quietly but firmly. “Or the baby. I promise.”
“Okay.” I stayed right where I was, myarms looped around his strong torso. I just needed another thirty seconds of this.
“I should say good night.” But he didn’t let me go.
“Me too.” Leaning back from the waist, I looked up at him.
His eyes were on my lips. He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. Then he kissed my forehead and released me. “Good night.”
“Night,” I whispered. Then I spun on my heel and rushed into my bedroom, closing the door behind me.
By the time I woke up the next morning, he was gone.
Later that night, he texted me.
Hey. Thank you again for letting me crash on your couch.
You’re welcome. Anytime.
Keep me posted on everything, okay?
I will.
Take really good care of yourself.
I will.
And let me know if there is anything you need.
Like ice cream and pickles.
Actually I’d rather have ice cream and potato chips.
It would be on your doorstep as fast as I could make it happen.
Haha, thanks.
But what I thought was,Don’t be too sweet to me, Joe. This only works if I can keep my feelings for you from ballooning out of control. Be kind, be sensitive, be generous. But don’t take care of me like I belong to you.
It felt too good, being his.
THIRTEEN
mabel
“Oh, Mabel.”Ari’s eyes misted over as she watched the video from my ultrasound. “So sweet.”
“I know. I still can’t believe it.” I set the phone down on the table on her shady patio, where we were sitting with cold drinks late Saturday morning. Truman and Wren were napping upstairs, and Dash was running errands.
“And Joe is the one who asked to record it?”
“Yes.” I’d told her all about his surprise appearance at the doctor’s office. “I didn’t think anything else could shock me at this point, but that did it.”
“Tell me about meeting his parents. Was it weird?”
“It was a little uncomfortable at first, but they’re so great. His mom has already reached out. She wants to drive up sometime this fall and have lunch with me, my dad, and Julia.”
“Have you heard from Joe since he went back?”
