“I know how bye weeks work, but I thought you would have a routine to follow during the days off.”
“After surviving tonight, we deserve late-night burgers and greasy fries. Don’t you agree?”
My lips twitch. “You make a compelling case.”
“Come on,” he says, jerking his chin down the block. “I know a place not too far away from here that I discovered during my first week in town. It’s nothing fancy, but they serve food around the clock.”
I fall into step beside him, surprised by how natural it feels. Like we do this all the time.
“I still can’t believe you didn’t panic more,” I say, half-laughing, thinking back to the events of tonight.
“I figured screaming wouldn’t help.”
“That’s impressive.” I nudge him lightly with my shoulder. “Most guys I know would’ve gagged and called for backup.”
“Trust me, I considered it.”
“But you didn’t and that’s what matters.”
His eyes flick to mine. “I actually have spent a good amount of time watching YouTube videos about parenting and baby care. It was still a shock how much comes out of a kid that size.”
“You watched parenting videos? I haven’t gotten that far in research yet.”
“I’ve always been a visual learner. So, I read about a topic and then do a deep dive on YouTube. Who knew there were so many parenting videos online?”
A soft laugh slips from me before I can stop it. “That’s actually kind of adorable.”
“Don’t tell the guys. I’ve got a reputation to uphold,” he says with a wink, sending a flutter through my chest.
“I think you might’ve shattered that reputation the moment you made those animal sounds to make Tilly laugh.”
“You liked that, huh?”
“I didn’t say I liked it. But Tilly surely did.”
“Don’t play coy with me, Lavigne.”
His words skim across my skin, softer than they should be, and somehow that makes them land even harder. Yet, the silence that follows isn’t awkward. It’s comfortable. The kind of quiet that I’m not used to with people outside my family and closest friends.
“Here we are,” Rasmus says, nodding toward a corner diner with faded paint and fogged-up windows. A crooked sign above the door readsNo Forks Givenin block letters.
“I can see why it caught your attention.”
He turns to point at one of the signs sayingBest Fries in Town.“It wasn’t the name, but that promise.”
“You’re a man of simple priorities.”
He laughs and pushes the door open, gesturing for me to step inside. The warmth and the smells hit immediately: grease, onions, and something sweet on top of everything else. My stomach lurches and I pause inside the doorway, pressing a hand low on my belly.
“Is everything okay?” He asks, his voice suddenly serious behind me. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine,” I breathe slowly through my nose. “Just every scent here is hitting me at once. This baby better enjoy those damn fries.”
“Do you want to go somewhere else? We don’t have to stay.”
I shake my head, my eyes still on the checkered floor tile while I let the nausea settle down. “No. I just need a second. And a vanilla milkshake.”
After a few more slow breaths, my stomach agrees to behave. I lead the way to a booth in the back corner while shrugging off my coat. Rasmus offers to take it, and he hangs both of our outerwear on the hooks near the table.
