“Complicated.” Ryder snorted a laugh at that one. How in the hell did he get himself into these messes? This was one of his worst. That morning after, agreeing to leave it at that because neither wanted complications. “Somehow I don’t think you’ll want me with you to tell Raphe.”
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. “No. That conversation is going to be weird enough.” She shoveled a bite of scrambled eggs and forced a quick chew. “Poor guy. A few months apart, and, hehe.”
8
Strawberry
Inpersonwasbest.It was not stalling, it was waiting for the right moment.
“How’s my best girl?” A deep voice said before Zoe was grabbed from behind.
She yelped as a rough beard nuzzled her neck and a body enveloped her and squished her middle. “Oo, careful,” she hissed, the pressure too much over her sensitive belly.
“You okay?” Raphe asked, spinning her in his arms so she faced him.
Zoe steadied herself as her stomach debated between vomiting and laughing. “I’m good,” she answered quickly.
Foothills was coming alive with summer tourists. Not even the construction next door seemed to reduce the crowd to get a spot at Black Op Brewing. Zoe had already been waiting for a table for fifteen minutes.
“Did I keep you waiting long?” Raphe asked.
“All good.”
He leaned in and covered her lips and swished a heavy dose of tongue, and Zoe dove in to keep up.
“Wow, you’re in a good mood,” she said, laughing and blinking off the shock of the very public, very vigorous kiss.
“I am, I—”
Before he could finish, Grady Mallory, swung open the door and stopped fast when he saw them. “Hey, Zoe,” he said, and startled and quieted when he landed on Raphe.
“Hey, Grady. Crazy busy here tonight,” she said, marveling over the crowd and grinning at him.
Raphe slipped his arms around her possessively and clung to her belly… having no idea what his hands were over.
Grady glanced down at Raphe’s hands and tilted a confused look, and looked back up and sent a wordless question to Zoe with a lift of his eyebrow.
She bit her lips together and shook her head in warning. “Have you talked to Ryder lately?” she asked with an oversized smile and hoped to hell he didn’t give anything away.
“Yeah, yeah, he, um, stayed with us last weekend. We talked a lot. He’s… I’m really excited for him. He’s over the moon… about… stuff.”
Raphe dove into the conversation with a friendly laugh and asked, “How is Ryder doing? I haven’t seen him in years.”
“Good,” Grady said, nodding and looking back and forth between them. “He’s really good. Surprisingly, good. And how areyou, Zoe?”
“Surprisingly okay,” Zoe repeated, nodding and trying to peel out of Raphe’s arms before dropping a big one on him as soon as they got a table. “We should catch up later. Are you coming to the baby shower?”
“Definitely. I mean, assuming Haley doesn’t go into labor first. Cutting it a bit close.”
“Right? Things don’t always go according to plan, no matter how much you think you’re prepared, sometimes things… slip through anyway.”
“Funny, that’s exactly what Ryder was saying, when we talked about these things. Surprising as hell,” Grady said, nodding meaningfully, and Zoe was glad to hear that Ryder had told his brother right away. “My mother will be over the moon, about everything. I’m so excited to be an uncle. So, so excited. Twice as excited as I expected to be.”
She finally laughed and shook her head at his attempts to share his enthusiasm without giving anything away.
“Anyway, I’ll leave you guys to… catch up,” he said, cringing and seeming to understand exactly what was about to happen.
“Thanks,” Zoe said, cringing back and forcing a pained smile.
