“Remember to sign up for the childbirth classes.”
“I will. Later,” she said as she clicked off before she made him doubly late for his meeting. She pulled on maternity jeans, scowling and pouting when couldn’t even button these halfway. Ugh. The next phase of maternity clothes was all belly-covering elastic. Even the belly band trick wasn’t working anymore. Evan wouldn’t be pleased if she dipped into his t-shirts, but she didn’t want to have to buy all new Halseth’s shirts, and Evan happened to wear the right size for her third trimester baby belly…
She slid open the closet door and cracked open the next box of Haley’s hand-me-down maternity clothes. The sooner she could shuttle these off to Trace or Claire or someone, the better. If any of them would hurry and get knocked up.
After pulling on a stolen Halseth’s Smokehouse and Pub top of Evan’s—just a little test to show him how desperately she needed the bigger shirt—she tugged her hair into a ponytail and breezed out of her bedroom. Plopping down, she couldn’t lean as far forward as usual to tie her shoes, or she seemed to squish everything up and into her stomach.
Evan stumbled out of his bedroom, his hair wild and his gooey brown eyes were heavy with sleep. “Hey, you heading to your appointment?”
She nodded. “Then off to work.”
He nodded vaguely and disappeared into the bathroom.
Finally, when he surfaced, he glanced her way but kept walking toward the kitchen. “What did you think of the roast duck? Is that what you were thinking for the mixed green salad?”
He nodded slowly, then shook his head and finally answered, “The smoky flavor is good, but it’s got a sweetness I wasn’t anticipating.”
“I can tone that down.” He glared up and down at her as he stopped fast. “Is that my shirt?”
“What? This old thing?” she said, looking up and down at the belly-stretched t-shirt.
Evan bit his lips together and his expression darkened. “You can keep it.” He crossed to the kitchen and drew an old flowery ceramic cup of their mother’s out, and filled it with coffee, then another with tea for Zoe. He sat at the table and nodded for her to join him.
“Everything okay?”
He nodded slowly. “Would you… I haven’t talked to Pops or Finn yet, but… you know the new construction, at the edge of the main drag, just before the big hill starts?”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Of course. I’m so glad that old warehouse is gone. That was such an eyesore. I heard they’re putting in condos?”
“Yeah,” he said with a light shrug, the corner of his lips tugged up deviously. “With shops underneath. Really high end.”
“Nice. That will be such an upgrade. Foothills needs good shopping.”
“Anyway, about that…” He gulped a sip of coffee and glared into the mug. “I was talking to Ryder about his deal with Bellamy Athletics, about their new line with Jagger, and it got me thinking… I might want to open my own shop.”
“Your own shop? Halseth’s has that little storefront, but we can expand—”
“No. Nothing to do with food. Something that’s all mine. Not that I don’t want to keep working with you, but, you know. I… I, um, was thinking of opening a sporting goods shop.”
“What about Sporty’s? They’ve been here for decades. The competition would be tough.”
“Have you been in there lately? They’re a fishing and hunting shop anymore, not much else, and Ryder said the outlook for activewear and fitness-focused gear is huge and not going anywhere. Sporty’s doesn’t even have frisbees, or even clothing that is not dripping in mossy oak.” Evan rubbed his hand over the back of his neck and leaned back in the chair. “I actually stopped into talk to Les at Sporty’s anyway, to feel him out, you know, so it never feels like we’re fighting for customers. He likes the idea and thinks we’d complement each other well.”
“So, you…” Zoe’s stomach sank as she realized what he was getting at.
“I mean, the lease on this house is going to be up in a few months, and I’m sure you’ll be finding a place with Ryder, or, he can move in here with you, or whatever, you know, and you’ve got the peanut, and Finn’s got Emerson, and I… you know.”
Zoe set her untouched tea down and reached across to pat his hands. “You’re my best friend and you always will be. I’m in. Whatever you need, okay?”
He exhaled long and slow and shook his head with relief. “Thanks. Wow. Thanks. I’m… I’m not even sure if it’s going to work yet. I’m only just now tossing around ideas, but I’m really excited.”
“This is why Ryder and you were still up talking last week when I go back from work, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. He was a huge help.” His phone buzzed a few seconds later, laughing under his breath. “Ryder wants me to pick up more of that dark roast coffee I picked up from the farmer’s market, and he says he’ll bring Bellamy samples for us.”
Shaking her head, she stood and muttered, “You two are a couple of snobs.”
“Soon, Zoe. Soon,” he said, and flashed a wink.
