Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
She covered her face with her hands, crying. I didn’t know what to say, so I just sat there, uncomfortable even though they were happy tears.
A woman wearing the red polo and nametag of a Tony’s server approached our table, her furious gaze locked on me.
“Is this him?” she demanded. “Is this the guy who stood you up?”
Shelby took her hands away from her face, looking surprised. “Lydia.”
“If this jerk is making you cry two weeks in a row, you need to get up and leave right now,” the server said. “He’s not worth it.”
What was this? How had I made Shelby cry last week?
Oh. When I didn’t show up for lunch. Shit. She’d been here hoping I’d show up and left thinking I just hadn’t bothered to show up or say anything.
“No,” Shelby assured the server. “These are happy tears, I promise. He’s giving me something incredible. It’s not what you think.”
Lydia gave me a skeptical look, then met Shelby’s gaze again. “Okay. But I’m here if you need anything, okay?”
Shelby smiled gratefully. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”
After we were alone again, an awkward silence fell between us.
“Sorry about that,” Shelby finally said.
“It’s okay.” I glanced at my watch. “I have to pick my niece up from preschool, so I need to get out of here by one at the latest. Do you want to make plans while we’re here? We can get a hotel room if you want.”
Her eyes widened in abject shock. “What? No, no, no.” She quickly composed herself. “Sorry, that’s my fault. I should have explained better. You’ll make your donation at my doctor’s office, and then she’ll take it from there.”
Huh. I’d been thinking she wanted to do this the old-fashioned way, but apparently not. It was probably for the best, given how uptight she was.
“Sure,” I said, shrugging. “However you want to do it.”
“I’ll send you the number for the doctor’s office and you can schedule an appointment whenever it works for you.”
I nodded, trying to think of a tactful way to pose my question to her.
“Hey,” I said, meeting her gaze with a smile. “I’m not an asshole. If you have a partner that you want to include in all this, you don’t need to worry that I’m some kind of bigot. I support LGBTQ rights and marriage equality.”
She shook her head. “It’s not that, Beau. I’m not gay, but I’d tell you if I were. I’m attracted to men and only men, but I want to keep this transactional. I think sex could…muddy things.”
She was right. Hell, it could take multiple tries to get her knocked up, and what if she got hooked on the sex? Women usually caught feelings from sleeping together, no matter what arrangements were agreed upon up-front.
This was a smart approach. She couldn’t get her heart broken this way.
“Okay, then,” I said, smiling. “I’ll make an appointment.”
“Thank you so much, Beau. I can’t believe this is happening. I’m so happy.”
It was the first time I’d made a woman glow by not having sex with her. This was unlike anything I’d ever imagined myself doing. It couldn’t have been any easier, though. All I had to do was get off to make Shelby’s dream come true.
I could most definitely do that.
CHAPTER FIVE
Shelby
If this was what first date nerves felt like, I wanted no part of it. Not that men were clamoring to take me out, but if they were, my response would have been, “Meh.”
Though I wasn’t waiting for Beau to show up for a date, my stomach was churning like I was. Checking the doorway, then my watch, then the doorway again.
What if he changed his mind? Panic filled my chest. It had been nearly three weeks since Beau agreed to do this, and other than his text to me about the appointment today and my text last night reminding him about it, we hadn’t had any contact.
Three weeks was a lot of time for reflection. I’d kept busy working, reading more parenting books, and starting prenatal care. For the first week of daily exercise, no caffeine, and prenatal vitamins, I was on cloud nine. I was preparing to get pregnant with a child of my very own, which made my dream feel one step closer to reality.
During week two, though, I started to seriously miss my coffee. I knew it would be okay for me to have a little, but I wasn’t taking any chances. Baby Grant deserved to grow in the most hospitable womb possible.
Beau’s appointment was in two minutes. I said a silent prayer and looked at the doorway again, but he wasn’t walking through it.
Maybe he had called the doctor’s office to let them know he was running late. I hadn’t actually told him I’d be here today, so he wouldn’t have had a reason to tell me if he wouldn’t be on time.