If Zoey sensed the desperation in Wade’s leading question, she didn’t indicate it.
“No husband,” she corrected. “Just me. And whoever the heck this little guy turns out to be.” Her hand continued rubbing the bump under her sweater as she blushed up at Wade.
“Oh,” Wade said softly. “I’m sorry. But…” He cleared his throat. “But it seems like you have some good friends here more than willing to make up for that. And as far as ready-made surrogate families go, you couldn’t have come to a better place than Haven. My brother and I moved here a few years ago after our parents died, and we haven’t felt alone ever since. So now that you’re here, I’d say it’s not really just you and this little guy after all, is it?”
He smiled at her then, and it was like the fucking sun came out in both of their faces.
I wasn’t sure either of them even realized that they left the clinic without giving Oz or me a second glance.
After a few errands in town and a lengthy roam through the grocery store, Oz and I were finally on our way back up the mountain toward home with a truck full of supplies.
“The last thing she needs right now is to fall for some guy,” Oz griped for the millionth time since leaving the clinic. “What does she need a man for, anyway? She has me.”
I reached over and grabbed his hand, threading our fingers together the way he liked.
“Oz, sweetheart, you are so fucking cute when you pout, I can hardly stand it.”
He pushed out his bottom lip without realizing it. “I’m not pouting. This is serious. I don’t even know this Wade guy.”
“I do. He’s a very nice man. I think the only thing I don’t like about him is his brother, Keith,” I teased. Keith had asked Oz out three or four times since Thanksgiving, and it was getting on my damned nerves. At this point, I was fairly sure he was just doing it to troll me.
“What’s wrong with Keith? He’s sweet.”
Before I opened my mouth to snap out a disagreement, Oz turned and stuck out his tongue at me.
“Oh, ha ha. You wouldn’t think it was so funny if he’d been asking me out these past couple of weeks,” I said.
“Now who’s pouting?”
Oz pulled up our joined hands and pressed kisses across my knuckles before getting to my thumb and drawing the whole damned thing into his hot, wet mouth.
“Jesus Christ, Oz,” I groaned. “Do you want me to drop this truck in the ditch?”
He pulled my thumb out of his mouth and pressed my hand against the fly of his jeans where a giant erection sat ready to be devoured. It set my own cock throbbing, and I groaned again.
“Just push the snow tires button and we’ll be fine,” he teased.
Chapter 23
Oz
I shouldn’t have been surprised to find Wade still at my cabin when we got home, but I was. As soon as we arrived, the two of them seemed to realize how much time they’d spent getting to know one another over a cup of tea, or three, and Wade made a hasty exit.
While Jake unloaded the truck, I grilled Zoey to within an inch of her life. She was kind enough to humor me through the first few questions until her hormones kicked in. Suddenly, I had a lap full of my best friend and hot tears were sliding into the front of my fleece.
“What the hell?” I asked. “We were talking about a sexy mountain man. What’s with the crying?”
“He was just being polite. No one will want a single mother with a new baby,” she sobbed against my chest. “I’m going to be alone forever.”
“Not true. Now who’s the drama queen in our relationship?”
Jake’s voice came from the kitchen. “Still you, sweetheart.”
“Not helping,” I called back. “Listen, Zo. You know I was just being selfish, right? If you like Wade, I think you should feel free to flirt with him all you want. What harm could it do? Jake says he’s a nice guy. He owns the most popular pub in town and his brother owns a sandwich shop. They’re very well-known in Haven and—”
Zoey sniffed. “Don’t listen to me. I’m just being weird. I have to admit, I’m kind of envious of what you and Jake have. He adores you, Ozzie.”
I looked over toward the kitchen to see if I could determine whether or not he heard her. She’d lowered her voice, but I knew from experience the man was stealthy.
“The feeling is mutual,” I mumbled.
“I’m happy you finally found someone who sees how special you are. I can tell you two are in it for the long haul.”
My heart dropped and I shook my head, feeling the early rumble of heartbreak deep in my gut. “Not the long haul, Zo-Zo-Bug,” I said. “Just the short term. He’s moving away in February.”