“Get used to it.” He stopped at a red light. Glancing out of the side window, he caught his reflection in the glass. He was grinning from ear to ear.
“Good night, Logan. And thanks again for the sweets. Even if my behind doesn’t thank you.”
An image of her naked ass flashed through his brain. He had to blink to get it away. “Sleep tight, Courtney.”
“I will. Don’t work too hard.”
“I’ll try not to.” The light turned to green as he ended the call, his mouth dry as thoughts of her rushed through his mind.
Don’t work too hard. If he didn’t know better, he’d say she cared.
And it made him feel like a damn teenager inside.
Chapter Sixteen
“Don’t sit down,” Lainey said as Courtney walked into the salon. “I’m taking you into the treatment room. You have parts I need to wax.”
Courtney blinked. Her body was shocked by the sudden warmth of the salon compared to the ice cold air outside. “I don’t need anything waxed. Nobody is going to see it,” she protested as Lainey led her to the room at the back of the salon.
“You’re going on a date tonight. There’s no way I’m letting your lady garden look like the invasion of the yetis.”
“It’s not a date.” Courtney frowned. “We’re just going out for dinner.”
Lainey slid Courtney’s too-small coat from her shoulders. “Oh my god!” she said, looking down at her stomach. “You have a bump.” She scooted down and pressed her hands against Courtney’s abdomen, though her sweater was so thick she could barely feel Lainey’s touch. “Is the baby kicking yet?”
“I won’t feel anything for a few more weeks,” Courtney told her. “But I feel like I’ve exploded. Nothing fits. I swear this isn’t supposed to happen for at least another month.”
Lainey looked up at her with a solemn expression. “It’s twins. For sure.”
“Shut up. You know we checked for that.” Courtney bit down a grin.
“Did you hear what happened to Maddie Hartson? She didn’t know she was having twins until she gave birth. Maybe that’s what’s happening here. Baby two could be hiding.”
Courtney sighed at her friend’s teasing. “Can you shut up and wax me, please?”
Lainey grinned, rubbing her hands together. “I thought you’d never ask. Now go and get changed. The gown and paper pants are all ready for you.” She leaned forward to kiss Courtney’s cheek. “Don’t worry, by the time he picks you up for this date I’ll have you looking like a bombshell.”
“It’s not a date,” Courtney reminded her, as she walked behind the screen. She hated getting changed at this time of year. In the summer, it was as simple as pulling off a dress. But peeling her clothes off in winter felt like a daunting task. Each time she took off a layer there was another underneath.
“Sure it isn’t,” Lainey called out, her voice full of amusement. “But let’s get you hair free just in case.”
Courtney stared at herself in her bedroom mirror, angling her body so she could check out her dress in the too-small glass. She’d bought it from Laura’s Boutique in the town square, having found it on the sale rack. It wasn’t a maternity dress – she wasn’t ready for that yet – but it was made of a soft cream jersey and it skimmed her curved stomach.
She hadn’t bothered doing anything with her hair, opting to let it tumble down over her shoulders. It was thick enough at the best of times, but right now it felt like more of a mane than her crowning glory. The hairs she used to have to pick up off the bathroom floor every time she washed it had been non existent in the past few weeks. According to the website she was
following, that was normal. The body liked to hold onto everything during pregnancy, including her thick brown strands.
Logan had texted earlier to tell her he’d landed and would be over at eight to pick her up. The thought of seeing him again made her body tingle. For all she’d protested to Lainey yesterday that this wasn’t a date, she still felt edgy and excited.
And yeah, her heart was speeding way too fast.
She made a face at herself in the mirror. “Co-parents,” she said out loud. That’s what they would be. He was here to talk details about the baby. Not to spend time with her.
Hearing the crunch of tires on the gravel path, she walked down the stairs and opened the door. Logan was climbing out of the sleek black rental, a dark suit molded to his muscled body. His gaze caught hers and he smiled.
Her heart skipped like a record on repeat.
“Hey.” His voice was soft as he reached the porch. He almost ran up the stairs before he pressed his lips to her cheek. “You look beautiful.”