29
PARKER
Baby stores were loud. Or at least, the one Hunter and I were shopping in was loud. There were children everywhere, running around with toys they wanted and wailing over the ones they couldn’t have. Except for feeling their heartbreak over those treasures they wouldn’t be taking home with them, I loved it.
It was the best kind of chaos, and I grinned as I drank it all in. “This is awesome. I think I should open a toy store once the gym is sold.”
“You’re insane,” Hunter grunted, glancing down at the list of requirements in his hand and frowning. “How the fuck does a crib have a safety rating? I thought a crib was a crib was a crib.”
“Nope. Apparently not. Hailey was pretty clear this morning about not letting you take home the coolest looking one, but the most practical one that ticks all the boxes on that list.”
“But that one looks like a jet,” he said, just about drooling as he eyed the crib in question before his gaze strayed even farther. “And there’s a race car. What kid wouldn’t rather sleep in that?”
“I don’t think that’s a crib.” I cocked my head, walking closer to the red and blue striped car. “Yeah, that’s not a crib. That’s a bed. I think they’re only supposed to get those when they’re older.”
He sighed, dragging his palm across his beard as he searched the store. “Do you think those boring white ones at the front are the only cribs they have then?”
“Yep.” I took his shoulders and turned him around, pushing him a little when he wouldn’t budge. “This is why I’m here. To make sure we listen to Hailey. Let’s go, Hunter. Your wife would kill us if she saw us even standing here.”
“How about just a little princess castle?” he asked, glancing back at me hopefully. “If it’s a boy, we can just paint the pink bits blue.”
“Baby boys can sleep in pink princess castles, but no. We’re sticking to the cribs. If they’ve got safety ratings, it’s for a reason.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure Hailey made the ratings up. She’s been reading about baby sleep safety. It’s a whole thing. You can’t just put them down and let them sleep.”
“Exactly, which is why she gave us a list of things to look out for,” I said, pointing at the paper in his hand. “No matter how cool the bed is, it’s not worth it if it’s going to be too dangerous for the baby to sleep in, right?”
“Right.” He blew out a disappointed breath, finally moving back to the baby section of the store. Stopping next to the first one we came across, a foldable red thing that was definitely portable, his expression softened. “I can’t believe I’m really here, buying one of these for my very own baby who will be here in just a few months.” He smiled. “You know, I wasn’t really sure this was ever going to happen for me.”
“Yeah, I feel you on that one,” I murmured, regretting it the second he looked up at me.
“I knew there was something going on with you,” he said. “Is this still about the other day when you were talking about how you were the only single one left?”
“Kind of,” I admitted, then shook my head. “No, not really.”
He frowned, arching a brow at me. “What the fuck does that mean? It’s either kind of or not really.”
“It’s complicated,” I said, pointing at the wooden crib behind the soft portable one we were standing next to. “I think that’s probably more what Hailey had in mind. I think this one is for when you have to go away and stuff.”
“Well, we’ll need one like that, too.” He dropped his gaze to it and nodded. “Yeah, we definitely need one for when we’re not at home. I’m taking Hailey on a road trip for our anniversary, but that’s only after the baby is born.”
“You may want to postpone it then,” I suggested. “I don’t think going on a road trip with a newborn baby is as simple as going on one without.”
He shrugged. “Probably not, but it will be our first family holiday.”
His eyes lit up at the thought, and I grinned. “That sounds awesome. I always thought our kids would grow up together, though. Pity that won’t be happening.”
“Okay, what is with you?” he asked again. “Don’t tell me it’s complicated. I can handle complicated. I’m a physical therapist-slash-inventor who married his assistant who became his fake fiancée. There’s nothing you can tell me that’s more complicated than all that, and don’t try to change the subject again.”
When I opened my mouth to deny it, he rolled his eyes. “I know that’s what you did before. I was going to let it slide and take you out for a beer after this to get you to spill, but I’m done waiting now. What’s going on?”
I considered playing it off again, but eventually, I broke down and just told him the truth. “Do you remember when Nash said he’d set me up with that consultant?”
“The brand crystallization specialist?” he asked, brow furrowing. “Isabella something or other, right?”
“Yep.” I’d been keeping everything about my relationship with her to myself, but once I started talking, it all came out. Everything.
Beginning with the first time she’d walked into my office, I told him how I’d felt and how she’d eventually agreed to be my date. I told him about Italy and how she’d agreed to be my fake fiancée. I told him about the time between the trips and how I’d messed up the pitch, and then I told him about Maui and how she’d come through for me. How she’d shown up despite our fight, forgiven me, and then taken off again.