I smile sheepishly.
“Is it his?”
“It’s his. There is no one else.” I shake my head. “I doubt there will ever be anyone else.”
She smiles. “There never has been for him either.”
I frown.Um ... did she forget about Annie the mega hose beast?
Ruthie’s smile grows wider. “Since that boy met you, there’s a lightness to his step. He carries himself differently, and he never shuts up about you. Given that you’re the first girl he’s ever introduced me to, I knew it was a sure thing.”
Wait, Gabe never brought Annie around to meet Ruthie?
“I’m scared, Ruthie. What if he doesn’t want this? What if this baby is the thing that finally breaks us?”
“What if it’s the thing to make you?”
A glimmer of hope sparks in my heart. Maybe she’s right. We’ve already transitioned so seamlessly from best friends to lovers, a baby is just one more step, right? But if Ruthie’s wrong, I lose everything that matters to me.
“I know you’re afraid, that’s how it is for all new mothers, but don’t wait too long to tell him. He won’t want to miss any of this.”
“I hope you’re right. If not, this baby and I might be looking to rent your spare room.”
She lays her weathered hand over mine and squeezes gently. “Honey, if I’m wrong about that boy, I’ll castrate him myself.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Lo
The first two hours at work drag by. I’ve cleaned the bar at least one hundred times, despite having a total of three people occupying the restaurant so far. Arturo is in the back doing paperwork and he sent Judah out to pick up more paper towels for the bathrooms.
Later, we’ll be so busy that just moving from table to table will be a herculean effort—don’t even get me started on how I’m going to waddle my way through this restaurant when I’m eight months pregnant, sporting cankles, and a fat ass.
Which is why my boss can’t know about this pregnancy until I can’t possibly hide it any longer. I need this job. I can’t have him think of me as a liability.
Right now, though, I’m fit, svelte, and ... practically falling asleep at the bar.
The restaurant doors open and Gabe, Tommy, Logan, Santa, and Family Business’ newest employee, Juno, all file in. She’s Mace’s replacement and a pang of guilt twists my gut when I realize why I haven’t really tried to get to know her. Mace is halfway across the world, and I’m happy with Gabe, but it still hurts to know that what I did, whatwedid forced him to pick up his whole life here. Gabe could have spoken on his behalf and insisted Mace was an integral part of Family Business, but he didn’t. He was glad to see Mace gone, and I was heartbroken, but it still wasn’t enough. I couldn’t love Mace the way I loved Gabe. I’d been honest when I told Ruthie there had never been, nor would there ever be, another human being on this planet that I loved more than Gabriel Dash Freaking Laurier.
Well ... until now.
“Lookie here boys, restaurant all to ourselves, and our girl to top it all off,” Santa says, coming up to give me a hug. He reeks of Fireball, and my stomach twists with nausea.
“Mygirl,” Gabe corrects, and kisses me on the cheek.
“What are you guys doing here?” I stare up at him expectantly.
“Staff meeting.” Gabe winks.
I raise my brows because I don’t think I’ve ever known him to hold a staff meeting in the years since his shop opened. “Oh, well ... um, we’re fully booked tonight.”
Gabe’s brow creases and his lip turns up in a smile. “Seems kinda empty to me.”
I roll my eyes. “Yes, now it seems empty, but every table is booked for six thirty onwards.”
“And if I have a reservation?”
It’s my turn to frown and shoot him a knowing look. “Do you have a reservation?”