Page 9 of Saving You

“How was I supposed to know? What are you doing with a woman and her kid?”

“I responded to a call at their place. Charlotte was talking about Thanksgiving at school and wanted to do something for someone to say thank you. She asked her mom if they could make me cookies, and they delivered them to the station. Charlotte asked if I could go to lunch with them. When Bailey said I was probably busy, I couldn’t take the look of disappointment on Charlie’s face, so I joined them.” I don’t think I’ve ever eaten as many cookies as I have over the last five days; there’s not a single one left.

“Who knew you were such a softie?” Matt chuckles.

“Oh, you’re telling me that when your niece or nephew is born, you won’t be soft for them? There is something about disappointing a kid that’s just too hard to do,” I say.

“I just don’t think I’ve ever seen you interact with a kid before.”

I shrug because Matt’s right. I don’t interact with kids much. None of my friends or family have kids yet, so I’m not often in the position to do so. Before my last tour, I would have told you I wanted to be a father, that I wanted a wife and a house full of kids running around. I still love kids and I can’t wait to be an uncle. I just don’t see kids of my own in my future.

“Well, Olivia is super excited to get to know Bailey and Charlotte. She hasn’t been able to stop talking about them. She texted Bailey as soon as we got home Monday,” Josh says, pulling me from my thoughts. “All she’s been able to talk about this week is them and the doctor’s appointment we had.”

“How did it go? Did you guys find out the sex?” Matt asks.

He’s extremely excited to be an uncle. When it came out that Olivia and Josh were seeing each other, Matt was completely supportive. We found out at their wedding he kind of orchestrated the whole thing.

When Liv caught her ex cheating on her right after they had signed a new lease and she had given up her apartment, she needed a place to stay. Matt was the one to put the bug in Josh’s ear that she needed help. The forced proximity had him confessing his feelings for her while he helped her complete some summer checklist he assures us all no one will ever see. So now Matt’s best friend is legally his brother and giving him a niece or nephew.

“No, we decided to keep the sex a surprise. We won’tknow until they’re born. Olivia has begun decorating the nursery with gender-neutral colours. We’ve started getting the furniture and setting it up. She’s started nesting earlier than I thought she would, but it makes her happy.”

The look of utter love on Josh’s face as he talks about his wife and unborn child causes a pang of longing stab to through me. I take a sip of my beer, trying to wash the feeling down.

We spend the rest of the night playing poker and talking about our game tomorrow and the current hockey season. When we decide to call it a night, the guys help clean up and then head home. I head to bed and once again I wake up in the middle of the night out of breath and drenched in sweat.

CHAPTER 4

Bailey

We arrive at Olivia’s place at exactly 6 p.m. Charlie is grinning ear to ear in her unicorn onesie pyjamas, holding her favourite stuffed cow, Vanilla. The muscles in my arms strain as I hold the bags I brought with us. I wasn’t sure what to bring to a practical stranger’s house for girls’ night, so I brought juice boxes and snacks for Charlie, wine and sparkling non-alcoholic cider for the adults, homemade cookies, candy, and chips. It was like I was a kid in the grocery store.

A smiling Olivia opens the door and immediately wraps her arms around me. “I’m so glad you guys came.”

“Thank you for having us.” I force a smile, feeling unsure about all of this.

She ushers us in, helping take a couple of the lighter bags from me. Olivia looks amazing. She has the pregnant woman glow and her curves are stunning. Her auburn hair is pulled back in a ponytail that swings as she walks. We follow her into the living room where three more gorgeous women sit.

A brunette a few inches taller than me jumps off the couch and hurries towards us. “You must be Bailey and Charlotte. Liv has been so excited for you guys to come. I’m Zoey,that’s Hannah, and that’s Eliza,” she says, pointing at a stunning, model-like blonde and a classically beautiful woman with black hair. Eliza looks like someone who doesn’t realize just how beautiful she is.

I give a little wave. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. Thanks for having us.”

“Of course, come have a seat. We were just chatting,” Hannah says.

I put our bags down beside the couch and usher Charlie over to one side of the large sectional couch that sits in the middle of the expansive living room. We take a seat, unsure of all the new people.

“Charlie, I have some craft stuff if you’d like,” Olivia says as she hands me a glass of sparkling cider she must have opened. Charlie perks up.

“Really?”

“Yup, I have tons of extra stuff from our fall crafts at school.”

“You go to school?” Charlie asks.

“I teach sixth grade.” Olivia and Charlie chatter as they get some crafts set up at the dining room table.

“So, how did you meet Caleb?” Hannah asks.

I shift uncomfortably. “Officer Sutton responded to a call at our house. He helped us out. Charlie wanted to do something nice for him for Thanksgiving, so we dropped cookies off at the station. My persuasive daughter then convinced him to join us for lunch. That’s when we ran into Olivia and Josh.”

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