Page 126 of Heartbeats & Highways

I was on the couch, reading about some of the less than stellar pregnancy consequences, when the buzzer sounded.

Frowning in confusion, I got up and went to answer it. I pressed the intercom button.

“Hello?”

“Hi, it’s Willa. I brought you a pie as a housewarming gift. Can I come up?”

“Sure.” I buzzed her in and then unlocked the apartment door.

“I’m coming,” she called from downstairs. “But I’m big and have to take it slow.”

I giggled. A smile was still on my face when she appeared.

“Okay, I kind of lied,” she said as she ambled into the apartment. “The pie is a housewarming gift, but also a peace offering.”

“Oh yeah?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “What kind of pie?”

“Cherry.”

“Rats. That’s my favorite kind.” My gaze narrowed. “You asked Savage, didn’t you?”

“I might have.”

I took the pie and set it on the counter. “Can I get you a glass of milk?”

“Yes.” She shrugged out of her coat and placed it on the couch. “I’ve been trying to figure out a way to apologize for what happened at dinner. I didn’t mean to be so blunt with you.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. You’re protective of Savage. I understand that.”

She sighed. “Duke told me about his conversation with Savage.”

“Oh?” I opened the fridge.

“I wish you hadn’t overheard the conversation.”

“How did you know I overheard? Did Savage tell you?”

“Yeah, he told me.” She paused. “Sometimes he can talk to me the way he can’t talk to Duke.”

“I’m glad he has you.” I went to the cupboard and opened it to pull out two glasses. “For what it’s worth, I don’t want him at odds with Duke. I never want to get between them. Or between you and Savage.”

“I know that.”

“But . . .”

“But—oh hell, I’m just going to be honest, okay?”

I poured us two glasses of milk and nodded for her to continue.

“Savage has never had a serious relationship.”

“Yeah, I gathered that much.”

“You did?”

“Yes. We were talking about his possessive tendencies, and he explained that he’d never felt that way before. So, I justassumed if he was feeling that way about me, it means he really cares.”

“The reason I bring it up is because going from having no serious relationships at all—ever—to suddenly having an Old Lady . . . It just made Duke—and me—our antennae went up, you know?”

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