Fate Actually (Moonstone Cove #2) - Elizabeth Hunter Page 0,45
down unless I let him. And I wanted to make you dinner and my kitchen is pathetic. I hope you don’t mind I let myself in. I was trying to finish the pasta before you got home.”
If it was any other night she probably would mind, but Toni was too relieved that she wouldn’t have to cook. “It’s fine. Call me next time, but I am exhausted and hungry and nauseated at the same time.” She let herself collapse on the couch. Shelby immediately walked over and curled on her lap as she stretched her legs across the cushions.
“You’re nauseated and hungry at the same time?” Henry asked. “Is that normal?”
“I have no idea.” She laid her head on the back of the couch and felt her whole body start to relax as Shelby began purring under her hand. “I don’t seem to get sick in the morning, it happens more at night. And I’m trying to avoid eating anything big for lunch because I don’t want to get sleepy before the workday ends. But that means I’m hungry at night and then I eat a big meal and I get sick again. It’s a vicious cycle.”
Her eyes were still closed when she felt him sit on the end of the couch and lift her feet into his lap. “I am very sorry that women get all the pregnancy symptoms and men get none. That’s always seemed unfair to me.” Henry started rubbing her feet. “The ziti is baking and there are steaks I can grill when we’re done with the pasta.”
She forced herself not to cry. His hands felt good and he was so thoughtful and she didn’t want to cry. She was such a sap lately. The increased empathy was bad enough, and now she had hormones coursing through her body like a freaking estrogen flood.
“Thank you.” She kept her eyes closed so they wouldn’t leak. “That’s really nice of you, and you give a great foot massage.”
“I will do what I can to take the load off,” he said. “Think about letting me cook for you since I’m around here at the end of the day. I don’t mind, and you work longer hours most of the year.”
“Not right now.” She blinked and opened her eyes, watching him as he rubbed her sore feet. “I know you’re working insane hours right now.” It was crush season at the winery, which meant there were likely nights that Henry was crashing in the office. “Don’t run yourself ragged.”
“I won’t. But when harvest is over, I’ll have a much easier schedule, and I like cooking. I’m not trying to dictate your life—that’s what you said, right? But I am worried that you’re going to push yourself too hard and make yourself sick. Cooking is a thing I can do. Even if you need the night to yourself and you just want me to leave food for you, that’s fine.”
Toni opened her mouth. Closed it. “Don’t be so logical,” she muttered. “It’s spoiling all my arguments.”
He smiled and kept rubbing her feet. “You said you’re getting tired in the afternoon? That’s normal.” He worked his large hands from her ankles up her calves. “You don’t need to be eating less food so you don’t get sleepy, you need to be taking a nap when you’re tired. You have a couch in your office. Use it.”
“How am I supposed to explain that to the guys?”
“At some point, they are going to start wondering why you’re smuggling a basketball under your coveralls, Toni. You might have to tell them you’re pregnant.”
Since all her longtime employees were dads, she had a feeling it would be a mostly positive reaction.
Still. Very weird.
Toni was melting into a puddle. Her house smelled like cheese and baked pasta, Henry was rubbing her feet, and her cat was purring on her lap.
“I could get used to this,” she murmured.
“So could I.” He pressed his thumbs into the side of her ankles again. “I’m gonna show you, Antonia Luciana Dusi, that there are some very real benefits to being my girlfriend.”
Her head popped up. “How did you find out my middle name?”
He smiled broadly. “I have my secrets.”
“Did you call me your girlfriend?”
“Yes.” He squeezed her ankles. “Before you start arguing with me, you need to look at the evidence and be logical. Are you romantically involved with anyone else?” His hands halted on her legs.
“Henry, of course not.”
His hand started moving again. “Okay, good. Neither am I. Do we