he said, leaning forward to kiss her on the lips. “How are you doing without Ethan?”
“Hmm, I already kissed another man,” she said with a laugh.
“Hey, that was just a peck!”
Her laughter quickly turned to tears.
“Hey, sweets, why the waterworks?” he asked, putting his arms around her. Mia reciprocated and clung to him. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m so scared, Luke. I don’t want anything else to go wrong. I know I’m grumbling about being in bed, but I’ll seriously do whatever to make sure these babies are all right.”
“This is only a precaution … follow the doctor’s orders, get yourself home, and we will all go from there. So don’t worry. I’m here for the next week and then hopefully you’ll be coming home with me on Friday. Focus on that—going home.
He felt her nod against his chest before she spoke. “Going home.”
“Do you want to talk?”
“No.”
“What do you want?”
“My husband,” she said after a long sigh.
“I know, sweets. I’m here though.”
“And that means the world to me.”
It meant the world to him too. So he just held his best friend and would do his damnedest to keep her calm.
“Mia?” came a woman’s voice from downstairs. Luke stiffened. He knew that voice. He’d never forget it. The voice of his fantasies, his dreams. The woman who’d moaned his name all night long after Mia and Ethan’s wedding. Neither of them had said a thing to anyone that they knew each other—very intimately. They’d pretended they just met. He had led her into the reception, done all the things he was supposed to as the other best person, and every single touch between them had been so electric that by the end of the night, they were fumbling their way up to her hotel room, clothes flying all over.
“Allie, I’m in my prison—I mean, my bedroom,” Mia called out.
“Allie’s here too?”
“Yeah, Ethan wants her to move to Indy. He’s stealing her from me. So, she’s packing up her things here … along with babysitting me.”
“Wow!” He hadn’t heard from her since that night when she’d fallen asleep in his arms. When he’d woken up, she’d been gone. She hadn’t returned his phone calls or his texts. Luke didn’t understand why she had to put distance between them like that, but he’d be finding out. That was for sure.
“Yeah, he’s trying to convert her to spy for him.”
“Whatever, Mia,” Allie said, standing in the doorway, a smile on her face. His eyes took her in. Her hair was a little different—longer, lighter, but still as beautiful as ever. Just like he remembered. He should be pissed at her for how she’d left things but dammit, he was so fucking glad to see her.
“Yay, you’re here, Allie!”
“I am!”
“With a list of instructions from my husband, I presume?”
“And you would presume correctly.”
“Luke, you remember my manager, Allie?”
Vividly, he thought to himself.
“Allie,” he said, clearing his throat, “Nice to see you again.”
“Luke,” Allie replied pleasantly, but he saw the panic in her eyes before she turned her attention to Mia. “Ethan said he’d Skype you after practice … so about four or five p.m., so make sure your iPad or laptop are charged, or he might flip out if he can’t contact you.”
“He’s a little stressed out, huh?” Mia asked.
“Just a little,” Allie replied. “My phone keeps buzzing with more messages from him.”
“Hmpf!” she pouted. She was watched over by everyone except the one she wanted. “At least he’s messaging you. I haven’t heard from him since last night.”
“In a couple hours, don’t forget.” Allie paused. “So, I came up here for a reason. Are you hungry? Dinner ideas?”
“What will my lord and commander … I mean, my husband let me have?”
Allie took out her phone and scrolled through with her finger. “Uh, well, nothing spicy, that is for sure.”
Mia leaned her head back in thought. Luke could see the gears clicking and smiled when it came to her. “Oooh … how about some creamy garlic pasta with chicken? And maybe a salad and some crusty bread … and some chocolate cake?” she asked expectantly.
“I don’t see why not.”
“Yay! Even the babies are excited. They know their mommy really wants that. Daddy can’t say no—ooooh!” Mia stopped, her eyes wide. “Come here, Allie! Feel!” She placed Luke and Allie’s hands on her stomach, not right next to each other, but close enough that Luke could feel the energy from her. “There. Feel it?”
“Holy shit!” Allie exclaimed, her eyes wide in amazement. “They are strong!”