night.” I smiled thinking about the sex again. It would never get old with her. It only got better.
“So things are okay with her?”
“Why?” His question worried me. “Why would you ask that?”
“Just something stupid that Hailey said to me.”
“What did she say?” I leaned over the desk. “I want to hear it word for word.”
“Relax. Calm breaths.”
“Don’t tell me to relax. You’re implying Hailey thinks something is up with Allie. I need to know everything.”
“Hailey mentioned she seemed upset and agitated, but Allie won’t tell her anything. It’s weird because you know how those girls are.”
“Yes, I do.” I’d learned the hard way everything I said to Allie generally got repeated to her chief advisor, who also happened to be my chief advisors’ sister.
“Maybe Hailey was imagining it. She’s paranoid like that.”
“Hailey isn’t usually a paranoid person.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’re holding something back from me?” Owen returned his hands to his side.
“It’s just a feeling. Something seems off with Allie. I can’t shake it. She’s been complaining about feeling out of it, ‘under the weather’ is how she puts it, and she seems withdrawn.”
“Did you ask her about it?”
“Of course I did. Do you think I’m an idiot?”
“Maybe you’re the one we should be worried about.” Owen slouched in his chair. “Temper much?”
“I take everything involving Allie seriously.”
“Which you should. She’s your mate after all.”
“So stop giving me a hard time.”
“Okay.” An unreadable expression crossed his face, which meant he was formulating something to say.
“Spit it out.”
“Don’t hit me for asking this. Okay?”
“Asking what?”
“What I’m about to ask.”
“I won’t hit you. No promises on other methods of physical retaliation.” I’m all for being honest.
“Do you want to hear it or not?”
“Go for it.”
“Could she be pregnant?”
“Pregnant?” I sat up in my chair. “Why would you ask that?”
“Let’s see…. your wife is moody, complaining about being under the weather, and keeping things from her best friend. Kind of adds up.”
“I need to go home.” I had to talk to Allie. I needed to know if Owen’s hunch was right.
“Now? I thought you had a meeting at one?”
“Cancel it or cover for me.” I stood up and pushed in my chair.
“Which do you prefer? It’s with the leaders of the local wolf packs. I’m afraid of upsetting them considering what has been going on.”
“Take the meeting. I’ll be worthless in the talks with where my head is anyway.”
“I’ll agree with you there.” Owen was one of only a few people in the world who could get away with talking to me that way.
“Fill me in, and don’t promise anything.”
“I’m an expert at evasive speech.”
“I know. How do you think you got this job?” I ribbed.
“Are you sure you want to piss off the guy who’s covering for you in an important meeting?”
“I couldn’t piss you off if I tried.” I smirked. Owen and I got into it sometimes, but we didn’t come to head nearly as much as I did with my other best friend, Jared.
“I’m leaving.” I checked my pocket for my phone and keys and headed right for the elevator.
I thought over Owen’s words the whole drive home. I could barely sit still. Was it possible? We weren’t trying yet, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t happen.
I tried to calm my nerves while I sat at a stop light. I was being ridiculous. It was probably something else entirely. If pregnancy was the issue, she would have told me. We were married, and I was the one more ready to do the parent thing than she was. I knew she wanted to finish college first.
Finally I pulled into the driveway and parked the car. I ran up the front steps and unlocked the front door. “Babe?” I called out.
I hadn’t seen her car out front, but she usually left it in the garage anyway. “Babe?”
When she didn’t reply I checked out all the rooms downstairs before heading upstairs to our bedroom. It was empty, and the bed was perfectly made.
I sat down on the end of the bed. So much for getting resolution by coming home.
I heard the front door open. “Levi?”
“I’m up here,” I called down. I needed to plan my interrogation. Whoa. No. I stopped that line of thinking. This wasn’t an interrogation. It was a conversation with my wife.
“What are you doing home?” She was wearing workout clothes, so my guess was she’d just come in from a run.
“Were you with Hailey?” I couldn’t help but worry. I’d asked her to be extra