I stand up, my eyes welling with tears, and pull her up by her hand, throwing my arms around her. "Sheesh, Prie. You've both been through hell and back and look how strong you both are." I move back but hold onto her arms. I feel the tears flow from my eyes but I smile. "Shit, this baby couldn't be anything but a fighter. Look who their mommy and daddy are." She lets out a laugh, her own tears sliding down her face. "Well...." I blow out a breath. "I think Trevor will be beyond overjoyed and will do everything in his power to help. I will too!"
"I'm so glad to hear you say that." Why do I feel like I've just been set up? Eh, doesn't matter. I'd do anything she asks to help out. But I think she knows that.
After that, we sit back down, I drink both of our lattes – because, yeah, she shouldn't have caffeine right now, and we eat our buns. Okay, that doesn't sound very good. She tells me her plan of taking it easy through her pregnancy and what all her doctor told her. She asked me if I can help out at the abused women's house, which I do quite often anyway, and then she goes on to explain how she'll see if Nash, Memphis, and Colby can take turns helping along with Sadie and Shiloh. "I know everyone's so busy. The guys have their farms to tend and the girls have their babies too." She lets out a sigh and a big breath. "That's why I hate bothering them with this. But I think with everyone's help, we can do this."
Before I moved here and everyone started having babies, I'd never been around kids. Now, they're freakin' everywhere. I wonder is there something in the water? I don't even have to have my own, I can just babysit any of theirs. "Tomorrow at the shop I'm interviewing some people to hire. If I can just find the right people, I can spend more time at your boarding house, well, more than I do now, and you can relax. Leave everything to me. Now...." I feel like my head is spinning. So much to do. "I think you should go home, light some candles, get into something sexy, and tell Trevor the news. Everything else will work out. You know we'll all help." I started out feeling so scared for her, but now I'm so excited!
"No, I'm going to spend the night." This is so strange. Why wouldn't she want to run home and tell Trevor? I mean – why would she choose silly ol' me over that hot hunk of a cowboy in any case? She folds her hands on top of the table and gets comfortable in the chair. "I really need a night with my friend." I nod, thinking this is so weird, not that I would know what it's like to have a husband or even a boyfriend, so I guess if it's what she wants. "I'm going to tell Trevor tomorrow. Promise."
"Ohhh, kay. So, what do you want to do?" Still feeling kinda weird that she'd want to stay here.
"We could watch a movie."
So we do. First we went to her car and got her bag then we both got in our jammies and camped out in my living room. I put in my DVD of Pretty Woman and about halfway through she blurts out something I'll never, ever forget as long as I live.
"Nash really likes you and wants to take you out."
I don't move. I don't even turn my head. I stare at the TV and yell, "WHAT?" Nothing I've been through in my life has scared me anywhere near what her words just did. I turn my head in slow motion. "You know I can't do that."
She smiles big. "Yes, you can!"
I shake my head so much I make myself dizzy. "Noooo, I can't." I turn and face her. "Prie, you know me well enough by now to know that I can talk the talk, but I definitely cannot walk the walk. It's no secret I love a good lookin' guy, especially of the cowboy kind, but when I get around them, I become the most nervous, fumbling, stupid, idiotic woman on the face of the earth." I turn back around, facing the TV and cross my arms over my chest. "I'm actually really scared of guys," I whisper. I shift my eyes to her and back in front again. "Especially good looking hunks. Like Nash." My heart is doing flips, and I feel like I might vomit.
"Oh, my God, Tina!" I try not to look at her. "You're really shy, aren't you?" I huff and tighten my arms around me. "You never act like it. I think it's – cute."
Cute?
I can't stop my head from turning her way. "Cute? Have you not seen me destroy display cases in the wake after being around a guy? Or falling on my ass in a mess I've made when I demolished trays of fresh pastries, or maybe you missed out on me sliding in the aftermath of the annihilated rack of sandwiches filled with homemade hummus?" I slap my hand over my eyes, remembering Nash trying to pick me up when I fell flat on my own buns into the mess of the display case – just last night. And we're not even talking or dating. I feel my skin burn with embarrassment.
She laughs and moves closer to me, putting her arm around my shoulders. I peek through my fingers. "Tina. Oh, my God! Have you seen yourself in the mirror?" Like every damn day. She starts trying to pry my hand away from my face. "You are one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen."
I let out a snort. "No. I'm not," I squeak.
"Yes. You are." She holds some of my long wayward hair in her hand. "You have the prettiest long hair that any woman would kill for. Your green eyes are bright but almost look like a shade of blue depending on what you wear. You have the whitest straightest teeth and a beautiful smile. You're bubbly, fun, loveable, and have such a big heart. You moved here from a life of luxury just to be with your best friend, Sadie, when she needed you!" I give her a sincere look.
"You're sweet but I'm so stupid around guys, especially ones I'd like to meet. Oh, I might have gone on about how good looking some are, take Memphis, Colby, and Trevor, for example, but Nash? Dang! He just has to look at me with those sexy green eyes and I melt into a puddle." She giggles. I purse my lips and tilt my head. "You've gotten to know him better than anyone." Her brows raise and she gives me a look. "Do you.... Do you really think he wants to go out with me or is it just because there aren't many choices around here?" Damn! That came outta nowhere. Kind of. Her eyes widen as if in shock but then they lower as she smiles.
"Tina. Why on earth would you say that? First of all, there are plenty of single women in Pilates if they can't be found here. Second, he told me he wants to get to know you, and he's nervous about asking you out."
"Why would he be nervous?" I snort. This is so perplexing to me. I'm just an average girl, living an average life. He's so freaking hot and sexy, muscular, those piercing green eyes, and that red hair – oh, my God! I never knew I even liked red hair on a guy but his is not a bright red, not brash at all. And the way he looks at me? Gah!
"Honey." She places her hand on my arm. "He's smitten with you." I lean back and gawk. She laughs. "No really. He actually pulled me aside at the hospital after you left and asked me if I thought you'd go out with him."
I lean up close to her. "And what did you say?" I whisper.
She laughs. "I told him to ask you." I lower my brows, my stomach twisting into knots. He'd actually talk to me and ask me out. Suddenly, I stiffen. Concern washes over her face. "Tina? What's wrong?" I swallow but I can't get the lump down in my throat.
"I've never really been alone with a guy," I whisper. Her concern changes to surprise. "I was always the DD for Sadie and her partying friends. The guys always gawked at her, not me. I was safe that way. I didn't actually have to speak to any of them."
Her face softens. "Aww, honey. You'll be fine," she says as she pats my arm. Like she's talking to a frightened puppy. I guess I am. Kinda. "Let me tell you. Nash is so sweet and such a gentleman." She leans close to me. "I think he's just as nervous as you are." A most unladylike snort leaves my mouth but I feel a little more relaxed. Very little. She moves back and laughs. "No, seriously. He was all stumbling over his words when he was asking me about you." Now it's my turn to be surprised. Her smile spreads. "Tina, guys are just people too, you know? Everything will be just fine."
Yeah, just fine for her. She doesn't have to go out on a first date and stammer and stumble her way through the night with the hottest man on the planet. Oh, yeah. One of the hottest. Trevor is freaking hot as hell and so is Memphis and Colby. Sigh. I can't talk to them very well either and we're just friends.
We finished watching the movie, ate junk food, and laughed then cried at the sappy parts. Then we hugged goodnight and went to our separate rooms. I laid awake the rest of the night thinking about the impending meet with Nash.
I was dressed and out the door by four thirty the next morning. Since I couldn't sleep anyway, I figured I might as well get a head start on baking donuts and other assorted pastries. I left Prie a note to lock up when she leaves. Sadie is leaving the twins with Memphis in a few hours so she can interview a few applicants with me. Prie said she'd come keep an eye on the shop. It'll be nice to get some help so Sadie can stay home more. Once I've filled the display case and turned on all the machines, I walk to the front door, unlock it, then flip over the closed sign to open. I start to walk to the back room when I hear the jingle of the bell over the door. Sheesh, that was quick. Turning around, my breath catches as I stare into vibrant green eyes.