Page 47 of Ruin The Friendship
Fletcher gasps, his eyes growing wide. “What are you doing awake? I thought you’d be asleep.”
Some of the familiar puppy dog excitement he gets when he sees me seeps into his face, a grin tugging at his lips.
“I wanted to see you.” I shrug. “Missed you.”
Fletcher rushes over to the sectional where I’m bundled up on the chaise. He sits, scooting close. He wraps his arms around my shoulders, and his whole body relaxes. I put my project on the side table to my left. Relief floods through me. Maybe things are okay between us, and I’m overreacting. The comfort he brings me sinks in like a warm blanket.
“How are you?” I ask.
“Been better.” His jaw visibly ticks. “Rough few weeks.”
“Same,” I say, hoping this is my opening to talk to him.
Fletcher stiffens. “What happened? Is the baby okay?”
I can’t help but laugh. “The baby is fine. But I can’t shake this feeling that something is off with us.” I gesture between us.
Fletcher nods, looking down.
“I know you mentioned stepping up to be the baby’s father, and if you’re having regrets, that’s fine, we can forget you ever said?—”
He slips a hand over my mouth.
“Don’t even think about finishing that sentence. I meant what I said, and I’ll say it over and over again until you hear me.” His tone leaves no room for argument, so I nod. “When I said that, I wasn’t saying it because I want to play a part. Not only will I be the baby’s dad, but more than that. I want to be your partner. In all of the ways I can be.”
My breath catches in my throat. What does he mean? He wants to be my partner?
“My—What?” I can’t get a full sentence out.
My brain is whirring, unable to compute the words that came from his lips. Is this a new pregnancy symptom? Hallucinating things? There’s no way this is real.
“I want more. Have for a long time. I’ve been ready to take a step and prove to you that we could be more, that we could be amazing together. I’ll be the first to admit I’m scared, but there is nothing I want more.”
One look at his face and I know he’s telling the truth. There’s no way he isn’t. I’ve known this man for a long time, and he’s never been one to lie. Well, other than when he tells me he didn’t drink the last of the milk, even though he definitely did.
“You—you want more?” I ask in a shaky voice.
“I do. And I know this is a lot, so if you need time to think, I get it.” He takes my hand in his, running his thumb over the top of it. His knuckles are bruised and cut open from a fight he got into on the ice last night, and I wrestle with the urge to rush him to the bathroom and clean the wounds.
I don’t know what I want. I need time to think. Is he doing this because of the baby, or does he truly want me? Has he felt this shift between us the same way I have? I can’t deny I want this, but now that he’s handing it to me on a silver platter, I feel like I need to look at this from a logistical end.
“What do you say to a date Tuesday night?” he asks, opening my palm and drawing swirling circles on the skin. “No strings attached, no expectations. Just something I have planned for the two of us.”
“You already have a date planned?”
How long has he been planning this?
“Sure do. And I think you’re going to love it.” A contagious smile crosses his face as he looks up at me.
“What are we doing?”
“You’ll see. I’ll pick your outfit, so don’t stress about that.”
“You’ll pick my outfit?” I question, raising my brows.
“I have impeccable style, Lydi. Trust me. You’re going to love this.”
I look at his handsome face and those sage green eyes I love, taking in the grown-out length of his beard. “Are you going to shave?”
