12. Coconut
Coconut
“L aying out in the sun, watching bikini-flaunting chicks strutting down the beach?” Zoe teased into the phone as she kicked her feet up on the couch and sipped her morning decaf.
Half-sighing, half-laughing, Ryder answered, “Only one bickini’d chick I want to check out, and she’s not here.”
“Bitch. Who is she?” she giggled.
“Actually, that gives me an idea. Since I can’t come see you this week, maybe you should join me? Or, oh, damn, it’s Evan’s birthday. Did the package arrive?”
“I gotcha. Everything is wrapped and waiting in my closet to spring on him. I think he’d be okay with me not being here, but I don’t have anyone to cover the kitchen.”
“I thought the part timer was going to start picking up more shifts?”
“She is, but I want to give her more time before unleashing a Foothills weekend crowd on her.”
“Don’t burn out that second trimester energy. Pretty soon it will be achy joints and Braxton-Hicks and the return of fatigue.”
“I am taking advantage while I can.”
“And when you can’t?”
“She’ll be ready then.”
“Good.” His voice sharpened and she heard him shifting. “Fuck, I’m going to be late for my meeting.”
“Sorry, don’t let me keep you.” Her brain pricked up at her own words, but she shook it away.
“Hey, I’m going to send you some links. Let me know what you think.”
“Of what?”
“You’ll see. Just think about it. No rush.”
“Okay,” she answered. A flutter low in her belly pushed and moved. “Whoa. Shit.”
“What?” he asked, his tone desperate, his movements freezing on the other side of the call.
“Peanut. She kicked me really hard.”
“A real kick? Definitely not gas this time?”
“Smartass.” Zoe squirmed with the sensation of an alien doing a somersault in her abdomen. “I think that’s a foot.”
“Aw, I wish I was there. She never kicks when I’m around.”
“She’s shy, but you will definitely notice her new moves. I think we’re working on a little gymnast.” Another huge somersault, and Zoe yelped at the odd sensation of it. “Holy shit she’s active.”
“I can’t believe I’m missing it. I’ll cancel my meeting and fly up.”
“No, you dumbass. She’ll still be kicking when you’re next up here.”
“Dumbass?” he laughed. “Okay, I really need to go. Call me after the appointment?”
“I’ll take detailed notes and fill you in tomorrow.”
“Remember to sign up for the childbirth classes.”
“I will. Later,” she said as she clicked off before she made him doubly late for his meeting.
She pulled on maternity jeans, scowling and pouting when couldn’t even button these halfway.
Ugh. The next phase of maternity clothes was all belly-covering elastic.
Even the belly band trick wasn’t working anymore.
Evan wouldn’t be pleased if she dipped into his t-shirts, but she didn’t want to have to buy all new Halseth’s shirts, and Evan happened to wear the right size for her third trimester baby belly…
She slid open the closet door and cracked open the next box of Haley’s hand-me-down maternity clothes. The sooner she could shuttle these off to Trace or Claire or someone, the better. If any of them would hurry and get knocked up.
After pulling on a stolen Halseth’s Smokehouse and Pub top of Evan’s—just a little test to show him how desperately she needed the bigger shirt—she tugged her hair into a ponytail and breezed out of her bedroom.
Plopping down, she couldn’t lean as far forward as usual to tie her shoes, or she seemed to squish everything up and into her stomach.
Evan stumbled out of his bedroom, his hair wild and his gooey brown eyes were heavy with sleep. “Hey, you heading to your appointment?”
She nodded. “Then off to work.”
He nodded vaguely and disappeared into the bathroom.
Finally, when he surfaced, he glanced her way but kept walking toward the kitchen. “What did you think of the roast duck? Is that what you were thinking for the mixed green salad?”
He nodded slowly, then shook his head and finally answered, “The smoky flavor is good, but it’s got a sweetness I wasn’t anticipating.”
“I can tone that down.” He glared up and down at her as he stopped fast. “Is that my shirt?”
“What? This old thing?” she said, looking up and down at the belly-stretched t-shirt.
Evan bit his lips together and his expression darkened. “You can keep it.” He crossed to the kitchen and drew an old flowery ceramic cup of their mother’s out, and filled it with coffee, then another with tea for Zoe. He sat at the table and nodded for her to join him.
“Everything okay?”
He nodded slowly. “Would you… I haven’t talked to Pops or Finn yet, but… you know the new construction, at the edge of the main drag, just before the big hill starts?”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Of course. I’m so glad that old warehouse is gone. That was such an eyesore. I heard they’re putting in condos?”
“Yeah,” he said with a light shrug, the corner of his lips tugged up deviously. “With shops underneath. Really high end.”
“Nice. That will be such an upgrade. Foothills needs good shopping.”
“Anyway, about that…” He gulped a sip of coffee and glared into the mug. “I was talking to Ryder about his deal with Bellamy Athletics, about their new line with Jagger, and it got me thinking… I might want to open my own shop.”
“Your own shop? Halseth’s has that little storefront, but we can expand—”
“No. Nothing to do with food. Something that’s all mine. Not that I don’t want to keep working with you, but, you know. I… I, um, was thinking of opening a sporting goods shop.”
“What about Sporty’s? They’ve been here for decades. The competition would be tough.”
“Have you been in there lately? They’re a fishing and hunting shop anymore, not much else, and Ryder said the outlook for activewear and fitness-focused gear is huge and not going anywhere.
Sporty’s doesn’t even have frisbees, or even clothing that is not dripping in mossy oak.
” Evan rubbed his hand over the back of his neck and leaned back in the chair.
“I actually stopped into talk to Les at Sporty’s anyway, to feel him out, you know, so it never feels like we’re fighting for customers.
He likes the idea and thinks we’d complement each other well. ”
“So, you…” Zoe’s stomach sank as she realized what he was getting at.
“I mean, the lease on this house is going to be up in a few months, and I’m sure you’ll be finding a place with Ryder, or, he can move in here with you, or whatever, you know, and you’ve got the peanut, and Finn’s got Emerson, and I… you know.”
Zoe set her untouched tea down and reached across to pat his hands. “You’re my best friend and you always will be. I’m in. Whatever you need, okay?”
He exhaled long and slow and shook his head with relief. “Thanks. Wow. Thanks. I’m… I’m not even sure if it’s going to work yet. I’m only just now tossing around ideas, but I’m really excited.”
“This is why Ryder and you were still up talking last week when I go back from work, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. He was a huge help.” His phone buzzed a few seconds later, laughing under his breath. “Ryder wants me to pick up more of that dark roast coffee I picked up from the farmer’s market, and he says he’ll bring Bellamy samples for us.”
Shaking her head, she stood and muttered, “You two are a couple of snobs.”
“Soon, Zoe. Soon,” he said, and flashed a wink.
Zoe poured her unfinished tea into a travel mug and waved as she slipped outside. She hopped in her truck and took off for the appointment. Fortunately, it was quick and easy, nothing to worry about. She texted Ryder right away about the childbirth class, and added it to the calendar.
Ugh. Too much to think about. Why couldn’t they just knock her out and wake her up after?
Wendy had laughed at her when she asked, insisting she wouldn’t want to miss it, and that wouldn’t be good for the peanut or her.
Mom had gone au naturel, and she could do it, too.
Wendy reassured her that so far, the baby was measuring appropriately sized for her pelvis.
When she got to work, the pub was busy, exactly as she liked it. When she stopped into the office to dump her stuff, Pops was at the desk, dealing with the business end of things she had no interest in.
“Hey Zoe,” he nodded. “Ryder around this weekend?”
She shook her head. “No, he had a thing. He’s trying to nail this big new contract, so he’s in deep for a couple of weeks.”
“Damn. Want to let him know I watched that archaeology show he was telling me about, and it was awesome, but I’m all caught up, and I’ve got nothing to watch until the next season comes out. I need another recommendation.”
Rolling her eyes, she chuckled under her breath and snagged his phone from the desk and programmed in Ryder’s number. “Don’t involve me. That show knocks me out like a sedative. Ask him yourself.”
“Fine,” he winked. “I’ll see how he liked the latest Brandon Sanderson while I’m at it.”
She left him to finish up and strolled into the pub, inhaling the savory scents of the last of the lunch crowd.
From behind the bar, Finn waved. “Hey. Short shift today?”
“I had an appointment.”
“Great. Everything looking good?”
“So far.” She shrugged with a smile. Time was moving blissfully slow, yet frighteningly fast. Slipping into the kitchen, and waved to Mick. She pulled an apron over her belly, scrubbed her hands, and set about making the kitchen her own.
Mick finished plating the order and took off his apron. “You doing okay?”
She nodded. “Of course.”
Seconds later, Tara appeared in the doorway, her high ponytail still swaying long after she stopped. “Haven’t you had that baby yet?”
Cringing, Zoe felt a laugh bubbling from deep her belly. “I’ve reached that point, haven’t I? I’m huge. I’m a whale.”
Mick wiped his hands on a towel and leaned against the counter. “As my wife would say, the whale stage is that ninth month, when you beach yourself everywhere, too tired to move.”
Tara danced around to whisper, not that anyone else would hear over the chatter of tonight’s busy crowd. She said to Mick, “Did you know Ryder comes and visits her at work? Sets up at that stool over there and works while she does? They’re so cute.”
Zoe pulled up the latest orders and got to work. “He’s been amazing. Too amazing. I can’t keep up.”
Popping his head over Tara, Finn said, “Hey, let’s get to work. I’ve got some hungry customers.”
Tara hissed before delivering the food, “It’s okay to let him do some of the hard work. You’ve got a busy bun in the oven that’s using up all your brain cells.”
Zoe grumbled and waved her away. Baby brain was no joke. Was Ryder getting berated with all this? Probably not. Even though he didn’t have physical evidence of his plans for the next eighteen years, he was taking all this in stride.
The evening passed brilliantly swiftly, enough to go orders to keep her too busy to think.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. As soon as she caught up the latest slew of orders, the dinner crowd finally thinning, she checked the text.
Popping up one after another, a string of links with photos of gorgeous houses and price tags that made her eyes bug out of her head.
Ryder was doing a lot more than just taking on the hard work.
He was running with it, thriving under the pressure.
Expression pale, she puffed out her cheeks and leaned back against the counter and closed her eyes.
Finn’s voice rumbled across the empty kitchen. “You okay?”
She unlocked her phone and held it out. Crossing toward her, he grabbed it and scrolled through. “Whoa. Nice digs.”
“Right? I keep reminding myself he’s a Mallory, and they see price tags like that and think, ‘No biggie, that’s a minor investment.’”
“And here I was genuinely worried he was going to flake out on you.” He watched as she tried to take in the meaning of the texts. “Are you ready to move in together?”
“I don’t know. I mean, were there no rapidly enlarging peanut—coconut—in my belly, I…” She smiled, imagining the impossible. “Without the coconut, if this were happening organically? I think I would. But…”
“How can you know it’s you and not the coconut?”
“Exactly. How do you know something like that?”
He handed back the phone and folded his arms over his chest. “And if he loves you both ? Haley is my partner, but the moment Emerson came into our lives, he’s both of our world. It’s not a both or nothing thing, but it’s also not a one or the other.”
“Not ready for the L word yet, let alone confusing psychologizing.”
“Or the house.”
“How do I tell him it’s too much?”
“The same way you told him about the coconut. Be honest. Tell him you need to slow down.”
“Stop making it sound so easy,” she said as she knocked her fist into his chest. She glared down at her rapidly expanding belly. “I’m not sure there’s time to slow down.”
“Zoe, you’re a fighter. You’ve been knocked down a lot the last few years. It’s hard to get back up, trust me, I know, but it’s going to feel so good to stand on solid ground again.”
“You sound like Pops.”
“And Mom would tell you to stand in the middle of the garden and take a deep breath. It’ll come to you.”
Liquid pressure building behind her eyes, Zoe blinked before anything trailed down her cheeks. “I wish she was here.”
“Me too. But you know what? Our kids are going to love hearing stories about their grandma, and we’re going to love getting to see what parts of her they inherited.”