Chapter 15
Arianna
“Don’t laugh at me!” I half-heartedly snap into the speaker of my phone, which only makes Vivian laugh harder.
“Why wouldn’t you buy new pants?” She giggles and I roll my eyes.
I knew I’d gain weight. It’s expected when one is growing an entire human. Sure, there’s a small bump where the baby sits, but it’s barely noticeable to anyone who doesn’t look at my body every day and it’s easy to hide with loose-fitting shirts or sundresses.
What I wasn’t expecting, though, was for the weight to go straight to my ass, thighs, and tits.
“Because I’m only nine weeks! I didn’t think I’d need them yet.
Besides, they technically fit. They just wouldn’t button closed, so for now, the hair tie I looped through is working just fine.
” I huff. Buying new pants sounds like something for the second trimester, not this early on.
“Plus, I only wear pants when going to hockey games, and I haven’t been to one since finding out about the baby. So I didn’t know they’d be this snug.”
“Oh, babe. I’m sorry.” Viv tries to stifle her laugh.
“Yeah, and you’re not even here to go shopping with me.” I pout while pulling up to a parking space in front of the building where most of the Bobcats players—including my brother—Dean, Dom, and Lilly all live.
“Dude, I would kill for an actual mall.” My friend sighs heavily before grumbling, “Not that I’d have anywhere to put shit if I bought it.”
“Wait, you still haven’t emptied out your car?” I ask while putting my car in park so I can scowl, even though she can’t see me.
“Nope,” she says with extra emphasis on the P. “Dylan says he’s not a fan of the house we’re in, so there’s no point in getting unpacked if he’s gonna find us a better place. And like, I get it. I do. But I’m also tired of hauling around everything I own everywhere I go.”
“Viv…” I start before biting my tongue and try to figure out how to tell her that everything about that is screaming red flag.
“It’s fine. I’m just ready to feel like I have a home, not a crashing pad,” she says before I get my thoughts together. “He wants to find a place that’s right for us to settle into.”
“Have you tried looking for anything?” I ask, ready to pull up listings on my own phone for her.
“Yeah. Most of what I find is in town that would add like thirty minutes to his already long commute or it’s in the city. And Dylan’s holding out on that option because he doesn’t want to be that close to work.”
I frown at my phone, unable to wrap my mind around his logic.
“Have you thought about finding a place for just you? You don’t have to move in with him, do you?”
“I mean, the whole reason I moved down here was to be with Dylan, so finding my own place, even if temporary, sounds pointless.”
Before I can start explaining why having somewhere just for herself might not be a bad thing, she curses and says she’s got to go to an interview for a potential part-time job.
For a few seconds after she hangs up, I sit in my car, staring at my phone.
I remind myself that she’s a grown adult and that she can take care of herself.
But that doesn’t stop the worry from taking hold in my gut.
Seeing Vivian hurt is the last thing I ever want, so I cross my fingers that my red-flag radar is going wonky because of all the hormones pumping through my body.
Gathering my keys and wallet, I make a mental note to text Viv later to check in.
The second I open my car door a tiny bit, I’m met with a brown and black snout squeezing through. I laugh as Cora pushes her way in while licking every part of me that she can reach.
I swing my feet out of the car, gently guiding the pup to back up so I can get out and properly greet her.
“Hi, sweetie,” I tell her while sinking to a squat on the sidewalk. “Did you miss me as much as I missed you?”
She drops to her back, showing me her stomach and silently demanding belly rubs. Which I happily provide.
“Never thought I’d be jealous of a dog,” Dean says, and I tilt my head back to find his brown eyes sparkling with amusement as he watches me.
There’s no holding back my grin as I stare up at him while continuing to pet Cora. “Aw, did you need ear scratches and belly rubs too?”
His eyes darken as his smile turns wolfish. “As long as it means your hands are on me, you can touch me any way you want, Freckles.”
The laugh that spills from my lips shocks both myself and Cora, making her twist and jump onto all fours, immediately searching the area for the unknown threat.
“Sorry, baby girl.” With one last rub on her head, I push to my feet, only slightly winded by the time I’m upright again. “Just going out on a walk or coming back?”
“We literally came out as you pulled up,” Dean tells me, glancing at his dog as she sniffs the small patch of grass on the sidewalk before turning back to me.
“Care for some company? I’m not supposed to meet up with Lilly for another hour, but I was feeling antsy.”
“Like I’d ever say no to your company,” Dean responds without hesitating while his eyes slowly trail down my frame.
I don’t miss the way they linger on my midsection or the way he doesn’t bother hiding the smug smile.
I roll my eyes but tug at the edges of the shirt to make sure it’s flowy and hiding the new bump.
With a playful shove to his shoulder, I tuck my keys into my pocket and finally step away from my car. Cora perks up immediately, ready to follow along and go somewhere else. Dean falls easily into step beside me as we start down the street.
“How are you feeling today?” Dean asks after a few moments of comfortable silence.
“Aside from being tired to the extreme, good. I haven’t gotten sick in like twenty-four hours, so…” I pause and quickly glance around. Once I spot a palm tree a few feet ahead, I pick up my pace to knock on the trunk.
“I really hope I didn’t just jinx myself.” I groan.
Dean’s laughter catches up to me. “Do palm trees count as knocking on wood? I’m pretty sure they’re made of—” He stops his explanation when he spots my unamused glare, raising his hands in surrender. “Nope. You’re totally right. It counts.”
I grin, nodding before spinning on my heel and continuing our walk.
As we head to the dog park, we catch up on how his away games this past week were, even though I watched them. When we make it there and shut the gate behind us, he pulls out his phone to show me the picture of Cora all dressed up in a frilly pink tutu beside Greyson’s daughter, Harper.
“It’s a good thing Lilly said she can watch her this weekend because I think Stella needs a doggy break for a while. There was dog hair and bow ties everywhere when I went to pick her up yesterday.”
Guilt settles in my stomach as I watch Cora run back to me with a stick. She drops it at my feet, immediately sitting and waiting for me to throw it for her.
“I can watch her,” I tell him, chucking the stick as far as I can and laughing as Cora darts off without a second glance.
Dean shrugs in my periphery and tucks his phone back in the fanny pack.
“It’s no big deal. No need to add to your plate with everything else. Plus, Lilly loves having company when Dominik’s away.”
“So do I,” I grumble.
I love my time with Cora. She’s the perfect companion and the best snuggler. To make it even better, every time Dean comes to pick her up, it usually ends with him staying much longer than planned.
Dean nudges me with his shoulder, and I reluctantly look at him.
“If you want her to stay with you when I’m gone, all you have to do is say so. There’s nothing I wouldn’t give you, Freckles. But I also know this pregnancy hasn’t been easy on you and I don’t want you stressing about taking care of her when you should be taking care of yourself.”
Cora picks that moment to return, dropping an even bigger stick at my feet.
“She’s an easy dog to take care of. Especially since my yard is fenced in,” I explain, leaving off the fact that even with a fenced in yard, the dog could still convince me to walk her every day with just one look.
“How about we see how you’re feeling Saturday morning and if you’re up for it, I’ll drop her off. If our little bean is making you feel not so hot, then Lilly gets her.” Dean suggests and some of my guilt for not watching her over the past couple weeks eases.
I know he has plenty of people in his corner who are also volunteering to keep an eye on her, who want to take care of her. Dean has no shortage of help. But something about her being with me when he’s away makes me feel closer to him.
We hang around for a half hour, letting Cora get out her energy and play with some other dogs that show up before agreeing to head back to his place so he can get ready for tonight’s game.
On the walk back, Dean starts telling me about the latest pregnancy book he’s reading.
“Did you know the baby is the size of a grape?” he says cheerily.
I shake my head and look down at my stomach. Lifting my shirt, I reveal my contraption for holding my pants together.
“You’re telling me a grape has made it so I can’t even button my jeans anymore?”
Dean’s arm flies out, forcing me to stop beside him as he stares down at my stomach. Cora takes the pause in our walking in stride, choosing to investigate everything her nose can reach while not tugging on her leash.
“Holy crap, you can actually tell.” His eyes are wide and shining when he finally peels his gaze away from my stomach. “That’s our little grape.”
Despite my annoyance at my snug clothing, I can’t help but smile at the reverence lining his expression and nod. Letting my shirt drop back into place, hiding the small bump and the hair tie holding my pants up.
He steps forward, tentatively reaching out to cup my cheek in his palm before placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.
“That just made my day.”