Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
WELLS
Two weeks later, Wells slapped a pile of papers down on the marble kitchen island in front of Allison.
It was a rare afternoon they both had off, as Bloom settled down after wedding season.
“You’ll want to read and sign those,” he said, opening the fridge to grab a bottle of water.
More water, less coffee. Dr. Emily Lopez, Ash’s older sister, had scolded him for his high cholesterol and stress.
What was he going to do when he had to try the fried foods he was so good at making?
“What the fuck, Wells?” Allison said, staring at the paper.
“It’s no big deal.” He shrugged, walking through the kitchen.
Her brows furrowed as she flipped through the pages he’d printed out. “This says that I get everything when you die.”
“You and the baby,” he corrected.
She glared up at him. “This is a big deal. Wait, is something wrong?” she said suddenly.
“I just want you taken care of in case I’m not here.”
“I don’t want your stuff,” she said, waving the papers at him as they walked to the bedroom’s ensuite. “Did something happen with your doctor’s appointment?”
Jesus, this woman. Like a bloodhound. He hadn’t even told her there was a doctor’s appointment. He’d had a note on the calendar in the kitchen so he didn’t forget.
“Is something wrong?” She put her hand over her stomach, her nervous habit when she was worried.
“I want you to be protected.” He turned on his razor to clean up his five-o’clock shadow, wanting to look nice for their outing today.
“You are not answering my question.” She glowered at him in the mirror, that little crease in her brow appearing.
Hello, old friend.
He smirked as he maneuvered his chin, shaving. “Stop trying to turn me on, Styles.”
“No, don’t be cute,” she said, getting in front of his face beside him at the sink. “I am angry with you. Why didn’t you tell me? Is something wrong?”
“My cholesterol was a little elevated. Nothing to worry about,” he admitted.
“I knew it,” she sighed. “Do you eat avocados? I feel like avocados would help.” She pulled up her phone, making a list.
“It’s not that big of a deal. I’m almost forty. I run a diner, and I like to eat.” He patted his stomach.
“Then you’ll eat avocados, and legumes and salmon,” she said, reading a list off her phone. “I don’t want anything to happen to you,” she muttered, waddling adorably back out to the bedroom. “By the way, you should have a list of preschools in your inbox and a monthly schedule.”
She’d sent a table in the email—a month-by-month breakdown of preschool research, and at month six, the word trying had just been listed.
His heart had jumped at that.
He tugged off his t-shirt and tossed it in the hamper. He wanted something nicer for the surprise he had planned for her.
“Is the schedule for when we start for baby number two?” he said with a smile tugging on his lips as he walked to her, shirtless.
She licked her lips, her eyes tracing over his chest.
He wasn’t devoid of muscles, but he’d always been a bigger guy and definitely hairy—a classic dad bod, ever since he could remember.
The lust on her face as he leaned over her to grab a shirt was plain as day.
It was so fucking hot that she wanted him.
“Mm-hmm,” she muttered.
“You look like you want to start trying again right now.” He winked.
She scoffed, her cheeks heating.
“It’s okay. You can say that you think I’m hot. Sex on legs,” he said, squeezing her ass as she put on earrings, looking in the mirror.
She laughed over her shoulder and walked to the kitchen. “You’re definitely the sexiest man in this house,” she said with a flirty smile.
I love her smile.
He blinked rapidly, trying to get a handle on what he was feeling.
It wasn’t like he loved her, right?
He wanted her to be happy, and protected even if he died, and he liked getting her things that showed her how special she was. Also, she was insanely hot.
Just a slip.
“So, did you want to head to the baby store now?” she said, grabbing her purse.
Wells smiled. “I need to drop something off at Gray and Rose’s place first.”
Someone off.
Ten minutes later, he pulled into Gray’s flower farm.
“What’s going on?” She frowned at the cars parked in Gray’s driveway.
Wells slid his hand over hers. “I know you were on the fence about doing a maternity shoot because of the cost and everything you have going on, so, I thought I’d surprise you.”
Gray’s flower farm was bright and filled with sunflowers, dahlias, and zinnias in the late August afternoon. “Thought it might be a good place for a florist’s maternity photos.”
Allison bit her lip. She looked out at the blooming flower fields worriedly. “I mean, I don’t look—”
“Hey,” he said, tilting her chin back up to him. “You look like the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“My face is all puffy,” she laughed, shaking her head.
“You look pregnant,” he said, a growl in his voice, feeling territorial.
“With my baby. And it makes you look like a goddamn goddess.” He wasn’t exaggerating one bit.
“You don’t have to do this, but you do so much for everybody, and I wanted you to have something to remember this time. How gorgeous you look.”
Remember this time with me, he thought selfishly.
“I wish you would have told me.” She gulped, staring down at her hands. “I don’t look—”
“Hey.” He squeezed her hand. “You look beautiful. I’ve always got you, okay?
Violet’s stylist is inside,” he said, which made Allison’s eyebrows shoot up with excitement.
“Lily is there to do your makeup. Gray will photograph. Olivia did some magic with your baby shower dress so it’ll be looser.
And I called in your number one cheerleader and catcaller for moral support. ”
“Pearl’s here?” Allison squealed.
“Want to go find out?”
Allison scrambled out of the car, which he took as a good sign.
As they opened Gray’s door, voices shouting “Surprise!” at her made Allison’s face split into a happy smile.
He knew that one. That one was genuine.
He loved that one too.
“Yes or no?” he whispered in her ear as they stepped inside.
She beamed over her shoulder, eyes sparkling with happiness. “Yes,” she said confidently.
ALLISON
Week 32: Your baby is the size of seven wedding cake samples.
Lavender and cream roses, eucalyptus branches, violets, bright yellow sunflowers, and russet dahlias were spread out on the Bloom worktable.
She’d been fussing with the silk florals she used for prototyping bouquets for two hours. Olivia’s wedding was coming up soon, and Allison wanted her bridal bouquet to be perfect.
“Do you think we should go with eggplant violets?” she asked the baby, musing out loud. “And cream roses? Or screw it and embrace the fall vibes of it all?” The baby moved, and she considered which answer that could be.
Olivia had wanted a fall wedding, so they’d decided on a small ceremony so they didn’t have to wait another year. Lily and Annabelle would be Olivia’s bridesmaids in gorgeous eggplant silk, and Pearl and Reed would be Luca’s “humans of honor” in black suits.
As Allison mixed creams and lilacs, purples and oranges, she created options for upscale fall elegance while deftly avoiding Halloween barnyard jamboree.
The door to Bloom clanged open, and Pearl’s heavy footsteps stomped through the store.
They’d brainstorm floral cake toppers before Olivia joined them. Pearl was making the wedding cake as the only person Luca trusted to make a completely wheat-free cake safe enough for Annabelle.
“I really hope you have extras,” Allison called from the back. It had only been two hours since she’d last eaten, but she was starving.
“Hello, I’ve met you,” Pearl said, walking into the prep area in her standard all-black outfit.
“I have in my possession”—she held up a jet-black bakery box with her Blackbird Bakery logo on it—“cinnamon chocolate cake sample, a buttercream sample in case our Olivia is a traditional girl, strawberry chiffon—”
“Yes,” Allison said, pumping her fist.
“—because it’s someone’s favorite,” Pearl said with an exaggerated wink, “and apple cider spice.”
Allison salivated as Pearl opened the box. “Is it terrible if I ask to taste the extras first before she gets here?”
“Already packaged for you,” Pearl said, pulling a smaller box out for her.
“I love you so much.” Allison wrapped her in a firm hug. “Best bestie ever.”
Pearl squeezed her back as well as she could from around her bump. Allison inhaled the first strawberry chiffon sample. The delicate strawberry flavor mixed with a bright lemon chiffon melted on her tongue.
“What are we thinking for the topper?” Pearl said, looking at all the silk flowers.
Allison licked her thumb as she spoke. “I’m thinking lavender and russet and cream so we don’t drift into Halloween territory.”
“Wise.” Pearl nodded. “Speaking of flowers, how did the maternity photos turn out?”
Allison swooned. “Gray sent the photos yesterday. They look so good,” Allison admitted with a shy smile.
“Gimme, gimme, gimme,” Pearl said, making grabby hands at Allison’s phone.
“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Allison said, squeezing Pearl’s shoulders as she looked at the photos.
“Look how hot you look!” Pearl yelled.
Allison had to admit she did look kind of hot. “Shay was a miracle worker. I can’t believe she had so many amazing clothes that would fit me.”
Pearl swiped through photos of Allison standing in a field of wildflowers. The afternoon sun shone golden, making her hair a rose gold.
She paused on one where Allison was bent over, laughing with her eyes crinkling at the corners.
“I think that’s the one where you were doing an impression of Wells to make me laugh.”
“You mean my big scary man voice,” Pearl said, dropping her voice in a pretty accurate impression.
She swiped to ones with both Wells and Allison. Pearl had heckled Wells into taking a few, even though he hadn’t planned to.
“Look at you guys,” Pearl teased, elbowing her.
The photos mostly focused on Allison’s bump, but one had them smiling at each other at some shared joke.
A photo to remember their time together by. When all this—the dreamy excitement before the chaos started—would go away.
She was so glad Pearl had made him take a photo. She’d keep it forever.
“Knock, knock,” Wells said, poking his head in. He was wearing an apron and his comfortable non-slip shoes, and most importantly, carrying a to-go bag. “Ooh, cake samples.”
Pearl stuck up a hand. “Unless you are pregnant or marrying my brother, hands off.”
“Don’t worry,” Allison said, lifting up one of her cake slices. “I’ll share.”
Wells’s eyes softened as he took a bite of strawberry chiffon cake from her fingers. “Tastes good,” he said with a heated look at Allison.
“Barf,” Pearl muttered as she turned to fuss with the cake slices for Olivia.
“I know you get hungry around this time.” Wells held up the bag. “I included those big sour pickles. We just restocked.”
“Pickles and cake? My lucky day,” Allison said, happily taking the food from him. “Oh, hey, since you’re here, could you change the light bulb in the supply closet? I’m abiding by your no-ladders rule, and this one is too short,” she said, pointing at Pearl.
“No problem,” he said, setting his phone down on the prep counter.
“Light bulb is on the shelf.” She watched him walk away jauntily, happy to help. She swooned at that mere fact alone—she never had to beg or justify.
A hand thwapped her arm.
“What?” she said in irritation to Pearl, who pointed toward Wells’s phone on the counter. Specifically, the photo on his lock screen.
It was a photo of her from the maternity shoot. Her bump was visible, but she was centered, looking into the camera with a bright smile.
Pearl’s eyebrows lifted up in a you fucking see this gesture.
The screen went dark as Wells walked back into the prep area, and they whirled around as if everything was normal.
“All set,” he said. “Need anything else?”
“Now that I’ve got your sour pickles, I’m all good. Don’t.” Allison pointed a finger at Pearl whose mouth was already open to make a remark about Wells’s girthy pickle.
Wells chuckled. “I’ll see you at home.”
She nodded, and they both hesitated.
Normally he’d sneak a kiss, but they rarely had an audience when he stopped by.
He left through the back door, and she sighed after him.
“So, platonic, huh?” Pearl said dryly.
“No,” Allison sighed. “I’m sort of…in love with him.” She grimaced.
“And my favorite color is black,” Pearl said in a singsong voice. “We’re both saying obvious things today.”
Allison pushed her playfully.
“Fucking moony-eyed is what you both are. It’s getting painful to watch, man,” Pearl said, leaning over the prep counter, playing with a silk sunflower. “Why haven’t you told him yet?”
“Did you tell Reed when you fell in love with him?” Allison asked with a raised eyebrow.
Pearl ran her tongue over her teeth and saluted Allison with the sunflower. “Touché.”
Allison ate her third slice of cake. “He’d probably fine me for breach of contract, anyway. We specifically said we wouldn’t. He doesn’t do relationships, and I should know better,” she said, chastising herself. “I’ve been down this road before.”
“Is he aware of his behavior in the past four months? He makes my simping puddle of an obsessed husband look like a reprobate.”
Allison shook her head, feeling sorry for herself. “He’s a thoughtful guy. He’d be like this with anybody he had a baby with.”
Pearl swiped extra frosting from Allison’s sample cake box and licked it off her finger. “This is officially the dumbest game of chicken I’ve ever seen.”
Twenty minutes later, Olivia joined them, and Pearl talked through her cake options as Allison added her decor ideas for the cake topper.
Maybe this is enough, just knowing I can fall in love. Having him in my life. She was so lucky to have girlfriends and people who felt like family after so long.
She just wanted to keep everything exactly as it was, instead of grasping for more.
Though she found herself staring every few minutes across the square at the diner and its owner, who had her heart without even knowing it.