Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
“Good luck in your search.”
“Thanks.”
I walked away with a hollow feeling in my gut. Holden put a hand on my shoulder. “Sorry, man. I could tell you really had your hopes up.”
I shook my head. “I can’t believe someone just bought the place out from under me.”
“I know. It sucks. It’s a great house. But over the last few years I’ve come to believe everything happens for a reason, in its own time. There’s something bigger and better waiting for you.”
He meant well, but I didn’t want something bigger and better. I’d had my heart set on that place. It felt right. I looked back one more time and felt a pang of loss in my chest.
The rest of the afternoon, I couldn’t shake this melancholy feeling. I went back to the office and trolled the new sales listings to see if anything interesting popped up. But everything was either way out of my price range, in a crappy neighborhood, or too small for what Dev and I needed. I was kicking myself in the ass for taking too long to make an offer. If I’d done it an hour earlier, that house might’ve been mine. The only time my mood perked up was when Devyn called.
“Hey, babe,” I answered.
“I think I just felt the baby move!”
“Holy shit. Really?”
“Yep. I was sitting on the couch after a two-hour work conference call, eating some Oreos. I ate two and really wanted to break out the milk and dunk the rest of the package. But my pants are already tight, so I stopped myself. I got up to put the cookies in the cabinet, to get rid of the temptation, and the minute I shut the cabinet door, I felt a kick.”
“Holy shit.”
“I know! This baby kicked me because she wanted Oreos, and I wasn’t going to give her any more.”
I smiled. “You realize you just used she.”
“I did?”
“Yep.”
“Well, I guess you’re rubbing off on me. Why are you convinced this baby is a girl, anyway?”
“I don’t know. But I’m more convinced than ever now that she wants something sweet.”
“Aww…is that because her mother is so sweet?”
“That, and maybe also because I watched her mother shovel half a Key lime pie into her mouth last night.”
“Watch it, buddy, or I’ll have my little girl kick you.”
My smile widened. “I can’t wait.”
“We’re going out to dinner tonight, right?”
I’d almost forgotten that I’d made a reservation at a romantic little place. I’d hoped to be surprising her with news about an accepted offer on the brownstone.
“Yep. Seven-thirty.”
“Okay! But do you think you can stop on the way home and pick something up for me?”
“Sure. What do you need?”
“More Oreos. The baby made me finish the entire package after all.”
I chuckled. “You got it. I’ll see you in a little while.”
I was still bummed about losing the brownstone, but my spirits had lifted. I couldn’t wait to get home and feel those kicks myself.
Devyn was waiting in my apartment when I walked in an hour later. We hadn’t officially moved in together, but I’d given her a key so she could work in peace during the day, and she’d stayed over most nights since Vera got back. Walking in to find her made even the shittiest of days feel a hell of a lot better.
I set the box in my arms on the kitchen counter and pulled her in for a kiss. “You look beautiful.”
“Did you forget the Oreos?”
“Boy, someone’s anxious. Are you having a craving?”
She shook her head. “No, but I haven’t felt the baby kick again, so I was hoping if I ate one, she might kick for you.”
I motioned to the box. “They’re in there.”
Devyn’s eyes widened as she took the top off. “This whole box is Oreos? How many did you buy?”
I shrugged. “Whatever they had on the shelf at the mini mart down the block. I think there were thirteen packages.”
“Thirteen packages? Are you insane?”
I smiled. “I really want to feel the baby move.”
Devyn laughed and took my hand. “Come on. Let’s go sit and see what happens.”
We sat on the couch for a half hour, but the baby didn’t move. Though we did manage to eat a half-dozen cookies. At this rate, we were both going to have a big belly.
“We better get going,” I said. “The restaurant is downtown.”
I’d picked a place in Gramercy so I could walk her by the house after dinner and tell her the news. Now it was just an inconvenient half hour Uber ride downtown in traffic. But whatever. I’d be sitting next to my girl. Nothing else was as important.
At the restaurant, we shared two dishes—fettuccini carbonara and caprese-stuffed balsamic chicken. Neither of us had room for another bite, but when we saw Oreo cheesecake on the menu, I had to try.
Devyn leaned back in her chair with her hands on her belly. “I can’t eat another morsel.”