Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 80969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I smile at him. “Just a little tired. The diner was busy today.”
“The diner’s always busy. You shouldn’t be working up to the birth.”
“I only get six weeks paid maternity leave, so that’s all I can afford to take.” And that’s really good because most places don’t pay maternity leave at all, but thankfully, I have an awesome boss. “And I want to spend those six weeks with the baby before I have to go back to work.” And put Olive in daycare. But I’m choosing not to think about that just yet.
River huffs but says nothing more on the subject.
He parks the car into a parking spot close to the baby store, and we both climb out of his truck.
I have a fairly good idea of what I want after looking at strollers online, so we shouldn’t be in here too long. I know how much men dislike shopping, and I figure River is no different.
Once the stroller is purchased, I’ll ask River if he fancies getting dinner out. I’m hungry, and I could really go for pizza right now.
River holds the door to the store open for me, and I walk inside.
Holy strollers! There are loads of them.
“Please tell me you know exactly which stroller you want,” River says close to my ear.
I hold back the shiver I feel.
I meet his eyes. “I have a pretty good idea.”
“Thank God.”
He exhales, and I laugh softly.
“I want the travel system one,” I tell him as we walk over to the strollers. “You can buy the car seat to go with them. It clips into the stroller. And they’re really lightweight.”
“Travel system with car seat. Gotcha. This way.” River points to the sign that says Travel System Strollers.
We walk over to them. He walks at my slow, waddling pace and places his hand on my lower back, guiding me.
Every sense and nerve ending in my body is focused on that one single place where his hand is touching.
“Okay, so any specific brand you want?” he asks, moving away to look at a red stroller, his hand leaving my back.
I’m not disappointed at all.
Okay, well, just a little disappointed.
“There was one that I saw online. The Nuna. It has gray fabric—found it.” I clap my hands in delight. It looks just as good as it did online. “It’s really nice.” Expensive. But totally worth it. “What do you think?”
No response.
“River?” I lift my gaze from the stroller to him to find his eyes fixed in the opposite direction of me. “River,” I say his name firmer, but he still doesn’t seem to hear me, and he’s not exactly far away.
I look in the direction of where he’s looking. All I can see are people looking at strollers.
“River!” I holler his name to get his attention, and it works.
His eyes flick to mine. “What?” he snaps, taking me back a step.
My eyes widen in surprise. “I was talking to you.”
“And?”
He’s acting like an ass. It’s been a while since he’s behaved like this around me.
“And you were ignoring me. What were you looking at?”
“Nothing.”
“Didn’t seem like nothing,” I challenge.
His body is all rigid. Tight with tension. And his hands are clenched at his sides.
Something, or someone, has got him spooked.
And I don’t like it. It’s worrying me.
I look over my shoulder in that direction, trying to see what’s got him so agitated.
“Did you see someone? From your … past maybe?” I ask quietly.
Considering I know nothing about his past, it’s a pretty broad question. But I don’t want to say nothing. I want him to know I care. That I’m here.
“Stop prying into my business,” he says low and harsh. “Which you know exactly fucking zero about. And buy the fucking stroller, which is what you came here to do.”
Jerk.
Tears sting my eyes.
I hate pregnancy hormones. They make me cry way more easily than I normally would.
Biting the inside of my cheek to keep the tears at bay, I turn back to the stroller, not really in the mood for shopping anymore.
So long as it keeps Olive safe, that’s all that matters.
I see a store worker passing by and wave to catch his attention.
“Can I help you?” he asks, approaching me with a kind smile.
At least someone’s being kind at the moment.
Unlike the big horse’s ass standing behind me.
“Yes. I’d like to take this stroller.” I pat it with my hand.
“Of course. I’ll have one brought up to the cash register for you.”
“Thank you.” I walk away, heading for the cash registers, not even bothering to look if River is following me or not.
I pay for the stroller. River carries it out to his truck and puts it in the trunk.
We get in the truck, and he pulls out into traffic.
He seems to be in a world of his own. On edge even.
The drive home is masked in silence, filled only by the radio playing. I keep my face buried in my phone, playing a game on it. Feeling simultaneously annoyed, upset, and confused by his behavior.