Page 123 of Sugar & Shadows

She held her hand out.

Taking it, I scooted closer. “But we need to be friends.”

She tilted her head, studying me for a moment. “As much as it pains me to say this, and as much as it feels like a betrayal of my deepest-held beliefs, I agree. We need to be friends. It will take some work.”

“Good.” I was still holding her hand, unable to let go. “You don’t have to do this alone.”

“After yesterday, I don’t want to.”

The smile that spread across my face made my cheeks ache. “I want to be a dad,” I said softly.

“And you’ll be great.” She dropped my hand.

I ached for more contact, but I wouldn’t push my luck. “Friends.”

“Friends.”

The word felt like both a victory and a defeat.

Chapter 31

Sabrina

Cleaned up, this house was adorable. All dark wood and big windows. A charming porch and gleaming hardwood floors.

Gabe looked like a weight had been taken off him.

I’d been worried about bringing people here, exposing a side of himself that he kept so carefully hidden. But he seemed relieved.

The biggest surprise? Logan. Not only was he an excellent cleaner, but he noticed a lot more than I gave him credit for. While he was a big goofball with a man bun and a smile, he hid tremendous capability behind his laid-back attitude.

The way he’d pinned me with a glare when he left, telling me to be nice, communicated volumes. Gabe was more vulnerable than he let on, and we were both navigating uncharted, overwhelming, life-changing waters.

Side by side on the couch, we’d destroyed another pizza. It turned out neither of us could cook. Another strike against our potential parenting abilities.

After, I’d curled up under a blanket while we searched for a movie to watch. I was strangely relaxed here, my body aching from days of tension.

Despite obsessive checking, I’d had no reactions to the removal procedure, and I felt fine. I put my hand on my stomach, wishing I could feel something or get some signal that she was okay. The doctor had assured me that we were out of the woods and that I could resume normal activities, but I still worried.

A warm hand covered mine, bringing me back to the moment.

“Sorry,” Gabe said, pulling back. “I was just curious.”

I grasped his wrist and brought his hand back to where it had been. “You can’t feel anything yet. She’s still so tiny.”

He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. “Soon enough, she’ll be kicking in there like a little ninja.”

His hair was rumpled, and he was wearing an old Maplewood T-shirt, looking handsome and relaxed.

As that thought crossed my mind, I sat up straight. This was a slippery slope.

“Gabe,” I said. “Can I talk to you about something?”

He shifted, giving me his full attention.

“We need clear boundaries if this is going to work.”

“Okay,” he hedged. “What do you mean?”