Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 42745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Miller laughs, and Logan shakes his head. Ozzy just stands off to the side, arms crossed over his chest, watching me like he can see straight through me. “We’ve been waiting on you,” he says, staring at me.
I force a smile. “You could have started without me.”
“Wouldn’t have been as much fun,” Guy says. “Plus I want to see the doctor get his hands dirty.”
I glance around the porch. “Where’s Eli?” Miller and Lindsey’s son loves family get-togethers, and I’m surprised he’s not here today.
“With Mom and Dad,” Miller says.
Lindsey smiles and leans into his side. “I’m sure he’s being spoiled and loving every second of it as we speak.”
Miller wraps an arm around her. “No doubt. Mom already had pancakes waiting when we dropped him off.”
Guy grins. “So what I’m hearing is Eli got the better deal.”
“Absolutely,” Lindsey says. “He’s probably eating on a tray in the living room and watching cartoons while the rest of you are about to work.”
For a second, everyone laughs, and I try to join in, but my wife is still standing stiffly at my side.
Zach leans down and kisses Skyler’s temple. “And speaking of taking it easy, you are not doing anything today.”
Skyler rolls her eyes. “I’m pregnant, Zach. I’m not helpless.”
“Nope.” Zach points toward the house. “You are going inside, sitting in the air-conditioning, putting your feet up, and letting everyone wait on you.”
She opens her mouth, but he keeps going. “And before you argue with me, I already recruited backup.” He looks at Aria, Bree, and Lindsey. “Ladies, I’m trusting you to make sure my wife doesn’t lift anything heavier than a glass of sweet tea.”
Bree smiles. “I can handle that.”
Lindsey nods. “Same.”
Aria laughs softly, and the sound hits me in the chest. I’ve missed that sound.
Zach cups Skyler’s face and kisses her, not caring that all of us are watching. “I love you. Go rest.”
Skyler’s face softens. “Bossy.”
“Only with you.”
Logan wraps an arm around Bree and presses a kiss to her mouth. “Don’t let Skyler talk you into anything.”
Bree gives him a look. “I think I can handle your sister.”
Miller kisses Lindsey next, low and quick, but the way he looks at her says everything.
I glance at Aria. Any other time, I would pull her close and kiss her too. I would whisper something in her ear and make her blush before the women disappeared inside.
But she won’t even look at me. Her eyes are on Skyler, and her fake smile is back in place. She’s trying to act as if everything is okay, but they all see through it. I can tell by the worried look on each of their faces.
I take a step toward her anyway. “Aria—”
She moves before I can touch her, walking up the porch steps with the women.
None of the other women seem to notice, but from the way Ozzy’s jaw tightens, he does.
“Come on,” Ozzy says, turning toward the barn. “We’ve got work to do.”
The men follow him across the yard, and I fall into step beside Logan. I can feel his eyes on me, but he doesn’t say anything.
Guy is the first to break the silence. “So what exactly are we doing today? Because if it involves shoveling anything, I suddenly remembered I have a very important baseball thing.”
Ozzy doesn’t even look back. “You’re fixing fence.”
Guy groans. “That sounds worse than shoveling.”
“It is,” Miller says.
Zach laughs, but the sound fades as we get closer to the barn. The second we step inside, Ozzy turns on me. “What are you doing?”
I stop. “What?” Did I miss something? I thought I was paying attention, but honestly, my thoughts are still back with my wife and what happened this morning.
Ozzy points toward the house. “With Aria.”
Everything in me goes still.
Logan crosses his arms over his chest. Miller leans against one of the stalls, his face serious now. Zach stays quiet, but he’s watching me closely, and even Guy stops smirking.
So this is how it’s going to be.
I let out a breath and look away. “This isn’t the time.”
Ozzy takes a step toward me. “Then when is the time? Because your wife looks like she’s one bad word away from crying, and you’re walking around like you don’t see it.”
My jaw tightens. “I see it.”
“Then what the hell are you doing?”
I look at him. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His face hardens. “Then tell me.”
The barn goes quiet. For one second, I almost do. I could tell them everything. I could tell them that I’m so jealous of Miller that he has his son now or how hard it is seeing Skyler round with a baby, knowing that I can never give that to Aria and it’s the one thing she wants more than anything. I can tell them that I’m losing myself because I know I should leave Aria but I don’t have the strength to do it.