One Baby Daddy (Dating by Numbers #3)(84)

Intently, I watch their every move, their body language and the way the fucker leans in toward her, laughing as if Adalyn said the funniest thing. She’s funny, but come on, throwing your head back and laughing so early in the morning. Can we say desperate?

Leaning in closer, Logan wraps his arms around Adalyn’s shoulders, hugging her.

My nostrils flare as my hands accidentally crush the corners of the pastry box. If he goes in for a kiss, I will see red.

Holding my breath, my eyes trained on the man who’s making my life difficult, I wait. Adalyn rubs his back, he returns the touch, and I’m two seconds from making a Hayden-shaped hole through the glass of the office.

He says something to her, squeezes her again and then pulls away. I wait on bated breath for their next move. “Get out of there, you motherfucker,” I whisper. “Stop lingering and move the fuck on.” Leaning in a little farther Logan holds Adalyn’s attention, and I’m itching to make my move to break them up when Adalyn steps away and waves.

Jesus Christ.

I scurry back behind the wall and let out a long breath. The glass door to the office opens and Logan takes off down the stairs, reaching into his back pocket to pull out his phone.

“Trip, you motherfucker, trip.” To my disappointment, there isn’t any thumping down the stairs . . . unfortunately. I wait a few seconds before rounding the corner, puffing my chest, and walking toward the office while attempting to un-crinkle the corners of the pastry box.

When I enter the office there are no patients, thankfully, and the receptionists seems to be out of sight as well as Adalyn. Walking up to the counter, I lean over and say, “Hello?”

“We’re closed right now,” Adalyn calls out.

“Hey, Adalyn.” Her head pops around a partition. Mouth parts in surprise.

“Hayden, what are you doing here?” Her eyes scan the area behind me probably wondering if I ran into Logan. Thankfully I was spared conversing with him.

I nod with my head. “Come here and find out.”

Stepping out to the front, her baby-blue scrubs bring out the pink in her cheeks and are starting to fit snug to her little pregnant belly. I can’t help it. My eyes go straight to the bump.

Pulling on her shirt, she says, “I have to get some new scrubs, these are getting a little tight.”

“You look beautiful.” Standing awkwardly, I pull her into a hug, wanting to erase the last one she just received. “How are you this morning? Did you get sick?”

Shaking her head against my chest, she says, “No, thankfully. Lo-uh, I made eggs this morning and some toast and ate it first thing, which seemed to settle my stomach.”

I’m not stupid, she was going to say Logan made her eggs. Trying to seem as casual as possible, she doesn’t need more stress, so I give her a squeeze.

“That’s great to hear. And you have your water?” Dumb question but I don’t know what else to say, I want to show her I care, but I really have no idea how to go about doing that, so water talk it is. This used to be so much easier.

“Yes, got my water.” She steps back and fiddles with her hands in front of her, avoiding eye contact. Christ, from where I stood, she had a much better conversation with Logan, and it’s about killing me to know that.

“Got the office some pastries. There is a place around the corner that sells really good apple fritters. Thought you and the ladies might like to pick at them throughout the day.”

Adalyn tilts her head to the side when she speaks to me. “That was very thoughtful of you, but don’t you have a game today?”

“Yeah, but I don’t have to report in until later. When I have a home stretch, I’m around quite a bit.” Hint, hint. I’m not gone all the time. “Which reminds me”—I reach into my back pocket—“I have some tickets for you and the staff here for the game on Sunday. Don’t feel like you need to go, but if you are interested, here are a few tickets. And I put your name on the list for the family and friends suite for after the game. They usually have drinks and snacks afterwards. It’s fun, and you get to greet the players when they come off the ice.”

“Oh, thank you.” She takes the tickets. “I’m sure the girls will love to go.”

“Chris’s wife should be there.” I put my hands in my pockets. “Shannon, right?”

Adalyn nods. “Yes, Shannon. She told me she goes to every game.” Looking at the tickets, she jokes, “Couldn’t get tickets for tonight?”

Chuckling, I shake my head. “Thought it would be polite to give you a week’s notice.”

“How polite.”

I want to tell her the tickets are for the staff here only and no one else. Basically, no Logan.

“Wednesday night we have off, I have some press stuff going on tomorrow, I was thinking maybe I could take you to dinner.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Hayden.”

“As friends,” I say quickly, grasping at anything at this point. “I would like to hear about your birth plans and”—I take pause, swallowing hard—“have you found out the sex of the baby yet?”

She shakes her head. “I want to wait right now. I’m still trying to make it through one day without throwing up, I don’t think I could put a sex label on this baby because right now, all it is to me, is demon child.”