One Baby Daddy (Dating by Numbers #3)(86)

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Zoning out, I open my text from Adalyn.

Adalyn: Pizza should be on the list of things pregnant women should eat. Dairy, protein, veggies, and grains. What more can you ask for?

Smiling to myself, I respond back.

Hayden: It’s on my list of pregnancy-approved foods along with four apple fritters a day.

Adalyn: Funny. Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready for a game?

Taking a picture of my socked-up legs, I send it along with a comment.

Hayden: It’s the calm before the storm in the locker room right now. Waiting for coach to come in and do his spiel.

Adalyn: Oh, huh, for some reason I thought you couldn’t have phones in the locker room.

Chuckling, I type her back as fast as my fingers will work. This is a moment, a moment I can show her that in fact I might have a game, but even during that time right before it, we can still be connected.

Hayden: This isn’t one of those hipster parties where you’re required to put your phone in a bowl before you enter the house. A good amount of the guys have families, and they’re usually FaceTiming with their kids leading up to the game.

Adalyn: I see that you’re trying to prove a point.

Hayden: Is it working?

Adalyn: I don’t really want to talk about that right now.

Hayden: Fair enough. Are you going to watch the game tonight?

Adalyn: I can’t, sorry. We don’t have cable.

We.

One single word can turn my fucking stellar day into pure crap.

We, meaning Adalyn and Logan. From the mere thought of them curling up on her couch together, snuggling to watch me play, causes my stomach to roll and my skin to break out into a sweat. Fucking Logan. I still don’t understand why he’s an outside factor I need to work around.

Needing a second, I take a sip of my water and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to rid of the image of Logan wrapped around Adalyn out of my mind.

“Dude, are you okay?” Chris asks, “You look pale.”

“Fine.” I scratch my beard.

“You don’t look fine. Does this have to do with the person who’s texting you?”

Melting into the locker behind me, the hardwood cutting into my back a bitter welcome. “It’s Adalyn. When she moved out here, her friend moved with her.”

“Logan, right?”

My eyes snap to Chris. “You know about Logan?”

“I know of him.” Chris bites the roll of tape, finishing off a section of his stick. “Shannon was telling me about him the other day, how he’s always at the office, picking up and dropping off Adalyn. He hovers, but when Shannon asks Adalyn about him, all she says is he’s a friend.”

“Yeah, that’s the term I keep hearing too. Friend.”

Reaching over, Chris squeezes my shoulder. “Coming from a guy who married way out of his league, I’m going to tell you this. Don’t sweat the stuff that doesn’t matter. If you want Adalyn, focus on her, not him.”

Focus on her, not him. Fuck that’s good advice. Advice I wish I had early on. And it seems easier said than done, not to focus on him, but I’ll try, especially if it stops the sharp, pulsing pain I get every time I hear his name. With that new mantra running through my head, I type Adalyn back.

Hayden: Such a shame, you’ll be missing a good show. Don’t worry. I’ll give you a play-by-play on Wednesday.

She’s quick in texting back making me believe she’s giving me her full attention right now. I like that.

Adalyn: Will this play-by-play be at the dinner table with straws and sugar packets replacing hockey sticks and pucks?

Hayden: If you’re lucky.

Adalyn: Do you know where we’re going to dinner? The baby likes to plan these things out.

I smile to myself. This is the first time she’s referred to the baby as a real thing, and fuck if it doesn’t wash away the sour feelings I was having about Logan. Forget all of that, she just mentioned the baby. Our baby.

Hayden: You tell me, what is the baby craving?

Adalyn: Pizza.

Hayden: Then pizza it is.

Hayden: Good morning, beautiful.

Adalyn: Good morning. Congratulations on your win last night.

Hayden: Did you get cable just to watch me play? Wow, that’s going above and beyond for your baby daddy.

Adalyn: Don’t flatter yourself. I looked it up this morning while sipping some tea.

Hayden: First of all, it’s cute that you checked. Thank you. Second, only tea this morning. Captain Cock Blocker didn’t make you eggs this morning?

Adalyn: LOL, he’s not a cock blocker, and I wasn’t feeling too great this morning, so I drank some tea to settle my nausea.

Hayden: I’m sorry you weren’t feeling well. Are you doing better now?

Adalyn: Yes. I brought a protein bar with me to work in case I felt hungry this morning, so I’ll be good.

Hayden: Pregnancy seems like a real joy ride.

Adalyn: You’re lucky all you had to do was stick your penis in me. Carrying this child is a whole different world.

Hayden: I can’t even imagine. That’s why I’m trying to be the best partner in all of this. If you go to the oven in the break room, I believe you’ll find something staying warm for you in there.

Adalyn: Did you bring me more fritters?

Hayden: Better. Go look.