One Baby Daddy (Dating by Numbers #3)(89)

“Thank you.” Hayden helps me into the booth.

When I get settled, I hold my menu but give my attention to Hayden. “Mr. Valentino?”

He shrugs, a smirk tilting the ends of his mouth up. “You’ve never used a fake name before?”

“Never had to.”

“Ah, come on, there’s always a time to use a fake name. Next time you order a coffee, give them a fake name, if anything, it will give you a little giggle when they call it out, and you know it’s not really your name.”

I stare at him for a few beats. Did he just say giggle? “Are you nervous?”

Rubbing his palms on his pants, he nods. “Yeah, a little and I have no fucking clue why?” Turning toward me, he takes my hand in his and laces our fingers together. Staring at our connection he speaks, his voice soft and gruff. “It’s not like I haven’t spent time with you before. It’s not like we haven’t been alone together. Hell, I’ve been inside of you before. I know what you taste like on my tongue, but for some reason, tonight seems monumental.”

“We’re just here to hang out, Hayden, nothing more.”

Slowly moving his head up and down, he squeezes my hand and looks at me past his dark eyelashes. “You might think we are just going to be friends, but as much as I wish I could settle for that, I can’t, but out of respect of your request for tonight, I will remain friendly. But if I say out-of-character things like . . . giggle . . . please know it’s because even if I might seem like I have it altogether on the outside, being by your side unable to claim you like I want to is twisting me up in knots on the inside.”

Unsure what to say to that, I turn to my menu while the words swim around together, making it incredibly hard for me to understand.

This is going to be a long, hard night and not in a good way. I’m pretty sure I’m going to leave tonight with a heavy heart and a confused mind.

“Did you take a pregnancy test or did you see a doctor?” Hayden asks, wanting to know more about the pregnancy, about all the moments he’s missed.

“Pregnancy test with Emma in a janitor’s closet.”

He takes a bite of his banana and caramel waffle and quirks an eyebrow at me. “A janitor’s closet?”

“I didn’t want to do it in the staff lounge because frankly, there was already so much gossip among the staff in the hospital, I didn’t want to add fuel to the flames.”

“Why not wait until you got home?”

“Emma. She begged me to take the test. She swore my boobs looked bigger and needed me to confirm the pregnancy.”

Hayden turns away from me and pushes some waffle around on his plate. “Yeah, I’d say Emma is right on that front.”

Chuckling, I playfully swat Hayden. “Hey, don’t be looking.”

“It’s hard not to, Adalyn.” Looking at my breasts, he says, “They’re kind of in your face.”

Glancing down, I attempt to shift my shirt but there is no point in trying to cover them up, as none of my clothes fit anymore so if the ladies are out, they’re out.

“Nothing fits like it used to.”

He holds up his hands. “I’m not complaining, just agreeing with Emma, that’s all.” Nodding toward my plate, he asks, “Can I try your salsa waffles?”

“How long have you been waiting to ask that?”

“Ever since you ordered them.” His fork hovers over my plate.

Rolling my eyes, I give him the go ahead, but not without collecting my own bite. Together, we try each other’s waffles and both marvel in their flavors. Sweet, caramelly, with a hint of buttermilk and banana. So good.

“Damn, I got the wrong waffles.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” I reach in for another bite, which causes Hayden to chuckle.

Resting his fork on his napkin, he lifts both our plates and swaps them. “There. Better?”

Grabbing another bite, I shove it in my mouth and close my eyes, dying over the caramel taste. “So much better. I thought I wanted savory, but boy was I wrong, it’s all about the sweet for me tonight.”

“What has been your weirdest craving so far?”

“Weirdest? Hmm.” The prongs of my fork tap my lips while I think. “I would have to say when I asked Emma to bring me a brownie from the cafeteria and a small condiment cup of honey mustard.”

Fork halfway to his mouth, salsa dripping off the waffle, Hayden’s eyes go wide. “I like you, Adalyn, but if you tell me you dipped a brownie in honey mustard, we might have to part ways.”

“What if I told you I ate the brownie and dipped my finger in the honey mustard? Does that make a difference?”

“I mean, it’s better, but I’m still judging you a little.”

“Don’t judge me, judge the baby.”

“You’re insane.” Hayden eyes the table, disgust written all over his face.

I cut the brownie on the table in half and dab a little honey mustard onto his plate. “This is your fault, you know that, right? You’re the one who got me thinking about brownies and honey mustard and here we are, ready to divulge in our baby’s guilty pleasure.”

Sniffing the brownie and honey mustard together, he winces. “I think you’re right, the baby is a demon.”