Page 89 of Pucked Together

"Oh, hey. Sorry, I thought you'd be longer. Anyway, I have my chef coming to make us dinner in a bit, but if you're hungry, I can order some takeout. Or whatever you want. What do you want?" It all comes out in a rush. A little desperate. Even I can hear it.

"Real smooth, Casanova," Row whispers under his breath, loud enough for me to hear.

"You can thank my brother here for the beer and Funyuns. He's kind of a slob."

She glances over to my brother in his too-tight shirt, looking muscular and strong. And I feel insecure for the first time in his presence.

"Well, if you're going to have me under baby mama's house arrest this whole pregnancy, I'm going to need better snacks."

Row gives her a two-finger salute, "On it, Captain."

I look at Rowan, who just shrugs. "I'd say the person creating an entire human should have all the snacks she wants."

"Glad we're on the same page," She says to him and then turns to me. "What's your chef going to cook?"

"Usually something with protein and veggies. I leave it up to him."

"No meat," she says. And goes back inside without another word. This time, Wednesday follows after her, clearly upset that she, too, has no snacks.

"Come on," I tell my brother. "I'm about to buy every fucking snack option imaginable that Randall's has to offer."

Chapter 28

Izzy

Losing your memory is weird.

Part of you thinks that what you're recalling is real. But it feels just as real as the vivid pregnancy dream I had last night. The one where I had magical flying powers and Wednesday was dressed in an apron, cooking me dinner.

So yeah, nothing feels real.

Which is why I decided I needed to go back to work.

A camera in my hand will never lie. It'll reflect to me the world exactly as it is—not just what I imagine it to be.

"The boys have a homestand for the next two weeks. And that's the only reason I'm letting you do this," Rina says from the other side of her desk. Her perfectly manicured nails are typing something out on her phone.

I lift my eyes from the photos that I've taken so far this season.

She was adamant about me taking all the time I needed to recover. And even if I chose to stay home my entire pregnancy, she guaranteed my job would be here whenever I was ready.

So I guess not everything is shit. My idol loves me. I don't know how, but she’s here. We’re cool. And I have something to do other than try to recall what my life has been like in the few months I’ve been here in Houston.

"So, how does this work?" I ask her. "Do we restart the clock on my trial period?"

Rina laughs. "You can't be serious?"

I shrug. Even though the proof of my hard work is sitting in my lap as we speak, I can't say I know what I'm doing. It feels like day one. Except that I'm having a baby with a man who claims to love me. And he works here too.

There's a knock on the door.

"Come in," Rina says, setting her phone down in front of her.

Ryker steps in. "Brought you some lunch." He lifts up a paper bag.

I look at my watch. "It's only 10:30."

"Brunch then." He says with a shrug as he walks over to me.