“This is Matt Simmons, Fiona and Greg’s next-door neighbor. He’s here to see them.”
“Oh.” Dan continued to inspect Matt with suspicion. “Well, Fiona crossed the finish line last night. Three-hour labor, bing bang boom. I saw her and Greg this morning; it’s like night and day with those two and what Janie and Quinn are dealing with. Greg was whistling. Whistling! And giving their little gnome a bath. Cutest fucking baby I’ve ever seen. Meanwhile, Fiona is sitting up in bed, knitting. Knitting! She looks like she’s been on vacation, all well-rested, smiling and shit.” He shook his head again, like he couldn’t believe two pregnancies and deliveries could be so entirely different.
The doors opened and we departed, Dan turning and pointing down the hall. “So that’s where Greg and Fiona are. They’ll scan your badge again and double-check whether you’re allowed in, if they want to see you before they open the security door.”
“Thank you.” Matt nodded at Dan, then to me he asked, “Where will you be? I’ll call you after I’m done.”
Dan’s glare of distrust returned and he answered before I could. “She’ll be here all day, taking care of her people. If you want to help, bring the woman some food, her knitting, or give her a back massage. Come on.”
Dan took me by the arm and began leading me away, but Matt stopped our momentum by grabbing my wrist.
Tugging me forward, he slipped his hand around my waist and captured my mouth with a kiss.
It happened so fast, I didn’t have a moment to respond or react or enjoy the feel of his warm, soft lips moving over mine. Or the abrupt spike of aching pleasure that flooded my chest, spurring my heart into a reckless rhythm, and cinching my throat with emotion.
What . . . what . . . WHAT?
I’d just placed my hand on his torso to steady myself when he ended the kiss by brushing his lips over mine once more, and then stepped away. Our gazes locked and I blinked at the intensity I found there, especially since the remainder of his features appeared studiously devoid of emotion.
“I’ll see you soon,” he said, making his words sound like an order.
I nodded, certain my face betrayed how confused I was, and allowed myself to be pulled in the opposite direction by Dan.
My friend glanced over his shoulder and back at Matt twice as we walked. Or rather, Dan walked, I stumbled, still caught in the moment Matt’s lips had captured mine.
What was that?
I lifted my fingertips to my mouth, wondering if I’d just imagined the last two minutes. I had no idea how to feel about it. I couldn’t even believe it had happened.
What the hell was that?
Once we were out of earshot, I sensed Dan’s gaze flicker over my profile.
“Is that guy your boyfriend?”
“No.”
No. He’s not.
He’s not.
He’s not.
“You like that guy, though.”
Inspecting my friend, his pointed gaze targeting mine, I released a perplexed breath. “It doesn’t matter. He’s not interested in me that way.”
Dan snort-laughed. “Oh, he’s interested in you that way. That kiss and the look he was sending me when I took your arm, I know that look.”
I struggled how best to summarize the situation with Matt, just like I was struggling to wrap my mind around the kiss. “We’re friends. I think. I think we’re friends. I don’t know. I think he’d like to be friends with benefits. But that kind of arrangement doesn’t interest me.”
Dan grunted noncommittally at that, apparently in deep thought, and we walked quietly for a while. He helped me navigate the security checkpoint that would lead us into the VIP labor and delivery suite, but pulled me to a stop just outside the door to the waiting room.
“I’m gonna give you some unsolicited advice, okay?” Dan peered at me, as though making sure I knew to take his words seriously. “But it’s good advice, even though I’m tired as hell, so it might not make much sense.”
“Sure. Go for it.” Even in my muddled state, I couldn’t help but smile at my friend.
“You like that guy, you tell him flat out. You just lay what you want and everything out there. Don’t waste time not saying things that need to be said. He’ll always be in your mind, wrecking the possibility of things with other people, because your heart can’t move on until it knows for sure a door is closed.”
I managed a reassuring smile. “Thanks for the ad—”
“But then, if the door opens, make sure it’s the right door, not a different door. Because then you’ll be in the room, but it’s not the right room. And then you’re stuck in the room, you’ve committed to the room, and you’d be an asshole for trying a new door in the same house when you’re already in a room. And then your fucking heart won’t stop looking for a window.” He lifted his hand between us face up, shaking his head, clearly irritated about something, then let his palm fall to his leg with a smack.
I stared at him, waiting patiently until he’d finished his tirade.
Dan was right, he was tired. His words were slightly slurred with lack of sleep, but I thought I understood his meaning well enough.
His peering persisted, like he wanted to make sure I understood his point, then he added, “I’m serious. Hearts are bastards that way, always looking for a goddamn window.”
21
Synthetic Environment for Analysis and Simulations (SEAS)
A model of the real world used by Homeland Security and the United States Department of Defense that uses simulation and AI to predict and evaluate future events and courses of action.
Source: United States Department of Defense
Dan’s summary was entirely correct.
Kat was exhausted.
Desmond—Quinn’s dad—was amused by his son’s out-of-control worry.
And Quinn was out of control with worry.
As soon as Quinn saw me, he crossed to me in three steps and engulfed my body in a squeezing hug, catching me completely by surprise. We’d never hugged before. In fact, I’d never seen him hug or touch anyone but Janie.
Peripherally, I heard Dan say to Kat, “Okay. Marie is here. I found a bed for you, come with me.”
Two sets of footsteps sounded behind me and a small hand covered my shoulder. I turned as Quinn relaxed his arms and found Kat, giving me a grateful smile. “I’ll be back in an hour.”
“She’ll be back in a few hours,” Dan corrected, tugging on her hand and pulling her out of the room.
I chuckled at his bossiness. Something had changed, but I was given no opportunity to figure out what the deal was because Desmond had stood and was waiting for a hug.
“Good to see you.” Desmond gave me his version of a smile, which was similar to Quinn’s version of a smile, his hawkish blue eyes scrutinizing me as we separated.
“You too.” My gaze cut to Quinn, and I grinned. “Ready to be a father?”