Scottie froze, unsure of what to say without flat-out lying. Natalie, thankfully, had absolutely no problem finding her voice.
“We weren’t hiding, thank you, very much. We were just participating in a little thing called girl talk. I’d tell you to try it sometime, but…well…you’re not a girl, so…”
Despite her heightened anxiety over her current situation, Scottie felt her mouth form a genuine smile. Yes, there was no question. She and Natalie were going to be great friends.
Chase’s eyes slid back to hers. “Well, I was just going to say I’m ready to head out when you are. No rush, though. I’d hate to interrupt your super-exclusive gossip session.”
His dramatic show of hand motions he added at the end made both women chuckle. In the back of her mind, Scottie was thankful she’d held back the full-on crying session she’d been on the verge of experiencing a few minutes earlier.
The last thing she needed was to have Chase worried about her, too. Not here. Not when they’d all gathered to celebrate the impending birth of another couple’s child.
But as soon as they got back to his place…
“I’m ready now,” she told him.
She wasn’t quite ready to reveal her greatest secret, but she would be. The minute they stepped inside his impressive apartment, Scottie would tell the man she loved he was going to be a dad.
Minutes later, after saying their goodbyes, she was buckled in the passenger seat of Chase’s truck while he sat behind the wheel. With every mile they covered, the more nervous she became.
Like a script running on a loop in her head, she mentally went over what she planned to say. She’d become so lost in her thoughts, it wasn’t until Chase reached over and rested a hand on the top of her thigh that Scottie even realized he’d been trying to get her attention.
“Hey.”
Scottie’s muscles tensed with surprise before she looked over at him with a widened stare. “Sorry, what?”
A frown dipped his brows in the center. “What’s going on with you today? You okay?”
“Nothing’s going on.” It was an automatic response. “I’m fine.”
“Scottie…”
He said her name as if it were a warning. As if he knew she was holding something back.
You have no idea.
“Sorry. I guess I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Like what?”
“It’s nothing,” she lied.
She hated lying to the man she loved, but dammit. She did not want to have this conversation in the cab of his truck. Especially while he was driving. Not when she had no idea how the man was going to react.
Thick, awkward silence filled the cab of his expensive truck as several blocks passed by her in a blur. From the corner of her eye, she could tell he was glancing her way. His focus on a constant swivel between her and the road ahead.
“Are you…” He started to speak up again as they neared a less populated part of the city. “If you’re having second thoughts about getting married?—”
“What?” She swung her gaze his way. “I’m not having second thoughts, Chase.” That was the last thing she wanted him to think. “I love you, and I want to marry you. That hasn’t changed.”
“Well, something has. You’ve been acting different all day. First this morning before we left my place, and then at the baby shower…” He glanced over at her again. “I mean, I know it was your first time meeting some of my friends, but I can promise they all loved you.”
“I like them, too,” she admitted truthfully. “A lot. They’re all really nice.”
Another stretch of silence passed before he initiated the conversation again.
“If it’s not cold feet, and you don’t have a problem with my friends, then just tell me what it is that has you acting so distant.”
“Chase, please,” she practically begged, refusing to look him in the eye. “Can we finish talking about this when we get to your apartment? It’s only a few more blocks away, and I’d feel a lot more comfortable having this conversation someplace other than your truck.”