And the entire time, I catch Ray watching me.
Every time I step out, his eyes find me instantly. And every single time, something in his expression softens. Like he can’t quite believe I’m real.
At one point, Jenna hands me a cream dress that hugs my bump perfectly before flowing softly to my ankles. The second I step out wearing it, Ray goes completely still.
Even Lucy notices.
“Oh,” she murmurs quietly.
Ray stares at me for so long I start getting embarrassed. “What?” I ask awkwardly.
He blinks once like he’s snapping himself out of something. “That one,” he says roughly. “Definitely that one.”
Warmth blooms across my chest so intensely it almost aches. Because no one has ever looked at me the way he does right now. He’s making me feel like I’m something precious.
By the time Jenna finally declares the fitting over, there are several bags waiting by the counter.
I stop dead.
“Ray.”
He doesn’t even glance up from inputting his card number into the machine. “Hm?”
“You cannot buy all of this.”
“I already have.”
He finally looks at me then, calm and completely unbothered. “You deserve every single thing.” And he begins to collect the bags together.
Jenna quietly hands me a smaller bag, leaning closer conspiratorially. “That man is completely gone for you, by the way,” she whispers.
My entire body heats instantly. “What?”
She grins. “I’ve known Ray for years.” Her eyes flick towards him fondly. “He’s never looked at anyone the way he looks at you.”
My stomach flips violently. Because the terrifying thing is, I want him to look at me like that.
“Did you get something to wear?” Catherine asks as she slides gracefully into the chair opposite us.
Lucy and Catherine had arranged to meet for coffee, and seeing as Ray had disappeared into work for the day, I tagged along to escape staring at the apartment walls.
“Did she ever,” Lucy mutters into her cappuccino, a smug smile pulling at her lips.
I roll my eyes immediately. Ever since yesterday’s shopping trip, she’s been utterly unbearable.
“That’s great,” Catherine says warmly.
I shrug off my coat before standing slightly so they can see the dress properly. The soft cream fabric hugs my bump gently before flowing down over my legs.
Catherine gasps softly. “Oh,” she whispers, emotion thickening her voice. “You can properly see your bump now.” Warmth spreads through my chest at the look on her face. “You look beautiful, sweetheart.”
I glance down instinctively, smoothing my hands over the dress. “Honestly?” I admit quietly. “I actually feel it in this one.”
“That Jenna is a genius,” says Lucy. “She got together an entire wardrobe with everything Wynter could possibly need. And everything grows with the pregnancy with cleverly placed elastic and stretchy material.”
“She really was impressive.”
“And expensive,” Lucy adds thoughtfully. “One dress alone was about two grand.”