Always Only You by Chloe Liese (z-lib.org).epub

Lo clears her throat loudly and raises her eyebrows. If a stranger did that, I’d
lose it on them, but I’ve built trust with my friends and I don’t find a little social
direction here and there offensive or condescending. It’s helpful, actually, and
I’ve told them as much.
Annie picks up her fork, holding it poised over her salad. “I want to laugh
without peeing myself. I want to drink beer again.” Staring at the plate on her
belly, Annie frowns at her food. “And I want to eat you. But I don’t have room.”
“Poor Annie.” Lo gives Annie an empathic smile before biting into her tofu
and bean burrito. “So, once you get into law school, Frankie, how much longer
do you do this job? You going to take some time off? Because I want to plan
something fun with you between this and the start of the semester.”
“No, it’s okay,” Annie says. “I’ll just be leaking breastmilk, wrecked from
birthing Tim’s monster baby. But please, plan a Napa trip without me.”
Lo tsks. “I’m talking like a day at the spa and a movie in PJs. For all of us.
New mama included.”
Annie perks up and grins. “Okay. Keep planning, then.”
I sip my root beer. “Depends on the playoffs. My thought is I’ll give my two
weeks’ notice once we lose. I’ve saved up a little nest egg. I’d like to do some
studying and otherwise take a few months off to just relax a bit until school
starts.”
“Good.” Lo smiles, staring past my shoulder. “Any plans to relax with the
hockey hottie?”
“Yeah, right,” I mutter around a bite of pizza. “Banging Ren would be a high
point in my life, if he’s any bit as coordinated in bed as he is on the ice, but he’s
holding out for someone else.”
My stomach sours saying that. I rub my belly and drink some water.
“Who is she?” Lo asks.
“Someone who’s unavailable right now but who he’s hopeful he can
eventually pursue. I don’t know the details, just that he’s willing to wait for her.”
Annie tips her head, glancing from Ren to me. “You have no clue who it is?
He hasn’t told you, not even hinted?”
“Well, if he has, you know I don’t pick up on hints,” I remind her. “And no, I
really have no clue.”
“Huh.” Lo stares past me, straight at Ren, her brow furrowed in thought.
I peer over my shoulder and look at Ren again as he turns the page in his
book, then grins. My heart squeezes weirdly and I turn around. “What?” I ask
the two of them.
“Lord help me,” Annie says. “He smiles while reading.”
Lo grins. “And he drinks herbal tea.”