“Our boy appears to have a small point there, Dom,” Mac threw in. “You’re one of the calmest fuckers I’ve ever known. You stood behind me in Afghanistan more times than I can count with an M4 assault rifle in your hand, and I never thought twice about it. You’re complete ice under pressure—usually. Since you’ve been seeing Gwen, you’ve been all over the place. I mean, case in point, you’re wearing Gage’s clothes, which he probably went commando in without washing because you pulled a drunk. I’ve seen you drink a whole bottle of tequila and still be able to walk a straight line so I can’t imagine what put you down that hard.”

“Don’t forget the part about lying in piss—that was freaking disgusting,” Gage added.

Mac shuddered. “I don’t even want to know the details. I’m just saying that I’m a little worried about you. I thought you were crazy when you started spouting words of love so soon, but I believe it now. Only something that life altering would have you so far off your usual mark. I have no idea what’s going on with Gwen and the pregnant or not pregnant thing, but you need to straighten it out. I told you in the beginning that she’s a good woman, and I don’t believe for a minute that she’s trying to bullshit you. I do think that you two have some serious miscommunication going on and a part of it is probably your listening to advice from everyone else instead of just figuring the shit out on your own like you normally would.”

“That’s directed at me, isn’t it?” Gage grumbled.

Mac ignored the question and continued. “Avie told me that you helped her out a lot while we were both trying to get ourselves together. That’s who you are, brother. You don’t overreact, freak out, and second-guess yourself. You told me after Gwen and I broke up that you’d wanted her all along. All right, guess what. She’s there. She’s having your baby. Are you waiting for an engraved invitation or what?” As Gage started laughing, Mac looked in the rearview mirror, adding, “And I don’t even know where to start with you. Single mother? You better be good to her, Gage, or I’ll kick your ass myself.”

“Fuck,” Dominic groaned and slumped into his seat. “You’re right. I’ve been losing my shit, and I don’t even know why now. What’s wrong with me?”

Mac let out a full belly laugh. “Love may be patient and kind, but it also grabs you by the balls and takes you on the head trip of a lifetime. Welcome to it, my friend.”

Chapter Nineteen

Gwen stood in the doorway of her refrigerator, eating chocolate pie straight from the pan. She could practically hear the five pounds that she’d gain settling on her already big butt. Tonight, though, she didn’t give a damn. She’d already had phone sessions with both Mia and Crystal and even Suzy had stopped by this afternoon at the office to check on her. The other woman was practically glowing, apparently now over her initial anxiety and excited to move forward with adopting. All three women seemed certain that things would work out with Dominic, but Gwen wasn’t so sure. She hadn’t heard from him all day. It was now nine in the evening, and she’d eaten everything in her refrigerator. She alternated between never wanting to see him again, which was unrealistic since they were having a baby together, and begging him to talk to her, which would be humiliating after the way he’d taken off yesterday.

She was still brooding with a spoon stuck in her mouth when her doorbell rang. Freezing in place, she wondered if she’d wished for the sound so much that she’d imagined it. But a few seconds later, she heard it again. Tossing both the pie and the spoon into the refrigerator, she smoothed her hands down her hair and grimaced at her lounge pants and tank top. If it was Dominic and he wasn’t here to break things off, he would probably consider it after seeing her disheveled state. “Screw it,” she said to the empty room. “If he doesn’t like it, what do I care?” She stalked to the door and looked through the peephole. Dominic stood there, looking as if he had no plans to leave anytime soon. Squaring her shoulders, she jerked the door open and felt her body completely betray her as she stared at him. He was still wearing his too small outfit from earlier. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he was sporting some scruff on his face. Despite her best intentions, her nipples hardened, pushing against the thin material of her top. Of course, she wasn’t wearing a bra and if the widening of his eyes was any indication, he’d noticed.

When she didn’t move to let him pass, he cleared his throat nervously. “Hey, babe. I . . . um . . . just got home. Can I—can I come in?”

Dammit, she wanted to say no. To strike a blow for women everywhere who’d been hurt by a man, but she found herself moving to the side and waving him forward. Heat gathered between her thighs as she noticed the way the tight pants he was wearing outlined his butt. Her body was fast turning traitor and her mind was barely holding her libido in check. “Wh-what are you doing here?” she managed to spit out around the knot in her throat.

He sank down on her couch before dropping his head in his hands. “Baby, I think I’ve lost my mind lately. You started pulling away from me, and then Gage told me I wasn’t showing enough interest in the pregnancy possibility and was not being supportive. Then I made a fool of myself over that Jane Fonda movie, and Gage said I acted like a pus— um, girl. Then I was supposed to give you the space that you needed because I was coming on too strong and scaring you. You told me you weren’t pregnant and I typed out this whole text in reply about it not changing anything and how I felt about you, but Gage said I was being a pus— um, girl again and going too fast. I tried not to push you, but when you got home from your sister’s, I couldn’t stay away from you. Of course, I had to go to Charleston AGAIN. Next, I come home to find out about Gage and Shannon and you’re not pregnant, but now you are. Then I got drunk and passed out in some nasty bathroom before Gage carted me home and made me wear his more than likely dirty clothes. The pants are so tight they’ve crawled up my ass all day. Gage said I was complaining like a pus— girl again. Mac pointed out that I could shoot an M4 assault rifle but couldn’t tell the woman I’m crazy about that I love her and I needed to stop acting like a pus— girl.” He grimaced, shaking his head. “We say that word too much, don’t we?”