Page 18

Hannah

I walk into a room full of women, two of them pregnant and I only know a couple of them.

One of them is basically my sister-in-law and the other is my boss and declining to come to my boss’ baby shower when she’s letting me live in a cottage on her property nearly rent-free, would not have been the best idea.

So here I am, gift in hand, ready to celebrate my boss and her soon to be twins.

“I’m so glad you came,” Tessa says, greeting me at the door with a smile and her cute little round belly.

“I think I should probably be planning one of these for you soon,” I reply, resting my hand on Tessa’s stomach.

“Yep, something Dylan has been looking forward to, by the way, so better make it a co-ed thing,” Tessa tells me and it’s hard not to laugh at the idea of my brother at a baby shower.

He’s been so adorably involved since Tessa found out she was pregnant, something I don’t think any of us saw coming.

But I have to admit, it’s been awesome to see the change in him.

“Oh, that will be fun. Do you want to have it here?” I ask Tessa, looking around at the beautifully decorated space within the restaurant at Somerville’s.

I can’t believe they’re closing it down for renovations soon, but that does mean Leo and I will get a break from working at both restaurants constantly.

Although, the catering business is taking off and Leo and I have been running that now too.

“I was thinking we could have it in one of the buildings I designed for P, T and Bee,” Tessa says and while I haven’t been here long, I do know she’s done a ton of work here. It would be awesome to have her baby shower in one of the buildings she’s had the honor to work on.

“I’ll talk with Penny about getting it set up,” I say, walking over to put my gift on the table. “And then I’ll start working on the menu, since I know nothing about baby showers and everything about food.”

“And I can help with the decorating part since I know a bit about that,” Tessa teases.

“I can’t believe the restaurant is closing. It feels like it’s so successful that they’d want to keep it open,” I say, changing the subject.

“Yeah, it’s super successful, but they need more space, and you’ll love this next part, a bigger kitchen. I think Lauren is planning to keep it open for outdoor dining on a limited menu. Sandwiches and salads and things like that until the reno is done.”

“That will keep me busy, plus the catering for weddings and showers and whatever.”

“Has Leo been keeping you busy?” Tessa now asks, a smirk on her face, a playful tone to her words as she sidles up beside me, linking her arm through mine.

I’m quiet for a few seconds, wanting to tell her how amazing things have been, but also wanting to keep things hush-hush for both mine and Leo’s sake. He’s still my boss and I’m still a new employee, and I really don’t need this gossip getting out this soon.

“Your silence says so much, Hannah,” Tessa taunts, elbowing me in the side. “I promise you Lauren and Jack won’t care. Look at Dylan and me, and Tommy and Penny, and even the owners are married.”

“I hear you, and it’s not so much that I’m worried. I mean I am worried about them finding out, but I’m also worried that if it doesn’t work out, we’ll be working together after sleeping together. Can you say awkward?”

“So you are sleeping with him,” Tessa says, basically announcing it to the room. She clamps a hand over her mouth, giggling a little.

“Oh my god, Tessa. Keep it down. But yes, we are sleeping together, if you must know and it’s been fucking unreal.”

“Have you shared one of Dylan’s toys with him?” she asks, this time quietly, wrinkling up her nose. “Wish he wouldn’t have kept that a secret from me for as long as he did,” she adds and as much as I hate picturing my brother having sex, she’s right about his toy being pretty great.

“I haven’t but we did…” I start to say, but trail off when Lauren walks over, not needing everyone to know the intimate details of mine and Leo’s very healthy sex life.

“Hannah, thank you so much for coming. I’m so sorry I haven’t been around much, but it sounds like you’re doing a fabulous job according to Jack and Leo,” Lauren says, hugging me. “And how’s the cottage? Everything working out for you?”

This woman is currently thirty plus weeks pregnant with twins and is asking how I’m doing. Asking how my essentially free house is working out for me. Like I have any room to complain at all.

“I should be asking you how you’re doing,” I reply, waving my hand at her very large belly. “How many weeks now?”

“Thirty -four, and they don’t seem too eager to evacuate anytime soon,” Lauren says. “They’re stubborn like their dad. Something tells me I’m going to be one of those women who’s pregnant with twins and makes it to forty weeks.”

“Poor Tessa is probably in for the same thing since she’s growing a baby that’s half my brother’s,” I joke. “But the house is great, Lauren and I’m loving living so close to work.”

“Hopefully Leo’s treating you well,” she says, and Tessa lets out a cross between a scoff and laugh that makes me want to smack her. “He’s single, you know, but I’m not the match-maker, Jack is.”

“So I’ve heard and yes, he’s been great to work for,” I reply, trying to play it coy and hoping Tessa’s little vocal tic doesn’t give me away.

“And he’s got a hot body,” Penny adds in, coming up behind us, clearly listening in. “Not that I’m looking because I’m married, but…” She shrugs, making us laugh.

“Hot body for sure and no one is judging anyone for looking,” Tessa teases, winking at me. She’s totally going to be the one to blow my cover. “I’m pretty sure we’d all like to see him shirtless.”

“Oh, I have!” Penny chimes in, excitedly. “Once he was out for a run and I happened to be leaving to go to the store and passed him. Nearly drove off the fucking road.”

“If anyone needs to be dreaming about hot, shirtless guys it’s me,” Ellen joins in. “I’m the one with two kids who can pretty much sense when Will and I are horny and ruin it all. Get ready, Lu. You’re about to kiss your sex life goodbye.”

“Can’t wait till my entertainment consists of creeping on my shirtless employees,” Lauren jokes, waddling her way over to the table to sit down. “Sorry, girls, I get winded from standing too long. In a few minutes I’ll be heavy breathing like Darth Vadar.”

“Oh, I feel you,” Tessa laments. “I can’t even go up the stairs without sounding like a giant rhinoceros and then there’s the whole food thing. I could literally eat twenty-four hours a day and still want more. I’m going to be the size of a house by the time I deliver this baby.”

“Who cares,” Ellen says, walking over to sit down next to Lauren and we all follow and do the same. “It’s the one time in your life where you can do whatever the fuck you want and can pretty much tell anyone who judges you to fuck off. They should try growing a human.”

It’s hilarious to hear Ellen talk like this.

I don’t know her very well, but I guess from the few times I’ve briefly met her, she’s always been all business.

The longer I work here, the more I’m finding that I do enjoy spending time with everyone here.

It really is like one big family. This is so different to where I previously worked and it’s still hard to believe places like this exist.

Lauren begins to open her gifts and while there aren’t very many of us here, she’s definitely been showered with presents. Bedding and bath items, clothes, car seats, baby carriers, strollers and tons and tons of diapers, which I imagine she’ll need given she’s having twins.

“Did you ever decide to find out whether the twins are boys, girls or both?” Ellen asks. “I’ve been dying to know.”

“You think I’d be able to keep it from you?” Lauren replies. “We decided we aren’t going to. There are very few surprises left in life and I want this to be one of them.”

“Same here,” Tessa adds. “Dylan is dying to know, but I keep telling him we’ll find out when the baby is here. It’s not like we’re going to trade the baby in if it’s not what he’s hoping for.”

We spend the rest of the night chatting and eating and laughing.

With only Penny and me able to drink, and Ellen being Lauren’s designated driver, we polish off a couple of bottles of champagne, but I’m sure Leo is way more drunk.

We all help Lauren load up Ellen’s SUV with her gifts so she can bring them home.

Ellen gives her a ride and the rest of us walk over, to help her get things unpacked.

Turns out I’m now a professional at unpacking since I finally got all my shit organized and put away, no thanks to Leo.

“I can’t wait to show you Lauren and Jack’s house,” Tessa says as we make our way over there and while I’ve seen the outside, I have yet to go inside and tour all of Tessa’s hard work.

We knock, but Tessa doesn’t wait for Lauren to say anything, she just opens the door and walks in.

I follow her and am instantly blown away by how absolutely stunning the entryway is.

If the house is this gorgeous in a space that people don’t spend much time in, I can only imagine what the rest of it looks like.

Tessa has an amazing eye for architectural details that really make every room unique and beautiful. She takes me on a quick tour, telling me all about what she did and how she designed it. I hope to one day have her design a home for me and build something this perfect.

We find Lauren, Ellen and Penny in the nursery, the cribs already put together and the room is already decorated.

It’s so cute, all decked out in this blissful woodland motif with greens and grays and cream.

We help her get the crib bedding put on and hang up the clothes in the closet and unpack anything that is still in boxes.

It’s a pretty good night and when it’s time to go, it feels like the babies could come any day now since Lauren is ready.

As the night winds down, Ellen decides to stay the night with Lauren since the twins are spending the night with their grandparents and Will is still out with the guys. Guessing he’ll do the same when the guys finish up their night.

Tessa and Penny both head home and I do the same, biding everyone a goodnight, I make my way back to my little cottage.

The night air is cool, but it feels so good.

My life has really taken a turn. I thought moving out to the vineyard would be isolating and when Phoebe told me she was moving to France, I was expecting to be alone most of the time.

But here I am with a hot guy living close by and having made a few new friends since taking this job.

I do owe Dylan and Tessa a huge thank you for sticking their necks out to put in a good word for me.

As soon as I get home, I pull out my phone and text Leo.

Me: I’m home and horny. When are you coming to help me out?

Leo: You drunk??

Me: Not really, but I’m guessing you are. Can I have my way with you?

Leo: Leaving now.

Me: Don’t leave on my account.

Leo: I’m home and horny??? That’s not supposed to make me want to leave?

Me: Hahaha. I’d come running if you said it, but you don’t need to. I have a drawer full of toys to keep me entertained. ;)

The text message chain goes silent, and I wonder if he’s on his way or if the guys are giving him shit about trying to leave. My thought is answered when the front door opens and there’s Leo standing there looking so fucking hot, his dark eyes filled with lust as he looks me up and down.

“You have clothes on,” he slurs slightly, a wolfish grin on his face. “Take them off.” He stumbles a bit as he tries to kick off his shoes and it makes me laugh.

“You are drunk, huh? You want something to eat first?” I ask, realizing after the words leave my mouth that he’s going to come back with something dirty and I’m so ready for it.

“Something to eat?” he echoes back to me with a question in his words as he wets his lips. “You offering me your sweet pussy?”

I moan out loud, so turned on by him and the way he can make me wet with just a few simple words.

I unbutton my jeans and shimmy out of them, I kick them to the side and pull my shirt over my head, standing there in just my bra and underwear.

I hook a finger in Leo’s direction as I begin to walk back toward my bedroom, but he grabs hold of my wrist, yanking me back to him.

He nips at my bottom lip, his tongue poking out to trail along where his teeth just touched.

“Most people eat in the kitchen, my sweet Hannah,” Leo says, with a voice that basically screams sexy; all deep and possessive and hungry. “I want you on the counter. Spread your legs for me.”

“Fuck, I love when you tell me to spread my legs for you,” I groan, so fucking ready for him.