When They Weren't Looking: Wardham Book #3 by Zoe York Read Free Book Online Page A

cucumber today, then.” Laney hesitated. “Is he going to be involved?”
    Evie shrugged. “He says he wants to be.”
    “I gotta ask—did you use protection?”
    “Of course we did. We actually stopped and bought the condoms on the way to his condo.” She winced. “I guess this is what they mean when they say they’re only ninety-nine percent effective.”
    “You’ll want to get tested, both of you, for infections. Just in case. Your midwife will probably give you the same counsel. And Evie—your chance of getting pre-eclampsia again is higher with a new partner.” Laney reached out and pulled her into a sisterly hug, complete with a reassuring back rub. “Nothing you can do about that, of course.”
    On that last point, Evie disagreed with her medically trained sister, but it wasn’t worth the debate.
    “You’ll tell me if Pipsqueak hurts you, right? I’ll send Kyle home or we can sic Ian on him. He’s cute, but he’s no Nixon.”
    Evie secretly preferred Liam’s more refined features to the handsome farm boy look of Laney’s fiancé and his brother, and she knew from first-hand experience that under his tailored clothes was a body tightly corded with muscle. He could probably hold his own. But if he was a jerk, she’d happily let the Nixon brothers deal with him.
    “I’ve been calling him the Boy Wonder, not Pipsqueak,” she muttered, and Laney joined her in a rueful chuckle. “You know, I don’t even know exactly how old he is.” Evie groaned. “This is all kinds of embarrassing.”
    “Don’t worry about that. Seriously.”
    “I can just imagine what Dale’s going to say.” Something darker than embarrassment unfurled in her chest, a hot, pulsing shame she thought she’d banished permanently with the divorce.
    Laney narrowed her gaze. “He doesn’t get to say anything.”
    “It might not stop him.” Evie’s voice cracked, and she rubbed her neck. “So…I’m hoping I can keep this a secret for a while still. Until we know that everything is progressing well, and…” She touched her stomach. “Well, until it’s obvious, I guess.”
    “You going to tell Mom?”
    “Yes. Not this week, though. Soon.”
    “She’ll be supportive.” Laney grinned. “This might get her off my back about babies for a while.”
    Evie smacked her sister’s arm lightly before opening her car door. “Whatever I can do to help you out, sis.”
    With a laughing wave, Laney hopped off the road and Evie headed home.
     
    Smallest house on the block wasn’t an understatement.
    Evie’s tiny cottage sat back from the street, dwarfed not just by the two-story homes on either side, but also the looming maple trees rising majestically from her backyard. The street was a mishmash of brick and siding houses, some renovated, others not. None quite as neat and tidy as the cottage, freshly painted white with a bright blue door.
    Liam pulled into the long drive, ignoring the nervous flutter in his chest. Maybe he should have brought flowers. Or chocolate. Definitely should have brought a ring.
    But given that Evie was still a stranger, he couldn’t pick jewelry for her. They’d go together. Not as romantic as getting down on one knee, but given the circumstances…
    “Hey, you coming in?” Evie called out as she strolled toward his SUV on a path from the backyard. She was still wearing the green dress, but she’d ditched the pretty sandals and her bare feet grabbed his attention for a moment. High arches, delicate bone structure. Feet. What was wrong with him? Then they disappeared as she stepped alongside the vehicle. “Having second thoughts?”
    Was that even an option? “No.” He steeled himself against all the reasons to feel nervous and unsure and pushed the door open. “You have a nice house.”
    She offered a polite smile that told him she didn’t believe the compliment. “I have a house. That’s more than I could say six months ago and I’m proud of that fact.”
    “Evie…” But she was