Big & Beautiful 12: Stocky & Sumptuous
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Mary E Thompson
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25
Chapter 1
Book 12: Stocky & Sumptuous
I sipped my water and convinced myself it wasn’t bad enough that I should attempt to drown myself in the glass. It was tough, but I set the glass down and grinned at the guy across the table from me.
He was cute. Dark hair. Light blue eyes. Broad shoulders. His lips looked like they’d be soft and his hands were big. But dear God was the man boring. I swore if I had to spend another night listening to one more guy drone on and on about how excited his boring job was, I really was going to drown myself in my water glass.
“It’s fascinating, isn’t it?” he asked, a broad grin telling me just how excited he was about… What was it he did again?
“It really is. Absolutely fascinating.”
If he caught my boredom, it didn’t faze him. Just another sign that he was only there to hear himself talk.
I tore off a chunk of bread as he continued explaining something to me. I only half listened, enough that I could interject a nod or a sound of agreement once in a while. My mind wandered, constantly going back to the whole reason I was there in the first place.
I wanted a baby.
Maybe it wasn’t progressive of me to want a baby, but I didn’t care. I’d spent the last two months, ever since I held my friend Riley’s baby girl, staring at babies. I wandered baby supply stores. I even started thinking about what I would register for when I had my own little bundle.
I was losing it.
Which was why I was on a date with another guy I’d met online. He was harmless, but only because I knew I could easily run away before he finished his next story. I had no doubt if he pulled out a knife, it would only be to tell me the origin of knives, not to cut me into tiny pieces like my sister was convinced every guy I met online was going to do.
If even one of them evoked any sort of emotion in me besides boredom, I might have died of shock.
Ugh. Online dating was not working for me.
“Tell me again what you do?” Brad asked. He smiled at me, his head tilting to the side as though it was taking me a while to answer.
Oh, right. It was.
“I’m the business manager for a home restoration company.”
“What does that mean?”
I had to give him points for actually sounding interested. I told him all about my job, surprised when he asked questions and acted like he gave a shit.
Sure, I liked my job, but it didn’t usually garner so much interest from my dates.
Whatever.
Dessert arrived, the bright part of any date for me, and we changed topics to our families. I devoured my triple chocolate cake, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, as he told me about his parents, also investors. Hey! That’s what he did. Only child. That explained his lack of communication skills.
He pushed his dessert, a scoop of sherbet because it was healthier, away, and I figured I needed to lay it on thick. If he wasn’t turned off by my lack of attention or my super-sized dessert compared to his tiny and healthy one, I needed to pull out the big guns.
“How many kids do you want?” I asked, innocently batting my eyelashes.
“Uh, kids?”
Insert fear… right there.
“Yeah, kids. I’m already thirty-three so my biological clock is getting pretty loud, you know? I’d really like to be pregnant by the end of the year and have at least two in two.”
“Two in two?”
I nodded, leaning in and giving him my bedroom eyes. “Yeah. Two kids in two years. My sister is a couple years older than me and I always knew I wanted a big family. At my age it might not be possible, but I’m thinking it might be a good idea to sign up to adopt at the same time. That way when my eggs dry up we’ll still have more kids. You know, since adoption takes so long.”
His eyes grew wider with each word, just like I predicted. It was always a mood killer. Even the guys who made it seem like they were up for a family ran scared when kids were brought up. It didn’t have to be true, but it helped that I was being honest. I had always wanted kids. A few of them. Over the years, those dreams drifted away. Until I held Pauline. Looking down into her trusting face, loving and sweet, and I knew the desire for a family never left, it just took a backseat to the other things in my life.
Like work.
And taking care of my big sister.
“I don’t know that I’m ready for kids yet. I mean, not this soon.” He rubbed the back of his neck and flicked his eyes around the restaurant, searching for an escape. “It was really nice meeting you, but I think maybe we should take things more slowly.”
I leaned across the table and reached for his hand. “I was really hoping we could move things more quickly. I mean, I’m already off my birth control. So we could start trying right away.”
Nothing excited a man more than the idea of sex, but going bareback terrified the bravest of men. Especially on a first date.
“Yeah, uh, I never have sex without a condom. And kids… Yeah, uh, I need to go. It was great meeting you.”
He stood and tossed more than enough cash onto the table to cover dinner. He nearly tripped over his chair before he bolted for the door.
I just sat back and laughed.
“Another one bites the dust?” Amy, the waitress at Nicolino’s, asked. I’d met all my dates there because I loved the food, but also because they knew me. The first time I went to Nicolino’s was with my large group of friends for Max and Charlie’s anniversary. I fell in love with the quaint place and the comfortable feel and became a regular quickly.
“Yep,” I told Amy with a grin. “He was so dull I thought I was going to fall asleep. I told him I want to be pregnant by the end of the year.”
Amy laughed. “You’re bad.”
I shrugged. “He had that second date look in his eyes. I had to pull out the big guns.”
Amy shook her head at me. “Well, at least he left you enough money to cover your dinner, maybe tomorrow’s, too.”
I chuckled and scooped up the cash, then handed it all over to Amy. “It’s yours.”
Palms up she backed away. “No. I can’t take that much money. You should pocket it.”
I shook my head. “It’s like blood money. I’d feel dirty taking it. Besides, he left it on the table to pay for dinner, so it’s yours.”
Amy reluctantly took the cash and stuffed it in her black apron. “How about another dessert? You can take it home if you don’t want to eat it here. Mom just finished a tiramisu.”
I groaned. “You’re evil, Amy.”
She laughed as she walked away. Moments later she was back with a bag that I knew contained more than just one piece of tiramisu.
“Lunch for tomorrow. Mom insisted.”
I shook my head and hugged Amy. “Thank you. Tell Carla thank you also.”
“Will we see you tomorrow?” Amy asked.
I nodded sadly. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“Can I ask you a question?” Amy asked, her brown eyes uncertain.
I nodded.
“Why are you doing this if you aren’t enjoying yourself?”
I forced a grin and told her the truth. Because even though I didn’t know her well, I felt she deserved to know what was really going on.
“I want a child. My sister is a fertility specialist, but all my friends are happy with their husbands. I’ve considered asking Peyton about artificial insemination, but I know it’ll be much better if I have someone to share it with.”
“I can agree with that. I wouldn’t have such a great life without my husband. You’ll find the one who makes your heart race and your world slow eventually.”
I grinned. “I hope it’s before my eggs shrivel up, too. My sister is the best fertility specialist around, but there are certain things you don’t share with family. Your vagina is one of them.”
Amy laughed and hugged me. We said goodbye and in twenty minutes I was home alone, wondering if Amy was right. If I would find that one guy who was everything for me. I sure hoped so.
* * *
Monday morning I got to work before Xander and Drew, like normal. I loved working with both of them and wished I had a guy who looked at me the way they looked at their wives. I didn’t know Mandy as well as Carrie, but they were both hilarious and so insanely kind. They were also constantly threatening to set me up.
I turned on the coffee and checked my email. A quick review of the schedule showed a new client was coming in to meet with Drew. Other than that, the day looked like it was going to be pretty ordinary.
I sent out updates to all the clients we had active projects with as Drew and Xander filtered in. Before lunch, Xander was gone to work on one of his projects and Drew was getting ready for his meeting. I stopped in his office to see if he wanted lunch.
“I’m going to run out to Sandy’s Wiches. Want anything?”
Drew looked up at me and smiled. His brown eyes were kind, but tired. “That would be great. Thanks. A turkey club or something like that.”
“Sure. You look tired. Is Joel sick?”
Drew shook his head and grinned. “Teething. Poor Carrie is barely getting any sleep so I’m getting up with him a few times a night.”
I gave Drew a sympathetic look. I knew times were tough when babies didn’t sleep, but I’d give anything to know it firsthand. “It’s nice that you help her out.”
Drew nodded, his entire face softening. “It’s what you do. My dad was never around, I’ve never even met him, but my mom was great. The best relationships are partnerships. Carrie doesn’t do well without a lot of sleep, even though she adores Joel.”
“Hard not to. He’s a pretty great kid.”
Drew smiled. “He is. Carrie already wants another one.”
The pang of jealousy shocked me, but it wasn’t fair. Carrie and Drew were amazing parents, and I wanted them to have as many kids as they wanted. I just wanted a kid or two also. A few more friends for Drew and Carrie’s kids to play with.
“She told me she always wanted a big family.”
“We both do. It’s just that when Joel isn’t sleeping for some reason, I have trouble imagining being able to survive two kids going through the same thing.”
I shrugged. “By the time she has a second one, Joel will be much older. My sister is two years older than me, and it’s nice to be so close in age.”
“That’s what Carrie thinks, too. It’s hard for me to see her in any kind of pain or so exhausted.”
“She’s strong.”
“That she is.”
I checked the time and saw it was getting close to when his new client would be arriving. “Let me run out. I’ll be back before your client leaves so you can eat before you have to run out for the afternoon.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate it.” He reached for his wallet but I waved him off.
“I got it.”
He nodded. “Next time.”
I grabbed my purse from my desk and headed out. I jumped in my cherry red Subaru WRX and pulled out as a blue Mercedes SUV pulled in. It was boxy, unfamiliar, but definitely sexy.
I had a thing for hot cars.
In thirty minutes, I was back with sandwiches. I heard voices so I went to my desk for lunch knowing Drew was likely going to eat on his way to his work site for the afternoon.
I went through the emails I’d neglected that morning as I ate my sandwich. When I heard Drew and his new client approaching, I wrapped up the other half of my beef on weck and tucked it to the side. I swished water through my mouth, hoping I didn’t have anything in my teeth as Drew said, “I’d like to introduce you to Vicki Prescott, our business manager.”
I looked up with a grin and had to clench my jaw to keep it from hitting the desk. It had to be the hormones. I’d been so focused on finding a guy and getting pregnant that I was losing it. Yes, the man walking next to Drew was gorgeous with his light brown hair, a little on the long side, dark blue eyes that scanned my figure when I stood, and a three-piece suit showcasing broad shoulders and a wide chest tapering to a lean waist.
He was definitely the sexiest man I’d ever seen. But he was not my type, in the slightest. I’d been through more than a few workaholics, which was why I gave up men in the first place. The desire to have a kid outweighed the desire to protect myself, but I wasn’t completely insane.
Workaholics were off the table.
I extended my hand, struggling for composure. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too. I’m Hunter Campbell. Drew here is going to be remodeling my new space for me.”
I smiled. “You definitely came to the best.”
His blue eyes darkened and scanned my body again. “I definitely did.”
The flirtatious tone sent a shiver down my spine. One that settled between my thighs and threatened the strength of my knees.
“I’m sure Drew will make your space perfect.”
“Will you be working with him?”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t get involved with many of the projects. I will send out updates and keep you informed of any changes or concerns, but you’ll be dealing primarily with Drew.”
“Well, that’s a shame,” Hunter said with a wink.
Jeez, he was relentless.
“Um, well, anyway, it was nice to meet you, Mr. Campbell.”
I extended my hand again and he wrapped it up in both of his, those damn eyes lit with a mixture of amusement and desire. Neither of which I needed, especially with my boss watching us.
“The pleasure truly was mine, Vicki. And please, call me Hunter.”
I nodded and watched as Hunter shook Drew’s hand then left. I sunk into my seat and sighed. Then realized Drew was still standing there.
“So that’s the kind of guy you like?”
I shook my head. “No. Definitely not.”
Drew raised an eyebrow in silent challenge.
“Seriously,” I assured him with a laugh. “I’m not into men like him. He’s attractive, but he’s not my type. You don’t have to worry.”
Drew snagged his sandwich off my desk and grinned. “Uh huh. I’d believe that if you weren’t making doe eyes at him.”
“I was not making doe eyes at him.”
“Yeah, okay, Vicki.”
He whistled as he walked out the door, leaving me alone to argue that I did not, under any circumstances, like Hunter Campbell.
