“I prefer tea,” she said automatically.
Liam rummaged in one of the cupboards over the stove. “I’ve got green tea. Will that do?”
Green tea wasn’t her favorite, but then again, neither was missing the appointment. Either way, she would live. “That sounds great.”
When Liam moved to the fridge, she got some water started in a teapot and set it on the stove. The flame came to life in the burner with a click, click whoosh that reminded her of the stove in her grandmother’s house. She’d spent a lot of time there just like this—her thoughts wandering, waiting for water to boil. And boy, did her thoughts wander. They skimmed over Lucky’s entrance into the room, tail wagging. Liam bent to pat the dog on the head, speaking gentle words into his ears and stroking his fur. Then he stood up tall to wash his hands and go back to the fridge. Lucky followed him. It wasn’t a large kitchen, but it was like the dog couldn’t bear to be too far from Liam.
It was surprising, how quickly he’d bonded with the dog. She’d never taken Liam to be the kind of man who’d fall in love with an animal like that. He’d been a daredevil, up for anything, and as far as she knew, that was how he’d been through adulthood, too. That kind of life didn’t lend itself to quiet mornings with the dog.
“Mina? Did you hear me?”
She snapped back to reality. “No, I didn’t.” Because I can feel that old crush coming back, even stronger this time. “What did you say?”
He lifted a carton of eggs into the air. “Eggs?”
“Of course.” She sidled out of the way while he got out the frying pan, tipped a generous heap of butter into the bottom, and started the process of making scrambled eggs. And away went her thoughts again.
All those years, she’d been so hurt and angry. It was a wound that had festered and never quite healed, no matter how old she got or how far away she went to go to college or how much freelance work she took on here in town. And now it had turned out that she was wrong. Liam Wells wasn’t the daredevil jerk she’d known him to be. He was trying to do the right thing. It was good they’d cleared the air. No awkwardness hung in the kitchen, only her own disappointment about the appointment, and the aroma of eggs cooking in the pan. Liam put some bread in the toaster and got that started, too. He’d looked so unbearably good with those boxers pasted to his skin. So good. Mina almost wished things were awkward so she didn’t have to think about how ridiculously handsome he was. That jawline, like it had been carved from hardwood. The broad line of his shoulders. His biceps. His—
Steam poured from the spout of the teapot and she stepped forward automatically, her hip bumping against his as she grabbed for the pot holder on the front of the stove. Mina whisked the teapot to the side, where Liam had set out two mugs, and pretended with all her might that she hadn’t been checking him out. “Tea’s almost ready,” she joked.
“Lucky for you, you’ll have some eggs and toast to go with it.” Liam deftly let the eggs slide onto two plates at the same moment the toast popped up from the toaster.
“Oh, I can get—okay.” Liam had already pulled a knife from one of the drawers and the butter from a nearby dish and spread it quickly over the slices.
“No need,” he said, eyes flickering up to hers. “Can’t waste any time with toast. If you wait too long, the butter doesn’t melt right. Put toast in the microwave and you’ll end up with a soggy mess.” He turned the knife to the side and cut the toast in neat triangles, then laughed to himself. “Hope you don’t mind the slices. I think it looks nicer on the plate.”
She took her plate from him without a word. Liam Wells was the kind of guy who cared at all what food looked like on a plate? She’d always pictured him seeking out the most adventurous and dangerous foods and gobbling down with the same energy that he used in the arena. Well—that she assumed he used, from the way everybody else talked about them. Mina still hadn’t thought of anything else to say when Liam sat at the table across from her. He put his phone far above his plate and turned it facedown.
The two of them sipped at the tea, and Mina stacked her eggs on the toast and made two scrambled egg sandwiches. The first bite nearly sent her to heaven. It was good. They were just eggs, but Liam had used the perfect amount of salt. Flavor burst on her tongue. She closed her eyes and savored it.
Mina was still savoring it when Liam broke the companionable silence. “You know, I kind of wish I hadn’t done it.”
She opened her eyes and studied him. “Hadn’t done what? Do you not like the eggs?” She tilted her head to the side. “Liam, if you don’t like scrambled eggs, you don’t have to make them on my account.”
He gave her that incredulous grin again, and Mina wanted to melt into the floor. “I meant the sperm donation. It’s weird to think of random women using it.” Mina took a panic bite of scrambled egg sandwich and chewed to buy herself some time. That turned out to be useless, because Liam kept speaking. “You’re not random.”
She blinked. “I’m…not?” What did that mean?
Liam put down his fork, leaned back in his seat, and looked her in the eye. “My only stipulations are that you keep me apprised of what’s going on in the child’s life.” He held his hands up in front of him. “I know I’m not ready to be a dad, but since it’s you, it doesn’t
