cracks I get, the more room for Kael I seem to have. He’s seeping in, little by little.” In the way a husband already should have , I don’t add.
I look over to catch Kael watching me. He’s intense. Almost as if he knows what we’re talking about. I want to reach up and rub the ache in my chest. I don’t, though. I let my lips turn up reassuringly. Kael does the same.
“I’m glad,” MaryLou says.
“Me, too,” I mumble to her, meaning it with every fiber in me.
Our conversation shifts to the bakery menu as the guys return with a drink in each hand. They set them down and I notice that MaryLou’s looks clear. And not bubbly like a 7 and 7 would. Then I notice she’s found something extremely fascinating with the tabletop.
“Hey,” I prod as Kael slides into the booth beside me and throws an arm around my shoulder. I lean into the possessive kiss he plants on my cheek. “Hey,” I say again, a little louder this time. MaryLou doesn’t look up so I kick her under the table.
“Ouch.” She reaches down to rub her shin. Angry eyes find mine. Good. At least I have her attention.
“What’s that?” I point to her glass.
“What’s what?”
I reach for it, but she’s faster. She grabs the cup and yanks her arm back, spilling liquid in the process. She thinks she has the upper hand on me now. I see it in her smug grin. She should know me better.
I dip my finger through the liquid now on the table and stick it in my mouth. It’s gross. I know. I’m not sure how well these tables are cleaned and there’s some unsavory stuff that can happen in this more secluded corner of the bar. But hey…I’ve had worse things in my mouth.
“You’re sick,” she chastises. “Do you have any idea whose ass germs you may have just shoved into your mouth? I heard Andrew Bolger was banging Holly Brummer on this exact table last weekend. She came all over it and everything.”
Both Kael and Larry chuckle. I ignore her diversion. If that were true, she would have picked another spot. Still, I plan to use the complimentary mouthwash in the bathroom in a minute.
“And you’re drinking water. Why?”
It’s not that I care she’s drinking water. I’m not about to get rip-roaring drunk tonight, even if a two-day hangover would be a good excuse to get out Sunday’s family brunch. So I don’t need a drinking buddy. But MaryLou can drink any man here under the table. And the girl like’s her Seagram’s, so the fact she’s drinking water is highly suspicious.
“Are you pregnant?” I ask. I’m dumbfounded. That’s the only reason she would be drinking water. Why would she not tell me she’s pregnant? I notice Larry glance away. That stabs me.
“No,” she responds fast. “But we’re trying again.” Reaching across the table she links our fingers. I let her, even if I do want to pull away just to hurt her the way I’m now hurting. That my best friend kept something this big from me stings more than I can articulate.
Wow.
First Jilly. Now MaryLou.
I’ve felt as if I’ve been left behind my entire life. With men. With love. Now with babies. Everyone’s happiness crowds around me until I feel smothered.
Kael squeezes my shoulder. He knows I’m upset. “Hey, Larry, how about a round of darts?” Larry, the clueless fuck, says no. Kael slips out, scoops up Larry’s drink, and takes off. He knows Larry will follow like a bloodhound when alcohol is involved.
When they’re gone, I ask, “Why didn’t you tell me?” I can’t keep hurt from double coating my words. I try. Really I do.
She just stares at me until my dense brain works through it.
Ah.
I get it.
“You could have told me,” I tell her firmly. “We share everything.” And I mean everything. From learning to use tampons together to practicing French kissing on each other when we were ten to crushing on the same boy. There’s not a female in all of Adel County who hasn’t crushed on Killian Shepard.
“I’m sorry. I should
I look over to catch Kael watching me. He’s intense. Almost as if he knows what we’re talking about. I want to reach up and rub the ache in my chest. I don’t, though. I let my lips turn up reassuringly. Kael does the same.
“I’m glad,” MaryLou says.
“Me, too,” I mumble to her, meaning it with every fiber in me.
Our conversation shifts to the bakery menu as the guys return with a drink in each hand. They set them down and I notice that MaryLou’s looks clear. And not bubbly like a 7 and 7 would. Then I notice she’s found something extremely fascinating with the tabletop.
“Hey,” I prod as Kael slides into the booth beside me and throws an arm around my shoulder. I lean into the possessive kiss he plants on my cheek. “Hey,” I say again, a little louder this time. MaryLou doesn’t look up so I kick her under the table.
“Ouch.” She reaches down to rub her shin. Angry eyes find mine. Good. At least I have her attention.
“What’s that?” I point to her glass.
“What’s what?”
I reach for it, but she’s faster. She grabs the cup and yanks her arm back, spilling liquid in the process. She thinks she has the upper hand on me now. I see it in her smug grin. She should know me better.
I dip my finger through the liquid now on the table and stick it in my mouth. It’s gross. I know. I’m not sure how well these tables are cleaned and there’s some unsavory stuff that can happen in this more secluded corner of the bar. But hey…I’ve had worse things in my mouth.
“You’re sick,” she chastises. “Do you have any idea whose ass germs you may have just shoved into your mouth? I heard Andrew Bolger was banging Holly Brummer on this exact table last weekend. She came all over it and everything.”
Both Kael and Larry chuckle. I ignore her diversion. If that were true, she would have picked another spot. Still, I plan to use the complimentary mouthwash in the bathroom in a minute.
“And you’re drinking water. Why?”
It’s not that I care she’s drinking water. I’m not about to get rip-roaring drunk tonight, even if a two-day hangover would be a good excuse to get out Sunday’s family brunch. So I don’t need a drinking buddy. But MaryLou can drink any man here under the table. And the girl like’s her Seagram’s, so the fact she’s drinking water is highly suspicious.
“Are you pregnant?” I ask. I’m dumbfounded. That’s the only reason she would be drinking water. Why would she not tell me she’s pregnant? I notice Larry glance away. That stabs me.
“No,” she responds fast. “But we’re trying again.” Reaching across the table she links our fingers. I let her, even if I do want to pull away just to hurt her the way I’m now hurting. That my best friend kept something this big from me stings more than I can articulate.
Wow.
First Jilly. Now MaryLou.
I’ve felt as if I’ve been left behind my entire life. With men. With love. Now with babies. Everyone’s happiness crowds around me until I feel smothered.
Kael squeezes my shoulder. He knows I’m upset. “Hey, Larry, how about a round of darts?” Larry, the clueless fuck, says no. Kael slips out, scoops up Larry’s drink, and takes off. He knows Larry will follow like a bloodhound when alcohol is involved.
When they’re gone, I ask, “Why didn’t you tell me?” I can’t keep hurt from double coating my words. I try. Really I do.
She just stares at me until my dense brain works through it.
Ah.
I get it.
“You could have told me,” I tell her firmly. “We share everything.” And I mean everything. From learning to use tampons together to practicing French kissing on each other when we were ten to crushing on the same boy. There’s not a female in all of Adel County who hasn’t crushed on Killian Shepard.
“I’m sorry. I should
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