Come Back to Me by Sara Foster Page B

though it were some textbook exampleof how to move steadily through adulthood. ‘Of course I am,’ she said, somewhat defensively, ‘it’s just … oh, god, it’s just I can’t believe I’m telling you before I’ve even told the father.’
    Mikaela’s grip tightened on her arm and she leaned forward. ‘Why? Who’s the father?’
    â€˜What? Mikaela! It’s Alex, of course.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Mikaela looked a bit disappointed. ‘Okay, why haven’t you told Alex?’
    â€˜It’s … complicated.’ Chloe began to fill Mikaela in on the scene in the restaurant the week before, Julia there looking gorgeous, and Alex’s strange behaviour since.
    When she paused, Mikaela sat back looking thoughtful. ‘Hmmm. Well, it’s always the quiet ones.’
    Chloe was rapidly wishing she’d never started this. Mikaela was anything but reassuring. ‘ What’s always the quiet ones?’ She sighed. ‘He isn’t having an affair, Mik. It’s just made me feel a bit weird, that’s all, and I wanted it to be … happy, when I told him about the baby, not strained. Besides, Alex isn’t quiet.’
    â€˜What? Of course he is, Chloe. He’s not silent-quiet, but you couldn’t get much more reserved and brooding – in that mysterious, sexy way he’s got. Like, like … Mr Darcy!’
    Chloe was stunned. She’d never seen Alex as approaching anything Mr-Darcyish by nature. He wasn’t a chatterbox, but …
    How many people thought like this? She felt giddy, and put down her wineglass. How many people had an entirely different perspective of her own husband? And – most importantly – who the hell was right?
    â€˜What do you think I should do?’ she asked.
    â€˜You’re asking me … !’ Mikaela began. ‘Haven’t you noticed I never get past the third date?’
    â€˜Well, perhaps you should wait longer before putting out,’ Chloe retorted, before biting her lip, but Mikaela just laughed. Then, seeing her cousin sitting there looking crestfallen, Mikaela rubbed her finger against her chin while she thought.
    Finally, she leaned in and said, ‘Don’t take it from him, hon. Demand to know what’s going on. And, for god’s sake, tell him you’re pregnant. Then he’ll have to treat you right – nothing like a bun in the oven to be able to add in some emotional blackmail.’
    â€˜I don’t want to have to “blackmail” him to get him to do the right thing, Mik,’ Chloe snapped, then added, ‘but you’re right, we need to have it out.’ She sighed. ‘I just want things to get back to normal.’
    â€˜I know you do, babe.’
    Chloe had had enough of this discussion; it was making everything seem worse. Her mind searched for a new topic to cause a diversion, and came up trumps. ‘Have you spoken to your mum yet?’ Mikaela and her family had been on difficult terms since Mikaela had discussed some of the wilder aspects of her sex life on a late-night television show.
    â€˜Nope.’ Mikaela knocked back the last of her wine. ‘Waiting for her now.’
    â€˜Mik, she doesn’t even know where you are.’
    â€˜I know, I know. But I’ll leave it a while longer, I think.’
    â€˜Mik –’
    Mikaela held up her hand. The devilish glint in her eyeswas extinguished for a moment, and Chloe realised that her cousin looked tired.
    â€˜Things can’t always go back, Chlo. However much you want them to. You have to work with where you are right now, and go forward. Wishing things could be what they once were just sends you dotty, believe you me.’
    â€˜Do you wish you hadn’t done it?’ They both knew Chloe was referring to Mikaela’s five minutes of television fame.
    â€˜Of course not!’ Mikaela lifted the carafe and poured herself some