Confidential: Expecting! by Jackie Braun Page A

Bartholomew.”
    “Logan Bartholomew.” Her friend’s eyes widened then. “As in the hunky radio doctor?”
    “That’s the one.” Mallory couldn’t help the smug smile that accompanied her words.
    “There’s an ad promoting his show at my El stop. Is he as gorgeous in person or was he Photoshopped to male perfection?”
    “He’s that good-looking.” It came out a near sigh.
    Vicki whistled between her teeth. “Well, no wonder you’ve fallen off the radar. When did this happen? How? Where? Why? Etcetera. And don’t even think about skimping on the details,” her friend warned, taking a chip from the basket in the center of their table to dip in the salsa.
    “We’ve been seeing each other for about six weeks,” Mallory began, using her index finger to follow the path of a bead of condensation on the outside of her glass of ice water.
    “Uh-oh.”
    She glanced up sharply. “What?”
    “It’s serious, isn’t it?”
    “We’re just dating.” Mallory attempted a shrug.
    Vicki appeared unconvinced. “So, tell me about this famous hunk you’re just dating.”
    No doubt her friend was regretting her offer when, half an hour later, Mallory ended her monologue. She hadn’t been able to help herself. Nor had she been able to prevent smiling.
    It was no surprise when Vicki plunked back in her seat on an oath. “I think I need another drink. I’ve never heard you go on about a guy the way you do this one.”
    Mallory folded her arms. “Gee, sorry if I’ve bored you.”
    “You know you haven’t. Sadly, given the state of my love life lately, listening to yours is more exciting.” Her friend sighed again.
    “What about that accountant, John?”
    “Jerry. And it turns out he’s married.”
    “Sorry, Vicki. Want to talk about it?”
    “Thanks, but we’ll save my man troubles for another girls’ night out. Back to my point. You dated Vince for what, three years?”
    “Technically, three and a half,” Mallory said, forgoing the salsa to munch on a plain tortilla chip.
    “Yet whenever we got together for margaritas and girl talk his name rarely came up in conversation,” Vicki pointed out.
    “Vince was a jerk,” Mallory said succinctly.
    “I’m glad you realize that.”
    “What was to realize? He cheated on me.” Four words that said it all but barely scraped the surface of the pain Mallory had experienced when she’d dropped by his apartment unexpectedly one Saturday and had come face-to-face with the half-naked proof of his betrayal.
    “Yes, but he was a jerk even before he stepped out,” Vicki said. “He was a real pro at putting himself first and you last and getting you to think it was your idea.”
    If it were anyone but Vicki saying this, Mallory would have felt ashamed. Since it was Vicki, she pulled a face. “I hate it when you’re right.”
    “And I love it that you’ve finally met a great guy, one who opens car doors for you and takes you to places that he knows will be of interest to you.”
    “Logan is great. The more time I spend with him…” She shrugged, smiled.
    “You’re hooked.”
    Her friend’s smug pronouncement had Mallory straightening in her seat. Hooked was just another name for a really big emotion. “Oh, no. No, no, no.” She shook her head. “I’m not hooked.”
    Vicki blinked. “What?”
    “I can’t be hooked.”
    Her friend’s eyes narrowed and her tone took on an edge. “But you said you’d already decided Logan wasn’t a potential story.”
    “I have.” Indeed, Mallory had given up on that idea while lying in bed with a telephone receiver tuckedunder her ear, listening to him talk and giving voice to some of her private demons. “I’ll find another way to free myself from pabulum-writing hell.”
    Then she frowned. Odd, but for weeks now her career had stopped being the center of her existence. She’d been too focused on Logan. Not the man, but the relationship that was developing between them. For her at least, it was moving well