to you about something. I’ll swing by your place tomorrow.”
“Okay. You sure you don’t wanna talk about it now? I’m pretty sure I know what it is.”
“Uh, no. I don’t wanna talk about it on the phone. I wanna talk in person.” I keep looking around the pharmacy like someone is listening or something.
“Are you working tomorrow?” he asks me cautiously.
“No. I get off tonight and then I don’t go back to work until Saturday. So I’ll see you tomorrow,” I nervously rattle.
“Okay. See you then,” he says cautiously.
He hangs up and I lay my head on my desk to keep from having a panic attack.
CHAPTER 19
GIBBS
I don’t know what’s going on with Firecracker, but it has me worried. I look around the hotel room and decide fuck it. I’m going on home. I stopped in Tallahassee and was going to catch a game but nah, I need to find out if I’m going to be a father. I have a feeling that’s what she needs to talk about. I’m just going to show up at her apartment tonight. Rip the band-aid off!
Looking at the clock on the radio in my truck, I see she should’ve gotten off about an hour ago, so she should be home from either hospital by now. I pull into her apartment complex, I’ve driven by here numerous times since she’s moved in but I couldn’t bring myself to stop. Should I be considered a stalker that I’ve found out which apartment she lives in by eavesdropping? Probably, but at this point, I don’t care.
Standing outside her door, I hesitate before I knock. What if Dr. Wonderful is here? She better not plan on that guy raising my kid. He’s probably a nice guy and all but nope, not happening. You stupid fuck, you won’t have a choice. Finally swallowing my pride, I knock on the door.
A minute or so later, she swings open the door. “Clay, I thought you weren’t coming in until tomorrow.”
“Well, your call got me curious and I need to know now,” I rattle.
She nods nervously. “Okay, come in.”
She motions for me to have a seat on her couch. I motion around the room. “This is a nice place. Good neighborhood, too.”
She smiles. “Thank you, I like it. Most of my neighbors are all older so it’s pretty quiet. That helps on the days I have to be at the hospital at five or six in the morning.”
We are both so nervous with each other, it’s insane. “Fire-.” “Clay.” We start at the same time.
We both laugh a little and then there is a knock at her door. She puts her finger up. “Hold on just a second, I’ll be right back.”
She opens the door and I hear her. “Hey,” she says softly.
I hear a deep reply of “hey” back.
“Right now just really isn’t a good time, Gavin.”
Ha ha, fucker. One point for me.
“I don’t know,” she says. “I’ve got a friend over and we need to talk.” A friend? FUCK!
I hear him mumble something and see her hand go on her hip. “Well, I’m sorry. It was a surprise visit. I also remember telling you today on the phone that I was tired and coming home. Nowhere in that conversation did you mention coming over. So I’ll call you in the morning, or later tonight if I feel up to it.”
She leans out the door and gives him a quick kiss. That really turns my stomach. I can’t stand seeing her kiss another guy. She shuts the door and returns to the couch.
“I was sorry to hear about everything with Gia,” she says. “I can’t fathom doing that to someone.”
“Is that what you need to tell me? Are you going to come clean now?” I say, sounding a little shorter than I intended to.
She looks at me confused. “What are you talking about?”
“My baby, Jade. You’re carrying my baby, aren’t you? That’s what this is about.”
Her eyes get huge. “What the fuck? First my sister, now you?” She glares at me. “What in the hell makes all of you people experts on my life?”
I shrug. “You were crying the day I saw you at the doctor’s office. I was worried that you were trying to be a martyr
C. J. Cherryh
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