kids, but I was just starting out and had to prove myself. It took a while to acquire a strong list of books, and that involved late nights and long weekends spent editing. How could I do all that and deal with a baby too? And as much as Jack seemed to think he wanted one right now, would that turn into one of his spur-of-the-moment ideas that he’d later wish he could back out of? If so, where would that leave me?
Exhausted from second-guessing, I forced myself to stay late at the office. I didn’t want to seem anxious to see him, and also I dreaded the showdown. At eight I trudged home from the subway in yet another heavy snowfall. Nervously I pushed open the door.
Jack was sitting on the couch, an open whiskey bottle on the glass-topped table. He nodded at it. “Want a shot?”
The casual comment made my blood boil. “Where’d you go last night?” I kicked off my dripping boots.
Jack looked surprised at being questioned, but that was too bad. “I hit a few bars with Sammy,” he said, coming over to me. ”I got in at five. I must have just missed you; the bed was still warm.”
I crossed my arms. “So, we have a difference of opinion about a huge thing—especially for me—and you just leave? Does that mean we’ll get along great, as long as I agree with everything?”
Jack ran his hand through his hair. “I was ticked off. You’re entitled to your opinion.”
As if we were deciding what to have for dinner. “We’re talking about my career—something that would change my whole life.”
“I know.” He gave me a dark look. “It’s always about your career.”
“It’s just as important to me, as yours is to you—hard as that may be to believe. Besides, if you walk out on me over one disagreement, I’ll need a career to fall back on. Because our chances of staying together aren’t looking too good!” Hot tears surged behind my eyeballs. Don’t cry, I told myself. You’ll seem weak.
“Do you know how many girls would—” He stopped himself.
“Would what? Be dying to have your baby?” Jack shrugged, but I knew that was what he meant. “Maybe you should be with one of them. A sweet, fawning admirer who goes along with everything you say. I’m not that person, Jack.”
“ That’s for sure. If I wanted that, I could’ve had it a million times already. But I like a challenge.” He gave a wry smile. “And you’re definitely a challenge.”
I thought about that for a moment. “I’ll take that as a compliment. I guess.”
“But seriously, don’t you ever want children? You can still do your editing.”
“You don’t know how much it means to me. It’s not some little pastime,” I said heatedly.
“Sure I do,” Jack said. “I see how you slog away at it. It’s the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning, and the last thing you do before you go to bed.”
“Not necessarily the last thing.” To try to make peace, I reached out and gave him a little squeeze.
Jack put his hands on my shoulders. “I’d take care of you, baby. You wouldn’t have to worry about supporting yourself.”
I pushed his hands away. “What is this, the 1950s? Am I supposed to have dinner waiting on the table, or something?”
“A pot roast wouldn’t be bad, once in a while.” Seeing my expression, he added, “You know I’m kidding. But I think you care more about your work than you do me.”
“That’s not true. Anyway, why does it have to be one or the other?”
He gave me a contemplative look. “All right. I admit I shouldn’t have left last night. But I want you to think about it. No pressure.” He lifted his hands. “Just give it some thought.”
I didn’t want to say I’d already thought about it. “Okay. I will.”
Chapter Nine
Girlfriend Is Better
“Wow, so he wants you to have his baby.” Vicky gulped the last of her margarita and signaled for another. The Broome Street Bar was rowdy tonight, jukebox booming, packed with its
Exhausted from second-guessing, I forced myself to stay late at the office. I didn’t want to seem anxious to see him, and also I dreaded the showdown. At eight I trudged home from the subway in yet another heavy snowfall. Nervously I pushed open the door.
Jack was sitting on the couch, an open whiskey bottle on the glass-topped table. He nodded at it. “Want a shot?”
The casual comment made my blood boil. “Where’d you go last night?” I kicked off my dripping boots.
Jack looked surprised at being questioned, but that was too bad. “I hit a few bars with Sammy,” he said, coming over to me. ”I got in at five. I must have just missed you; the bed was still warm.”
I crossed my arms. “So, we have a difference of opinion about a huge thing—especially for me—and you just leave? Does that mean we’ll get along great, as long as I agree with everything?”
Jack ran his hand through his hair. “I was ticked off. You’re entitled to your opinion.”
As if we were deciding what to have for dinner. “We’re talking about my career—something that would change my whole life.”
“I know.” He gave me a dark look. “It’s always about your career.”
“It’s just as important to me, as yours is to you—hard as that may be to believe. Besides, if you walk out on me over one disagreement, I’ll need a career to fall back on. Because our chances of staying together aren’t looking too good!” Hot tears surged behind my eyeballs. Don’t cry, I told myself. You’ll seem weak.
“Do you know how many girls would—” He stopped himself.
“Would what? Be dying to have your baby?” Jack shrugged, but I knew that was what he meant. “Maybe you should be with one of them. A sweet, fawning admirer who goes along with everything you say. I’m not that person, Jack.”
“ That’s for sure. If I wanted that, I could’ve had it a million times already. But I like a challenge.” He gave a wry smile. “And you’re definitely a challenge.”
I thought about that for a moment. “I’ll take that as a compliment. I guess.”
“But seriously, don’t you ever want children? You can still do your editing.”
“You don’t know how much it means to me. It’s not some little pastime,” I said heatedly.
“Sure I do,” Jack said. “I see how you slog away at it. It’s the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning, and the last thing you do before you go to bed.”
“Not necessarily the last thing.” To try to make peace, I reached out and gave him a little squeeze.
Jack put his hands on my shoulders. “I’d take care of you, baby. You wouldn’t have to worry about supporting yourself.”
I pushed his hands away. “What is this, the 1950s? Am I supposed to have dinner waiting on the table, or something?”
“A pot roast wouldn’t be bad, once in a while.” Seeing my expression, he added, “You know I’m kidding. But I think you care more about your work than you do me.”
“That’s not true. Anyway, why does it have to be one or the other?”
He gave me a contemplative look. “All right. I admit I shouldn’t have left last night. But I want you to think about it. No pressure.” He lifted his hands. “Just give it some thought.”
I didn’t want to say I’d already thought about it. “Okay. I will.”
Chapter Nine
Girlfriend Is Better
“Wow, so he wants you to have his baby.” Vicky gulped the last of her margarita and signaled for another. The Broome Street Bar was rowdy tonight, jukebox booming, packed with its
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