AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Fine. Just for that, I’ll leave you to whatever fantasies you’ve been entertaining. But may I remind you that so far you’ve been all talk and no action?” Her dramatic sniff of disdain is completely spoiled by the light kiss she drops on my forehead immediately after. A soft rustle indicates her departure from the room, and then a few minutes later, I hear excited squeals from down the hall. I wait impatiently for her to return and fill me in, but she doesn’t. Certainly not before my brain decides a nap would be in order.
I can’t quite contain my glee. Justinhasbeen thinking about truly making love to me. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have occurred to him to make that lame joke, right? I hug that thought tight as I enter my workroom at the end of the hall to check my phone. The calls were all from Rose, so I don’t bother to listen to the voicemails she left. I’d rather hear the news directly from her.
She picks up almost immediately. “Well, about time you peeled yourself away from your forbidden love nest, Ing.”
I blush even though she has no reason to talk. “It’s not like that. And I doubt that’s why you called. Where’s my baby?”
Rose’s laugh is long and full of joy. “Sleeping while her daddy recounts all her fingers and toes. For a man that wasn’tsure he wanted kids…”
“Maybe that’s why. Maybe he knew he’d fall under her spell the minute she arrived,” I suggest quietly.
“You know,” Rose responds thoughtfully, “you might be on to something there. Self protective instinct or something. Well, too late now. She’s here, and he’s got eyes only for her. Occasionally he worries about me too, but it’s more of an afterthought,” she quips cheerfully.
“That doesn’t bother you?” I’m so confused.
“Not in the slightest. By the time we can, um, resume our, uh, routine? He’ll have leveled out. I’m definitely not going to complain if it means he changes most of the diapers.”
“She’s what, a week old and you’re already complaining?” I tease her.
“I was never under any delusions that her shit would smell like roses. But anyway, why don’t you come check for yourself? Aiden has to head back to work next week and I could use some company. Wanna come for a visit?”
Desperately. I need my bestie and I need to see the new addition to their happy little fantasyland where all the impossible things work out. “Yes,” I answer unequivocally. “But I don’t want to leave Justin here alone. Although…” It occurs to me that if I’m not here, Justin can be free to return to New York. “Let me work out a few things and I’ll look at flights. Any dates I should avoid? Do you have a big baby reveal ceremony planned or something?”
Rose scoffs, “Clearly, you need to get your ass over here and reacquaint yourself with your best friend. Dad has already been and gone. Aiden very generously let him hold her. Briefly. He’s planning to come back in about six months when he can interact with her a little more. Plus, I think he needs some time to reprocess that his daughter has been fucking his best friend. Kinda hard to ignore that when Aurora looks so much like him.”
“But he’s okay with it, really? He’s not going to distancehimself from his own granddaughter, is he?” My heart hurts for the new little girl at the very thought.
“Naw, she’s got him wrapped around her tiny finger. And Dad will be fine. It just takes him a little while to get used to the new normal. I think he’s mentally avoided the topic of sex before now. Which is good. I wouldn’t want him thinking too hard about it!” She giggles. “But being a doctor and all, he does know where babies come from, even one as special as Aurora.”
“I can’t wait to see her,” I gush quietly. I really can’t. “Is her hair red? Can you tell yet?”
“No idea. She’s got some blonde fuzz that might be a bit reddish in the light, but hard to tell. She could end up dark like Aiden too,” she reminds me.
“I hope those were pictures you were blowing up my phone with.”
She laughs. “I didn’t want to send any until I talked to you. Now that you’ve agreed to visit, you’re allowedonepicture.”
“Are you blackmailing me?” I hoot in disbelief.
“Yes. You want to see the goods, you’ve got to come in person.”
“Fine. I’d better go and start making that happen then.”
We hang up and I spend a few minutes puttering in my workroom thinking about what kind of jewelry I could make as a baby gift? Maybe a little tiny bracelet that she couldn’t choke on? Or… I dance as I put away some of the mess and then remember that Justin is waiting for his dinner. I walk softly down the hall and peek in the doorway. He’s asleep, his brow less furrowed than it was earlier. Good, maybe he’s getting some proper rest. I tiptoe down the stairs so as not to wake him.
16
“Rose invited me to come visit and see the baby,” Ingrid says quietly after I’ve taken a healthy bite of the hamburger she brought me.
I swallow my instinctive ‘hell no’ along with the beef. My eyes narrow when Ingrid adds innocently, “I think you should go back to New York when I leave for the west coast and put some serious thought into what you want from a relationship with me. If you want one at all, that is. If you’ll do that, I’ll meet you back in New Yorkbrieflyso we can discuss things calmly and determine if we have any common ground.”
I blink at the suddenly determined jut to her jaw. “I don’t know why you didn’t want to come work at the law firm. Seems like negotiating is your hidden talent,” I mutter, not prepared to give in easily, even though I like the essence of her plan.
“Two weeks, Ingrid. I don’t want you gone for months onend. You have two weeks to visit your friend and then I expect you on a direct flight to La Guardia.”
She shakes her pale blond head. “Not exactly. No, dear. I want us to meet on semi-neutral territory so I’ll meet you in upstate New York in your old home town. I want to see it and meet your relatives anyway.”
“How is that neutral territory? I’m related to half the town!”
