Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“If you’re tired, go to bed.”
She stands in the hall for a minute before turning and padding back into the bedroom. Immediately, I feel bad. Taking my frustrations out on her is taking a page from my own father’s book.
Am I damned to be like him?
“No,” I say to Vader, who is sleeping on the floor in front of me. I get up and slip under the covers, spooning myself around Lauren.
“I like when you hold me like this,” she mumbles, already falling back asleep. I smile and kiss the back of her neck. I’m holding her, but really, she’s holding me.
Chapter 21
LAUREN
“RACHEL AND I are going to a movie. You don’t mind, do you?” I ask Noah over the phone.
“Not at all. Go and have fun.”
“Thanks. Can you let the dogs out too?”
“Already did.”
“Thanks again, Noah. Are you and Colin still hanging out?”
“No, he had to cancel. Something about Jenny wanting to renovate their living room.”
“Ohhhh, right. They’re tearing out the carpet for hardwood.”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
Is it weird I feel bad about going out when Noah is at home with the dogs? “Go to the bar or something. See your other friends.”
“You’re telling me to go to the bar?”
“Yeah. I trust you. Just be home when I’m home because I need a back rub.”
“By back rub, you mean sex, right?”
I laugh. “Possibly.” But not really. My pelvis is all kinds of sore and swollen tonight. The joys of pregnancy, right? “I miss you.”
“I miss you too, baby. Have fun.”
“You too.”
I hang up and put my phone in my purse. Rachel and I went to lunch, then shopping, and now are going to see a Nicolas Sparks movie that I know Noah wouldn’t enjoy. We arrive early, get popcorn, and prime seats in the back.
“You are seriously the cutest preggo ever,” Rachel tells me when I rest the bucket of popcorn on my belly.
“I don’t believe you but thanks.”
“Really, I mean it!” she laughs. We’ve been friends since eighth grade, and though we don’t get to see each other very often anymore, things are the same between us. I’m as comfortable around her now as I was then.
“What’s your man doing tonight?”
“Hanging around the house. Roles have been reversed tonight,” I laugh. “I’m usually the one at home on weekends, though he’s been at home with me pretty much since we found out.”
“It’s still weird to see him like this. We both had huge crushes on him, remember?”
“Didn’t most girls have crushes on him in high school?”
“Very true. I’m glad it’s working out like it is though.”
“Me too. Because this went from a clusterfuck to pretty much working out. Even with the whole vet school mess.” I sigh. It’s been eating me alive since I got that letter, but Noah is trying so damn hard to make me feel okay about it, I decided to drop it.
“Don’t take offense,” she starts and pushes her short blonde hair back behind her ear. “But I know you remember the same Noah I do. I’m glad he was able to go cold turkey on the drinking and partying.”
I nod. “Honestly, I didn’t have faith in him.” I shake my head. “I have a confession, actually. I haven’t told anyone either. When he asked me out on our first date, I agreed because I thought it would be a disaster.”
Rachel hikes an eyebrow. “You have the weirdest sense of logic. Maybe you got used to all those horrible first dates people set you up on or something.”
“I mean I expected it to be a disaster and for that disaster to prove to me he wasn’t fit to be a dad so I could cross off us ending up together. I feel bad now, since he’s been the total opposite.”
Rachel nods. “Makes sense. And you should have just asked me. Of course it would have worked out. Don’t you know my best friend is awesome? Noah would be a fool to not be with you. You’re fucking hot, even when pregnant.”
I smile and shake my head. “We need to hang out more often.”
I pull my knees up and roll over, trying to get comfortable. Three pillows are in use around me, holding up my stomach, under my back, and under my head. I reach over and grab Noah’s. He’s not using it anyway. It’s one-thirty and he’s not home yet, nor is he answering his phone.
I’m not worried. Not yet at least. I told him to go to the bar. I told him to have fun with his friends. And that’s what he’s doing.
I also told him I trusted him.
And I do.
But each minute that ticks by and he’s not calling me, saying he’s coming back, makes me question that trust. I don’t think he’d cheat on me. Even before, Noah wasn’t that kind of person. It was one of the reasons he never settled down, he told me. I don’t know much about his parents’ divorce, but I do know several affairs took place before they split.