“We’ll see. Knowing my luck, the bailiffs will turn up telling me something’s gone very wrong and I’ll go from being a millionaire to poor and a single mom in a matter of minutes.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Nor should getting pregnant the first time I had sex after forever, but it did.”
“You can’t blame anyone but yourself for that one.”
“Fair point. I was drunk and Corey was…”
“Hot?”
“Yeah, that.”
I sigh, wishing that I’d gone about this morning differently.
“Did you at least explain about the money?”
“I did.”
Silence settles around us as we both stare at whatever it is on the TV.
“You should know, that was really fucking hot, listening to you both this morning.”
“Stop talking. Stop it right now.”
“What? I can’t help it. All the moaning, groaning, crying out his name.”
“Jesus. I need to buy you your own house.”
She laughs, reaching for her wine.
“What are you going to do?” She looks down at my belly.
“I’ve no idea.”
“You could move back home, bring your baby up in a place you love. Give him or her the memories you have and create some new ones.”
I sigh, thinking of my childhood home that’s been sitting empty since the day I was picked up and taken away.
It’s mine now, just like everything else my parents owned. I never had it in me to sell it. I always had the idea that when I had a family that I could make it my home, like Bailey just described, but I’m not sure I want to now that the time is approaching. Not that it’s anything like I imagined. I thought I’d be happily married and having a planned child, not a drunken accident, albeit a fun one.
I sit bolt upright on the couch when the doorbell rings an hour or so later.
“Oh my God, is it him?” I ask Bailey who’s staring at me with wide eyes.
“Because I can see through walls,” she mutters. “Go and answer it and find out.”
I stop in front of the mirror in the hallway, smooth my hair down and wipe under my eyes. I look like hell, but I haven’t exactly got the time to fix it.
Sucking in a deep breath, I lift my hand and open the door.
My shoulders slump in disappointment the second I see who’s on the other side.
“Do you get the feeling she was expecting it to be someone else?” Colton quips.
“I’m so sorry. It’s just… it’s complicated.”
“That man of yours still not pulled his head out of his ass?”
“Can we come in?” Rylee asks, ignoring her other half.
“Of course.” I push the door wider and stand back.
Rylee walks past and straight into the living room, Colton following.
“He’ll figure his shit out. It just takes some of us longer than others.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, although I’m beginning to wonder if it might all just be too much for him.
“I’m so sorry to barge in on you like this. I just had a couple of questions about tomorrow night, if you don’t mind,” Rylee says when I join them all in the living room.
“No, of course not. I’m so sorry I left everything to you.”
“It’s nothing. You’d done a fantastic job. There’s only a couple of things left to do.”
Rylee pulls her iPad out from her purse and powers it up. I sit down beside her so we can go through whatever it is.
“Do you want drinks?” Bailey asks, jumping up and making herself useful.
Diving into work was exactly what I needed. For the first time in almost two weeks, I was able to think about something other than my grief or my pregnancy. It was a welcome relief.
“What are you doing?” Bailey asks in shock after doing a double take when I join her in the kitchen the next afternoon. “I mean… you look incredible but—”
“I’m going to the gala,” I announce.
“Um… okay. Rylee said you didn’t need to though, right?”
“I think I need it. I put so much work into this. I want to see it all come together. See all my hours pay off.”
“Okay, yeah. That sounds like a good idea. Give me thirty minutes and I’ll come with you.”
I lift a brow. “You can be ready for a gala in thirty minutes?”
“Okay, forty… forty-five tops.”
“No. I’m going to go now, I’ve booked an Uber. You’ve got a ticket, just turn up tonight as a guest and find me once you’re inside. I want to check all the details, make sure everything is as it should be. You’d be bored.”
“You’re right. I could never look good enough for all your wealthy and famous guests in only forty-five minutes.”
“Bailey, you’re gorgeous just as you are. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
Her eyes widen.
“You’ve just not found one willing to give it a try.”
Thankfully my cell alerts me that my car is outside before Bailey can cause me any harm.
Lifting up the front of my full-length, navy evening dress, I make my way toward the front door.
It feels weird, taking a step outside but at the same time it feels good. I suck in a lungful of fresh air and take a moment to center myself. This is what my aunt would want: for me to see this event through and to hold my head high and continue with my life.
I rub my hand over my belly. She’d have loved to meet this one. But clearly it wasn’t meant to be. Much like Corey and I might not be. Only time will tell.
But I can do this.
Taking one step after another, my confidence grows and a little happiness begins to creep its way in.
The rooms look exactly like I’d planned, and I can’t help but gasp as I walk into the main room to find the tables laid up exactly as I imagined with the black, white and silver centerpieces looking incredible and drawing everyone’s eyes out to the floor-to-ceiling windows at the other side of the room that showcase the view of the
