“Really? Janet, I work for a guy who is building resorts. We have a grand opening in the Bahamas next month. If you’re interested in performing there…” He reached for his wallet and took out a business card. “Call me. We’ll put something together.”
She took the card. “Hey, thanks. The Bahamas? Super.
“Too bad you were late. Gini Anderson was here for the wedding, with her new husband. Did you know she and Franco are no longer married and Gini was in a terrible accident and has brain damage?”
Ric threw back the rest of his drink. “Yes, I know it all. I saw them leaving when I came in. Robert’s a good guy. It’s good she’s with him.”
“You know him? Then you know she’s pregnant.”
Ric cringed and sat up straight. “I’m getting another.” He held up his drink. “You want something?”
“Sure.” She handed him her wine glass.
Robert and Gini were going to have a baby? It wasn’t fair. That’s all he had wanted, to be with her the rest of his life and have a family.
He leaned on the drink bar waiting for his drinks. He shouldn’t have come. Seeing all the high school classmates was rubbing salt in the wound. He needed to get out of there.
“Sir… sir, here’s your order.”
Ric started to turn to leave the room. Janet met him. “Everything okay?”
“Yes.” He picked up the glass of wine and handed it to her, then took his drink. She grabbed his hand and led him back to the table.
“Maybe you should slow down on the bourbon,” she said.
“Gini was pregnant when she had her accident, twins.”
“Oh, how awful.”
“They were.” He took his glass and downed it.
“They were what?”
“Gini and I were living together. She was having my child.”
“Oh, Ric, no. You were with Gini in the accident?”
“No.” He choked up. “I need to get out of here.”
“Are you staying in the hotel?”
“Yes.”
“Come on, let’s go,” she said.
He got up and headed to the door; she pulled his jacket off the chair back as she went with him.
“You’re coming to the brunch in the morning?” Scott yelled out.
“Yes,” Janet said, quickly following Ric.
The drinks suddenly hit him, and he sidestepped. Janet put her arm around his waist and guided him to the elevator. It turned out their rooms were two doors from each other. By the time they got there, he was nearly hanging on her for support—feeling lightheaded and disoriented. She took him to her room since he couldn’t find his key. “I’ll order up coffee.”
“No, I’m good.” He reached down around her body.
“Okay, let’s get you to bed.”
“Only if you come with me.”
He stumbled a couple of times as he was led across the room, then fell onto the mattress. She went willingly when he pulled her with him, and they started kissing.
Without much effort on each of their parts, they were quickly undressed and were rolling around the bed in furious sex.
Later he woke draped over her body as she slept. Half the bedding was on the floor, the rest under them. He carefully removed himself, trying not to wake her, found his clothes, got dressed, and went to his room. There he paced the floor for a few minutes. Then he took a shower and went to bed to sleep.
Janet woke and found Ric not there. She grabbed a robe out of the bathroom and quickly found her purse, digging through it to find the business card he had given her. She texted him:
Ric, there’s a brunch in the restaurant downstairs. Go with me.
Ric had been up for a while and was working on his computer. He had to keep busy to drown out seeing Gini and finding out she was having Robert’s baby. It was all too much. He had made a conscious attempt not to see her and rarely was in Boston. His heart still begged to be with her. He knew he would be with her if he had not been such a fool, a stupid, stupid fool. He could never love anyone the way he loved her then—and still did.
He stared at the message, then got up and walked the room, rubbing his fingers over his lips. Sure, why not, he thought.
He told Janet he would meet her at the restaurant. When he got there, Janet stood, waving to let him know where they were. He walked to the table of classmates. Next to Ronnie was a double stroller with his twins.
“What do we have here?” Ric asked.
“This is Sara and Sam,” Ronnie answered. “They just turned eighteen months.”
Ric squatted down next to the stroller. The little girl’s eyes were fixed on him and followed his move. She reached out and handed him her sippy cup.
“No, sweet baby, that’s for you.” He brushed his hand down the side of her head and arm. She grabbed his finger as he stood up.
“They’re very cute,” Ric said, wrapping his hand briefly around Sara’s lower arm and then letting go and making his way to the chair Janet had saved for him.
She watched how tender and kind Ric had been with the toddler. He would make a good father.
The group chatted as they ate. The newly wedded couple made their way to the table, and there was more talk and laughter. A lot of the conversation was about how much Ric had changed since high school.
“Who knew you had twinkle toes,” Scott said, sticking his chest out to show his manliness.
“Oh, you just wish you could be so cool,” Jackie said.
Surprisingly, there was no mention of Gini or Franco.
Ken hugged his new wife from the back. “We’re off to our honeymoon in Hawaii. Thanks for coming, everyone.”
