Page 44 of Falling for You

“The last time I had a connection to someone, it didn’t end well.”

“And maybe someday you’ll feel like you can tell me about that, but right now, tell me more about her.”

“There isn’t a lot to tell yet.”

“Sure there is.”

I’m annoyed with her demands and with myself for calling her in the first place to tell her about the date. I knew she wouldn’t be able to let it go or forget about it. Just as well as anyone around me, she knows I’m a private person. Knows that permanence isn’t something I believe in for myself. She’s putting me on the spot, and I have to school my features and do my best not to come off sounding as irritated with her line of questioning as I really am.

Because now that I’ve spent more time with Chloe, felt her breathy sigh against my lips and soft skin beneath my fingers, I’m protective of her. Of us, or whatever it is we’re building. Of what I hope we’re building, which freaks me out. I don’t want to jinx anything by telling her too much or expecting more than what Chloe’s able to give me. I sigh, rub my fore and middle finger over my forehead, thumb pressing into my temple, scrunching up my face. “No, Olivia, there isn’t. Nothing that’s mine to share, anyway. We met at The Goat, we ended up going to Balance to binge eat dessert because she was having a shitty day. A week later I was still thinking about her and that’s when I knew I needed to see if there was a reason she was on my mind. It’s as simple as that. You know me and relationships. But I’m also not a fucking idiot and wouldn’t just ignore a connection like we were having.”

“Hmm. Okay. I’ll let it all slide. For now. But if this thing continues, I expect full details at some point.”

I lift up my hand and circle my thumb and fore finger together and say, “Okay,” like a smart ass.

Raising her hand in the air and wiggling her fingers, she says, “I need help.”

I chuckle and get up from my seat to help her stand, her back arching as she gets up awkwardly from my soft couch, other hand resting on her lower back. “I realize it’s all part of it, but this is so sucky. I’m not even at the end and I’m so huge,” she whines. It’s not annoying, though, because it’s more like she’s just stating a fact.

“At least you’re glowing and stopped throwing up every day.”

“True. The pregnancy glow does have me looking quite beautiful,” she says fluffing her hair and offering up a sassy smile.

“Yeah. Let’s just hope that little nugget is my nephew. We need time to adjust before you bring a mini-you into this world.”

“Oh hush. The world could be so lucky.”

I walk her to the door and out to her car, helping her climb inside her black mid-size SUV. “Soon you’ll be driving around in a mini-van.”

She gasps. “Bite your tongue! I will do no such thing. I’m gonna be a cool mom.”

“Cool moms can’t drive mini-vans?”

“Only the super confident ones.” I raise an eyebrow. If she’s not the epitome of confident, I hate to meet a mom who is. “You know what I mean. Anyway. I just needed to stop over and get the details. It was driving me crazy.”

At least she didn’t try to make up an excuse to be here. “You’re always welcome. Unless you’re about to have the baby. Then you need to keep a distance of at least 100 feet.”

“And here I was hoping you’d be my midwife. What kind of friend are you?”

“The supportive from a distance kind. The kind who doesn’t take part in anything including bodily fluids or seeing your best friend’s wife in a compromising position.”

She hums. “I suppose that’ll have to be good enough.”

“Thanks for checking on me, Liv. And for helping last night. I know you didn’t get as much information as you’d hoped today.”

“You’re welcome. And, it’s actually okay. I respect that you’re keeping the details to yourself for a little while longer. Just do me a favor and don’t be a dipshit and fuck it up.” Whoa. Olivia’s pulling out her big girl words, which she doesn’t use often. She must be serious about this if she’s willing to curse like that.

“Nice vote of confidence you just instilled in me before you leave.”

She reaches up, pats my hand that’s wrapped around her driver’s door. “That’s the kind of friendIam.”

I shut her door and she wiggles her fingers, giving me a little wave, backing out of my driveway.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I walk around my house into my backyard. Pull some weeds, clean up a few areas where dead leaves have collected. Pretend like I have a lot ofyardworkto take care of so I have a reason to be back here other than sparing glances in the direction of Chloe’s house. Which I don’t. It’s not as if my yard is going to be on the cover of a magazine any time soon but it’s not pathetic, either. I have grass. A couple bushes that were here when I bought the place and I know enough to make sure they’re trimmed when I think about it. No flowers adorning any walkways or water features or fruit trees. No space set aside for a garden of vegetables. Just the standard cement patio right off the back of the house with a table and some chairs. The table has a place to light a fire in the center of it, though, which is cool. Even though I don’t use it very much.

A large grill sits behind the house that could use a good cleaning. And one day on a whim I bought a pot that had some plants already in it. I kind of felt like a bit of a wuss when I put it outside, but whatever. It looks nice.

But now I know that beyond my yard, over the fence that separates the neighbor behind me and my house, and just across the street lives Chloe. I stare in the direction of her house, wondering what she’s up to right now. Is she home or working at the salon? Is she currently listing her house because some crazy guy showed up at her place last night after a forgotten date?

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