Page 26 of Starting Our Chance

14 Loretta

“Where did she go?”Felicity’s sharp eyes pierced into me.

What is it with shorter women and tempers? I smiled and folded my hands on my lap. “She merely waved and took off. Her schedule has been wiped clear from her iPhone—by her, not me—and she won’t answer my texts.”

That wasn’t good enough for Felicity. “What did you do?” she demanded.

Launching to my feet, I got into the woman’s face. She might be many months pregnant, but there wasn’t a shred of restraint in her, so why should I hold back and be the polite one? “Excuse me?”

“Sammy isn’t your biggest fan. She’s been telling me things. And I would at least expect you to behave professionally to your boss—”

“No!” I held up my hand to make good and sure this woman got me. “No! You did not just take her side and believe I’m evil. You have no proof. I am a different woman than when I was close with Sammy.” The hurt that wafted through me at this woman’s words—it was hard to take. I thought we’d been bordering on friendship.

The glare from the other woman stayed in place for another ten seconds before her hands fell off her hips, and her lips curled upward. “Ah, hell.” She gestured to a chair. “You’d better start from the beginning. And I’m sorry. Samantha can be a force of nature when she’s pissed, and something royally fucked up happened between you two to piss her off.”

I met her misguided apology with one of my own, trying to bridge the gap as I said, “I was ambitious—I worked my ass off at ballet and went north on a scholarship. I think I rubbed Sammy the wrong way.” I closed my desk top windows and began the backup process for the end-of-day procedures. “As far as Nikki is concerned, I came into work this morning. And while we were debriefing on the day, I happened to mention the neighbor had a new farmhand. The news was like flipping a switch, and Nikki vanished.”

Felicity’s brows drew together as her forefinger tapped on her lips. As she looked at me, I knew she was trying to figure out what had changed so drastically. I might not have known Nikki for more than a few weeks, but even I knew this was far from her typical behavior.

“Well, since I won’t be able to go over the projections with Nikki tonight, what do you say we go out for drinks?”

“Really? Won’t that go against the blood bond you made with Sammy when you married her brother?”

“If Sammy has a problem with it, she can be an adult and deal with it herself. I’m not saying I’m taking your side, but I’m not scared to get to know you, either.”

So, just like that, I found myself in the bar with Felicity. She was drinking a club soda with citrus and making faces at the Long Island Tea I had ordered.

“Must suck to be pregnant.” My comment didn’t elicit a laugh as I’d expected. Most pregnant women—in my limited experience with the breed—didn’t enjoy the length of the process, especially when it forbade so many things like drinking.

Felicity rubbed her belly and answered, “I miss it, sometimes. But it won’t last forever. A little discomfort and depriving myself in the present means that at the end of it, I get a little girl to cuddle.” Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at me as she added, “And that is worth more than anything.”

Those words, coupled with that look, squished my heart in a way that was completely foreign. Oh, great, I can’t go getting baby fever now. I don’t even have the prospect of a father anyway. Before I could think about Duke for the zillionth time today and insert his vibrant eyes into the cherub face of an imagined babe, I changed the topic. “Look, I want to apologize and sort things out with Sammy. I came back and found that I did some damage there, and I realize I need to make things right.”

“Are you asking for my help?”

“Kinda, yeah.”

“Well, lay your case out, and make me an offer I can’t refuse.” Felicity flashed me a large smile, her pearly white teeth complimenting her lush olive skin.

“Here’s what you need to know about me.” I clasped my hands on the table top. “I grew up poor, and Sammy was my best friend. I wanted the clothes and the life that she lived. Sure, she gave me her hand-me-downs and was completely selfless, sharing everything with me. But my dumb ass put on airs. And over time, it just wore away at our relationship. I was really popular with the guys, too, and Sammy was too self-conscious about her weight to put herself out there. I was never a slut, but I wasn’t scared to flip through men like they were candy. And, to top it off”—I drew in a big breath, aware that here was the final straw—“I was a really talented dancer. Sammy was good, but her skills came from hard work. My hard work only accentuated the talent I naturally had. And when I got that scholarship, I think it was the final nail in the coffin.”

Felicity nodded. “You weren’t there during her unplanned pregnancy, either.”

That comment took me back. “I heard she’d had a daughter, but unplanned?” What the hell was that all about? Was Logan the father, then—

“Yeah.” Felicity pursed her lips. I could see the decision weighing in her mind as to what she would tell me. “Here’s the thing. She could have used your support when her daughter was little. Instead, you were already up north and never looked back.”

“I see.” And I did. But how the hell I was going to fix that, I had no clue. “Look, life knocked me down over and over. Now, look at me: The hot shot is living at home with her mother and broke as shit. I want Sammy to know I’ve learned my lesson, and I’m working to improve my life.”

“You’ll have to show her.”

Felicity was right. I couldn’t just tell Sammy, she wouldn’t listen. “As long as you are on my side, I think I stand a chance. If I piss off every woman, then the men will be pissed as well.” And who knew what I did to turn Duke off this morning. Although, he had sent a sweet text at lunch, completely oblivious to his cold behavior earlier. So, I had done the mature thing and not replied.

“I can’t—” Felicity began.

“I’m not telling you to go to Sammy on my behalf,” I clarified. “I’m merely asking you to not stand in my way or to throw me a life line if I ask for it.”

Felicity reached over and squeezed my hand. Her long fingers were soft on my skin. I wagered that this girl had never worked a day of hard labor in her life. I wrapped my own too soft hands around hers, and we just sat there for a moment.

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