Page 39 of Sparks Like Ours

“But I don’t think I’m…” The sentence died on her lips because shecouldn’t back it up. She flashed on all her failed relationships with men andhow they never held her interest. She’d always believed it was because her careertook precedence, but maybe that hadn’t been it. Now, through an unforeseenseries of events, she’d stumbled onto someone she was actually attracted to,who appealed to parts of her she’d previously imagined were broken. Maybe thismeant she wasn’t broken after all.

Christopher gave her hand a squeeze. “You were saying?”

“That I have some thinking to do.”

He nodded knowingly.

They wrapped up their coffee date with some small talk about Hollyand Dash, their work schedules, and what plans they were already making forChristmas, a holiday they both loved. As they walked to their respective cars,Christopher turned to her. “Can I say that I might have suspected? It’s anawful thing to say, but in this case, it’s true.”

Her mouth fell open. “I don’t think I believe you. No way.”

“Well, then I won’t say it. Out loud.” He wrapped his big armsaround her and kissed the side of her head. “See you on Thursday.”

“All right, goober.”

* * *

As Gia stood in the afternoon rush line at Cat’s Pajamas, Autumntossed her the universal look for “get out of line, idiot, I’ve got yourorder.” She passed back an “Okay, but I don’t want you to feel like you have togive me special favors” glance, and received the “you’re not doing that, sostop being stupid” stare. Gia dutifully stepped out of line and took a seat ata nearby table. The one they usually sat at was occupied by a group of fratguys in swim trunks and damp T-shirts. She sent them a cool, even “that’s mytable” gaze as she passed. Unnecessary, yes, but she happened to be in an awfulmood.

Her practice session had been rough, and with San Clemente comingup in just a few days, she couldn’t afford a rough practice. With nearly twomonths since the last tournament, it was up to her to stay in peak surfingcondition. She and Katrina had taken the Jet Ski out to catch the biggerswells, but she’d been off her game and couldn’t seem to engage. She’d wipedout or been swallowed by a wave an embarrassing number of times, and whenthey’d found the bigger pipe, she just didn’t have it in her to go after it andended the session early in a frustrated huff. She was annoyed at herself andthe world.

“Special delivery,” Autumn said, and slid Gia an iced coffee, herafternoon beverage of choice. “Uh-oh. That’s a rare look. I’ve seen it on yourface maybe twice. What happened?”

Gia rolled her eyes. “Lame training session. All my fault, so I’myelling at myself in my head.”

“That sounds terrifying. Maybe let yourself off with a lightlecture? Some extra chores?”

“Nah. Too easy.”

Autumn, with a hand on her growing stomach, slid delicately intothe chair across from Gia. “Coffee will make it better, though. It makeseverything better.”

“Thanks,” she mumbled halfheartedly, and thumbed the circular lid.Coffee did help, and she was doing everything she could to see value in thelittle things, because the larger issues were confusing the hell out of her.

“Would it help if I told you that the kids are dancing up a stormtoday? Probably because they wanted to say hello to you. I told them you mightdrop in.”

Gia sat up, intrigued. “You can really feel them now?” The ideamade her surfing issues fade to the background, at least momentarily.

“Mm-hmm. Here. It’s getting to the point where others can, too. Atleast once or twice for Kate.” She took Gia’s hand and placed it on herstomach, which was surprisingly firm. At first, she didn’t feel anything.Autumn looked skyward and moved Gia’s hand to the left and pressed it into herstomach as if to wake them up. “Feel that?” Gia sat upright, because there wasa noticeable little flutter against Autumn’s skin.

She pulled her hand back in surprise and pointed. “Whoa. There arepeople in there. Moving. You were right.”

Autumn laughed. “Can you believe it? I still can’t.”

Gia grappled. “I know human beings have children every day, butit’s different when it’s…Autumn. I mean, you.You’rehaving kids.You. My best friend.”

Autumn nodded with an acceptance Gia didn’t have yet. “That’strue. This time next year, there will be rug rats around here causing trouble.Real ones, with thoughts and opinions and wants and needs.”

Gia felt a surge of panic and glanced around. “We should probablystart getting ready. Making lists or something. What list should I make?”

Autumn stood. “Way ahead of you, champ. You should see the storagelocker Kate’s rented, full of baby supplies. I tried to tell her we’reexpecting a couple of infants, not the apocalypse. But it makes her feel betterto be overprepared. She’s turning into a professional baby supply hoarder,though, no doubt about it. An intervention might be forthcoming.”

“Kate’s hoarding babies?” Gia’s goofy neighbor, Barney, asked ashe meandered through the shop. His normally bleached-blond hair had a greenstreak running through it today. Gia couldn’t begin to understand the type oflife that dude led. He had a different job every time she talked to him.Magazine subscriptions, errand runner, and her favorite, rare coin collector.Mainly, he just wanted to hang out on the beach and play volleyball with hisdude friends all day.

“More like supplies,” Autumn said, gesturing to her stomach.“She’s getting ready for these guys.”

“Gnarly. Gonna down some of your delicious coffee now.” He offeredAutumn a fist bump and continued his half dance, half walk to the counter.

Autumn, used to Barney and unfazed, turned back to Gia. “I wasmeaning to ask, are you free this weekend? We thought we might do a genderreveal with our close friends.”

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