Page 29 of Hardy

“Have I what?”

“Moved on?I was your first love.I want to know if you’ve moved on from me.If you’re ready forsomeone else.”The question was bitter on his tongue, and he triedto contain his anger.

“How can you ask methat?”

“We’re getting a divorce,Rose.You told me years ago I was your first love.I was the firstman you were with.”

“Hardy, you’ve been theonly man I’ve ever been with.”She rubbed at her temples, clearlynot in the mood to be talking about this right now.

He couldn’t drop it.“Do you loveme?”

She released a sigh, averting hergaze.

Breaking apart piece by piece, Hardyexpected her to tell him she no longer did.

“Yes, Hardy, I love you.Istill love you, and I will always love you.”She looked into hiseyes.“There’s something I’ve got to tell you.”

He was jumping for joy inside.Hiswoman still loved him.Anything else she had to say he could morethan handle.

“What is it?”

“I’ve not filed for divorceyet.I’ve still got the papers.They’re safe.”

“We’re not in the processof getting a divorce?”he asked.This was all he needed to give himthe shot of winning her back.If he didn’t have a ticking time bombof their divorce, he could get her back.

“Technically we’re stillgetting a divorce.I’ve got to file the papers with my lawyer.Until we know what’s going on with this thing.”She pressed herhands to her stomach.“I thought I’d give him a call, and ask himto hold off.”

“We can do that.I want tosee where this goes.”

“This isn’t going to change much.I want us totry again, but to do this, I want us to remain on datingterms.We have rushed into everything else in our lives, and we’veended up here.I don’t want to rush anymore, and make mistakes.We’ve got a baby on the way, and I don’t want to rush that.I wantus to take time for us as well.”

“Me neither,” he said.“We cantake our time.Get to know one another.”

She gripped the back of her neck,smiling.“Great.”

He wanted to kiss her, to reach out,and touch her.Resisting the urge, he took a step back.“I’m goingto leave you to get dressed.I’ll see how Baker is handling thefood.”

Rose chuckled.“Would you even knowwhat you’re doing?”

“I’ll know if it’s burnt.Iknow you don’t like anything burnt.”

“You know mewell.”

Hardy left heralone, happyfor the time being that he had a chance to make everything rightwith her.

Baker was handling everything fine,looking downright happy with himself.Hardy took a seat, snaggingone of the hot pastries.They were to die for, so buttery, sweet,and delicious.He’d never had anything like it.

Rose joined them ten minutes later ina red summer dress that matched her hair, which she’d pulled backinto a ponytail.

“Eva called.Ladies are goingshopping at the mall.Fighter and Ink will be with us, and I wantto head out, too.”

“Okay, do you want me tocome with you?”Hardy asked.

“You’re kind of creeping meout in a seriously stalkerish fashion, Hardy.Two prospects is morethan enough to take us shopping.You don’t need to follow meeverywhere.I’m content to go with the girls.It has been too longsince I had a date with the girls.”

“I wonder where that leavesme,” Baker said, piling eggs onto a plate and handing them toRose.

“You are going to work onMillie.We’re still going to do dinner, right?”

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