Page 81 of In This Together

She could use a lunch catching up on Rosalie’s latest shenanigans. Nothing took Hannah out of her real life quite as easily as a catch up with Rosalie and her distinctlyun-average life.

She set her phone on her desk and picked up the memo that Andrea had scribbled all over. As she read, she noticed Andrea come back out of the bathroom, pale and wiping her mouth with a tissue. A number of things occurred to Hannah…

First, the arguments she had endured with Andrea over the last few weeks about heartburn and inappropriate lunch choices.

Second, Andrea had replaced her three mugs of coffee each day with tea.

Third, Andrea had been way more irritable and emotional than usual lately.

Fourth, it seemed she was throwing her guts up in the morning.

Fifth… She scrutinised Andrea’s breasts as she passed by, the way they now tugged at the buttons of her blouse, which usually fit perfectly.

Oh, shit.

She turned to find Andrea’s eyes already on her and in a look, Andrea confirmed Hannah’s thoughts. She was pregnant.

Oh God, was it Hunter’s? Was there a chance it could be Tommy Dawson’s? The rock god whose snake was generally in a new cave every week, or the asshole, cheating scumbag CEO.

Suddenly, nothing else mattered. The arguments, the bickering, the slanging matches; they were forgotten because Andrea needed her.

But before she made it to Andrea’s door, the asshole, cheating scumbag of the hour was making his way along the corridor toward Andrea’s office.

Did he know?

‘You wanted to speak with me?’ he said, entering Andrea’s office.

Andrea glanced from Hannah to Hunter, with a look that saidHelp!

‘Yes, but not here.’

Hunter knocked the office door, which began to slowly shut. ‘Well, I haven’t got time for anywhere else. What is it?’ he said, clearly still sour about the break-up.

The door shut and Hannah felt helpless. She didn’t want to stare but she couldn’t look away either. She wanted to go inside and put her arms around Andrea. This would rock her world. She never spoke about kids, except negatively. Her only maternal instincts were in respect of Sofia and were otherwise non-existent. Andrea was terrified of commitment, and a child was the antithesis of non-committal.

Hannah watched as Andrea came to perch on the edge of her desk, facing Hunter, who looked arrogant as ever, with his hands in his pockets and pushing the tails of his flashy suit jacket open.

Andrea spoke.

Hunter’s composure broke.

He rubbed his chin and paced the floor of the office.

Andrea looked down to the ground.Disheartened? Apologetic?

Oh no, she was not accepting this as her fault.

That bastard.

It takes two, fuck-weed!Hannah wanted to scream.

Then Hunter was in front of Andrea, flinging what looked like a credit card in her face. Andrea recoiled, startled. Hunter flung open the office door.

‘Get it done,’ he said.

As he marched down the corridor, Hannah ran to Andrea, who was unmoving, still perched on the edge of her desk, Hunter’s credit card on the floor in front of her.

‘Leave me,’ she mumbled, her eyes fixed on a spot on the floor.

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