Page 30 of Love Story
“Me, too.” He put his hand on her knee. “You need your rest. Lots going on. Besides, I miss our regular life.”
She smiled at him. He knew her so well. “Exactly.”
In two days they’d hold auditions and callbacks for their next community theater show. Rehearsals would start in two weeks, and a few days after that they would join Bailey’s family and most of the Baxters for the first big barbecue of the season. The party would be crowded—filled with family and friends—just the way it always was with the Baxters.
Bailey smiled. She loved how anyone could show up at one of those summer dinners.
She could hardly wait.
•••
BAILEY WAS JUSTbeginning to unpack when Andi Ellison called. A quick smile and Bailey answered it on the second ring. “Andi!” The two of them were still best friends. They talked at least every few weeks, but it had been more than a month this time.
“Hi there.” Andi sounded muffled. Like she wasn’t in a good service area. “How was the premiere?”
“This one’s going to change lives. I really believe that.” Bailey sat down on the edge of the bed. “We found out what we’re having!” Her voice brimmed with excitement.
“What? Tell me! I’m dying over here!” Andi’s voice sounded clearer now. “Wait! Let me guess.”
“Okay...” Bailey paused. “Boy or girl?”
Andi hesitated. “Okay... let’s see. Well, every time I pray for you I feel like I’m praying for a girl. That’s my guess.”
“You’re right!”
“I am!” Andi squealed. “Bailey! You’re having a little girl.” She sounded like she was half crying, half laughing. “That’s the best news ever!”
“Thanks.” Bailey loved the way her friend celebrated her. Never mind that Andi’s life hadn’t always gone how she had planned. Andi sounded nothing but thrilled for Bailey. She stood and returned to the suitcases. There had to be three loads of laundry between her things and Brandon’s. “I wish you were here. We haven’t had coffee in forever.”
“We haven’t. I hate that about this job.”
Ever since Andi had started her job, Bailey hadn’t seen her once. Andi was doing great work. But she missed her friend. There was a time when every visit Bailey made to Los Angeles, she would get together with Andi.
Now it had been six months since they’d seen each other.
Bailey wasn’t sure she should ask the next question. But it was on her heart, and she and Andi didn’t keep anything from each other. “Have... you heard from Cody?”
The silence on the other end told Bailey she might’ve made a mistake. But when Andi finally responded, there was no anger in her voice. Just the familiar hurt. The way she always sounded when she talked about Cody Coleman. “Not for a long time. Months.” She sounded broken by the fact. “Then the other night he called.”
The baby kicked a few times and Bailey felt the muscles in her belly tighten. She made her way to the bed and sat down again. “What did he say?”
Andi sighed. “I didn’t answer the phone.”
“What?” Bailey felt her stomach relax again. The occasional tightenings were nothing to worry about. That’s what her doctor had said at their last visit. She searched for the right words for her friend. “Andi... you need to take his call.” She hesitated. “What if he’s changed? Maybe he has something really important to tell you.”
Again Andi made no response. Bailey wondered if they’d been disconnected. “Andi?”
“I’m here. I just... I don’t know what to do. He’s broken my heart so many times.” She hesitated. “And... well, there’s this other guy. His name’s Caleb.”
“Caleb? I haven’t heard about him.” Bailey felt a twinge of uneasiness. She couldn’t imagine Andi and Cody not getting back together. Now or somewhere down the road.
Andi took a quick breath. “He works with me. He’s from Amsterdam.” Her sigh filled the phone line. “I mean, I can’t see moving to Europe. But what ifhe’sthe guy?”
Bailey was slow with her response. She was glad her friend trusted her with this new information. “So... he’s moving back to Amsterdam?”
“In a year.”
“Got it.” Bailey tried to gather her thoughts. “Okay, well... I guess I still see you and Cody together. Crazy as that might feel.”
