Page 116 of Good as Gold
“Justcallher,” Zara says tiredly.
“Okay. Fine. I will.”
We hang up, and I drop my head in my hands and growl. It was already killing me to be so far away. Now it’s worse.
“Everything okay?” Cara calls.
I laugh, because it’s really not.
“I mean—aside from the fact that you haven’t had a day off in months, and you’re doing two guided trips tomorrow, plus a business dinner?”
“A dinner?” I yelp.
“It’s on your calendar. We’re taking a group of concierges out and pitching them on the airport expansion idea.”
“Right, right.” I’d put that out of my mind. Just the thought of expanding our off-season services makes me tired. “Cara, what can I send a very pregnant woman to make her life easier?”
“Oh, I know this one! A certificate for a day at the spa. Prenatal massage and a pedicure, because she probably can’t reach her own feet.”
“Cool idea,” I admit. But I wonder if Leila has time to go to a spa.
“Who’s the pregnant woman? I thought your sister-in-law already had the baby?”
I rub my temples and consider the question. Sooner or later Cara is going to hear the truth. After the snow melts, I’m not going to be able to resist another trip to Vermont. “Would you believe that it’s Leila?”
She gapes at me. “YourLeila? OhGod. Who’s the father?”
“Um…” I rub my chin. “I am.”
Her jaw unhinges. “Get out of town.”
“No, it’s true.”
She stands up from her desk. “No, I meant that literally. Get out of town! What are youdoinghere if the love of your life is carrying your child?”
“I’mworking!” I holler. “That’swhat I’m doing here! Seven days a week. Is that really not enough?”
The minute the words come out of my mouth, I feel terrible. Cara looks stricken. She sits back down in her desk chair and drops her gaze to her hands.
“Cara, I’msorry,” I say immediately. “That was uncalled for. God, seriously. I’m so sorry.”
“I know,” she says softly. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s really not.” I stand up and put my phone in my pocket. “Look, I need to get out of here. I need to call Leila. Please forgive me for shouting. I’m so sorry.”
She nods, but she looks so troubled that I want to slap myself.
I grab my jacket and head outside.
CHAPTER44
LEILA
There is no second chair in my father’s hospital room, so I’m standing against the windows, rubbing my belly, and counting the minutes until my dad’s meeting with the social worker will be over.
My back hurts today. My feet are swollen. My stomach is off kilter. I haven’t been taking the best care of myself, but there’s nothing to be done about it. Since the moment I got that frightening call from Livia, I’ve spent all my time shuttling back and forth from the hospital to the brewery and back again.
“Your physical therapy sessions will increase to three times a week at the nursing home,” the social worker says to my father.
