The Ex by Freida McFadden(24)

Cassie feels uneasy about the fact that Joel’s best friend has a daughter and his other close friend has a pregnant wife. He’s thirty-six—he must be thinking about marriage and children in the near future. The thought of being pregnant any time soon makes Cassie queasy. Her life isn’t in any kind of shape to bring a child into it. But then again, Joel hasn’t hinted at marriage yet or gone any faster than she’s comfortable with. So maybe she shouldn’t overreact.

After Joel finishes introducing his friends to her, it’s Cassie’s turn. He slings an arm around her shoulders and says, “This is Cassie.”

“Mommy.” Violet tugs on Lydia’s arm. “She looks like Francesca.”

The color drains out of Joel’s face. Since that first night, they’ve somehow managed to go the whole month without the topic of Joel’s ex-girlfriend coming up. Cassie has tried to hint at it, but Joel always deftly changes the subject. It’s clear Francesca is the last thing he wants to talk about, which makes Cassie increasingly curious.

And now out it comes. In the worst possible way.

“Don’t be silly, Violet,” Lydia says. “She’s much younger than Francesca.”

Oh God.

“She’s not…” The color has returned to Joel’s face and now he’s turning red. “I mean, she doesn’t look like…”

Lydia looks amused. “It’s fine to have a type, Joel. Just own it.”

Joel glances at Cassie, then back down at his sneakers. Cassie had yet to see a photo of the infamous Francesca, although God knows, she’d tried when she was at his apartment. She did a quick search of the photos on his bookcase, but they were just his parents and his brother.

But when Cassie went to the bathroom, she was certain she could smell a hint of an unfamiliar perfume. Was that the lingering scent of Francesca? It wasn’t like she could ask.

“Are you coming or going?” Joel asks his friends. It’s obvious he’s hoping they’re going so he and Cassie can be alone.

“Just arrived,” Pete says.

Joel’s face falls, which seems to amuse Lydia. “Poor you,” she says.

Pete elbows his wife. “You’re going to join us, right, Joel? We’ve been dying to meet this new woman of yours.”

“Girl,” Lydia corrects him under her breath. They all pretend not to have heard her.

“Uh,” Joel says.

Pete grins at Cassie—his dopey smile is a stark contrast to his wife’s icy gaze. “Come on, Cassie. We promise we won’t bite.”

Cassie and Joel exchange looks. “Of course,” she says. “We’d love to join you.”

As if she had a choice.”

If Cassie and Joel had been alone, they would have gone through the park in a leisurely way with their hands linked. But now Joel is staying a respectable two feet away from her at all times, standing only just close enough that she can hear him when he speaks loudly. He’s really freaked out by his friends showing up. Is he ashamed of her? Ashamed that he’s dating a girl ten years younger than him? One who doesn’t look like she’s walked out of the pages of Vogue for a day at the zoo?

Or is he embarrassed that his new girlfriend is apparently a dead ringer for his old girlfriend?

Or maybe she doesn’t want to know.

Violet is remarkably well-behaved. Lydia barks commands at her every minute. Violet, haven’t you been riding that turtle statue long enough? Violet, if you’re going to touch the glass, please hold out your hands for me to sanitize. Violet, please walk at a faster pace—you’re with adults. Cassie doesn’t see Lydia as the sort of person she could ever be friendly with. Anna, on the other hand, sticks close to Lydia at all times, observing her as if for cues on how to be a proper mother. Every few minutes, the two of them whisper secrets to one another.

Cassie would bet every cent she doesn’t have that they’re talking about her.

After an hour has passed, Cassie is more than ready to leave. She’s trying to send cues to Joel that she wants to go home. She glances at her watch no fewer than five times and yawns loudly twice. She’s sure he’s going to suggest going home at one point, but then instead, he says, “Hey, how about lunch?”

How can she refuse?

They find a café that sells horribly overpriced zoo concession food. Cassie has no appetite, but she grudgingly tells Joel to get her a hotdog. The three men take Violet with them to get the food while the three women stay behind to hold the table. Cassie would have liked to get in the line with the men, but Lydia links arms with her and practically drags her to the table.

She has a bad feeling Lydia wants to get her alone.

As Anna settles down at the table, she places a hand on her stomach and her brown eyes widen. “Ooh, that was a big kick!”

Lydia laughs. “It only gets worse, my dear.”

“How far along are you?” Cassie asks, happy to talk about something besides herself.

Anna beams. “Five months.”

“How about you, Cassie?” Lydia focuses on her like a laser beam. “Do you see children in your future?”

“I, uh…” Cassie swallows hard. “I’m not sure…”

“Joel wants kids,” Lydia says. “That’s for sure. Lots of ‘em.”