Chaser (Dive Bar #3)(9)

“Better than you, by the look of it.” She pulled her baggy cardigan tighter around her, covering the tank and yoga pants combination passing for pajamas. Her feet were bare, toenails painted Smurf blue.

“Cute toes,” I said, giving her a grin.

“Been drinking, huh?”

“Just a little,” I said. “Where are my manners? The bottle’s back inside. Did you want some?”

“Baby on board.” She pointed to her belly. “Remember?”

“Right. I remember.” The smile fell off my face. “So what are you doing out here?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“Yeah, but I asked you first.”

All casual like, I leaned against the wall. Not falling over like a sloppy drunk. But it seemed the world had started turning a little fast or something. Standing upright wasn’t as easy as it should have been. Guess liquor and gravity didn’t really mix. I don’t normally drink alone, but between Nell’s and Joe’s and Alex’s bullshit, I needed a drink. Or two.

Anyway, it’s possible I may have overdone it a little.

“Just walking up and down the hall. As you do at two in the morning.”

“I was going to go for a walk too,” I said. “Outside. Get some fresh air. You want to come?”

“Thanks, but I’m dead tired and not really dressed for it.” She rubbed her tummy. “Plus it’s cold out there.”

“You’re used to Florida weather.” I chuckled. “This is only autumn. Wait ’til winter. Why’d you move here anyway?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I met Nell on the internet. We started chatting on a pregnancy site and the way she spoke about this town just kind of drew me in. And I thought, why not?”

“Because you’re heavily pregnant and alone?”

“Besides that.”

I just looked at her.

“Things in Florida weren’t great,” she said, taking her time, obviously choosing her words with care. She glanced up and down the hallway, as if to check there were no other ears listening in. “Actually, that’s kind of an understatement. My parents didn’t handle the news regarding my pregnancy very well. I get their point, I was basically fresh out of college, just starting to get my life together.”

“Mm.”

“They wanted me to give the baby away.” She frowned at the thought. “Even lined up a couple from their church to adopt her and everything. They were very persistent, but I just couldn’t.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “Me too. Most of my friends had moved away or were busy living their lives, so I didn’t really have a lot of people I could count on. Fortunately, my gran didn’t agree with Mom and Dad. Unfortunately, she was very ill. But when she passed she left me some money. Of course, that made things even worse with my parents … I didn’t want to raise a child around all that negativity.”

My heavy head floundered, empty of any comforting words.

Eventually, she made a humming noise. “Anyway, the baby started kicking and woke me up. I don’t usually lurk in hallways at stupid hours of the morning. But if I move around for a while things usually quiet down again and this hall is longer than the one in my apartment.”

“Huh.”

“Nice face.” The woman laughed.

“What?”

“It’s the thought of the baby kicking, isn’t it?” she asked. “I don’t think you could look more disgusted if you tried.”

Shit. “No, no. I’m not disgusted. That’s … that’s a terrible thing to say.”

“You’re doing it again right now,” she said. “Every time you look at my belly you go sort of green like you’re about to hurl.”

“No-o-o.”

“You do, Eric. Trust me on this.”

I exhaled. “You’re wrong. I think it’s beautiful, life and everything, you know?”

Her dark brows crept together.

“And you, making that life is … wow.”

“Oh really?”

“Absolutely.” I nodded. Then stopped since that made my head spin in a not-good way. “You’re beautiful and the baby is…”

“The baby is what?”

“Um. Awesome. Yeah.”

Now her brows were one dark line. “I don’t think you should be going for a walk. How much have you had to drink?”

“I’m not going to drive. Now that would be irresponsible.”

“Wait.” Her chin rose. “Is ‘going to go for a walk’ code for ‘off in search of booty’?”

“No. Why would you think that?” I scowled as I figured it out. “Hold up. Nell’s been saying shit about me to you, hasn’t she?”

“Well, you know.” Jean stood with her feet apart, rocking back and forth. “Nell and I are friends so I can’t really repeat what we talk about. That would be breaking her confidence, and not okay.”

“She did.” I hung my head. “I knew it.” My knees gave way and I sank to the floor. Fuck it. It was more comfortable than standing anyway. “So now I have to put up with it from you too.”