What Lovers Do(10)

I frown. “Are you done? Can I speak?”

“Yes. Speak. Explain how you let this happen.”

“It’s not Jimmy’s baby—”

“Sophie Elizabeth Ryan!”

“And … it’s not my baby.”

Her head jerks backward, face wrinkled. “What does that mean?”

“It’s my sister’s. Chloe and Mason have been trying to have a baby. She’s miscarried four times. I only knew about the first time. They stopped telling family because it’s been too painful.”

“Oh, Sophie …”

I nod. “Yeah, it sucks. She has endometriosis. Of course, they could keep trying, but emotionally it’s taken its toll. Chloe can’t imagine going through yet another miscarriage. And when she told me they had frozen embryos and were looking into a surrogate, I volunteered. I knew by then that things with Jimmy weren’t going to work out. And … I knew I needed to take a break from dating. This felt right. One hundred percent right. But we’re not telling anyone until they’re ready. So three months? Four months? I’m letting them decide.”

“That’s …” Jules shakes her head. “I don’t even know what to say. That’s really generous of you. I mean, you haven’t had a child of your own yet. And the first one you have you’re giving away. You’re a better person than I am.”

I shrug. “It’s not mine. Her egg. His sperm. I’m just a vessel.”

“So pet store guy … you know better, right? It’s all about the baby now.”

I laugh. “Yes. I have a baby to grow and a squatter to evict. My plate is absolutely full. Pet store guy is not in any equation of mine.”

She eyes me with distrust. “I don’t care how sexy he is. I don’t care how much you dream of finding your prince. He’s not the one. Now is not the time.”

With a tight smile, I nod. “Yep. I know.”





CHAPTER SEVEN





“Where have you been? I made dinner, and now it’s cold.” Jimmy grills me from my sofa the second I open the front door.

“I had dinner with Jules.”

“And you didn’t have the decency to call?”

It takes a minute for my fisted hand to uncurl, releasing my keys onto the narrow entry table. They scrape along the wood like Jimmy’s words along my last nerve.

“We broke up. You are not welcome here, yet there you are … adding another layer of dried sweat and body oil to my sofa, eating my food, and watching my TV. I asked you to leave, but you’re too selfish and childish to do it without being physically removed from the premises. So that’s what I’m going to do. In the meantime, my whereabouts is none of your business.”

“We didn’t break up, Sophie.”

“You are—” Just as I start to unleash on him again, my phone vibrates. I stare at the unknown number for a few seconds before answering it. I don’t care who it is. At this point, I’ll talk to a telemarketer for the next hour. Anything that doesn’t involve Jimmy.

“Hello?”

“Hi. It’s Shep.”

Nope. This is not good. He shouldn’t be calling me. I’m off men, off drugs, off alcohol, excess caffeine …

Jimmy fades away. I snap my fingers, and Cersei jumps off the sofa and follows me to my bedroom. “Shep. Shep. Shep. Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Cute. But I can actually hear the smile on your face. Nice try.”

He’s not wrong, but I wish he were. I have no business smiling because of any man. “What are you wearing—doing?!! I mean doing. What are you doing?” I pinch my eyes shut. I can’t believe I asked what he’s wearing. Maybe he didn’t hear me.

“Fishnet stockings. A black lace thong. And a Spanx bodysuit,” he says in a deep, rich voice.

I snort, cupping a hand over my mouth “Pretty fancy for a Wednesday, don’t ya think?”

“Pretty nosey for a first conversing date, don’t you think?”

“It’s not a date.” I roll onto my side and pet Cersei. “I’m not sure why you’re calling me. Do you think using my phone number for personal reasons violates … something?”

I have no clue.

“Good question. I’m not a lawyer. What’s your take on it? Should I hang up? Do you think asking about my current clothing situation violated me? I’m on the fence. I mean, it was rather forward, but I’m a sucker for curiosity so there’s that.”

As I fight my grin, I’m relieved that he can’t see me.

“Well, I don’t know. But if this is your way of pursuing me, then I’m not interested.”

“Interested in what? I’m not selling anything. We’re just conversing like two normal humans. But if you’re not a converser, then I’ll hang up.”

Who is this guy? My teeth pin my lower lip to keep from giggling.

“What do you want to converse about?” I surrender, a little, because his utter strangeness has piqued my curiosity. We are going nowhere, but now I’m wondering how we get to nowhere.

“Tell me what you were doing when I called you.”

“I’d rather discuss hemorrhoids, tax audits …”