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“Yeah. I’ve always thought it must be sexy under the right circumstances.” She smiles with a flash of her old teasing nature, then her smile fades and she looks away.
“I’m so sorry about Craig,” I murmur.
She straightens the baby’s top. “I know some of it’s my fault. I’ve put on weight, and I’m tired all the time. I haven’t paid him as much attention as I should have.”
“Jesus Christ, Chloe, you’ve had a baby. And that’s bullshit anyway. You’re still as gorgeous as you were the day I met you.”
She presses her fingers to her lips and starts crying.
“Ah, come on…” I go over to the sofa and put my arm around her. I’m bitterly disappointed in my friend. “I can’t imagine what women have to go through giving birth, physically and emotionally. You’ve been through huge changes. Guys need to be patient and supportive after their partners have had a baby.”
“Oh Kip, shut up.”
I close my mouth, not quite sure what I’ve done wrong, and just rub her arm.
She sniffles and snuffles for a while. Eventually she blows her nose, then gives me a shaky smile. “Don’t mind me. I figured out a while ago that I married the wrong guy, that’s all.” She meets my eyes and gives a short laugh.
I know it’s not a come on. We’ve never felt that way about each other. She’s referring to the fact that she fell for Craig, even though he has an abrasive side to him that neither Saxon nor I possess. He’s a little less respectful, and, it seems, a lot less honorable.
“You’ve always been the kind one,” she says. “Damon’s frank and naughty. Saxon’s impulsive and hot-tempered. You’re the kind, generous, sweet one.”
“Jesus, please don’t call me sweet.”
“But you are, and I don’t mean that in a patronizing way. I don’t think you have a nasty bone in your body, Kip. And sometimes I think all two hundred and six bones in Craig’s body are nasty.”
I don’t argue with her because she’s hurting, and she doesn’t need me to defend the guy who’s hurt her so badly.
“What are you going to do?” I ask, gesturing at the suitcase. “Are you going away?”
“We were both supposed to be going to visit my parents in Australia for Christmas.” She moves away a little, and I remove my arm. “It’s going to be hard work traveling on my own with a baby, but people do it all the time. I’ll manage. I need to see Mum and Dad, and have some time to think.”
“Maybe he’ll realize how much he misses you while you’re away.”
“Maybe. Honestly, though? I don’t want him back. He didn’t just have a one-night stand with someone else. He started seeing her over a year ago.”
That shocks me. The baby was born in August, which means he was having an affair when they were trying to get pregnant.
“When he told me he was leaving, he didn’t apologize or say he regretted it. He…” She stops and clears her throat. “He’d been drinking, and he was very cruel. Alcohol makes a person honest, so I know he’d obviously been thinking those thoughts all along. And why would I want to be with a person who felt like that about me?”
Anger sears through me, making my stomach churn. “I’m so sorry.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t.”
My throat is tight with emotion. “Is there anything I can do?”
She gets to her feet, holding the baby. “No, but thank you.”
I stand as well, shoving my hands in my pockets. “If you think of anything, just call me. I mean it. What he’s done… I’m disgusted with him.”
Her lips curve up. “I’m going to say it.”
“Please don’t.”
“You’re so sweet.”
“Argh. I’m going.” I smile and head out to the front door, where I put my shoes on. There I stop and turn to face her. “I hope your trip goes well.”
“Thanks. We’ll be fine.” She hesitates and looks up at me. “I wish you were the one I’d fallen for all those years ago. I went for the bad boy, and it was a mistake. You’re a good guy. I envy the woman you end up with.”
