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“Alissa, why don’t we get another drink, babe?” asks Damien, taking her by the arm and closing her in at the bar with his arms. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who saw Kally’s plea.
“Can I have five minutes to talk with your wife?” I hold my hands up to stop Colton saying anything. “As a long-lost friend. I’m not here to cause her any trouble.” I glance down at her protruding bump, just as a reminder that I need to do this right.
“Five minutes. Any funny business and she will pay,” he spits at me.
He kisses Kally on the mouth to prove a point, and to show everyone in the room that she’s his. It makes me feel sick as she flinches when he touches her.
Colton isn’t even three steps away from us when I take Kally’s hand and walk her over to a chair. I lift her feet and take off the silly shoes. Her body relaxes at either my touch or the fact her feet can now breathe.
“You look radiant.” I caress her hand in mine.
“It’s just a look, Clark. One I’ve come to perfect over the last couple of years. It stops any…” She swallows deeply and shakes her head.
“It stops what, sweetheart?”
“Nothing. Tell me how you’ve been.” She smiles at me.
Do I lie to her and tell her I’m great, or do I tell the truth about how miserable my life has been?
“I’m good. Work is good. Life is… good.” I laugh at my use of the same word in all three sentences. As a publisher, that would annoy the hell out of me in any manuscript, but this woman ties me up in knots and I can’t talk properly.
“I’m glad.” She looks down at her joined hands.
“How long do you have to go?”
“Twelve weeks.”
Wow. I thought she was about ready to drop this little one because she really is big. Not that I would ever say that to her. She’s beautiful.
“Boy or girl?”
“Erm… not sure. I hope it’s a boy. I don’t think I could go through this again.”
“Bad pregnancy?” I ask, concerned.
“Something like that.” She shrugs. “I’m not one of those women who suits pregnancy. It takes its toll.”
“You’d never know from that glow you’ve got going on.”
“You’re too kind.”
I take in a deep breath and sigh. I forgot how good it was to talk with Kally. To hold her. To just be with her. The moment her delicate hand rested in mine, I could hear my soul sing hallelujah. It has been a long time coming, but together it feels so right. Three years away from her hasn’t broken the bond between us.
I know she’s hiding a lot from me, but maybe it’s best I don’t know all the sordid details. It would just send me on a rampage and she doesn’t need any added stress.
She pulls out of my hand and shuffles her feet back into the horrible shoes that are an injury waiting to happen. How women can wear them is beyond me.
“What’s wrong?”
I can see the tense look that’s suddenly appeared on her face.
“He’s coming back, and he won’t like that I relaxed and took off my shoes. It’s not ladylike.”
“You’re pregnant, for Christ’s sake. You should be relaxing with your feet up, not being paraded around at a party where you know about ten percent of the guests.”
“Please don’t make a scene, Clark. I love…” She trails off and clears her throat. “I like that you still care, but I’m fine.”
“You should be more than fine.” I grind my teeth.
