GRACE
Grace spent the evening pacing her apartment. It was time to break the silence between her and Alex over her time at MatchupNow. It was time to finally find out what had happened and if he’d fired her on purpose to get rid of her.
And then, if Alex could somehow explain everything, it was time to let herself trust him. If everything went well, she could have a true family, instead of being a single mother with a confused coparent who may or may not be in the picture.
Around nine in the evening, Grace came to a realization. She needed to do this in a public place, where prying eyes would keep them both civil and on target. She didn’t want to cry. She didn’t want to start kissing Alex before they could talk this through. Being in a public place would help with both objectives.
So, she composed a text to Alex. She read it through three times before sending it, feeling a little like a middle-schooler trying to write the perfect message to a crush.
Can we meet at Cindy’s Diner tomorrow instead of my place? They have great food.
She didn’t add that it would be a bright, public place where they could talk. Then Grace set about cleaning her apartment. Her nesting instincts had come in hard since getting pregnant, and she found that cleaning distracted her from her other worries. After a while, her phone dinged.
I don’t like diners that much. Let’s just meet at your place. I can bring takeout.
Grace frowned at the message. Since when didn’t Alex like diners? Everyone liked diners. And he’d ordered takeout from diners a few times. Still, she was undeterred.
You can pick a restaurant, then. It’d be nice to go out.
The next message came while Grace was sorting through her many Tupperware containers and the lids that didn’t seem to match any of them.
I like your place better. It’s more private.
Alex had a point, but privacy was exactly what Grace was trying to avoid. He was just not getting the hint. Sighing, she texted again.
Maybe a walk?
This time, the reply came quickly.How about I just come over, and we can make a plan?
Grace rolled her eyes, but she sent a thumbs-up back. Alex was probably tired because of his event tonight. He hated events like these; they always put him in a bad mood. When he came over tomorrow, they could still go out.
Alex arrived the following evening after work. He smiled at Grace as he stepped inside. Then his eyes narrowed as his gaze drifted to her shoes and the purse she was holding.
“Did you just get home?” he asked, his tone suspicious.
“No, I thought we could go out,” Grace replied brightly, urging him back toward the door with one hand.
“I’m tired. Can’t we stay in?”
“Well, the nursery is done, and I have something I wanted us to talk about.”
“We can talk here. We can order takeout. Or I can run and pick something up.”
Grace paused, hands on her hips, and stared at Alex. “What’s up with you today? I just want to go have dinner out. Is that really such a big deal?”
“It’s nothing.” Alex moved past her to take off his shoes and headed for the couch. Grace followed, increasingly annoyed. He’d clearly made a unilateral decision that they were staying in, and she didn’t understand why he wouldn’t budge.
“No, seriously. I’d like to go out tonight. I get thatyoudon’t, but we need to at least have a conversation about it instead of you just making up your mind for both of us.”
“Fine, let’s have a conversation.” Alex patted the couch beside him. “Come, sit down.”
Grace didn’t. “I’d like to go out because then we can talk about some things. And we never go out to eat—we always meet here. It’s nice to mix things up. Why don’t you want to go?”
“I told you. I’m tired.”
Grace sighed. “Okay. I get it. How about we go out tomorrow, then?” She didn’t really want to wait, but she was in no mood to have a deep conversation about feelings and the future now, either.
There was a long pause. “I’ll probably be tired tomorrow, too.”
