Even so, I know the guards will tell Armani I left the property, so I have a shopping bag in hand with a ready excuse: I’m returning a few of the new baby things that didn’t match the nursery. If Armani watches the GPS tracker for my vehicle, which I’m sure he will, he’ll see me visiting Frankie first and then going to the boutique to make the return.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Praying that I don’t run into any of the Bellantis on my way out, I brace myself to get stopped by security as I drive out of the garage or followed when I pull onto the main road. But nobody chases after me. I get to Frankie and Dante’s house in less than five minutes.
There’s only one car in the driveway, and it’s Frankie’s. I let out a breath of relief. I had figured Dante would be at work, and Frankie would be up with the baby. This is perfect.
She answers right away when I knock on the door and looks genuinely happy to see me.
“Hi again. Wasn’t expecting you back so soon. Did Armani apologize yet?”
“No. He didn’t,” I say with a sigh.
Lili Grace rests in the crook of Frankie’s arm. My hand slides to my abdomen instinctively as I start to worry about the baby all over again.
What if something goes wrong today and the baby gets hurt?
“Ugh.” She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. Do you want to sit and talk for a bit? It’s just me and Lili.”
“I’d love that. If it’s not too much trouble.”
Waving me inside, she says, “Not at all. Do you want some tea? I just made a pot of chamomile lavender. It’s supposed to be calming. Sounds like we both need a cup.”
“Yes, please. I’m sorry to intrude on you, I just…don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
Frankie leads me to the living room, sits me down, and hands me the baby. Surprised, but very pleased, I take the tiny bundle and hold Lili close to my chest.
“You’re a natural,” she says with a wink. “Figured you could use the practice.”
“Thank you.”
She nods. “Let me get you that tea.”
She disappears to the kitchen and comes back with an extra mug. Then she pours us each a cup, adding a spoon of honey to hers and then mine when I nod my approval.
“So,” she says. “Armani’s being a jerk to you, you’ve got the pressure of knowing a baby is on the way, and you’re dealing with a bunch of fun pregnancy hormones on top of all that, so everything feels like the end of the world even if it’s not. Boy, does that sound familiar.”
“Does it? Tell me more.”
I adjust my arm so the weight of the baby is supported by the sofa’s armrest and then carefully sip my tea with my free hand.
“Dante and I were having a lot of problems when I moved to Florida last year. My plan was to hide out at my mom’s and basically try to build a new life without him. I didn’t know I was pregnant at the time, but once I did, I was even more determined to make it on my own. But it didn’t take long for him to come after me. Men always want what they can’t have.”
“Wow. I didn’t know all that back story. Are you suggesting that I run away, too?”
She laughs and sets her mug down. “Honestly, it couldn’t hurt. Although I doubt you’ll get far with all the security lurking around these days. Not that we don’t need it, just to be safe.”
“Yeah,” I say with a deep sigh.
Then I look up at her innocently.
Here goes nothing.
“I just wish there was somewhere I could go be by myself for a few days. Like a mini retreat. I could reset and clear my head. And give Armani some space to think things over, too.”
She nods sympathetically, looks off into the distance, and then—I see it. The moment her eyes light up with a brilliant solution.
Hopefully, the exact same solution that I came here today to coax her into offering me.
