“Not the first time I’ve thought it,” he says.
I grin, suddenly certain. “I love you, too.”
Chapter 72
Liz, June 14
“I think I found a little house, actually, that should be available in October. I’ll have the realtor send you some photos.” Ben and I are on Skype while I attempt to paint my toenails before they vanish under the belly for good. I’m failing miserably. When I try to reposition, I nearly topple off the bed, one leg kicking out like a clumsy ballerina.
Ben chuckles. I glare. He laughs harder.
“You know I could just do that for you next month,” he says, still smirking.
“You’re going to paint my toenails?”
“Sure, why not?”
I raise an eyebrow. “I just never pictured you steady with nail polish.”
“Well, I’ll try anything once,” he grins. “If I’m terrible, we’ll pay someone to fix it.”
This time I laugh with him.
My phone trills beside me. Expecting spam, I glance casually and then freeze. My brain refuses to register the name until I look again.
Matt.
Ben looks up from his papers. “What?”
I hold up the phone. “It’s Matt.”
“Take it. Should I call you back?”
“No. This won’t be long.” I swipe to answer. “Hello?”
“Liz, it’s Matt. How, um… how are you?”
His voice drags me straight back to that restaurant: waiting alone and humiliated. I grit my teeth. “I’m fine.” The edge in my tone is impossible to hide.
“How’s the baby?”
“She’s healthy. On track. Everything’s great.” My pride swells a little; I’ve handled every appointment, every bill, every plan. Without him.
“Good.”
Silence stretches. I roll my eyes. “Matt, is that all?”
“Well… actually, I don’t know how to say this.”
“Just blurt it out.”
“I’m in a new relationship.”
I blink. “Congratulations.” And why the hell do I need this memo?
“She’s great. But she won’t understand our situation.”
“Matt, we don’t have a situation.”
