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Craig pulls away from Karina and sits in a chair beside me. He tries to take my hand in his, but I resist.
“Karina and I were married right out of high school,” he explains. “A year ago, we split up. A few months after that, we tried to reconcile, but we couldn’t make it work. It wasn’t until the divorce papers were signed that we found out Karina was pregnant.”
Sounds legit, and I can’t even be mad because Karina is so darn cute, and Craig’s about to be a daddy. “Why did you tell your parents we’ve been together for a few weeks? I just met him tonight,” I tell his parents.
Lorraine inhales and covers her mouth.
Craig sighs. “Karina started dating this guy named James, and all she does is talk about him and spend time with him. I was jealous and a little sad, so I told them I have a girlfriend.”
Karina inserts herself between Craig and me. “You’re jealous?”
“Hell yes, I’m jealous. I love you, Karina. You and that baby are mine. Always have been, always will be. I never should’ve signed those divorce papers.”
A collective gasp fills the room, and that’s when I notice everyone in the restaurant staring at us. Can’t say I blame them.
Karina throws herself at Craig. “I love you, too.”
“You do?”
She nods. The two ex-lovebirds kiss, and it’s the sweetest thing. This is what I want—minus the pregnant part or the divorce part. I want someone to look at me the way Karina and Craig look at each other.
“Marry me?” Craig asks, and of course, Karina says, “Yes!”
Lorraine claps, Teddy lets out a loud whoop, and I can’t help it, I start laughing. I’m laughing because I’m happy for this crazy couple and this family, and that baby and also maybe because Aiden was right.
God, I hate it when he’s right.
The more I think about my stupid love life, the more I laugh, only I’m no longer laughing, I’m sobbing.
I’m a sobbing, single mess.
Craig and Karina pull me into a hug. Awkward, I know, but right now, I really need a hug, and I can’t go to Aiden for one because the only thing worse than knowing he’s right is admitting it.
“She needs pie. Get her pie,” Lorraine tells Teddy.
“On it.”
A second later, Teddy slides an oversized slice of warm apple pie in front of me along with a fork and a glass of milk. “This should do the trick.”
“Thank you.” I sniff, wipe a tear, and take a bite. “This is delicious. And you two are going to make wonderful parents,” I say, waving my fork between Craig and Karina.
“Thank you.” Craig sits down and tugs Karina onto his lap. “I’m sorry about all of this.”
I shrug a shoulder. “Don’t be. Surprisingly enough, this has been one of the better dates I’ve been on.”
“That’s sad,” Karina says.
“Tell me about it. Do you guys mind if I have a moment to myself?” I ask Craig, his family, and all of the patrons who are still nosing their way into our business.
“Not at all.” Craig pats my back. Karina smiles, and Lorraine hangs back until her family is out of sight. She rests a hand on my shoulder. “You’ll find the right man.”
“Who needs a man when I have pie?”
“Amen, sister.”
Two hours later, I walk into my apartment building. I peek around the corner to make sure Aiden is nowhere to be seen and run for my door, shove my key into the lock, and slip inside. I press my back against the door and close my eyes.
I hate this. I hate the way tonight ended, and I hate fighting with Aiden. Worse, I hate that I couldn’t go over there like I wanted to do. Yes, I could’ve, but he was an asshole today, so he can come to me. Happy with that decision, I nod and push away from the door. After watering my one and only plant, I change into my pajamas, grab my laptop and blanket, and plop onto the couch.
