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Hailey looks surprised. “Really? That long, huh?”
She places her French-manicured hand on her stomach which pulls her dress against her body. My eyes widen at the same time Gavin’s do when we notice her small, yet obvious baby bump.
“You’re pregnant?” Gavin says, staring at the spot where her hand is resting.
Hailey rubs a little circle over her bump before dropping her hand to the side. “Yes, I am. In a few more weeks, I’ll know the sex of the baby.”
“Congratulations,” I offer lamely.
Hailey turns her attention back to me and smiles. “Why, thank you, Kat. That’s very kind of you to say.”
“How far along are you?” I ask.
Jesus Christ, could this situation be any more awkward? The only reason I’m even talking right now is because Gavin has turned into some kind of mute.
“A little over four months,” she says. “I can’t believe I’m showing so quickly. My OB says everything is perfectly normal, though.”
“Well, you look great.” I clear my throat. “Gavin, don’t you think she looks great?”
He’s staring into space. “Huh?”
I kick his shin under the table. “Earth to Gavin!”
He winces and rubs the spot where I may have hit a little too hard. “Sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?”
Before I get the chance to repeat my question, Hailey speaks. “Gavin, I didn’t mean to interrupt your lunch. I was just walking back to my office anyway. We’ll catch up another time. Okay?”
He finally lifts his gaze and makes eye contact with her. “Yeah…we will.”
I wait until Hailey is out of earshot. “What the fuck was that, Gavin?”
Instead of answering me, he stands up, pulls money out of his wallet and throws it on the table. “Let’s go.”
“What?” I ask. “Our food hasn’t even arrived yet.”
“I lost my appetite. I can get you something back at the house if you’d like.”
“What is going on with you? Why are you in such a shitty mood all of a sudden?”
He gives me a look that seems to say, do you really have to ask?
“Okay, I understand how seeing your ex-wife could do that, but why should we let it ruin our lunch? We were having a perfectly nice time before she showed up.”
He rakes his hand through his hair. “Kat, please. I’d just really like to go back to the house right now. I’m…tired. I think I’ll take a nap. Please don’t fight me on this.”
“Fine,” I huff as I grab my purse. “Let’s go.”
So much for carefree, stress-free Gavin.
“Gavin, please tell me what’s going through your head,” I beg.
“For the millionth time, there’s nothing to tell. When I have something to tell you, I’ll tell you.”
“What do you mean, when you have something?”
He shakes his head. “I meant if I had something.”
I groan in frustration. Gavin’s been acting strangely since we ran into his ex-wife almost a month ago. I keep trying to talk to him and he keeps brushing me off with the same pithy response. I know something’s wrong; he’s pretending everything’s fine but my gut says otherwise. Things between us have been strained. Why won’t he talk to me? Is he upset because Hailey’s starting a family with someone else? Does he wish it were with him? Honestly, the only way we’ve really connected since we’ve returned from Sausalito is sexually. It’s the one thing we seem capable of doing right. As irritated as I am with him, my body still craves his without fail. I know he loves me; I can feel it in his touch. But I can’t help but wonder if he has regrets about leaving Hailey. I can’t think of any other explanation for this distance between us.
