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“I called first but you didn’t pick up.”
Her phone was still in her bag, where she’d dropped it before a late meeting with a prospective client couple expecting their first child. “It’s still on silent,” she said aloud, taking it out and holding the screen up for him. He didn’t step in, just stood there in his suit and tie and held out a key.
“I’m heading to L.A. and just thought, with me moving down there, you should have a key to my condo. Just in case.”
He was moving? At eight o’clock on a Wednesday night?
She reached for the key. “Your offer was accepted on the property?”
“Not yet, but I have every reason to expect it will be, I want my guys there Friday morning. We’ll need to apply for permits and want to get that process going immediately.”
Oh. The whole contractor thing, getting going on an actual formation of a building—making it real—had come fast.
He’d be out of town when she took the pregnancy test the next day. They hadn’t talked about her plans, or his part in them, since the day they’d visited the clinic together, but he knew the process, the timing.
He knew that tomorrow was her big day.
And yet he chose that day to go to L.A. and buy his property. His statement couldn’t be clearer: he was moving on.
Which was good, because so was she.
“When will you be back?”
“Friday night or Saturday.”
Mallory blinked. “That’s only two days.”
Chin jutting, he nodded. The porch light was bright, putting his dark hair in a spotlight but leaving his face in shadow.
“So, you aren’t moving yet.”
His shrug was so...him. It left her needing more. “I’m not going to be moving much of my stuff, just some clothes and personal items, but since I’m keeping my place here, I figured I’d buy new there. When the time comes.”
Made sense, she guessed, though she didn’t think she’d like having two sets of belongings. She’d want the red sweater with the crop sleeves that didn’t itch, and it would be in her other place. The truth settled on her, though. She was a homebody. Braden was not.
Maybe that had been part of their problem without either of them knowing it. Or acknowledging it if they had.
“Okay, well, I’m heading out,” he said, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek. She almost turned her head and opened her mouth.
And she was shocked by the sudden instinct to do so.
Must be hormones.
If she was pregnant.
“Be safe,” she said to his back.
“Always,” he called with a raise of his hand and was gone.
Leaving her standing there holding his key, wishing she’d had that kiss.
* * *
He was going to be back Friday night or Saturday, but he’d brought her a key to his place. Presumably to be able to let someone in if he had a problem, needed service or something sprang a leak.
He hadn’t said. She could only guess.
So, did that mean that he’d be back over the weekend but leaving again almost immediately?
