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“I’d know eventually,” Jake said, looking down at her belly, and the cashier laughed.

“You’re really asking for it,” Geri said, turning red.

When her turn to empty the basket came, she was stony, nostrils pinched, and he knew he’d made her angry. Nothing he could say would smooth it over either. The best thing to do was to shut up and let her work it out on her own.

On the walk out, the atmosphere was cordial if not a little strained. As they loaded bags into the trunk of her little car, she decided to address it a final time.

“I wonder if this is just a symptom of us not knowing each other. You were raised by a stay-at-home mom. Your father would have probably doted, too. Big Mike is going to have a terrible time when he comes back to work because our roles have definitely changed. He wasn’t the protector, I was.”

“That should be interesting.”

“I just made up my mind. I don’t want to tell anyone about the baby until it’s unavoidable.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want, that’s what I’ll do.”

“It’s what I want.” She threw him the keys. “I’m too upset to drive.”

“Geri, I’m sorry. Calm down.”

“I also hate it when people tell me to calm down. It makes me want to punch them in the face.”

“Ha! I’m sorry. Stay pissed, then.”

“It’s the hormones. I might not survive this.”

“You’ll be fine. I aggravated you. Once I’m out of your hair, you’ll feel better.”

“I don’t want you out of my hair. What are you going to do now?” she asked.

“Same thing you’re going to do. Laundry, studying, vegging. I can’t believe we have to go back to work tomorrow.”

“Yes, but then one more work shift and our cruise!”

He pulled her car into his development and through the parking lot, pulling into a space in front of his building.

“Do you want to come in for lunch?”

“I’d better get home, but thank you.”

Stretching across the console to kiss him, Geri wasn’t the most demonstrative woman, and Jake didn’t take it for granted when she did that.

They got out to unload his groceries and kissed again before he climbed the stairway.

“Talk to you later,” he said, biting his tongue not to tell her to be careful.

“I’ll call you when I get home.”

It was something he would normally ask her to do, but in light of their talk at the grocery store, another thing he’d avoid. He looked down at her from his door and laughed.

“Oh, thank you.”

“I do appreciate your concern for me,” she said, pleading for understanding.

“I know you do. I just have to learn not to harp.”

She waved and got into the driver’s seat, watching him open the apartment door, disappear and close the door. After their talk, he wouldn’t dare stand there and watch her leave, would he? But as she backed out of the space, she saw the curtain move just a little bit.

Chapter 8

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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