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“Mick?”
“We’re right on time.” He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, punched in a few numbers and held it up to his ear. “Hey, we’re outside.” He nodded. “Great, thanks.” Then he turned off the phone and dropped it back into his pocket.
Caro could only shake her head, wrapping her jacket tighter around herself in the cool evening air. “No way. There’s no way you’re getting us into the closed art museum.”
“Oh, ye of little faith.”
Caro rolled her eyes, watching the door, almost holding her breath. To visit the institute during the day, when the museum was open, had been one of her major thrills back in her college days. She’d minored in art appreciation and had loved nothing more than spending rainy weekend afternoons inside the quiet building, standing in awe before some of her favorite paintings.
In those days, Mick had usually been at a basketball game or a guys-drinking-beer-in-the-woods kind of thing.
When no one came to the door, she blew out a disappointed breath and glared at him. “Okay, ha ha, I almost fell for it. It’s too late for practical jokes.”
“It’s never too late for practical jokes,” he replied. “Not that thisisone.”
“Come on, where are we really going?”
“Trust me.”
Moments later, to her surprise, the door opened. Caroline watched in shock as a heavily pregnant young brunette opened the door and beckoned them inside.
“Mick, you came!”
She had her arms around his shoulders and her big belly against his flat one not ten seconds after they entered the building. Mick hugged her back and Caro felt her spine stiffen the tiniest bit. Then she gave herself a mental kick. Old habits died hard, but the one of her not trusting Mick around other women really had to go and she knew it. Besides, this very pregnant woman appeared to have a very big ring on her finger and a happy, contented smile on her face.
“I can’t believe you managed to get him here,” the woman said to Caro. “I’ve offered so many times and sent invites to all the openings and parties and he’s never come.”
“That’s because the people that come to those things are the walking dead types who actuallylikeart openings and the opera and stuff.”
“Invite him to a bikini contest and he’ll be first in line,” Caro said, extending her hand.
Mick stepped back and slid his arm casually around Caro’s waist. “Caroline, this is Maddy Josephson.” He pointed to the woman’s stomach. “And that is my goddaughter, Michaela.”
Maddy rolled her eyes as she said hello to Caro. Then she added, “I told you we’re keeping quiet on the gender. You don’t even know if it’s a girl.”
“I like girls,” he said.
“No kidding,” she said with a droll laugh. Then she continued, “And if it is a girl, her name willnotbe Michaela.”
He didn’t give up. “Micki’s cute for a girl.”
“Just because you don’t ever plan to settle down and have kids doesn’t mean we have to name our kids after you.” Then, apparently realizing she’d said something insensitive, Maddy flushed a little. “Sorry,” she said to Caroline. “That was Mick’s attitude in theolddays.”
“Which is why you never went out with me after our first date,” he told the pretty, pregnant woman.
Sheesh. An evening with another of Mick’s exes.
“Will we be running into anyone youhaven’tdated during this visit?” she couldn’t help asking. “Because I don’t think traffic is banned on Michigan Avenue and there are always big trucks around.”
He laughed, obviously remembering her threat to push him in front of a truck in Derryville last Saturday.
“Don’t worry,” Maddy said, playfully punching Mick on the upper arm. “We were just friends. He set me up with his best friend, Sam.” She gestured to her stomach. “And the rest is history. Mick was even our best man.”
Caro gave the woman a big smile, somehow relaxing in her chatterbox company. “So I guess Mickispartially responsible for the conception of little, uh…Michele?”
Maddy thought it over, then nodded. “I guess he is.”
“Oh, please, don’t let the word get out, it’ll ruin my reputation,” Mick said, looking offended. “As if I could ever have anything to do with procreation that didn’t involve…well…the act that procreates.”
