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“Well, you weren’t the only one responsible, Tina,” Libby said, deciding to let the whole “perfect” thing slide for now. There was a lot for her to think about and examine later, but this wasn’t about her. It was about her friend. “The father had some accountability as well.”
“I know. But I was on the pill, and I thought we were okay.”
“Who was the father?” Libby asked, the question only now occurring to her. She had been so focused on Tina’s story she hadn’t even thought about the other party. Tina shifted uncomfortably and moved out of her embrace. She diverted her gaze to the floor, and Libby frowned, not liking her furtiveness.
“That was the other thing . . . I didn’t want to tarnish one of your dearest friendships. And because of the circumstances surrounding our, um, sexual encounter, I didn’t really want him to know about the pregnancy. I was scared if I told you about it, you would confront him.”
“Who? Who are you talking about?” Libby asked, even while a niggling suspicion formed in the back of her mind.
Tina chewed on her thumbnail for a moment before sucking in a deep, bracing breath. She released the breath on his name. “Harris.”
And Libby’s insides froze.
Of course. It explained so much. Tina’s animosity toward the man, for one thing. Her avoidance of him, for another.
“Harris?” Libby repeated, her voice flat. These revelations had her absolutely reeling in shock.
Harris? How could he do something like this? Even at twenty he had always seemed like a decent man. A dependable man with scruples and a good heart. But she couldn’t reconcile the image she had of the man she thought she knew with the type of guy who would sleep with an eighteen-year-old and then abandon her.
Everything Libby had once believed about the people closest to her had been a lie or an elaborate facade. Every single thing she had thought she knew about Greyson, Harris, and Tina lay in ruins around her. These people she had once assumed were so perfect were all truly flawed, and Libby felt like her worldview had fundamentally shifted.
“He doesn’t know about my pregnancy,” Tina said hastily, and Libby’s focus shifted back to Tina, where it belonged.
“Why not?” she asked, still feeling a little dazed.
“Because . . . our one time together was a mistake.”
“Did he take advantage of you?”
Tina’s eyes widened. She seemed surprised by Libby’s rather old-fashioned question. “No. Oh my God. Of course not. You know I had a huge crush on him back then. If anything, I think maybe I took advantage of him. He was drunk or high or something. I didn’t know it at the time . . . he seemed so normal. It was only afterward that I realized he was completely wasted. And I felt humiliated. Like he needed, I don’t know, alcohol or whatever to find me attractive.” Tina was being very cagey, and Libby knew that she was still not telling her everything. It was frustrating, and she hated that. What other shocking truths could she possibly have to reveal?
“Please don’t tell him about the baby. I will. I have to . . . eventually. But he needs to hear it from me. Okay?”
Libby nodded, wanting to know more but letting it slide, because she could see that her friend was at the end of her emotional tether.
“I still think Greyson should watch Clara at my house. I don’t want you to feel pressured into dealing with more than you have to, Tina. I understand how hard this must be for you,” she said, and Tina looked alarmed by her words.
“Oh, no, Libby. I like having her around here. Sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming, but that’s good. I need to learn to cope. Having her around has done so much more good than harm. She and Greyson can stay in the office. Please.”
Libby stared at her friend for a long moment but could see nothing but sincerity in her gaze. She nodded. “Okay. But I think you should take tonight’s dinner service off. Reliving all of this couldn’t have been easy. You can deal with Greyson and Clara in your space tomorrow night. And then you have to promise me you’ll let me know if it’s too much for you to handle.”
Tina gave her a watery smile and bobbed her head in agreement.
“And Tina? You’re my best friend. I tell you everything, but it would be nice if you started telling me more as well. How can I be your best friend when I don’t know what’s going on with you?”
“I’m sorry,” Tina said. “I just didn’t want to burden you.”
“That’s what friendships are about. Why deal with the crap the world throws at you solo? When you have a friend who can help you work through it?”
