She just couldn’t do it. Paulie was turning into a good friend, but it wouldn’t be right for her to be buying her stuff.
“Listen,” Paulie said, the laughter gone from her eyes. “Here’s how it is. I get along well with Kevin’s family and the other women who work here, but I haven’t had a girlfriend in forever. I miss that. And you know my history, so you know I can go out and blow some money without having to explain how I got it. I’m in the mood for a good shopping binge and I’ve barely used my credit card lately.”
“I don’t know.” It didn’t seem right.
“There’s no classy way to say this, so I’ll just say it straight out. I could buy you one of everything in the mall—including the new cars they put on display in the center court—and not touch the interest on one of my trust funds.”
Beth couldn’t even begin to wrap her mind around that kind of money. To buy anything that captured your fancy without even glancing at the price tag? Totally unreal.
Paulie clasped her hands together, begging. “Come on, Beth. Let’s splurge. Spend some of my grandmother’s money.”
She was caving. Although she wanted to be responsible and politely decline, she couldn’t stop the rush of excitement. She hadn’t had a girlfriend in a long time, either.
“Just a couple pairs of pants, maybe,” she finally said. “And if the Kowalskis do throw me a baby shower, you can’t give me another gift.”
“Okay.” Paulie managed an innocent look but not an ounce of sincerity in her voice.
“I mean it. Just some pants. Two pair.”
“Okay.”
***
Despite Kevin’s inability to bring himself to ride balls to the wall like he usually did, the guys did make it back into town in time for supper. There was a pub they liked—one that catered to snowmobilers and didn’t mind coats and bibs draped everywhere—and they each ordered the steak. It wasn’t some chain-restaurant girly steak, either. It was a steak.
Beth would be at work, he thought, staring morosely down into his beer. On her feet all night, carrying trays of food and running laps with the coffee pot. And since she didn’t look pregnant yet, they wouldn’t know to cut her some slack.
“Kevin.” He looked up at his father’s tone, embarrassed to be caught moping. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I’ve got a delicate situation with a woman.”
Mike snorted. “You mean other than the fact you knocked one up you barely knew?”
“You’re a funny guy.” He took a long pull off his beer. “I’m serious.”
“You should talk to your mother,” Leo said, slapping his shoulder. “She’s good at delicate woman situations.”
“Ma’s not here. You guys are. And you did ask.”
“Then shoot.” Joe leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “But don’t blame us if the advice sucks.”
“We’re going to need more beer.” Evan waved to the waitress and ordered another round. “I’ve been married to your sister so long I’m the master of delicate.”
Mike snorted. “Terry? Delicate?”
“Not that she’s delicate. I meant that I have some experience with delicate situations—walking on eggshells, if you know what I mean.”
When they all had a fresh Sam Adams—and a Coke for Joe—Kevin picked at the corner of the label and tried to figure out where to start.
“So…Beth can be a little prickly.”
They all laughed and Mike said, “Dude, you think she’s prickly now? Wait until she can’t see her feet.”
Kevin threw a balled-up napkin at his brother. “Shut up, asshole.”
“Boys.” When Leo spoke, they all quieted down. “Okay. Out with it, Kevin, or we’ll be too drunk to find our rooms by the time you’re done.”
“Beth is touchy when it comes to accepting help. She’s very independent and hung up on boundaries, so it’s a total battle to get her to accept the smallest thing from me.”
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Evan said. “A lot of women would be sucking you dry. Probably even with the court system’s assistance.”
“Maybe the court system could assist me in convincing Beth to become a kept woman.”
Not surprisingly, that brought on another bout of laughter, but this one went on and on, long enough for him to drain a third of his beer.
Then his dad started coughing until Mike and Joe thumped him on the back a few times. “You trying to kill me, Kevin? Kept woman? Welcome to the twenty-first century, son.”
“What else would you call it? She can’t be on her feet all day, waiting tables. I want her to quit her job and let me take care of her financially, but it was freakin’ World War Three when I bought her a cellphone.”
“Women work right up to their due dates,” Mike pointed out. “Even waitresses. Then it’s maternity leave, unpaid for her, then back to work.”