“I know, but we should share the expense.”
“We’ll you’re a poor student. I have plenty of money saved since the house sold.”
“That’s for a new house!”
“I’ll cope. Don’t feel bad. I want to buy all this stuff, and I work full-time. Now, what do you fancy to eat?” She gave me a guilty smile, and I rolled my eyes. “Let me guess, you want to go to a supermarket and get picnic type food to eat back at mine because you want cocktail sausages?”
Her smile stretched. “You’re the best.”
I stood between my soon-to-be ex-wife and the woman that was having my baby. Both faced each other, bumps almost touching. Abby’s was a lot bigger. She was only a few weeks ahead, but it looked like months. My little girl really was small.
“How’re you getting on?” Abby asked, giving me an accusing look that screamed see-I-knew-you-wanted-to-sleep-with-her. Back when I was with Abby, I genuinely hadn’t wanted anything from Holly. That wasn’t the type of guy I was.
“Good, thanks. You?” I replied.
“Fine. How’s your pregnancy going, Holly?”
Holly took a subtle step closer to me, and I hated that she felt uncomfortable or vulnerable. I wrapped my arm around her waist, not caring what Abby thought. Holly was the important one, and I didn’t want her to think I was going to run back to my ex and leave her to go through the pregnancy alone – or whatever she was thinking that made her so uncomfortable.
“It’s going well. Yours? You look really good.”
Abby smiled, but it was bitter.
“Thanks, mine’s going well too. I’ve not even been sick.”
“No, I’ve not had much sickness either.”
But she’s made up for that with hormones.
“How’s Brett?” I asked and felt Holly tense.
Abby’s eyebrows twitched and she suddenly stood taller.
“He’s fine too, excited for the baby’s arrival. We’re not together though.”
Same situation as us. I watched Abby smile up at me the way she used to, and I was relieved to notice I felt nothing for her anymore. She wasn’t the person I thought she was. It didn’t bother me whether she was with Brett or not.
“We’re excited too, aren’t we, Hol?”
“Can’t wait,” she replied, pressing her side against mine.
“I heard you were back at university, Holly. That must be stressful.”
“Not really. I love my course and my pregnancy is going just fine. I’m more focused because I have to get as much done before she comes.”
“She? You know what you’re having?”
“No, but we always say she,” Holly explained.
“Oh, well that’s cute,” Abby said in a tone I knew all too well. She’d used it when I told her I wanted to work at The Centre. Abby thought I could do more with my life but after watching my sister build it up and change peoples’ lives I realised there was nothing I’d rather do than be part of something that gave so much back. The day a four-year-old girl called Georgie came for her first ballet class was the day I was sure I’d done the right thing by working there. She’d had her legs amputated after contracting meningitis when she was just six months old, and The Centre raised money for her to have new prosthetic legs that allowed her to move around like any other child. Being part of that wasn’t a waste.
“What about you? Do you know?”
“No, we decided to wait. Although Brett is desperate to find out.”
I gritted my teeth at her mentioning his name. He had the life I thought I was going to have, and I hated him for it. I didn’t want Abby back, but I hated how we ended. Me and Holly being parents wasn’t a mistake, but a baby born out of casual sex was not what I thought was going to happen.
“How’s work going?” I asked.
“Good. Busy so the days fly by. I’m looking forward to being off with the little one, but I’m also anxious to get back and not miss any opportunities.”
Her career still came first. Though I couldn’t blame her for making it a priority – kids grew up, and you still had to have a life – but I would’ve thought returning to work wouldn’t be something you looked forward to before your baby was even born. Surely, you’d want to enjoy the time at home with your family before you worried about going back?
“Glad it’s going well. Anyway, we should get going. Someone’s got a craving I need to see to.” Holly smiled, trying not to laugh. Yeah, that might have sounded a little wrong. “Take care, Abby,” I said, not bothering to correct it because it really didn’t matter what she thought we were doing.
Holly and I walked away and turned down the next aisle.
“If you do have any of those cravings, let me know,” I whispered in her ear, making her laugh. The air changed – charged. We both wanted it. But we were in the middle of the supermarket. It would have to wait.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Holly