When she opened her eyes, he was gone from view. Her tears dried up quickly as she thought about the hateful words they’d exchanged, though surprisingly they didn’t bother her as much as they probably would another woman. They’d each said hurtful things, meant to prey on each other’s insecurities with a practiced finesse on both sides. In a strange way, they canceled each other out, and she almost marveled at the skill it took to verbally spar so evenly with someone. In a grudging admission of respect, she had to recognize that part of her—a very sick and cerebral part of her—had even enjoyed it, up to and including the insults he thought would hurt the most.
She took a deep, even breath and exhaled into the night.
All that remained now was the fading taste of him in her mouth and the throbbing of her heart as she thought about their kiss. The way her body had reacted to him—blossoming, opening, arching closer, reaching for him like she was a sunflower and he was the sun. She couldn’t remember ever responding to a man with such vulnerability, like they were plugged into each other in a way that was safe and real.
For just a moment, she wondered what it would have been like to give in…to sleep with him. And for that moment, her heart trembled with such unfulfilled longing, it almost flattened her, because…
You’re a bitch…and…we basically hate each other.
Now she’d never know.
But at least she’d been strong, and their anger toward each other would eventually fade, wouldn’t it? Of course it would. And in the meantime, she hadn’t fucked her best friend’s brand-new brother-in-law, which meant that she had no regrets.
At least that’s what she told herself as she turned back to Kate’s wedding, walking into a room of joyful revelry with an unexpectedly heavy heart.
Chapter 3
“I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since your wedding!” cried Libitz, jumping up to close the door of her office so that she could talk to KK without interruption. “How was the honeymoon?”
“Heaven,” said Kate, her voice gooey, and Libitz could perfectly picture her best friend’s dreamy expression.
“Mooréa. God, that’s so romantic. I followed your pics on Facebook, but you have to tell me everything!”
“I will. I promise,” she said. Kate paused, and when she spoke again, her voice had gotten very serious very quickly. “But, Lib…I have something else to tell you first.”
Libitz had been straightening the orders and invoices on her desk, but now she froze, worried by the grave tone of KK’s voice. “Wha—I mean…is everything okay?”
Kate sighed. “Are you sitting down?”
Libitz lowered her hands to the edge of her desk and sat down as a shot of adrenaline made her heart race into high gear. “Now I am. Kate, you’re scarin—”
“I’m having a baby!” shrieked Kate, all pretense gone as joy warmed her voice. “I’m sixteen weeks pregnant!”
Libitz’s eyes flew open as she slumped back into her chair and sighed loudly. “You scared the shit out of me!”
“Ha ha!” Kate giggled. “Sorry! I didn’t want you to guess, and you’re so freaky about always knowing exactly what I’m thinking, so I…oh, Lib, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
Libitz laughed, nodding her head and sitting up. “Yeah. I’m okay. And you’re…KK, you’re pregs? Wait a second! Sixteen weeks? You were pregnant at your wedding!”
“Pays to be fuller-figured once in a while,” said Kate. “No one knew. étienne and I decided to keep it a secret until after the honeymoon.”
“A baby,” sighed Libitz. “Oh, my God, Kate. You’re going to be a mom! Soon!”
“Uh-huh,” said Kate. “Christmastime.”
“Chanukah-time,” corrected Libitz.
“The best time,” said Kate. “And Lib, we just found out this morning…we’re having a girl.”
Libitz didn’t expect the sob that escaped from her throat, but her eyes swelled with tears as she pictured her best friend holding a beautiful baby girl. “KK. That’s amazing.” She sniffled softly, sitting up in her chair and wiping her tears away. “But promise me you won’t name her something seasonal like ‘Holly’ or ‘Merry,’ okay?”
“Too late!” Kate giggled, the sound so happy that Libitz chuckled too. “We already decided on Noelle.”
Libitz groaned. “I should have guessed.”
“We also decided something else…” Libitz took a deep breath, sensing the importance of whatever Kate was about to say. “We want you to be Noelle’s godmother, Lib.”
Her breath caught and she blinked back more tears. Though she would have insisted on being Noelle’s surrogate auntie, she hadn’t expected an honor this great.
“But Kate, I’m…Jewish.”
“Same God,” said Kate gently but firmly. “Besides, we checked. Since Jean-Christian is Catholic, you don’t have to be.”
The loud sound of tires screeching in her head made Libitz scowl.
“Wait. What? What does he have to do with it?”
“Oh,” said Kate, giggling softly, “I forgot to mention. We want him to be Noelle’s godfather. étienne’s talking to him tonight.”
“But why?” blurted out Libitz, horrified at the idea of Kate’s smarmy brother-in-law being allowed anywhere near her goddaughter. And God! She’d have to stand up next to him in a church again? Gah! No!
“Ummm”—Kate’s voice was a mix of amused and bemused—“because he’s her uncle? Who else would we choose?”
“Stratton?” demanded Libitz. “Barrett, Fitz, Alex, Wes?”
“I love them, but they’re not—”
“Literally, anyone else on the face of the planet!”