The Friends We Keep

One corner of Jairus’s mouth twitched. “Yes. I wrote them.”


“Oh, right. Well, that means Brad and I are going to be together for a few more years. It’s not that I hate him, but if you’re expecting me to be wild about him, I’m not. And if your whole house is a shrine to Brad, then there’s a problem, because I am not a groupie.”

“You’re saying you’re not in this for my cartoon alter ego?”

“Exactly.”

“Good.”

He leaned forward and kissed her. Just a light brush of his mouth against hers. Simple. Easy. A little zing whipped through her, starting at her toes and working its way up. When Jairus straightened, she was the tiniest bit out of breath.

“I’m going to call you,” he promised.

“Okay.”

“You’re going to answer.”

She grinned. “I will.”

“We’ll do this again.”

“I’d like that.”

He waited until she got in her car, then waved and walked away. She drove out of the parking lot, then turned toward her house. As she pulled into her driveway, her phone buzzed. She parked, then looked at her phone.

I’m not calling. It’s too soon to call, because that would make me look needy. I’m saying good night. Brad says good night, too, but you probably don’t want to know that.

Nicole laughed, then tapped her phone. Tell Brad I’m sorry I judged him so harshly.

He understands. He’s a forgiving sort of guy.

Nice to know. I had a good time.

Me, too. Night.

Nicole walked up to the front door. Dating wasn’t so hard, she thought happily. At least not anymore.

*

Andrew poured two glasses of brandy and handed one to Gabby. She settled at one end of the big leather sofa in his office. The kids were in bed, the office door closed for privacy. Boomer lay on the ottoman and Jasmine was stretched along the back of the sofa. Andrew took his seat and closed his eyes.

“Hell of a Saturday,” he said.

“I know.” Gabby inhaled the scent of the brandy before taking a sip. Dieting meant trying to avoid liquor, but she thought maybe an exception could be made considering what they’d been through.

“Thomas seems reasonable,” she murmured. “But Lisa’s just awful.”

“She runs the family and she’s going to be difficult.” Andrew took a drink, then leaned back and scratched Jasmine under the ears. “Boyd’s not staying.”

“What do you mean?”

He shifted his gaze to her. “They’re not going to be together long.”

“No way. They’re in love. He defended her to his mother and from what we’ve seen of Lisa, that can’t be easy.”

Andrew raised one shoulder. “Did you see his eyes? He wouldn’t look at her. Or any of us. Sure, what he did has screwed up everything, but he’s a sixteen-year-old kid who got a girl pregnant. He’s a stud.”

Despite everything, Gabby smiled. “I don’t think anyone says stud anymore.”

“Then whatever the word is. He’s the man. I know he said all the right stuff, but he’s not long for the relationship. Makayla’s going to be crushed.”

Gabby knew there would be pain, but she had to admit that in the scheme of things, losing the boyfriend would be the least of it. At the end of the day, there would still be a baby to deal with.

“We’ll know more in a couple of weeks—at least when it comes to Boyd,” Andrew said. “But in the meantime...”

Gabby nodded. “A thousand things to deal with.”

“I’m going to have to tell Candace when she gets back from her trip.”

“Assuming she will make time for the call.” She sipped her brandy. “Was that too bitchy?”

“Not at all.”

“Good, because she’s going to blame me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Really?”

“Okay, she’s going to blame you. I’ll be sure she knows it didn’t happen here.”

Gabby settled more deeply into the sofa. “Twice. Did you hear that? They did it twice and Makayla is pregnant. Poor Hayley can’t carry a baby to term and she’s desperate for a child. It doesn’t seem fair.”

For a second she thought about mentioning they could give Hayley the baby, thereby solving several problems at once. But it was too soon, not to mention awkward. Once Makayla decided to give up the baby, there would be issues to deal with—both legal and emotional. Having the child living a mile away might mean never getting over what she’d been through.

She sipped her brandy. “I’ll do some research,” she said. “If you’re right about Boyd and he’s going to bail, then we need to be prepared. I’m assuming you’re not excited about the two of them staying together forever and raising the child together?”

“God, no. They’re too young.”

She felt herself relax a little. Good. At least they were on the same page when it came to Makayla giving up the baby.