The Friends We Keep

Gabby sighed. “Makayla is fifteen. This is traumatic enough without throwing that into the mix. She says she wants to have the baby. I don’t think we need to push her into any other decision right now.” There would be plenty of time to get the adoption process going once they had more information.

“We are talking about Candace,” he pointed out. “This is the same woman who didn’t understand why she had to give up three weeks of work after having a baby. I swear, if it had been up to her, she would have gone back to the office the next day.”

Gabby believed it. Candace had been the one to change the parenting plan to spend less time with her daughter, not more. Whatever her thoughts on Makayla getting pregnant, the conversation wasn’t going to go well.

“This is going to be my first grandchild,” Andrew said with a sigh. “Not how I imagined it.”

Gabby sat up and faced him. “That means I’m...” She couldn’t say it.

He smiled. “No. She’s your stepdaughter. It’s different.”

“Not really. I’m thirty-three. I can’t be a grandmother.” She was the mother of five-year-olds. That was more age-appropriate. “We are not having this conversation.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He pulled her close again and she relaxed against him. A grandmother. Impossible. Well, she just wouldn’t think about it. At least not for tonight.

*

Gary’s Café had been around forever. The original Gary had been dead at least twenty years and when his widow had sold the place, there’d been concern about changes. But the new owners had respected the idea of great food in an old-fashioned setting and had kept everything exactly the same. So despite three spruces and one complete remodel, Gary’s Café still had red vinyl booths, the specials written on a chalkboard and the best burgers in town.

Hayley stared at the familiar sign over the low, one-story restaurant and told herself that she was getting out. Having lunch with friends. That was good. A distraction, which was something she desperately needed in her life. Because if she stopped moving, stopped doing things, she would start thinking, and thinking meant having to feel something. She didn’t want to feel anything.

Rob still wasn’t back. It had been nearly a week. He’d gone by while she was working—just as he’d said he would—and collected the rest of his things. He hadn’t phoned, hadn’t been in touch in any way. He was just gone.

She couldn’t believe it. They were married. A couple. She thought he loved her. Yet he’d walked away without looking back.

She knew she was still in shock—and that was probably for the best. She didn’t want to have to deal with all the messiness and pain when the truth set in. Disbelief and a little righteous indignation were far easier to manage.

As she collected her purse and got out of her car, she thought about how much she missed him. Their small house echoed without him. The bed was too big, the nighttime hours too long.

She wasn’t sleeping and it was difficult to eat. In the hours between four in the morning and dawn, she allowed herself to admit the truth. That Rob had every right to be furious with her. Not for wanting to try to have a baby—that was her decision. But about the house. Going behind his back like that had been wrong and she knew it.

She crossed to the entrance to the diner and saw that Nicole was already there.

“How’s it going?” her friend asked, giving her a quick hug. Nicole paused. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. A little tired.” Hayley forced a smile and hoped it looked natural. She still hadn’t decided if she was going to tell anyone about Rob leaving. “How about with you?”

“I’m doing well. Busy with work. The usual.” Nicole glanced away, as if she had something else to say, but before Hayley could press her, Gabby joined them.

There were more hugs before they were seated at a booth, with Hayley seated on one side and the other two on the other. Their server took their drink orders right away, before leaving to let them look over the menu. Hayley told herself having lunch with her friends would make her feel better. If nothing else, the love and support would help and she certainly needed the meal.

Gabby studied Nicole. “What?” she demanded. “There’s something.”

“Seriously? You can tell?”

That got Hayley’s attention. “What happened?”

“I had a date with Jairus,” Nicole blurted.

Hayley had no idea who that was. Even more startling was her friend going out. Nicole hadn’t been on a date since the divorce was final. “Did I know you were interested in someone?”

“Who’s Jairus?” Gabby asked at the same time.

Nicole groaned. “You’re going to make me say it?”

“Apparently,” Gabby murmured. “Why does that name sound familiar?”

Nicole raised her eyebrows and waited.

“Jairus... Jairus... OMG, you went out with Brad the Dragon.”

“The author of Brad,” Nicole corrected. “I’ve been out of the single world for a long time, but not so long that I have to resort to dating fictional characters.”