Page 24 of Something Borrowed, Something You

“Do you abuse pets?”

“Pets? Of course not.”

“Do you kick people when they’re down?”

“No.”

“Have you ever committed a robbery, arson, murder, or assault?”

“Never.”

“Then there isn’t anything wrong with you that can’t be fixed.”

“What if I don’t want to be fixed?”

“Then that’s good. Because I don’t want to fix you.”

“You don’t?”

Hunter shook his head. “I just want to fuck you—make you forget what’s broken for a while.”

“You’re really vulgar.”

“Maybe. But I’m honest. I don’t know what your deal is with your ex, but I’m guessing the reason you’re leery of men has to do with him not being so honest.”

Of course, he was right—Garrett had cut me deep. Trust was like glass. When it broke, it shattered, and even if you managed to glue it all back together again, there were always fissures. It was never as strong as when it was whole.

“How about if we go out to dinner for your birthday as friends—no expectations of sex. We’ll just share a nice meal and call it a night. I’ll even pay for dinner.”

“Fine. But you’re not paying for dinner. That’s a deal breaker. I pay for dinner, or you can find someone else to not have sex with after the meal.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Extending my hand, I said, “You drive a hard bargain, birthday boy. It’s a deal.”

Hunter took my hand to shake, but then used it to yank me flush against him. He kissed my forehead. “I drive lots of things hard. And just because I agreed to no sex doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for another round of kissing and dry humping.”

“I can’t wait.” I laughed as if I was joking, but there was a lot of actual truth in my statement.

Caroline Margaret Weiner was born at 3:47 a.m., after a long night of labor. I’d watched plenty of movies where the new dad runs out in his blue scrubs and says the baby is born, but actually being part of that in real life was nothing short of magical. Derek had the blue paper mask and hat on when he walked out with his eyes full of tears.

“It’s a girl.”

He’d barely gotten the three little words out before the tears started flowing. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room after that.

Even though I’d sworn I was never going to have children of my own after my life fell apart over the last few years, a tiny crack ran up the impenetrable wall I’d built around my heart when I saw Anna’s baby in the nursery. After another hour of waiting, we took turns going to visit the new mommy.

Apparently Derek hadn’t told his wife I’d flown in for the shower. And since I’d told her I wasn’t able to make it, she was quite surprised when I walked in.

“You’re here! You’re really here!”

“Thank God I am. If I hadn’t come in for the shower, I would have missed this.” The two of us clung to each other, crying tears of joy, until a nurse knocked at the door. She had the baby in a clear carrier on wheels.

“Time for Mommy to show off her beautiful bundle of joy,” the nurse said. She locked the wheels on the portable bassinet and gently lifted baby Caroline out. The precious little thing was swaddled so all I could see was her sweetest, little pink face.

While the nurse settled Anna with extra blankets and a pillow to prop the baby up, I walked to the sink and washed my hands, then pumped some disinfectant on them as an added precaution. The minute the nurse shut the door behind her, I climbed into bed next to my friend.

“Oh my God. She’s beautiful. She looks just like you.” I unglued my eyes from the beautiful newborn and looked at my lifelong partner in crime. “You have a baby.”

“I have a fucking baby,” she said.

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