Page 38 of Bought For Us

“Trying?” I ask, looking between the two of them.

Zack clears his throat. “For a baby.”

She gives me a smile but I can tell it’s not how she feels. “We tried getting pregnant the natural way, but unfortunately it was years of negative tests.” She looks so sad as she looks down at her plate. “Then we gave IVF a try last year. I just recently stopped.” Her voice cracks and so does my heart as she starts to cry.

“Shh.” Zack wraps his arm around his wife and kisses the top of her head. She buries her face in his neck. I feel like I’m intruding on an intimate moment that I don’t understand.

Kimmy wipes her face and sighs. “It just wasn’t meant to be. At least not this way. We decided that it would be best if I go off the treatment because it was damaging to my mental health. I ended up with every negative side effect, plus depression and bad anxiety.”

“But, we haven’t given up just yet,” Zack adds, giving Kimmy a smile. “We’ve been looking into surrogacy. I’m feeling very hopeful about that.”

Kimmy shifts in her seat. She smiles but it’s not a real one. Something tells me she’s not a fan of that. But it’s not my place to ask questions or pry.

“I hope everything works out.” I smile. “You two would make amazing parents.”

“How about you?” Zack asks.

“What about me?” I tilt my head to the side in confusion.

“Kids, do you want any?”

“Oh.” I blink a few times. “Yeah. I’d like a few. But I’m in no place to have kids anytime soon. Honestly, I don’t think it’s even going to be a reality for me.”

“How come?” Kimmy asks.

“Seeing how my dating life is non-existent and has been for years, having a family with a man, or woman doesn’t seem promising.” I shift in my seat. “I’d be willing to be a single mom, but that would require a stable life and that's also not something I can provide. Maybe I’m just meant to be alone.” I laugh when inside I’m fucking dying.

“Cora,” Kimmy whispers and I hate the pity in her voice. She has it much worse than me. If anyone deserves to be a mom, it’s her.

“But, hey.” I plaster on a big fake smile and will myself to feel it. “This is my new start. So who knows, maybe I’ll find a good person, fall madly in love and start a family too. Like you two did.” I try not to be bitter about it, but inside I’m beyond jealous. And the messed up part is, it’s not because the two of them are together, it’s because I’m not with them also. Teenage Cora had this fucked up fantasy that maybe one day we could have all been together.

Knowing they are possibly looking for a third sucks to hear because some woman is going to get to live my old dream and that hurts.

Although, I don’t think I could be in a relationship with them and only be with Kimmy. It would be pure hell being around Zack all the time and not be able to touch him.

But, that’s not my issue because it has nothing to do with me. They’ve moved on and the feelings that this weekend have stirred up, I have no right to be feeling.

Kimmy gives Zack a look. It lasts a few beats before Zack clears this throat. “Dessert?”

THE CAR IS FILLED WITH silence and awkward tension. Zack is bringing me back to the club and Kimmy is staying home to deal with a work problem. One of her high end clients ended up gaining a few pounds and now Kimmy has to rush and get her dress altered before a red carpet event the person is going to.

I’m so damn proud of her. She worked so hard and made her dream come true. Now she designs clothes for some of the biggest names in Hollywood. And almost every major fashion show around the world showcases her designs. If anyone deserves the world and all the good things it has to offer, it’s her.

“You okay over there?” Zack asks, breaking the silence.

“Huh?” I say, a little dazed as I come out of my inner thoughts.

“You’re pretty quiet over there.”

“I always have been. That’s not something that’s really changed.”

He gives me a side glance. “Cora.”

“How come you hardly talked to me this weekend?” I blurt out and groan internally.

His hands tighten around the wheel. “Because I didn’t want to overwhelm you. Plus, Kimmy was having the time of her life. I wanted her to enjoy her time with you.”

Why does he have to be so damn sweet? “Why would you have overwhelmed me?”

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