Page 101 of The Attraction File

FORTY

Evaleen

I was worried. Very worried.

The more I thought about Edgar, the more panic would rise like a wave and I would giggle. Uncontrollably.

“What’s so funny?” Aria glanced up from her coffee. She had been unusually quiet since her boyfriend ran off across the country.

“Define funny.” I snickered again. Then frowned.

“Evaleen, you were clearly laughing at something. My normal happy-go-lucky spirits are dead right now and I don’t know if they will be resurrected. You are the one who called to meet me on a Wednesday afternoon. Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” Aria took a big bite of her flatbread sandwich.

When Edgar came up to my room last night he was so worried about me being sick. I was thankful he got me the stomach medicine, but I threw that up too.

It was odd sleeping in the bed without Edgar by my side. I had spent thirty-one years of my life alone. Wait, correction, thirty-two years of my life alone. I forgot about my birthday a few weeks ago. The one where Edgar thought the perfect gift to me was to spread icing on his penis and put a bow on it.

He broke out in a rash and we had to lay off sex for a week.

“I need your advice on something.”

“Is it about a man again? Because I have hung up my expert advice hat on that. I realized that I know nothing about them.” She picked at some lettuce stuck in her teeth.

I had to look away or I was going to be sick again. “Yes, it’s about a man, but it’s not exactly what you think.”

“He found out you go around telling people you write romance and wants a sample for his ‘collection’?” She air quoted the last part.

I shrugged still refusing to look in the direction of her sandwich or her teeth.

“Sort of. But I actually am a romance writer and he is a fan. Long before he found out it was me.”

She sat up and put down her sandwich. “You’re serious about the writing thing? Oh my God, Evaleen! Why didn’t you ever say anything?” She slapped me on my arm in a friendly way.

“I did. But you and Blackburn were too busy rolling around in hysterics to realize it was true.”

She frowned and placed her hand over mine. “I’m sorry. That was mean of me and Tiffany. It’s just you are so very, um . . .”

“Cold, bitter, maybe even frigid,” I said.

She took my hand in both of hers, shaking her head. “No, Evaleen. Oh no, if I ever gave you that impression that I thought you were like that in any way I’m sorry. I think you’re super cool. Kind of badass. Like if a character in a movie was based off you it would be Uma Thurman’s character in Kill Bill. I love that you are so in control.”

I smiled at that. Maybe I was too harsh on myself. Maybe I was the only one who believed those terrible things about myself. Perhaps I should think a little more like Edgar and believe in my own wonderfulness.

“Thank you, Dixon. I think I’m just a little scared about everything. My brain believing the worst.”

“What is it?”

I might as well tell her. It’s the whole point as to why I called her to meet me here today. When I found out this morning I threw up again.

“I’m pregnant.”

Her eyes narrowed. Then they widened. After that, her head shook until it didn’t anymore. Finally, it reared back. “But you’re a virgin.”

“Not anymore.”

Her grin was wide as she sat back in her chair. “Thank God. I honestly considered having an intervention for you. Get a few guys I knew to help me help you.”

“Dixon, being a virgin isn’t the worst thing on Earth. I was very happy for many, many years.”

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