Page 26 of Love Me

Chapter 14

“Owen doesn’t care if I borrow his chauffeur for the entire day?” Misty asked. “Clay’s flight could be delayed, or changed, or whatever, you know.”

The cafe was buzzing, and my stomach, though empty, was hissing at me for thinking of food. I couldn’t wait for the first trimester to be over. I hoped that it truly would be the end of the loss of appetite and subsequent vomiting, but I knew some women were unlucky and were nauseous until the day of delivery, sometimes even after.

“Riles? You awake?” Misty asked.

“Oh, yeah, he doesn’t care,” I said.

“You’re more spacey than usual,” she said. She raised her eyebrow at me as she took a bite of her sandwich. “Pregnancy worries?”

“First doctor appointment is today,” I said.

“With the way that baby is making you sick, I guar-an-tee everything is fine,” she said.

“And Owen loves me,” I added.

“Well that’s obvious,” Misty said. She took another large bite.

It had been two weeks since the first time we had said it, but now that it was a regular exchange, it felt real, especially with the doctor’s appointment that afternoon. “We finally say it now, though,” I explained.

Misty’s mouth dropped, full of lettuce, bread, and clumps of turkey. “Wait. You hadn’t said it before? Was it a big deal?” she asked. She finished the bite, then added, “You moved across the country together, and he hadn’t declared his love?”

I shook my head. “I hadn’t said it either.”

“Well, that is a huge deal then,” she said. “It’s official now. But I do want to add again that it’s obvious that he loves you.”

“It is?”

“Riley, he pines over you. When he used to call Clay to ask about you, you should’ve heard his voice.”

“He called Clay?”

Misty rolled her eyes. “When you were being Miss Evasive U.S.A.? Yeah, he did.”

A warm feeling filled my stomach, making me blush. I looked down and rubbed my lower belly. I hoped that Owen loved the child as much as he loved me.

I’ll be at the clinic in a half-hour, Owen texted, even though the appointment wasn’t for another hour. He was the definition of an overachiever.

I wanted to be sassy, but instead, I sent, I’ll be there soon. For once, I realized it was too touchy of a situation to include sarcasm. Gotta go by the condo first, I sent.

After Misty finished her sandwich and I managed a few spoonfuls of soup, we headed back to the condo. The chauffeur was going to drop me off, then take Misty to the airport, while Owen and I took his car back to the condo. But right as I was washing my hands in the master bathroom, a phone call buzzed in my purse.

My phone blinked: Coco

I wrinkled my nose. I hadn’t really thought of her since Misty’s play. I had forced her out of my mind, trying to focus on bigger things. But a phone call, especially in the age of texting and instant messages, meant the call was important.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Are you alone?” she asked. “I need to see you.”

“Excuse me?” I asked.

“It’s life or death,” she said. “We need to talk.”

“Look, I know you had a past with Owen, but—”

“I’m outside of your building,” she said. “Please. I’m begging you.”

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