Page 54 of Her Baby His Gift

“Oh, my.” Harlem laughed. “Where on earth would you get a crazy idea like that?”

Carter didn’t want to admit it, but he liked the idea that Harlem might think of him in ways other than just being the sperm donor. “My meeting will be over by ten. I’ll pick you up around a quarter to one, and we can ride over together.”

“You don’t have to pick me up. I can meet you there. It’ll be one less thing you have to do.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“Carter, I know the last couple of weeks you’ve been burning it at both ends preparing for this meeting. I’m perfectly capable of driving myself to the doctor. You don’t have to be all things to everyone–especially me. Contrary to what you might think, you’re not Superman. And, isn’t tomorrow Elaina’s birthday?”

“Shit.” He sat up in his chair.

“Oh, God. You didn’t.”

“I did. Do I get points for remembering Valentine’s Day?”

“NO! That’s the day after her birthday. Sheesh. Did I ever tell you that you suck as a boyfriend?”

“I’ve always known that.”

“You still have time to have your assistant arrange something great.”

“Actually, I’m thinking of ending things with Elaina.”

Harlem wasn’t surprised. It had become obvious to anyone with eyes that Carter wasn’t really that into her. Harlem pretended to be blind. “Why? I thought she was the one.”

“I’m starting to think there is no such thing. I’ve tried. I really have done my best to make things work between us, but . . .”

“Have you, really?” Harlem didn’t give a shit about Elaina, but she had grown to care about Carter. She wanted him to be happy. She had a feeling that his not knowing how to open up to someone was the real culprit in the demise of his relationship. “My guess is any woman in her position would need a little extra TLC.”

“True, but I don’t have a desire to give it to her. We’re not connected.”Even the sex had grown stale.

“You guys should still be in the honeymoon phase of the relationship. It’s only been a few months, right?”

“Honeymoon? We never really had that, and yeah, four months.” He signed heavily into the phone. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and now that my mind is clearer, I’ve realized that I’m trying to live up to the man Damian thought I should be. I’m not Damian. I can’t do the relationship thing.”

“Damian just wanted you to be happy.”

Damian wanted us to be together.“He had a lot of crazy ideas and always thought he was the smartest person in the room.”

Harlem had to agree. “That’s a fact,” Harlem remembered the crazy idea Damian wrote in his letter about them.

“The bottom line is I’m not the kind of guy who should be in a relationship.”

Harlem laid down on her side. “I don’t believe that. Maybe you just need more time.”

“I’ve given it time.”

“You would know better than anyone. But Carter, if you are going to end things, don’t do it on her birthday.”

“I might be an asshole, but I’m not a dick.”

“That’s debatable,” She yawned.

“Sleepy?”

“These days, it just kinda falls down on me.”

Carter wasn’t ready to let her go, but it was obvious Harlem was exhausted. “Then, get some sleep.”

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