Page 48 of Crazy Imperfect Hearts

“I know what you mean,” she says with a sad smile. “I just had to state the obvious. To answer your question honestly, I’d have to say I wish I’d stopped the self-pity and self-loathing a lot earlier. Maybe I’d have gotten with Tag sooner. He’s been so great with Gigi. I don’t know what I’d do without him.” She sighs, looking at Teddy in Ava’s arms. “And now he’s given me a son. I don’t think my life could be any better than it is at this very moment.”

I’ve been sitting on Lucas’s offer. Waiting for a sign. Maybe it’s come. Yesterday in my conversation with Carter. And now. It’s like the universe is trying to tell me something. Maybe I should listen.

I stand up. “Excuse me for a second. I need to respond to a text.”

I walk over, lean against a tree, take a very large breath, and type into my phone.

Me: Okay.

I slip my phone back into my pocket, surprised to hear a ping a moment later. I pull it back out and read the reply.

Lucas: Okay? As in you agree to my proposition?

Me: I want a lawyer to draw it up.

Lucas: I’ll have it done tomorrow. She’ll want to meet with both of us.

I roll my eyes. Must be nice to be so rich that you have a lawyer at your beck and call.

Me: Fine. Just tell me when and where. But I no longer have a car.

Lucas: I’ll send one for you.

I try not to roll my eyes again, knowing I may have just agreed to a lifetime of such statements. Or eighteen years of them anyway.

Me: See you then. Over and out.

He gets my drift and doesn’t reply. This isn’t like before. It’s not a sex thing. This isn’t a courtship. It’s not even a relationship really. It’s more like a business deal. Or asituationshipas Ava called it.

I look over at my friends and wonder just what they’re going to think aboutthissituation. Which is exactly why I decide not to tell them.

Chapter Eighteen

Lucas

“Thanks for coming in the middle of the afternoon,” I say as Regan gets out of the car I sent. “I know it’s eating into your business hours.”

“Not a problem.” She glances back at the black SUV. “But if anyone saw me get into that thing, they’ll be asking about it for sure. It’s like the FBI picked me up for questioning.”

Regan looks up at the nice, new, modern three-story building that houses my lawyer’s office. It’s all the way across town from McQuaid Circle in what has become the recent town expansion. We pass a fountain out front. In the center, there’s a marble elephant leaning over to take a drink with its trunk.

“That’s weird,” she says, stopping to examine it.

“Oh,that’sweird?”

I let my gaze wander up and down her body. Her long floral print tunic hits her mid-thigh, and the yellow and black striped tights peeking out below it make her look like a bumblebee. The chunky black platform shoes make her inches taller than she is, but still not as tall as me.

“You don’t like my choice of attire?” she asks, not looking the least bit ashamed that she looks totally out of place. “Embarrassed to be seen with me?”

“It’s not that.” I chuckle. “I was just imagining the outrageous clothes you’re going to dress our kid in.”

Her face turns serious. Has my mention ofour kidmade this all too real for her?

“Lucas, are you sure you want to do this? I mean, it’s crazy, right? You and me having a kid. People will talk. They’ll say things. They—”

I put a hand on her shoulder. “Since when do you care what people think? Is this you having second thoughts? I get it, believe me. I’ve backed out of more things than the average bear.” I thumb to the building. “Just come inside. See what Candace has to say. Nothing is set in stone yet.”

She nods hesitantly, looking nothing like her carefree, casual self. “Your lawyer is a woman?”

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