Page 38 of Unexpecting

″He really blew you out of the water, didn’t he? And he deserves to suffer greatly for that.”

″Thanks.” Yep, she was close to crying. “Look, Case, about what Brit said last night…”

″Britney said a great many things last night.”

″About me going to that wedding with J.B.” There was a long pause. “Are you really fine with it?”

″I talked to him about it,” I told her, omitting the I’m-okay-with-it whole thing. “He said he’d check his schedule.”

“Really?” Morgan said, a little too eagerly for my liking. Morgan was in a rebound mood, and if truth be told, J.B. would be a great rebound guy.

″He’s not sure, so don’t get your hopes up yet,” I told her quickly.

″That’s fine. It’s just to make Anil jealous, you know, not that I’m interested or anything. I mean, it’s J.B. we’re talking about. It would just be nice to go with a friend.”

″Why wouldn’t you be interested in him?” I asked stupidly. “He’s a great guy—really good-looking and smart and funny and…”

Morgan laughed. “And listen to yourself. I figured out a long time ago that J.B. is off-limits. It’s me you’re talking to, not Brit, who—gotta love her—truly does believe that the world revolves around her and wouldn’t notice someone’s feelings unless they exploded all over her shoes. I am fully aware that me and J.B. —if ever anything, you know—that would be stepping on some serious toes. Your toes,” she finished, just in case I was not getting the picture.

I couldn’t help but laugh. I do love Brit and she’s been my best friend for over twenty years, but it’s nice to know sometimes that others see her faults as clearly as I do. But for Morgan to think that about J.B.… “We’re just friends,” I said lamely when I finished my giggle. “That’s it.”

″Why didn’t you ever try again?” Morgan wondered. “Cooper has to be okay with things, now that he has Emma.”

″What does that have to do with it?”

″Because Cooper was in love with you, and that’s why he didn’t want you and J.B. together. The whole living arrangement was an excuse—a pretty lame one, if you ask me.”

″Cooper was never in love with me!”

″For a smart girl, you can sure be stupid.”

″Look who’s talking!”

″Now you’re just being mean. But back to J.B.”

″You don’t know what you’re talking about with Coop. We’re friends—that’s all we’ve ever been. Just like J.B. and I. Well, maybe not, but…” I shrugged, and remembered that Morgan couldn’t see me. “He’s a good friend and I like being around him, and I really think that’s all it’s ever going to be. Besides, who knows what will happen with David, right?”

Morgan gave a little sigh. “I know what you feel about David, but don’t put all the eggs in his basket, okay? I want to see you happy. For the record, I think you and J.B. would be amazing together. And you can tell me not to invite him to go to the wedding with me, you know.”

“It’s no big deal,” I fibbed. “Besides, I’d never ask you to do that. Again. David was enough.” This, of course, reminded me of how Morgan had made the ultimate friend sacrifice and walked away years ago so I could have David.

“You know, I forgot all about that,” Morgan marveled. “If I hadn’t stepped back, there never would have been a you-and-David. There would have been a Morgan-and-David, and since I didn’t go to Europe with you and Brit, we’d still be together.” She gave a little laugh. “That’s strange to think about.”

″Strange,” I agreed. “Even stranger than you thinking Cooper was ever in love with me.”

″You should ask him someday,” Morgan laughed. “I know I’m right.”

For the rest of the day, I couldn’t quite make the thought of J.B. stay in the don’t- think-about-it box. He just kept popping out, and always when I least expected it. I’d be waiting on a customer, extolling the virtues of buying a Canadian wine, when all of a sudden I’d have an image of J.B., sitting in his boxers eating breakfast with me, or laughing at me for something, or sharing a bottle of wine over dinner. I needed to stop thinking about him. It was not even worth going there. It’s not—it couldn’t happen. It wouldn’t happen. It couldn’t, so why was I wasting my mental energy thinking about him?

To get my mind off J.B., I tried to focus on seeing David later tonight and wondered what he needed to tell me. I’ll get back together with David, and Morgan will meet someone, and J.B… I don’t know what I want for J.B., but I’m not thinking about him anymore today. David. I need to focus on David.

By the time I got home from the store around six-thirty, my headache had faded to a manageable level. A quick shower helped, and I got dressed, hurrying because I only had a few minutes. Despite all the talking David and I had to do, I couldn’t help but hope for a little action tonight, so on went my pink lace bra and thong under my black pants that make my bum look svelte. Just so you know, David fell outside the one-month-dating-before-I-sleep-with-him rule, since technically I have known him since I was nineteen.

I added my white blouse with the ruffles to the outfit. Then I took off my shirt since ruffles and dinner never go together well for me. Maybe I should wear my Capri pants, but I wanted to wear my ankle boots, so I kept on the pants. I rifled through my closet, remembering the days it was filled with the latest fashions. Those were the days when my credit cards were also filled to the brim. I’m glad I got the debt under control, but some days I really do miss the shopping.

I finally settled on a white blouse with three-quarter sleeves and my new black vest. Even though I’d be able to pass for one of the waiters at the restaurant, I had no time for any other last-minute changes. I took the two minutes until David was expected to try and tame my curls. The shower made them frizzy. I finally wet my hands and ran them through my hair as the doorbell rang upstairs. I gave myself a nervous grin in the mirror.

″Wish me luck, Sebastian-cat,” I told him, giving his head a scratch. He was watching me from the comfort of my pillow. “You’ll be the only one who wishes it.”

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