Page 29 of Used By the Unicorn

This time, I don’t even answer.

After five more calls, though, I’m too pissed off to keep ignoring it. I lift the phone to my ear. “Hey, whoever you are, you better stop this bullshit right now. Haven’t you got anything better to do?”

“I wasn’t sure if it was you.” It takes me a moment to place the voice.

Then my gut churns. It’s Carston, my ex.

“What the hell? How did you get this number?”

“Found it on Helena’s phone. Why won’t you answer my calls anymore?”

I grit my teeth to hold back a curse. “Carston, we’re divorced. That’s it. It’s over. You need to let it go.”

He doesn’t listen. No surprises there. “I came to Heartstone. Thought I’d find you, but it’s such a big city. Big, big city.”

“Are you drunk? Don’t answer that. Of course, you are. I’m hanging up now. Don’t call back.”

I hang up before he can say anything else, then I switch off my phone for good measure. That’s the last thing I need today.

Only, it’s a long time before I can relax. What does he even want? The only times in the last ten years he even noticed me was when he wanted money. I’m never falling for his bullshit again. Trick me once and all that.

I spend a restless night in a cold bed alone that night, tossing and turning and wishing for two cuddly unicorns to snuggle up with instead.

I drag myself out of bed far too late the next morning. As a result, I run late for work. I’m breathing hard by the time I take my seat on the bus and fish out my phone for the first time today. The screen is dark. I never turned it back on after all those calls.

I stuff it back in my bag without turning it on.

I don’t want to deal with that now.

Maybe later, when I’m caffeinated and thinking straight.

Shit. I should probably cut back on the amount of coffee I’m drinking. I hadn’t even realized all the things you’re not supposed to eat and drink while you’re pregnant. I looked them up after the scan, when things started to feel real. And I’ve had a sick knot of guilt in my belly since then about all the things I ate before I knew.

The runny eggs. The soft serve.

My stomach rumbles, and I can’t tell if I’m hungry or nauseous. Probably both.

This whole pregnancy thing’s a bitch.

I try to act normal at work, but I’m grumpy as hell. At ten o’clock, Kalli comes out of the office and gives me a worried look. “You OK?”

“Yeah. Why?”

She hesitates. “Don’t get offended, alright, but you look a bit... off.” She winces as if I’m about to bite her head off, and I wonder how unbearable I’ve been lately. What with the baby and the debt and the worry.

I open my mouth to confide in her, but she smiles. “Hey, I’m going to head out for a bit to an appointment. I’ll be back a little later.”

“Oh. Sure.” I haven’t even shown her the changes I made to the website. “See you later.”

Kalli gives me a wave and heads out the door. I sink my head down into my hand and sigh. I need to work on not being so much of a surly cow. I couldn’t blame Kalli if she’s avoiding me.

The bell rings and I look up to see the last thing I expected.

Stirling’s blue flowing mane and bright horn cap are attention-grabbing even beside all the colorful fabrics and beautiful designs. My gaze quickly narrows on the huge takeout coffee in his hands and my headache eases just smelling it.

He strides in and sets them on the counter. “Now before you say anything, I haven’t forgotten we’re just friends. So this is just a friendly coffee.” He takes his other hand from behind his back to reveal a disgustingly huge bouquet of flowers. “And a very friendly bunch of flowers.”

How can I be mad? When he’s standing here looking at me with the biggest grin on his face after I snuck out on him the other day and didn’t even message?

---