Page 58 of Falling for the Enemy

I realized then that even talking about Holly made words stick in my throat. “Nice to meet you, Nate. Good of you to come. Gwen really needed you.”

“I’m just off to get some coffees. Can I get you something?”

“No, thanks anyway. I’m just going to say goodbye to the girls and head home. I’ve got some papers to grade.”

“Right, Gwen said you were a professor. You teachers have my respect. I’m in accounting. Sounds boring, I know, but I’ve always loved numbers. Well, I think I saw a coffee vending machine down this hallway. Nice to meet you, and I hope we’ll have time to chat one day.”

“That’d be great.” I walked into the room.

Holly’s big blue eyes were open. A big toothy smile followed. “Daddy, you’re here.”

I walked over and kissed her forehead. “Where’d you think I’d be, Peanut? How are you feeling?”

“Hmm—” She apparently had to think about it. “Hungry.”

Gwen laughed. “Well, that’s it. She’s all better.”

“Listen, Peanut, Daddy’s going to go home and grade some papers. Mom’s staying the night with you, so I’ll leave you two girls to your slumber party.”

“Do you think they’ll let us watch a movie?” Holly asked.

Gwen smoothed her palm over Holly’s forehead. “I’m sure we can work that out.” She looked at me. “You met Nate?”

I nodded. “I’m happy for you, Gwen. He seems great.” I leaned down and kissed Holly. Her forehead was cool. “Call me if you need me. I’m only fifteen minutes away.”

I walked out the door in total relief about Holly and at the same time sad that I had no one to talk with about the last few hours. Gwen had Nate. I had no one. Most of my friends were also part of Gwen’s friend circle, and I’d found it easier to cut ties with them after we split up. Otherwise, there were too many awkward occasions where everyone wanted to get together, and people didn’t know which one of us to invite. I made it easy on everyone and just bowed out.

I got in the car and looked up at the hospital, a blue and white industrial-style building with rows and rows of tinted windows. When I’d pulled up to the hospital, not knowing what was going on with Holly, the building looked cold and sinister. Now it just looked like the building I passed every day on my way to work.

A text came through. I yanked my phone out fast in case it was Gwen. I was on high alert right now, and it would take Holly being home and back to her peppy, sweet, funny self to get off of it. It was a text from Ava.

“Hey, the class went well. Fun bunch. I can take your classes tomorrow if they don’t conflict with my own lectures. Hope everything is going well.”

I stared at the text, and before I could stop myself, I sent back a text that I was probably going to regret.

“Holly is much better. Thanks. This goes against everything we agreed on, but I could really use a friend right now. I’ve got a bottle of wine at home if that helps sweeten the pot.”

I hit send before I could talk myself out of it. It took her a few minutes to respond, and I wanted to kick myself for my moment of weakness. Her text came back as I started the car.

“You agreed on ‘our’ new plan all by yourself. Text me your address, and it better be good wine.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

AVA

Iwalked out of the bathroom. Ella and Layla looked up from their phones. “You look spiffy,” Layla said. She lifted her nose in the air and wiggled it. “And I smell your fancy shampoo.” She sat forward and nearly dropped her phone. “You’ve got a date.”

“No, I don’t. I’m just going to a friend’s house for a glass of wine.”

“What friend?” Ella asked.

“All right, busybody girls’ club, don’t worry about it.”

Ella looked at Layla. “It’s Professor Grumpy.”

Layla nodded. “That’s what I have my money on. Let’s see—showered and washed hair, and not with the generic stuff, the stuff that smells tropical. Trying to recreate the ambiance of your time on the deserted island?”

I grunted to show my annoyance. “I’ll be back soon,” I said as I picked up my keys.

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