Page 70 of Hearts Like Hers

“That’s it,” the nurse said. “Take it easytoday, and think positive thoughts. We’ll see you back in two and a halfweeks.”

She turned to Gia, who had tears in her eyes.“Sorry,” she said, wiping them windshield-wiper fast. “Wasn’t expecting to getchoked up. Just really happy for you. Big day and all. Ignore me. I’m stupid.”

Autumn reached up and touched her cheek.“You’re a softy, Gia-Pet. You just hide it really well.”

Her lips puckered and her eyes narrowed. “Noone can know.”

“Aww, and they won’t. Breakfast?”

Gia grinned. “On me.”

They sat among a mountain of pancakes,because it’s what people did in the middle of a workweek when they went forbreakfast with an athlete like Gia Malone. They feasted. Gia reached for achocolate chip pancake, and Autumn stole one from the pecan stack. One thingshe loved about Gia, she didn’t mess around. She wasn’t satisfied with threemeasly pancakes. She ordered three of every kind on the menu.

When Autumn’s eyes had gone wide at thesuggestion, Gia shrugged. “I’m in training. Do you know how many calories I’mburning each day?”

“I don’t even want to,” Autumn said, bowingher head in reverence. “I’m just privileged to share the rewards.”

“We should do this more often,” Gia said,pointing at Autumn with her fork. “Just you and me.”

Autumn liked the suggestion. They had afantastic circle of friends, but the one-on-one time was different. She lookedforward to those moments with each of them. “Once a month. We’ll pick a dayyou’re for sure in town, and I’ll swap my early shift for the late one.”

“You’re on like Donkey Kong.”

“There you go with the video game referencesagain. There’s so much more to life.”

Gia grinned, not at all sorry. “You think I’mimmature.”

“I think you’re youthful.”

“You think no one will ever date me.”

“No, everyone will. You’re a celebrity, andit’s not fair.”

Gia nodded, her chocolaty pancake hoveringjust shy of her mouth as she stared contemplatively. “Then why am I stillsingle?”

“Because you’re not attracted to the everydaygirl. You never have been.”

She quirked an eyebrow as she chewed. “I’mnot?”

“Nope. It’s the reason you don’t date much.You secretly lust after the ones you shouldn’t, or at least the ones you’drather not lust after.”

Gia shook off the notion. “No. Not true.”

“Oh, really?” Autumn said, quickly pulling upGoogle on her phone. She turned it around to show Gia the photo. “This shotring any bells?”

Gia gaped at the photo of Elle Britton,number one female surfer in the world, talking to a throng of reporters in herswimsuit. Off to the side of the frame stood Gia, who seemed to be staringblatantly at Elle’s, well, curves. The photo had garnered a lot of attention inthe surf world and had evolved into the question Gia was asked most on thecircuit: just what exactly had that photo been about? “I can’t believe you’rebringing that up,” Gia said, shaking her head. “That photo is the worst thingthat ever happened to me. I am not checking her out, no matter what it lookslike.”

Autumn turned the photo around and studiedit. “It looks hot, is what it looks like. You two would sizzle.”

Gia leaned forward, eyes blazing. “I’d haveto kill her first. Do you understand that? She drives me insane. She’s abobblehead, a media princess probably manufactured in a Pixar lab. Can’t standher.”

“Wow,” Autumn said, nodding. “You have a lotof feelings on the topic.”

Gia leaned forward, her eyes flashing the waythey did right before a tournament. “The only thing I care about when it comesto Elle Britton is her ranking. It will be mine. Mark my words.”

Autumn pushed a stack of blueberry pancakesin Gia’s direction. “I have faith in you, champ. Fortify.”

The day had been a memorable one made up ofthe insemination, breakfast with Gia, and a fun day at work in which she andSteve had staged a one-on-one foam art competition, which, of course, she’dwon. When Autumn turned in for the night, she placed a hand low on her stomachand wondered what might be going on in there. It was difficult to sleep knowingthat soon she might not be alone in her own body. She grinned, wanting to turnand share the thought with someone. Well, really, just one person. She switchedoff the lamp next to her bed, set her alarm for quarter to five in the morning,and fell asleep looking up at the stars that carried so much meaning, her handstill on her stomach, hoping, wishing, remembering.

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