Page 13 of Keeping Promises

It’s 2:00 p.m. by the time I finally take my lunch break. I grab my phone from my bag at my station and walk across the street for a smoothie. While in line, I go through the text messages that came in this morning. Another morning full of appointments—I can already tell that by the time I get off work later, I’ll have to be dragged to my bed, utterly dead on my feet.

Lexi:What happened last night?

Lexi:Are you going to try and talk to him again?

Lexi:I’m worried about you.

Lexi:Either you’re too busy, or you’re giving me the silent treatment. It’s probably option A but text me soon because I love you and don’t want to send a search party out.

Lexi:*gif of an older woman searching

Lexi:*gif of Cardi B I’m looking for you, motherfucker

Me:OMG! Will you take a chill pill? I’m fine, just swamped at the salon. I am finally getting a lunch break.

Lexi:Just now? Hadley, you need to remember it’s not just you now and that you need to take breaks.

Me:Trust me, I haven’t forgotten Lex. Puking up my breakfast was a firm reminder of my situation.

Lexi:So what are you going to do about Asher?

That seems to be the million-dollar question here.

A few minutes later, my phone vibrates in my hand, and staring back at me is a photo of my best friend blowing a kissy face. I could easily decline the call, but she will just keep calling until I answer, so I accept the call.

“You can’t ignore me, you know. I still have a key to the apartment, so I could just be there waiting for you when you get home.” I laugh because I was the one who refused to take her key back when she moved out, and now I’m starting to think that was a bad idea.

“What’s there to say, Lex? I went to tell him, and then his date walked up, and it reminded me that things aren’t so simple.”

I place my order for my favorite smoothie—strawberries, bananas, mango, and orange juice—in the largest size they offer. I hear shuffling around on the phone, followed by a soft click. I assume Lexi is in her office for some privacy.

“You still there?” she asks.

“Yup.”

“Look, maybe try again tonight. Why don’t you come over later, and Ben and I can make ourselves scarce and give you two time to talk. This is crazy.”

“Wow, way to call the pregnant lady crazy.” I laugh half-heartedly.

“I called the situation crazy, not you. Big difference, Had.”

“I know this situation isn’t ideal, obviously, but I can do this on my own. It’s Asher we’re talking about after all.”

“Exactly. It’s Asher—my fiancé’s younger brother, who isn’t going away. He’s always around.”

I sigh and run my hands through my messy locks. “I know that.”

The girl behind the counter calls my name, and I retrieve my smoothie. I make my way outside before settling on the bench just outside the café.

“Well, how is that going to work, then, when the one-night stand where you actually get pregnant is my future relative? Does that mean I’ll never be able to have my best friend at birthdays, holidays, or whatever?”

“I guess I hadn’t thought about that.”

“You don’t think it will be obvious nine months after you two have lots of ‘wild monkey sex’ as you called it”—I smirk as I picture her grimacing again—“you pop out a baby that could be the spitting image of the baby daddy?”

I take a sip of my smoothie, and a soft moan slips from my lips as the delicious fruity flavors explode on my tongue.

“Hadley, you’re my best friend, and I will always be there for you and this baby, but you can’t do this alone, especially when you don’t have to.”

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