Page 118 of Catch You

“I have no idea.”

“You could move back home, bring your baby up in a place you love. Give him or her the memories you have and create some new ones.”

I sigh, thinking of my childhood home that’s been sitting empty since the day I was picked up and taken away.

It’s mine now, just like everything else my parents owned. I never had it in me to sell it. I always had the idea that when I had a family that I could make it my home, like Brooke just described, but I’m not sure I want to now that the time is approaching. Not that it’s anything like I imagined. I thought I’d be happily married and having a planned child, not a drunken accident—albeit a fun one.

The time drags on, but still, there’s no word from him.

It’s almost two hours later when the doorbell rings.

“Oh my God, is it him?” I ask Brooke who’s staring at me with wide eyes.

“Because I can see through walls,” she mutters. “Go and find out.”

I stop in front of the mirror in the hallway, smooth my hair down, and wipe under my eyes. I look like hell, but I haven’t exactly got the time to fix it.

Lifting my hand, I open the door.

My shoulders slump in disappointment the second I see who’s on the other side.

“Do you get the feeling she was expecting it to be someone else?” Fletch quips.

“I’m so sorry. It’s just … it’s complicated.”

“That man of yours still not pulled his head out of his ass?”

“Can we come in?” Reese asks, ignoring her other half.

“Of course.” I push the door wider and stand back.

Reese walks past and straight into the living room, Fletch following.

“He’ll figure his shit out. It just takes some of us longer than others,” Fletch assures me.

“Thanks,” I mutter, although I’m beginning to wonder if it might all just be too much for him.

“I’m so sorry to barge in on you like this. I just had a couple of questions about tomorrow night, if you don’t mind,” Reese says when I join them all in the living room.

“No, of course not. I’m so sorry I left everything to you.”

“It’s nothing. You’d done a fantastic job. There are only a couple of things left to finalize.”

Reese pulls her iPad out from her purse and powers it up. I sit down beside her so we can go through whatever it is.

“Do you want drinks?” Brooke asks, jumping up and making herself useful.

Diving into workwas exactly what I needed. For the first time in almost two weeks, I was able to think about something other than my grief or my pregnancy. It was a welcome relief.

“What are you doing?” Brooke asks in shock after doing a double take when I join her in the kitchen the next afternoon. “I mean … you look incredible, but?—”

“I’m going to the ball,” I announce.

“Um … okay. Reese said you didn’t need to though, right?”

“I think I need it. I put so much work into this. I want to see it all come together. See all my hours pay off.”

“Okay, yeah. That sounds like a good idea. Give me thirty minutes and I’ll come with you.”

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