Page 9 of This Memory
His eyes met mine. “I wasn’t even thinking about that, but I amnow.”
I let out a breath and looked at him again. I wasn’t sure why I wanted to tell Gavin my next thought, but under the circumstances, he was the only one I felt Icouldshare it with. “I have a feeling if this takes, Evelyn’s going to try to control everything I do.”
He leaned against the island. “I noticed her reaction to you working.”
“I’m hoping it’s something she’ll get over once she knows I’m pregnant and all is well.”
Gavin raised his brows. “Bry, she didn’t want you to go to work just because of the implantation. What do you think she’ll do when you’re actually pregnant?”
I blew out my breath. “I don’t know.”
We returned to the dining room and got the rest of the dishes and glasses. We worked side by side at the sink while I rinsed and he loaded the dishwasher.
“Roger broke up with me,” I blurted.
Gavin straightened and faced me. “When?Why?”
“I told him a week ago that I was going to be the surrogate for Evelyn and Denny, and he said he couldn’t date a woman who would carry a baby that wasn’t his.”
“What?” Gavin gasped, with a shake of his head. “What a complete asshole!”
I didn’t want to admit Gavin’s reaction made me happy. “You can say that again. We weren’t serious anyway, so it’s not a big deal.”
When he didn’t say anything else, I glanced at him. “What? No snarky comment about Roger dumping me?”
“Do you really think that little of me, Brystol? I wouldn’t joke about something like that. I think what you’re doing for Evelyn and Denny is selfless and a really fucking amazing thing for a friend to do.”
Surprised, I drew back and asked, “You do?”
“Yeah, I do. I won’t lie and say I’m not worried, but yes. It’s a great thing you’re doing.”
Laughing lightly, I folded the dishtowel and set it on the counter. “Well, I guess for the next nine months, I won’t have to worry about what potential dates might think, since I don’t think I’ll be dating at all. I better make sure I have plenty of batteries.”
Confused, Gavin asked, “Why?”
“For my vibrator. I heard women get crazy horny during pregnancy.”
Gavin choked and stumbled back a step. “Warn a guy, would you?”
I laughed as he jokingly pounded his chest, coughing. Then sobered as I said, “Thank you for not being negative about this.”
“It’s your body, Brystol. No one has the right to tell you what you can and can’t do with it.”
My heart felt like it tumbled in my chest. When Gavin’s gaze met mine, I swore the air crackled between us, and I fought the urge to step closer and brush my lips against his.
Thankfully, his phone rang, and I jumped.
After he pulled out his phone from his pocket, he frowned. “It’s, um…it’s Cindy.”
I forced a smile. “Well, we wouldn’t want to keep the child waiting.”
He shot me a look. “She’s not a child.”
As I headed out of the kitchen, I walked backward to face him. “Have you seen proof of her age? She looks twelve.”
“Jealous, are we?”
“Ha!” I scoffed. “You wish.”
