Page 200 of The Single Dads Club
“You don’t know that,” she shot back with a chuckle. “And besides, I’m pretty sure pregnant people are allowed to run.”
“It’ll wiggle the baby. Or something,” I said stubbornly, pushing the covers off me. Any excuse not to run was just fine by me.
“If your new boyfriend taught you that, then I have some bad news about his credentials as a doctor. Now come on, get up and have a donut with me.”
Grumbling to myself, I propped a few pillows between my back and the headboard, then grabbed for the cup with my name on it.
“Is this caffeine-free?” I asked suspiciously.
“Yup.” Mandy nodded. “Who knows? The caffeine might—what was the medical term you used? Ah, yes. It might ‘wiggle the baby.’ We’d hate to have that happen.” She rolled her eyes, then took her own cup from the cardboard carrier and brought it to her lips.
I took a sip of hazelnut goodness, sighing at the comforting heat before meeting my friend’s questioning gaze.
“So, spill. What’s the real reason you’re still in bed?” she asked.
“Jeez, can’t a girl sleep in every now and then?” I muttered.
“A girl can. Just not you.” Mandy raised her eyebrows. “You didn’t have morning sickness or anything, right?”
I shook my head. “No, no. Nothing like that. I’ve just got a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
“Mason stuff?” Mandy pressed.
“Wow, three seconds after I wake up and I’m already being interrogated.” She waited expectantly and I knew she wasn’t going to get off my back unless I told her, so finally I blurted, “Fine, yes, if you must know. Mason stuff.”
“What happened? He confessed his love?” Mandy asked, taking another nonchalant sip of her coffee.
“What? No.” My cheeks flamed as renewed terror consumed me. “God, what would make you say that?”
“Because that’s always when I find you in bed like this,” Mandy shot back.
“I’ve never done this before,” I said, taking another sip from my cup and glaring at her.
“Haven’t you?” she sniffed. “What about two years ago with that Venezuelan guy…what was his name? Don?”
I rolled my eyes again. “That was nothing. He moved way too fast. Buying me a new computer for my birthday? Who did he think he was, fucking Christian Grey, for crying out loud? Take it easy, am I right?” I asked with a snort.
Mandy frowned. “And Devon from work?”
“That wasn’t even a thing,” I protested. “We went on three dates.”
“Until he told you how gorgeous you were in the moonlight and you wigged out and told him you never wanted to see him again.”
“What?” I scowled at her through narrowed eyes. “Who told you that?” I recalled specifically not detailing that little breakup to her because I knew she’d judge me over it.
Maybe because you deserve her judgment?a little voice in my head whispered. I wanted to fire that damn voice of reason and tell it to get lost.
“He did,” Mandy said. “I was waiting for you to finish your evening rounds and he was on his way out. He stopped and asked me what he’d done to turn you into a psycho.”
A psycho?
Ouch.
“And what did you tell him?” I asked, my stomach feeling queasy.
“That you have a habit of picking guys you can’t get emotionally attached to and he shouldn’t take it personally. You’re just broken inside.” She shrugged as if spilling my personal dirt to the world meant nothing.
“Jesus, Mandy. Tell me how you really feel.”
