Page 68 of The Monster I Loved
Just my luck, Brit Jonas was there, waiting to be seen.
“Well, Summer Cohen, I never thought I’d see you here,” she said.
Even in my emotional state, I looked at Brit Jonas, confused. We were in a doctor’s office. Maybe she’d decided that since I didn’t earn as much money as she did, I shouldn’t use the same doctor.
“Summer, come on, I’ll help you to your car. Are you sure I can’t call you a cab?” the nurse beside me said.
My hand trembled, and Brit’s eyes widened as she stared at me.
“Yes, maybe,” I said.
“I’ll call a cab.”
“Brit Jonas?” a nurse called.
Brit looked at her, then back to me. “Seems you aren’t the prude I always thought you were.”
“Huh?”
I shook my head at the weird interaction. I had more important things on my mind. Now everything was pretty definite. I had to tell Thaddeus I was pregnant with his baby.
Thaddeus
When I droveto get coffee this morning, even more homes had put out jack-o’-lanterns. Which made sense; carving pumpkins at the start of the month and putting them out meant by the time the actual day came around, you’d have a decaying, stinking, disfigured, collapsing orange structure. Halloween was four days away, and every single house now had a pumpkin outside. As I parked the car outside my house, I spotted Mimi leaning against the door. Instantly, my good mood vanished. I had to give it to Mimi: she had the rare ability to ruin your mood without uttering a word. Just seeing her arms crossed, leg pointed to the side, and hips slanted gave me the vibe she was looking for trouble.
A crushing weight gripped my shoulders as I got out of my car.Let this be quick, I prayed to myself. Before I could think how to handle the fiancée I didn’t want, she approached.
“You’re not answering my phone calls or texts.”
I’d been clear. Why wasn’t she getting the message? “Melissa. You’re no different from another employee to me now. Talk to me at the office.”
She grabbed my arm. “Your father said the wedding is still on.”
I pursed my lips. “Then I wish you two a happy life.”
Melissa glared at me. A muscle pulsed in her jaw. I leaned away from her, and my feet followed, taking a step back. Nothing came out of her mouth, but it was clear I now had one more woman who wanted me dead in Tarrytown. Actually, maybe only one. Summer and I got along unexpectedly well at the Spooky Hayride.
“This will embarrass not only me and you, but Fitzgerald as well,” Melissa said. “You have to think about the business.”
She was right. Everyone would be affected, but that’s what we got for not thinking clearly in the first place. “Everyone in this town already has an unfavorable opinion of me. I’m a murderer, after all. A little gossip about a canceled engagement I can handle.”
“What about your inheritance?”
We were going around in circles, so I stepped away and spoke firmly. “That’s none of your business.”
My phone rang. I was grateful for the interruption. “Hello?” I walked into the house and shut the door behind me, leaving Mimi alone outside.
“Damn, your golden goose isn’t the sparkling princess I thought.” Brit always referred to Summer with that nickname. I never fully understood if it was a compliment or not.
“What are you talking about?” I frowned, wondering if Mimi was still hanging around outside the door.
She giggled. “I was in the doctor’s office earlier. I had to have something taken care of, if you know what I mean, and saw your girl coming out from her ownappointmentin tears.”
Was this supposed to clear things up? I was still confused. “Brit. Can you stop the riddles?”
“Men. Fine. I had too much fun, and Daddy would kill me, so I had to see a doctor about a problem that I needed to get rid of.”
My chest tightened.Oh fuck.I did say Summer looked to be glowing. It had to be that damn bartender.
