Page 38 of Fall Twice

“If it’s any consolation, I’m sure if I ever wanted to go down that route that it would be the hottest minute of impregnation of your life,” I tease her or warn her, I’m not even sure anymore.

She chortles a laugh and lets her head fall against my shoulder, causing me to kiss the top of her head because it just feels natural. I love it, actually; it may be my new favorite thing after being buried deep inside of her.

“You are something,” she rasps.

I cup my hand under her ass and spank her playfully, and I search the area to see if anyone notices. “You should get out of here before we get a traffic ticket.”

“For what?” Her head perks back and she looks at me, puzzled.

I swipe my hands through my hair. “So many possibilities for public indecency.”

She slaps my arm. “I’m leaving.” She walks out of my hold with a grin fixed on her face.

I watch her circle around her car and slide onto the driver’s seat. She leans her head to look at me through the window. Her lips quirk side to side and she ruefully shakes her head.

When she begins to drive away, I realize that flirting wasn’t part of the pact, but she didn’t stop me either.

Remembering that my mother is waiting for me and probably trying her best to spy through the window, I sigh and return to the café.

Inside, I approach our table as if I’m hunting, and my mother knows she’s in the hot seat.

“Lena is absolutely beautiful. Hasn’t even aged and seems like the kind of woman that you need in your life, as a friend or more than friends.”

Holding my hand up, I stop her from continuing. “Yeah. Think you established that when you suggested she be my surrogate for a baby I don’t even want.”

“No. I’m only highlighting a life that maybe you do want. I’m not trying to pressure you.”

“Could have fooled me.” I sigh as I lean against my propped elbow.

“Really, I’m not. If you want to be single, married, married with no kids, gay, I don’t care. But I also know that in the last few weeks when I’ve spoken with you on the phone, you have a light in your tone that people take notice of. For the first time, I’ve wondered what has you in a mood that makes me go to sleep in peace at night. And I think it’s because there is something lingering inside of you. That woman is stirring things within your soul.”

I play along. “Such as?”

“A glimmer of a possibility, making you want things you never wanted before, and I don’t mean kids.” Her stern look informs me she means I need to pay close attention to the woman that just walked out of here.

I don’t try to counter, because you never do that with my mom when she is so positive that her theory is right.

And I can’t debate her because she’s only saying what I’ve been thinking myself, and it causes me to smile every night before I go to bed.

“I have twenty-four more hours with you?” I pretend to be inconvenienced.

She smiles, entertained. “I won’t say more, because I think she already weighs heavily on your mind.”

That she does. I just don’t know what to do about it.

13

LENA

Grabbing the plastic pumpkin basket, I search my kitchen counter for any other items we may need.

“Reid is still coming?” Annie asks as she perches on a stool at the kitchen counter. She was in Chicago for a conference so changed her flight to tomorrow to come out to the suburbs and stay with me and Oscar for one night.

I don’t look up as I pour a bag of mini candy bars into a bowl. “I think so. I mean, I mentioned you’re here unexpectedly, yet welcome, and he didn’t sound like it scared him away.”

“Why would I scare him away?”

I give her a pointed look. “You have always been… opinionated.”

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