I swallowed my pride and my feelings. Of course I’d worn the jumpsuit for the aforementioned doctor, who hadn’t arrived yet. After he’d left the hotel the other morning, I’d realized what I looked like—no makeup, an oversized robe, and supersized wrinkles summed it up. No wonder he ran out of there.
“I can’t. I want to go back. I miss the weather, and I plan to self-soothe until the new year. Facials, massages, and pedicures are lined up.”
“Okay, but…”
“You know, you look stunning too.” I took in Jamie wearing a black tuxedo jacket, white blouse and skinny jeans, all curves and red hair, navy eyeglasses, and a smidge of dark circles due to having a newborn. I wished I could have a sliver of her confidence. Then again, I’d never had a man love me for me. Not Billy Conway, but Willa.
“I can see your brain working overtime, Bill.” I felt Jamie put her hand on my shoulder, and I knew a lecture was coming.
“Oh look, your friend Val is waving you over.” I pointed toward Jamie’s close friend, who I knew for a fact was having an affair with a married man, and hoped Jamie saved the lecture for her.
“I wonder what she needs… I’m going to go see, but Bill, listen to me—your life isn’t over. It’s an intermission. Time for new roles, love, and whatever comes with all of that. Your second half, you know?”
“I know.” I only said it to get rid of her. She didn’t understand it. I couldn’t expect her to; she’d gotten her second half… “Oh, Jamie, I have a special gift for the baby when you get back to Cali. Let me know, I’ll be over right away.”
This had me laughing on the inside. A dog was definitely going to irritate my brother. Oh well—we’d always wanted one growing up and Beatrice wouldn’t permit it.
I was deep in thought, sipping on a martini, Jamie long gone, when I heard, “Hey, Merry Christmas,” in a familiar, sexy tone I’d come to crave. He kept a small distance between us, but when I was least expecting this, his fingers grazed mine.
I found my voice. “Hi.”
“I got stuck at the hospital. Sadly, babies don’t plan well, or at all for that matter. But we got a healthy boy, eight pounds on the nose, and Mom and Dad are beaming. Their first, after years of trying.”
I nodded and took a drag of alcohol, hoping it quenched my parched mouth and vocal cords. For some reason, I couldn’t string together my words.
“I would’ve texted, but I couldn’t break out of scrubs, and I didn’t want to ask my nurse to message your number.”
He took a deep breath as if apologizing to me was a critical situation, and I realized what a selfish witch I could be. This man worked in life or death…I shouldn’t be that type of worry to him. “No problem. Come on, let’s get you a cocktail.” I slipped my hand in his and eyed Frank in the corner, watching us.
An instrumental version of “Auld Lang Syne” played in the background, and my heart ached a bit at the thought of not spending New Year’s with Cal until I mentally told myself to stop. I always rang in the new year at Brad Pitt’s party. Yes, the Brad Pitt you’re thinking…he was a close friend. Never anything more. To me, Cal was who I wanted but couldn’t have—full-time.
“You are gorgeous. I mean you’re always gorgeous, but tonight even more so,” Cal whispered in my ear as we walked, pulling me from my thoughts of Brad.
He smelled like minty soap with a dash of woodsy cologne, and I couldn’t help but think about him showering at the hospital, rushing to get here, fretting over me. Of course, I’d been fuming while waiting.
I leaned my head closer than I normally did in public, but this was my brother’s house and there was no media allowed at the event. “You look pretty hot too.”
This earned me a hand squeeze.
“What are you having?” Cal looked at me as we approached the bar in the far corner of Jamie’s old row house. It was a small and homey-type place, and a far cry from California, but this was where my brother had fallen in love with her…all over again.
Remembering the almost empty glass in my hand, I spoke quietly. “I’m going to finish my martini and switch to sparkling water with a lime. They can make it look like a cocktail.”
Cal nodded. I beamed over how he never questioned my way of doing things or how I needed to live. Most people saidlive a littleto me and it was annoying. Living a little for me meant not working a lot.
“Scotch, neat, and a Pellegrino with lime in a lowball, no ice,” Cal told the bartender, quickly bringing his focus back to me. “Who got you your coffee this morning?”
He said it with a wink, and I almost replied I wished it had been him. Instead, I said, “Frank. He’s not the morning cheery person I’m looking for… Tomorrow I’ll be back with my Glory. Well, the day after tomorrow. I’m going home in the morning. I need to prep for the role.”
A look of hurt flashed over Cal’s face but he hid it and grabbed our drinks off the bar. “I better make the most of these moments, then… I’d kiss you but I feel Frank’s glare on my back. Can we send him a drink? Send him away?”
I had to giggle. “He wouldn’t dare drink here. He’s probably got some fancy espresso in a thermos by him.”
“He’s a tough one to finally break the ice.”
“Let’s not talk about Frank. Tell me about the baby.” I could feel the traitorous smile spread across my face.
“You’re a baby lover, aren’t you?”
