“Chinese?”
“Hell, I’m so hungry, I’ll eat the goddamn box it comesin.”
With achuckle, she hangs up. And another call comes in right after. It’sa client. I’m on the phone until Denice arrives, and I let her in,just as I’m finishing up the call. “Geez, you done good,girl.”
“And it’s not weird that you’re over here, at my house, giventhat your brother and I are now divorced?” I ask rhetorically.Denice and I have known each other for longer than I’ve known Willfor.
“Please.” She waves. Denice looks nothing like Will. But then,his folks look like opposites, and Denice looks more like hermother, while Will looks like their father. “My brother’s in Vegas,drinking away his sorrows.”
“Still?”
“Yeah.” She guffaws. “Did he call you, too?”
“Yeah. Was he drunk when he called you?”
“Of course.” She shrugs, as I eye the bag of food that she’scarrying. “Let’s eat, and then you can show me the place.” She setsthe bag on the table, and I see it before I can do anything aboutit.
“What’s this?” she asks, pulling the onesie out of the bagthat I’ve stupidly left on the table. See what baby braindoes?
“God…dammit.” I curse under my breath, as I reach for it, butstop myself. It’s too late.
Sheholds the onesie up. I try to come up with a cover story. “It’sa…gift…for someone.”
Butbased on my reaction a moment ago, she doesn’t buy it. “So, whenwere you going to tell me that I’m going to be an aunt. And betteryet, when were you going to tell my brother that he’s going to be adaddy.” She asks, her eyes dancing with delight. Shit, this is sofucking awkward, I think I’d rather die than tell her the truth.She’s so happy I want to puke. “It’s not…it’s not Will’s baby,Denice.”
Her faceturns to stone for a moment, but then she recovers quickly. “Shit,what an idiot I am. I…I thought maybe you’d had a bonus night withhim or something.”
“No.” I stare at the floor, but I’m still looking at the bagof food. Somehow my stomach hasn’t forgotten about it.“Sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Ellie.” She pauses, placingthe onesie back into the bag. “Is it anyone I know?”
“No. And I only found out a couple of days ago, Denice. I’msort of still in a state of shock myself.”
“I’ll bet.” She scoffs but with a soft expression on her face.Denice has the best temperament in the world. She never gets upset.She’s like a rock. “Have you told the father? Are you keeping it?Do you not want to talk about this?” She says, feeling meout.
“No, it’s okay. I can talk about it.” I say, shocking myself.“I have told Maverick. He’s a man I met sort of by accident. Sloanetook me horseback riding at the ranch where he lives, and it justsort of happened. And yes, he knows. He’s more excited about itthan I am if I’m being honest.”
“Well, that’s novel.” She says, impressed.
“Yeah, I know. Denice, you know that I love your brother,maybe not like I used to, but I’m telling you, Maverick…he couldn’tbe any sweeter if he tried.”
“And you’re sure it’s genuine?” she asks fairly, notjudgementally.
“Absolutely.” I say without hesitation. “Although, I’m notsure about how he’d feel about me if the baby never camearound.”
“That’s a tough call, Ellie. But I think that you ought tofocus on what’s important now, not ‘what ifs’ if you don’t mind mesaying so.”
“No, you’re right.”
Shepulls the food out of the bags and we set out to eat, sitting atthe table, not saying much to start. “Are you happy about the baby,Ellie?”
“I’m happier about it than I was yesterday.” I answerhonestly. “I find myself having conversations with it. The kid’sgoing to think I’m crazy.”
Shesmiles. “Well, if it means anything to you, sweetie, I’m happy foryou.” She winks. “I know you and my brother weren’t happy, andmaybe what’s meant to be is meant to be.” She hesitates. “Can I bean honorary aunt?”
I snort,grinning. “Of course you can.”
“Does Sloane know?”
