I finish my next taco, mulling over how truthful I want to be. Stacy and I have never shied away from spilling all, but I’m most concerned that I won’t be able to pack all my feelings back up once I’ve spilled them. “I don’t know.”
“Talk to me,” she demands gently. “Give me something to think about that isn’t Henry.”
“Well… that night I called you because I had to go get my car at work. It was a whole thing, but I basically had to rescue herand Nick from the grocery store because she was trying to use my dad’s credit cards which didn’t work. And of course they wouldn’t. It caused her to panic and I got this call that terrified me. I thought I was about to walk in on another dead parent.”
My chest tightens briefly, so I drink my wine until the sensation fades.
“And we’re arguing. It’s little things here and there, y’know? But it’s tough. She wants to redecorate but we have no money. My cooking isn’t good enough, I’m a selfish daughter for denying her what she wants because I’m trying to keep a roof over her head. Over all our heads.”
“Oh.” Stacy winces. “I’m sorry, honey.”
“It’s fine. It’s just…” I gaze down at my plate as my thoughts tumble over one another. “Do you ever feel like everything is moving really fast around you and you’re just stuck in this one spot forever? Nick is really excited to go back to kindergarten on Monday. Another seven months and he’ll be in first grade. Where did the time go? How did my little baby grow up so fast? It blows my mind every time I look at him, and then?—”
The thought of Elijah silences me immediately while Stacey stares at me, eyes wide and taco shell crumbs clinging to her bottom lip. “Then?”
“His Dad’s turned up.”
Stacey chokes as she swallows and sprays taco crumbs all over me and the table. I erupt in laughter as she chokes, laughs, chokes again, and then guzzles down mouthfuls of water to clear her throat.
“Oh, my God,” I gasp, reaching for her arm. “Are you okay?”
“Yup!” Stacey gasps hoarsely. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Are you okay? How did he find you? If you need protection?—”
“Oh, my God, no, it’s nothing like that!” I reassure her between giggles, watching her gulp more mouthfuls of water. “It’s… it’s not that, I promise.”
“You never told me about him.” Stacey pats her chest. “I thought maybe he was an asshole.”
“No. He was just…” How do I word what he was? “He was a nobody. Just this really hot guy I met.”
“Does he know he’s a dad?”
“No.”
“Calliope! Okay, I need all the details right this second. Especially since you almost killed me.”
Laughing softly, I push my empty plate away and reach for my wine glass. “There really isn’t a lot to tell.”
“Spill,” she demands.
“We met at a convention. It was about the ethical sourcing of gemstones and I was there because I wanted to ensure that everything we sold was up to the top standards, y’know? There are too many scammers in the jewelry market. He and I… we met at the buffet.”
Stacey’s eyes narrow coyly. “Go on.”
“Stop!” I laugh. “It’s really not what you think. He was… he was so sexy. It was instant attraction. He was wearing this black shirt that was tight and open just here.” My fingers brush against my breastbone. “And his hair was all swoopy and thick, and helooked at me and smiled and I was turned on like that.” My fingers snap together. “Luckily, he was interested in me too.”
“Gotta be a good guy to be at a convention like that, right?”
“Maybe. Anyway, we talked a little. Had dinner. Fucked all night. You know how it is.”
Stacey chuckles over the rim of her glass. “Sure. So, what happened?”
My brow lifts in silent question.
“Why didn’t you tell him you got pregnant?”
“I tried.”
“He wasn’t interested?”
