She pursed her lips. “No, it’s fine,” she said, patting the chair next to her and gesturing for him to sit. She turned back to me. “So, have you picked out an obstetrician?”
“Uh, yes—my regular gynecologist, Dr. Quinlan, at the Women’s Care Clinic downtown. I’ve been seeing her since I first moved to the city.”
“Lovely! And when is the baby’s due date?”
“The doctor estimates November eighth.”
Madison clapped her hands like an excited child. “Oh, how wonderful! The baby will be here for the holidays!”
I smiled in wonder as I absorbed this new fact.Wow. By Thanksgiving, I’ll have a baby.“Yeah.”
Again, Madison leaned forward and took my hand tightly in hers. Why did she keep insisting on touching me? It was unnerving—we’d just met barely fifteen minutes before. “So, how have you been feeling?”
“Alright. I’ve been tired, and I felt a little queasy for the first time yesterday, but it hasn’t been too bad. I can’t complain, so far.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that.” She paused, withdrawing her hand and looking me up and down. “And justlookat you. You’re so …pretty. I can just tell you’re going to be one of those lucky pregnant women who just glows and stays tiny all over—everywhere except for your cute little basketball belly.”
My cheeks flushed. I gave a short laugh, feeling the weight of her eyes on my body. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. I glanced at Max, but he was looking down at his hands, fidgeting with the clasp on his watch. “I don’t know about that,” I said. “We’ll see, I guess. But that’s nice of you to say.”
“And after the baby comes, I’m sure you’ll bounce right back, and I bet you meet someone very special, in no time,” she continued. “Well, that is, unless … are you seeing anyone now?”
Max’s head popped back up at that question. My eyes darted back and forth between them. Feeling awkward and exposed, I reached up to tighten my ponytail.
“Uh … not currently, no.”
It may have been my imagination, but I thought I heard Max slowly let out a breath at my response.
Madison turned to look at him. An adoring smile spread across her face. “I just know Max is going to be a wonderful father.” He smiled back at her, then leaned in and gave her a slow, tender kiss. I averted my eyes and rooted around in my purse for my phone.
“Oh, hey, listen—I’m sorry to cut this short, but I do need to be getting on the road.” I stood up.
“Oh, of course,” Madison said. She and Max both stood up. “Max says you’re off to visit your mother. Where does she live?”
“About an hour outside the city.”
“Oh, really? Where?”
“Pleasanton, in the East Bay.”
“Ah, that’s nice. Well, it was lovely to meet you, Savannah. We have to get going too. My mother is coming into the city to meet us for brunch. My parents live in Sausalito.”
Sausalito is one of the most beautiful and wealthy communities on the Northern California coastline.That explains the tennis bracelet and Birkin bag, I guess.
“Well, I hope you have a great time.”
Max reached out and put a hand on my arm. “Thanks for coming, Savannah. We really appreciate it.”
As I made a move to walk away, Madison grabbed my arm tight, startling me. Her face held the same wide, frozen smile it had when she’d first entered the coffee shop. “I’d really like us to be friends, Savannah. I hope we can be.”
Wow. She’s eager.
I smiled back politely. “Thanks, Madison.” I put my sunglasses on and opened the coffee shop door. “Bye, now.”
CHAPTER4
“IT WAS JUSTso weird, Ellie. I mean, it went a lot better than I expected it to; she said some really nice things, and offered to help with the baby … she asked how I’d been feeling so far. I can’t put my finger on it, but it still feltweird.”
It had occurred to me later that Max had barely spoken a word the whole time. Madison had certainly taken control of the entire meetup. But for all I knew, that was typical in their relationship.
