“I guess I can.I haven’t watchedTom and Jerrysince I was a kid.The way that cat chased that mouse no matter how many times he escaped was exhausting but hilarious.”The corner of my mouth lifts in a half smile, and Ava looks confused.
“What does an old cartoon of a cat chasing a mouse he’s never going to catch…” The look on her face tells me she’s made the connection.She runs her tongue over her perfect white teeth trying to suppress a smile.“Whatever.Shut up.”
I press my lips together and shake my head.“For the record, I didn’t say never.I would like to think he eventually caught his mouse.”
“Speaking of cat and mouse games, Matt asked me about you.”
“When?”
“A few days ago.He wants to take Chloe and me to some new hot club.He hinted at inviting you.I didn’t have the heart to tell him you were in no shape to hit up a club.”
“He texted me the other day to say hi and I texted him back.He doesn’t know Nick and I are back together.The last time he called, I couldn’t answer my phone; Nick was sitting across from me.I sent it straight to voice mail.”
“When are you going to tell him and put him out of his misery so he can stop keeping hope alive?”
“I’ll tell him after I tell my family when Nick comes back.”
“You’re going to tell them with Nick there?”
“Do I look crazy to you?That would be gasoline and dynamite, and I would be the match.”
“Nick would definitely be the dynamite.”She holds up her hands and makes the sound effect.“Boom!”
“Exactly.”The cab stops in front of the apartment, and I tell Ava to put her money away while I pay the driver.Rushing to get out of the now-pouring rain, I slip on the steps and pitch forward.My hands break my fall, but my knee is scraped.I was okay, but Ava was more shaken up than me.After she fussed over me, I changed my clothes, and she made sure I was fine then she insisted she call Nick.I practically yanked the phone out of her hand.
“We are not calling him.I’m fine.”
“Cat, you have to tell him.He’s going to be upset with both of us if you don’t.”
“He’s in a meeting.If you tell him all he’s going to do is spaz out, worrying about nothing.He’ll be calling me every minute on the minute.”
“You’re going to tell him, Cat.”
“I’ll tell him later after his meeting.I promise.I’m not feeling any pain, I’m fine.”
“I’m going to spend the night.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know, I’m staying in case you need anything, and it would make me feel better.I know Nick would feel better too.”
It was fun having Ava spend the night.It was like living together again: we cooked and watched old eighties movies,Sixteen CandlesandFor Keeps.I told Nick about the fall, and I played it down as much as I could.To confirm what I said, he insisted on talking to Ava.After being grilled by Nick, she thought it was best to follow my lead.He was glad Ava decided to stay the night.He told her to check on me every hour.He still called me in the middle of the night to check on me, twice.Ava didn’t get up once to check on me—she was sound asleep, as she should have been, snoring.
Two days later I get exactly what I wanted, my man is home.A day late, because his flight was canceled due to severe weather.He didn’t tell me what time his flight was coming in that night, and it was the best surprise I could have gotten.I was so excited to see him that if it wasn’t for my belly, I would have jumped on him and attacked him.He looked better than when he left, even with a rumpled suit from sleeping at the airport.He said he couldn’t spend one more night in the hotel room because it was stifling him and all it made him do was think about how much he missed me.So sweet.
Nick
June
Iput my bags downat the door and head straight for the bedroom when I don’t see Cat.She’s coming out of the bathroom, tying my white robe around the top of her baby bump.She sees me, her face lights up, and she rushes toward me.I smile and bend down so she can wrap her arms around my neck without squishing my baby.
“Did you forget you had a little passenger on board?”I kiss her, and she kisses me back.
“I missed you.”
“Not like I missed you,” I say against her lips, my hands low on her back and side.“I like it when you wear this robe; it reminds me of our first long weekend together.”
“The first time you made love to me,” she says.
