“You will bring them, right?”
“Uh, I don’t know if tickets are still available,” I lie. I hadn’t even thought about it, and my uncles hadn’t mentioned attending the race. We mostly have talked about the baby and how the pregnancy is progressing.
“It shouldn’t be any problem to get them tickets. I will give you a list of some restaurants and places to go over in Franceand Italy not many people who come here know about, to take them.”
“Thank you. My uncles love exploring new places. They’ll be happy to get out and see everything.”
“And with Travis with you, you’ll be able to access many places easily. We love him in Monaco.”
As soon as she says that, a rippling sensation flits across my lower abdomen. I let out a tiny gasp when I realize it’s the baby moving.
This isn’t the first time this has happened, but it’s the first time I didn’t have to pause and question what was happening. I part my lips to tell the women at my table, but stop myself.
The person I want to share this feeling, this sensation with isn’t here.
Why couldn’t you have moved when he was walking me to work this morning?I silently ask, as if the baby can answer.
As the conversation moves on to other topics, I quietly ask the baby to do this again tomorrow morning, when we’ll see his daddy again.
That thought has my heart sinking. After more than three days separated, tiny slices of time seeing Travis during our morning walks around the marina don’t feel like enough.
CHAPTER 24
Alyssia
“What are you doing here?” I blurt out as I exit my office building.
Travis’ grin makes my heart race and I nearly stumble coming down the stairs. He takes me by the waist, steadying me.
“You have a special way of greeting a guy.”
I duck my head, smirking. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Obviously. Were you waiting for someone else?” His eyes narrow and voice turns a shade darker.
Is he jealous?
That can’t be right. There’s no way he would think I’m waiting for someone else, some other guy. The thought makes my stomach churn.
There’s also the fact that no guy, in his right mind, would see this obvious baby bump and try to engage with me on any sort of romantic level.
“No one,” I answer.
“I thought since you get off work early today, we could spend the afternoon together. Unless you had other plans.”
“My only plan is to visit this local market in my neighborhood that I’ve been wanting to get to.”
“Want some company?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. With my best friend having lived across the country, and now an entire continent away, and few other friends, I’m used to doing things on my own.
Lately, the longing to spend my afternoon lessalonehas been niggling at me. As I feel my waist bracketed Travis’ hold, I begin to recognize that I wasn’t longing for just anyone.
It was him.
“We can drive,” he says, but then his eyes widen. “If you don’t mind taking my car. I know you like taking the metro.” There’s something in his voice that I can’t pick out.
“Driving is fine.”
