Warren: *picture of mango in palm*
Harriet: The cutest mango!
THIRTY-SIX
HARRIET
“These booties are so fuckingadorable, I could throw up.” Talia curls her lip at a pair of butter-yellow baby shoes.
“They are cute.” With a glance at the price tag, I change my mind. “Twenty bucks for shoes they’ll wear once? I told you not to go wild.”
Talia jerks her hand away. “Ah-ah! These are treats from Auntie Tals. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about the price. Can you believe you’re going to squeeze something out that’ll fit into this?”
She dangles a newborn onesie in the air.
My vagina withers in fear. “Yeah, thanks for the reminder.”
She drops it onto the mountain of tiny clothes collecting on my living room floor. Apparently, someone took an extended lunch and bought out the entire baby store. With her spending spree and the hand-me-downs from family, Button will have a different outfit for every day of their life. I’m grateful beyond measure, but jeez, a small human requires a lot.
My dissatisfaction over the amount of money she’s spentflies out of the window when I spy a pair of denim overalls. “Shut the fucking front door. These are precious.”
“I know, right? I was tempted to get myself a matching pair.” Talia laughs while rummaging around in the shopping bag. “Wait until you see this.”
My mouth falls open when she reveals a green and ivory mobile, felt animals spinning in the air.
“I saw this and knew you had to have it. Hopefully, it goes with the woodland animal theme you’re planning.”
“It’s perfect. Thank you.” I flash her a worried smile. “Now, all I’ve got to do is get the nursery ready.”
“You have plenty of time,” she says. “Plus, the baby will be sleeping with you for the first few months, right?”
I nod. “Yeah, but I still want it complete before I’m distracted by diapers and covered in spit-up.”
Talia drops her gaze, absentmindedly flipping through the pile of clothes. “Will Warren be staying over to help? You said he’s come over a few times. How’s that going?”
Don’t blush. Don’t blush.
“He’s stopped by twice, and, yeah, it’s going well.” Especially when his tongue is buried between my legs. “This arrangement is working great for us. I doubt he’ll stay over, though. The baby will have their own room at his place.”
A place I’m yet to see or be invited to, which is fine. Okay, it’s not totally fine, but that mostly comes from me being a Nosy Nelly and wanting to see inside his house. These renovations seem to be going on forever. He hasn’t visited since he barged into my bedroom and left me boneless on my mattress. In hindsight, inviting him to stay for dinner after he fucked me into another universe was off the cuff.
Can you pass the salt, please?
Here you go. Oh, remember when you atemeout an hour ago?
No wonder he bolted out of there. It took two days to trulywrap my head around what went down. When he stormed into my bedroom like a man on a mission, a fog of frustration and lust, skewed my senses. On any other day, I would’ve never asked him to “help me.” Or, at least, I don’t think I would. Either way, he made it clear: one time.
You said that at Oktoberfest and look where that got you.
Even though we text almost every day, sometimes briefly, other times late into the night when pregnancy insomnia kicks my ass, I can’t help feeling what happened in my bedroom has changed things, and not for the better. Maybe it’s the baby, but I miss him and his impromptu visits to the cottage.
I drag my attention back to Talia, who eyes me quizzically.
“You realize I can read you like a book?” She smirks.
Ah, shit, I’m blushing. “What do you mean?”
“Pfft. You totally fucked your baby daddy.” She folds her arms and leans against the sofa smugly. “Don’t bother lying.”
