Finally, he gives me a single sharp nod. Then the interrogation begins. “Where are you going?”
“A coffee shop up the street.”
“Where are you going to sit? By the window or a table in the back?”
I blink. “I honestly don’t know the answer to that question.”
“Text me when you know?”
I sigh. “I will try to text you when I know, sure.”
“How long is it going to take you?”
“I don’t know that either. It depends on how he responds, I guess.”
“Text me every 10 minutes that you are okay.”
“Vin—”
“If you miss a text, I’m coming in there.”
“Vin, that’s not a rational request.”
“Miss a single text, and you’ll see me in the doorway,” he reconfirms. “And you’re taking my car to get there.”
I balk. “It’s only a block away!”
“Fine, I’ll walk you there then.”
“For the love of all that is— Fine.” I’m way too tired to argue, and I need to reserve my resources for when I talk to Gavin.
Of course, he gets in the back seat with me when I climb into his SUV and sits right next to me, our thighs touching, his arm draped along the seat behind me. He’s looking out his window like he’s paying more attention to our surroundings than to me, but all I can feel is the heat emanating off him, how close his hand is to the back of my neck, how much I want to straddle him right here in the back seat.
No. No, Sophie. Nope, nope, nope.
I dig my nails into my palms and the second the car pulls up to the curb, I open my door to jump out.
“Oh no, you don’t.” Vin grabs my wrist and pulls me across his body, away from my door and toward him. I freeze when hehas me across his lap, not too much differently than I was just imagining.
“Vin…” I sound all breathy and weird and immediately clamp my mouth shut before I say anything else.
“Your door opens into traffic, Sophie. Get out on my side.”
Ah, right. Of course. I flush red and scoot off his lap immediately and open his car door, slamming it behind me before he has a chance to say anything else.
The coffee shop is warm and smells like cardamom and burnt milk. I’m here before Gavin, which I’m grateful for. I need 60 seconds to compose myself and shake off all the adrenaline from being so close to Vin.
I choose a table in the back, knowing that Vin is watching. Even though I know it’s not true, I would prefer to imagine that there are only two of us in this weird, absolutely-going-to-suck conversation.
Gavin walks in with an easy smile when he sees me, shrugging off his coat.
Guilt washes over me. He’s a good guy. Nothing wrong with him at all. Part of me wishes I could make him happy, make it work, want him anywhere near as much as he wants me. But I can’t even complete that thought without seeing Vin’s face in my head, feeling him next to me. Our baby inside me.
Gavin waves the waitress over and orders, his easy smile fading when he looks at me. “This isn’t going to be a good conversation is it.”
It’s not a question. I’ve never been good at lying, and I’m sure it’s all over my face how awkward I feel. I force a laugh. “I mean, it’s a conversation I’ve never had before, I can tell you that.”
He doesn’t laugh with me. “You’re back with Vin Demonio.”
