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“Nope. I know Griff, he’s hoping to wear me down.”

“Would that be so bad?” Emma asked. “It does seem like he’s changed, and for the better. I mean, none of us is the same as we were when we were twenty. We were all idiots at that age. I’m not defending his taking off the way he did, but he did send you money all those years, and he seems pretty committed to doing things differently this time.”

“And for someone who claims to not have any feelings for Griffin, you sure are fixated on him,” Evie added.

I sighed and sat down. I was nearly three months pregnant, not really even showing yet, but I was exhausted. Pregnancy was way harder at this age than it had been at eighteen. I was too old for this shit. Stupid fake menopause. Stupid failed vasectomy.

I reached down and rubbed my stomach, silently letting the baby know I wasn’t mad at him or her, just the situation. At least the scans had shown that the baby seemed healthy, although we wouldn’t know for sure until I was far enough along to get the genetic tests done.

Emma and Evie joined me at the table, watching me carefully.

“Chloe is actively trying to get us together. She’s totally encouraging him, that traitor. They keep ganging up on me and treating me like I’m an invalid. I would be happy about how well she was getting along with her father if they both weren’t working against me. And the truth is, I’m not immune to him.”

Evie gave me her patented “well, duh” look.

“Fine. I admit it. I have feelings for my ex-husband. Are you happy?”

“Are YOU happy?” Emma countered.

I laid my head down on the table. “I’d be happier if I could do the things I used to do, like drink at book club and not need a nap every afternoon.”

And have “benefits” with Griff, I added silently. After so many years of intermittent celibacy, the two months I’d been sleeping with Griff had been incredible. I’d never felt so sensual, so desired, so...well, horny. My ex played my body like an instrument, and I missed that as much as I missed alcohol. Maybe more.

Emma rubbed my shoulder. “You’re coming out of the first trimester. That’s always the hardest. You’ll start feeling better soon.”

“And then the horny phase starts,” Evie added.

“You guys are no help,” I groused. I didn’t add that the horny phase started the minute I kicked Griff out of my kitchen last month.

“Dawn, you know we will always have your back,” Emma said. “But we have been friends too long for us not to be honest with you. Maybe you need to ask yourself what you really want.”

She placed her hand over my heart. “What does it say in there?”

Griff’s face floated in my mind with her words. Realization hit me like a thunderbolt. Damn it, I was in love with my ex-husband. How had that happened?

“I’ve got to go,” I said, pushing myself up to standing.

“Tell Griff we said hi,” Evie said cheekily.

I gave her two middle fingers over my shoulders as I walked away. Sometimes it sucked having friends who knew me so well.

Chapter 13

Griff

The knocking on the door startled me from my reading. I glanced at my phone. It was just after nine, a little late for a casual visitor. My heart thumped as I looked out the window and saw Dawn standing on my doorstep. She hadn’t been here since the day she told me she was pregnant.

I opened the door and looked at her carefully.

“Hey. Is everything okay?”

She gave me a look I couldn’t interpret. “Yeah, everything’s okay. Can we talk?”

I opened the door wider, gesturing for her to come inside.

“Can I get you a drink?”

“Just water please. I’m going to use the bathroom. Be right back.”