Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Kate
“Marry him,” Tilly says, clapping her hands in glee. “He waited for you. Oh my God, he waited for you. This is so romantic.”
“Once he gets his hands on you, you won’t be able to walk for a week. Five years of pent up sexual need is inside of that man,” Olivia jumps in, tossing me a wink.
“That’s hot.” Tilly fans her hand in front of her face. “The sex is going to be incredible.”
I glance down at Arleth sleeping in her stroller. “We shouldn’t be talking about this in front of the baby.”
“The baby is dreaming about her favorite stuffed bear.” Olivia pats a hand over Tilly’s forearm. “She loves that bear, Tilly. Thank you again for that.”
I sip on the lemonade I ordered after we were seated at an outdoor table.
Olivia called me just after seven this morning with a million questions about Gage. Tilly had texted her on the way home from my apartment last night.
I told her I’d meet her for lunch. She’s the one who invited Tilly to join us at one of her favorite restaurants. It’s just down the street from Alexander’s music school.
“When are you going to take him to bed?” Olivia doesn’t pull any punches. “That needs to happen today.”
“The sooner the better,” Tilly agrees with a nod of her head. “Invite him over to your place tonight. I promise I’ll stay home.”
I laugh out loud. “It’s not happening tonight.”
“Why not?” They ask in unison.
I shake my head. “I need time to process everything.”
The server approaches with our order of nachos. He strikes up a conversation with Olivia about Alexander’s recent interview on a podcast he listens to. It’s obvious he knows that Olivia’s husband is one of the preeminent orchestra conductors in the world.
Olivia promises that she’ll bring her husband in for lunch one day soon. That’s enough to get the server to offer a free dessert to each of us.
“I love your husband,” Tilly says once the server has walked away. “He’s such a big deal that I get a free brownie.”
Olivia giggles. “I’m having cheesecake.”
I’m having a crisis.
It started last night when Gage confessed that he hasn’t had sex in five years.
I tossed and turned the night away thinking about that.
I was hesitant the first time I got into bed with a man after our breakup, but I knew I had to move on.
I enjoyed the sex I’ve had since our engagement ended. I don’t feel guilty about it, although I know I wouldn’t have pursued anything with another man if I had known Gage was looking for me.
Eldred got a piece of my mind after Gage left last night and another dose of my anger this morning.
My brother told me that he was looking out for me. He saw the pain I was in after Gage left me, and he wanted to shield me from that.
I get it.
I hate it, but I understand it.
Our bond is strong, but it’s going to take time for me to accept what he did.
Maybe Gage and I wouldn’t have gotten back together, but we didn’t have the chance to explore that because Eldred stood watch over my heart.
“I know that I’ve been telling you to be careful, Kate.” Olivia elbows me. “But I don’t know many men who would step away from sex because of a woman they haven’t seen in years.”
I spread my white linen napkin over my lap, covering my red skirt.
“I think you should throw caution to the wind.” Tilly circles her hand in the air. “You only live once. Second chances are rare so take this one and run with it.”
A soft whimper from the stroller lures all of our gazes to Arleth’s face.
She opens her blue eyes, immediately locking them on her mom.
“We’ll continue this discussion later,” Olivia says, scooping her daughter into her arms. “I need to feed this little sweetheart and we have to eat the nachos before they get cold. They are Alexander’s absolute favorite things in the world. Take a bite and you’ll see why.”
I dive into lunch and listening mode as Olivia tells us about how close Arleth came to rolling over this morning.
I eat and watch my two best friends interact. They’ve forged a bond of their own since they met through me. I’m grateful for moments like this when we’re altogether.
I’m just about to tell them that when my phone chimes in my purse.
I slide it out and read the simple text message.
Gage: A penny for your thoughts?
I stare down at the screen, tears misting my vision.
I look up, but Tilly and Olivia are so focused on the cute noises Arleth is making that they don’t notice the emotion that is crashing around me.
I type back the response I always gave him when he asked me that question.
Kate: A dollar for your dreams?
I rest my phone in my lap and hold my breath, waiting for him to reply.