Chapter 32
Walking into Sarabeth’s, I see Reese sitting at the table alone. Brows pinching as I walk towards her, but I am grateful it”s warm in here. Unwrapping my scarf and shrugging my coat off when I get to the table, she looks up from her phone.
“Oh hey,” she smiles, locking it and popping it into her bag.
“Hey,” she stands as she places a kiss on my cheek, and I kiss her back.
“No Connie?”
“Running late,” she rolls her eyes, fingers playing with the rainbow necklace that sits on her neck.
“How”s Celeste?”
“She is perfect, just feel like she is growing up way too fast,” she sighs, and I give a knowing nod even though I have no idea.
“How are you feeling? Has it sunk in yet?” she reaches for her sweet, iced tea and holds it up to the waitress to order another.
“Well,” my smile is lopsided as I shuffle in my seat, “it had, until I found out that I am expecting identical twins.” Her lips pop open, the straw of her drink resting on her bottom lip.
“No fucking way.”
“Way,” taking my drink from the waitress I thank her with a nod.
“Shit, wow, that”s huge.”
“I know,” I sigh and my shoulders sag a little.
“It”s amazing though, you and Keaton must be thrilled,” her British accent is still strong and no signs of it ever fading out.
“We are, it”s just not quite what we expected,” my cheeks burn, I can”t tell them that the twinnies might not even be Keaton’s.
“When are you back at the hospital?”
My stomach knots. See. Full of lies.
“Monday,” I sigh, “it”s been so nice being off work and just doing what I want.” That is not a lie, it has been nice.
“Were they okay? I know they can get funny with leave, but you know, you”ve had a lot on.” All I do is nod, taking a sip of my tea so I can”t run my mouth like I want to. I really don”t think Reese would judge me, she hasn”t got a judgmental bone in her body, but still... she would tell Killian, and Killian being how Killian is, would no doubt slip up at some point and tell my dad.
No one knows apart from Keaton.
“Yeah, they were fine, doctor signed me off due to my sickness,” a lie. Again.
She nods as if she understands.
“Were you sick with Celeste?” I ask, trying to get the attention off me.
She shakes her head, “I felt a little sicky I think at the beginning, but I had a pretty smooth pregnancy.”
“I am hoping for a smooth pregnancy too. The sickness is so much better; I just need to eat as soon as my eyes are open. Seems to keep it at bay for a little while,” I smile at her and that”s when I hear the heavy footsteps of Connie”s iconic Dr Martens. I honestly don”t think I have seen her in anything but them.
“Look who finally arrived,” Reese chimes, standing up to greet Connie. But as I go to stand, Connie tells me to sit then wraps her arms around me, kissing me on the cheek.
“I”ve had a morning,” she huffs, falling in her seat with a thud and grabbing the cocktail menu.
“That bad, huh?”
“That bad,” she calls the waitress over and orders a margarita.
Jealous.
“Oh, go on, I’ll have one too,” Reese claps her hands together.
Bitch.
“Can you make me a virgin one?” I bat my lashes and the waitress nods, and my little heart is happy.
“So, care to elaborate?” Reese asks Connie.
“I came on, flooded the bedsheets. I mean, this is not out of the norm for me. It happened back when I had to hide away with Kaleb at the lodge in the Hamptons,” she rolls her eyes, “so I stripped the bed.”
“Standard,” I pipe up because I love a worked up Connie.
“Idiot,” she scoffs. “Went to put the washing in the machine, it”s full. Go to unload it and place in in the dryer...”
“Let me guess?” Reese smirks.
“You don”t even need to,” she shoves Reese a little hard.
“Where is Doris?” I ask, taking another sip of my iced tea.
“Kaleb gave her the week off,” she crosses her arms against her chest.
“Damn, how dare she have a well-deserved break,” Reese giggles into her drink and Connie side-eyes her. Man, she is pissed.
“Anyway,” she snaps, “I sort that out and put the dryer on too so I have half a chance of getting the blood-stained sheets into the washer before I leave, so I thought I would make myself a coffee only to find that my wonderful boyfriend has used all the creamer then put it back into the fridge... empty!”
“Oh dear,” I roll my lips and Reese is sniggering.
“So, you didn”t get your coffee?” I ask.
“No, I didn”t and the fucking dryer didn”t get it done in time so now I have one wet load still waiting to dry and I have period sheets on the floor of the laundry room so Kaleb can deal with that once he has finished his gym workout. Tosser.”
My brows lift. “Tosser?”
“Yeah, it”s a British word, picked it up from,” and she thumbs beside her to Reese.
“Tosser is a brilliant word,” she sighs as the waitress brings the drinks over and Connie downs it in one.
“I”ll have another,” she licks her lips as I sip mine.
“Food?” The waitress asks.
“Three lobster rolls and fries.”
“Of course,” she smiles at us all, collecting our menus and walking away.
Standard Sarabeth’s lunch.
Reese slipped away to the restroom, and once I knew she was out of earshot, I lean across the table as my eyes narrow.
“Connie,” I whisper, and I have no idea why.
“Yeah?” She leans in, a girlish grin on her face, her hands splayed against the table like she is waiting for some juicy gossip.
“Is your dad”s penthouse still empty?”
Her brows furrow, the smile slowly slipping away.
“I think so, why...” she pauses for a moment then leans in a little closer, “is everything okay between you and Keaton?”
I sigh, letting my head fall for a moment.
“Yeah, everything is perfect...” my eyes meet hers and I can see the confusion on her face.
“Then why do you want to move out?”
“I think it”s the right thing to do, I was meant to move out weeks ago but then...”
“I”ll speak to my dad,” she nods when she eyes Reese walking back towards us and I sit back in my seat, lifting my virgin cocktail to my lips and taking a mouthful.
“So, who fancies a walk around central park before we head back home?” Reese smiles between me and Connie and we both just nod and smile.