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“I didn’t say it did. But do you know what babies are like? They’re messy and loud and demanding. They’re a permanentresponsibility. You can’t possiblywantthat.”
Wow. When Collins said she expected nothing from me, she truly meantnothing.
“Did I want to have kids? I don’t know. Honestly, I’d never thought about it until Friday. But we’re not talking about a hypothetical here. We’re talking aboutourbaby. I’m going to be a dad. That means I’mgoingto be a dad. And you should have fucking asked, Collins, before you assumed I wasn’t.”
“Well, silence and ‘Fuck’ didn’t signify much enthusiasm about the prospect.”
“What’d you do when you found out?” I ask.
There’s a slight quirk to her lips. That tiny upturn fractures the tension a little bit. “I sat on my bathroom floor for two hours.”
“I was shocked, Monty. Not bad shocked. Just …shocked. Telling me to sit was a solid call.”
This time, she gifts me with a full smile. “I know.”
“You told your family?” I ask tentatively.
She must have if she’s made all these plans to move back to Connecticut.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“The PG version. Although the fact that we had sex was strongly implied.”
I crack a smile. “Do they know I’m part of the we?”
“No. I just assured them it’s not Isaac’s.”
Our waiter reappears to take our food orders. I haven’t even glanced at the menu, but I’ve eaten here enough that I know exactly what I want.
Collins hasn’t looked at the menu yet either, so she surprises me by saying she’s ready to order.
I frown when she only requests a salad but say nothing until the waiter leaves. “That’s all you want?”
“Yeah. Whoever named it ‘morning’ sickness was in serious denial. Or maybe just lucky. Mine’s more of an all-day sickness.”
My frown deepens. “Is that normal? Did you mention it to your doctor?”
“Yes, and yes. Supposedly, it’ll get better once I’m through the first trimester. I’ll just live on saltines until then.”
I nod, making a mental note to request the break room be stocked with some of the crackers. “Do youwantto move home, Collins?”
She plays with her napkin, avoiding my gaze. “I don’t know. In some ways, it would be easier. In others, it would feel like backsliding. I’m going to be a … mom. It’s time to grow up. Not to move home and rely on my parents. But the reality is, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I barely know anyone in New York. And it’s a lot more expensive to live here than?—”
“You don’t have to worry about money, Monty.”
“Youdon’t have to worry about money,” she fires back.
“I’m not trying to sound like a rich asshole?—”
“You mean your default setting?” There’s no bite. She’s teasing me.
I hide a smile. “But I havealotof money. Money I inherited from my parents. Money that my kid will inherit. Since you and the kid are currently the same unit,youhave a lot of money.”
“That’s twisted logic.”
“Makes perfect sense to me.”