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“Heart,” I said.
“What?”
“That’s her name.”
“Fitting.”
I laughed softly.
“Well, get Heart back. Just talk to her.”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“I had all these gifts sent to her apartment. Everything she could need for the baby. I even wrote her a check that would set her up nicely for a few years.”
“I missed the part where you talked.”
I gave Brody a questioning look.
“Money isn’t everything, Daniel. There was a time you didn’t have it. You used to have to actually use your words. It sounds like Heart needed tohearyou.”
I chewed on my cheek. Brody was right. I had tried to fix everything with money. I should have known Heart didn’t want that. She was different, I knew that, so why had I treated her like everyone else?
Chapter 45
Addison
“Are you sure you want to go out with me tonight?” I asked Shelley over the phone.
I held the phone between my shoulder and ear while trying to shove my swollen feet into shoes that would give a little. So far, I had been unsuccessful.
“Of course. Whatever went down at work doesn’t mean you and I can’t still be friends,” she said.
“You’re the only one from that place who wants to even be associated with me,” I said.
I held my breath as I tried a pair of black ballet flats, as if doing so would somehow help my foot slide in with ease. I felt ridiculous even going out to a bar at seven months pregnant, but I owed Shelley birthday drinks from all those months ago. She wanted to go to Bemelman’s again.
While I had tried to get out of it or try to change the destination, she was insistent. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for all the memories that would come with it. That night had changed the entire trajectory of my life.
“Don’t let them get you down. They’re just trying to save their asses with Brian, who is a complete asshole for letting you go.”
I couldn’t disagree with her.
Since I had left my job a few weeks ago, I had realized how much better off I was. It had been an adjustment and the significant decrease in pay had been a blow, but I was making it work. Thanks to Monica, I had been doing a few hours a day of freelance work for the publishing house she had set me up with. While I wasn’t a writer, I knew enough about nonprofit work to make it seem like I was.
Working from home was a whole new world. I woke up later, which was a luxury now that I didn’t have to make the train to Manhattan. I needed the extra hours in bed since the baby seemed to be running marathons every time I lay down and closed my eyes. It was practically impossible to get comfortable when it felt like someone was doing jumping jacks inside of me.
When I did wake up, I stayed in my pajamas. There was no need to dress up or try to look remotely presentable. I stayed in my favorite flannel pajama pants and a sports bra, my round belly on display as I made a pot of decaf coffee and fired up my laptop for the day.
It was the break I hadn’t realized I needed after years of busting my ass at my old job. While the work was rewarding, I never felt like I received the recognition I deserved. Well, not until I landed the biggest donation we had ever had. But that was short-lived.
“I better get going if I’m going to meet you on time, Shell,” I said, assessing myself in the mirror.
“Oh shit. Is it 6:30 already?” she asked frantically.
“Yes.” I laughed.