Page 138

“Look at us,” mused Freddy. “Who have we become?”
“A bunch of old softies,” I muttered.
He laughed as our server came and asked for our drink order. I ordered an old-fashioned, and Freddy ordered a Coke. It was still the afternoon and there was a possibility he would be delivering a baby in the next couple of hours. I, on the other hand, had nothing that serious going on.
“So, tell me about Heart…” he started, taking a sip of his Coke and looking at me intently.
I sighed and looked down in my drink. “I can’t believe she still has the baby. That was a double shock for me today. Seeing her, and then seeing her still pregnant.”
“Why did she lie?” asked Freddy. “That’s kind of fucked up.”
“I must have really hurt her. I’m not exactly good at this whole relationship thing, you know.”
“That’s an understatement,” said Freddy with a grin.
I rolled my eyes at him.
“The whole time I feel like I’ve been saying the wrong things. Doing the wrong things.”
“That can’t be entirely true. Hell, she let you get her pregnant. You must have done something right.”
“When I met her for the first time, something in me told me I had to have her. I used the usual ‘Daniel Jacobs’ charm I always do. It was never meant to go past a one-night stand.”
“But then…” Freddy started.
“The baby came along,” I said.
“But I saw you two together at that dinner. Baby or no baby, there was something there. Even Virginia commented on it at the end of the night. She said the two of you were like magnets. I would have to agree. I’ve never seen you like that with any woman. Not even with…”
“Kiera?” I muttered.
“Yeah. What’s going on with that, anyway?”
“It’s over. For good. I was harsh, but I think she finally got the hint.”
“So, she won’t be showing up here in a hot pink bikini?” asked Freddy with amusement as he looked toward the door.
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” I took another sip of my drink. “Heart saw the tabloids.”
“Who didn’t?” Freddy shrugged.
“It only made things more complicated. She thinks we are really engaged or something. I just wish she would listen to me…”
Freddy thought for a moment as he studied me.
“What?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“When was the last time youactuallytalked?” asked Freddy.
“We talked all the time…”
“I mean about your relationship.”
I started to say something and then stopped. Freddy had a point. Heart and I never really talked about us. Never established what we were. If things got tough, we would either fight or fuck, and it never led us to any sort of resolution.
“I guess we never really did,” I admitted.
“Why?” asked Freddy curiously. “Clearly, this girl means something to you.”