Page 72 of Mister Cowboy

They exchanged a smile as she waited for another kick.

“I told you. The next David Beckham is in my stomach.”

“Or Mia Hamm,” January offered, leaving her hand on Sylvie’s belly.

“Martin says he looks terrible if that makes you feel any better,” Sylvie said quietly.

“I wish it did, but he looked pretty incredible when I saw him.”

More than incredible. He’d looked heartbreaking.

“I should go. I’m working at the bar later, and I need to spend this afternoon calling some prospective new clients. Brecken might have screwed up our relationship, but his letter of recommendation has landed me a lot more business.” She tossed her napkin on the table and stood. “I’m taking advantage of it while it lasts.”

Sylvie smiled and struggled to her feet. “Thanks for meeting me for lunch. Pretty soon, I’m going to be trapped in the house with a baby, so it was good to get out.”

“Don’t worry.” She linked her arm through Sylvie’s. “We’ll put some little soccer shoes on Baby Hamm and take her to the park while we sip wine out of sippy cups.”

* * *

She was stuffinga couple crumpled dollar bills into the tip jar when the bar door opened and in walked Mister Heartbreaker himself.

The bar was quiet. Only a few people remained, and they were all content for the moment, which left her nowhere to run. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him sit at the bar, looking casual, as if none of the last week had happened. She busied herself righting bottles, labels front, and wiping down perfectly clean counters.

“I’m sorry.”

She stilled as the words washed over her. Michael picked that moment to appear from the back, and he stopped in his tracks beside her. He looked from Brecken to her, his hesitation obvious.

“Do you want something to drink?” January asked, finally looking him in the eyes.

The side of his mouth pulled in a tiny half-smile. “Coors.”

Michael grabbed the bottle from the fridge under the counter and popped the cap off. When she reached for it, he didn’t let go, which drew her eyes to his. “You okay?”

She nodded, and he let go, throwing a disapproving look at Brecken before he grabbed a tray of dirty glasses. “I’ll be in the back if you need me,” he said loud enough that Brecken could hear.

Nodding, January placed the bottle in front of him and crossed her arms.

“What are you doing here, Brecken?”

“You weren’t returning my texts.”

“There’s nothing left to say.”

“Hell yes there is. I love you. Doesn’t that mean anything?”

She shrugged.

It did. She wished it didn’t. She also wished their circumstances were different. If they were, maybe she wouldn’t have this giant hole in her chest where her own heart used to be.

Still, she had no idea what he expected her to say. She’d already told him that she would never ask him to choose, and she had reminded him that she never demanded anything from him. She wasn’t going to tell him again.

“I can’t seem to stay away from you.”

“That isn’t fair.”

He was as confusing as he was infuriating.

“No. It isn’t.”