Page 2 of Mr. Perfect

“The podcast is going great, and ‘Ride the Lightning’s’ success has blown us away,” Felix said. The story of the 1982 murder of a drag queen and the coerced confession that followed thirteen years later had become an overnight sensation.

“But?” Ree prompted

“Something is off or missing. I can’t quite put a finger on it.”

“Maybe you need to get laid.”

Felix was in the middle of a particularly lengthy dry spell. Was that it? “Or maybe a man turns thirty-five and starts seeing the world differently.”

“Is your biological clock ticking too?” Ree teased. She and her husband, Stephen, had been trying to get pregnant for over a year. The last time they’d spoken, Ree mentioned looking into fertility specialists and adoption.

“That’s all you, gorgeous. Have you and Stephen reached a decision?”

“We have,” she said after a pause. “I know people think we’re crazy, but we decided to seek help from a fertility specialist.”

“Why would anyone fault you for doing everything you can to become pregnant? Whose business is it anyway?”

“Our families are just worried about the expense,” Ree replied.

“Are you asking them to pay for it?”

Ree laughed. “Of course not, but we will have to take money out of our retirement accounts, or refinance the house, and there are no guarantees it will work.”

“It definitely won’t work if you don’t try. I could lend you the money,” Felix offered.

“I love you with all my heart for offering, but I can’t accept. You have no idea how much money I’m talking about,” Ree said. “I won’t even know how expensive it will be until after Stephen and I have completed all the exams and screenings.”

“I did some research when you brought it up a few months ago. I’ve heard enough about the process over the years to know it’s expensive. I love you, Ree. You want a baby, and I want to see it happen.”

Felix didn’t make the offer lightly. His biggest fear was to make a mistake that would send him back to an impoverished existence. He had looked into the eyes of rapists and killers during interviews and hadn’t hesitated to ask tough questions. Felix had been threatened with violence when he got too close to someone who hadn’t wanted their misdeeds exposed. None of those things disrupted his sleep or caused him to break out into a cold sweat. Recalling the hollow sensation of an empty stomach was enough to trigger nightmares and insomnia for days, if not weeks. Felix knew what it was to covet something so much that it took over your life. He was able to help, and he would, if Ree let him.

“It sounds so shallow,” Ree said softly. “There are so many babies out there who need a good home. Stephen and I have so much love to offer them. We made a pact. We’ll give the fertility thing a try for a year, but we are going to adopt regardless of the outcome. If I don’t get pregnant, we’ll begin the process right away. If I do get pregnant, then we’ll adopt in a few years.”

“You and Stephen will make amazing parents. Let me help you.”

“No way. I appreciate your kindness. It means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

“Anything for my best girl. The offer still stands if you change your mind.”

They chatted for another fifteen minutes until Felix spotted the rookie journalist pulling up in front of the newspaper. The kid rubbed him the wrong way. No one was as perfect as this kid pretended to be—always dressed impeccably and never in a bad mood. Felix called bullshit. Minerva, the paper’s editor and his immediate boss, ate it up, though, so Felix was careful what he said about Jimmy Alsop.

“Felix, honey, you’re growling,” Ree said. “Are you thinking about Jude again?”

“That damn do-gooder rookie writer just pulled in. I see him checking his hair in the mirror, and I just want to stomp over there and mess it up.”

“So mature.”

Felix laughed. “I didn’t say I was proud of the urge. Isn’t it enough that I recognize it and don’t act on it?”

“It’s a good start.”

Felix watched the twentysomething man get out of his car with a bakery box and walk quickly to the front of the building. “I better get in there before Jimmy starts measuring my office for the replacement furniture he plans to install once I’m gone.”

“You think he’s gunning for your job, huh?”

“I know so.”

“It won’t do any good,” Ree said. “Minerva loves you.”