Page 85 of Pregnant By the Playboy

“Good job, Evie,” I say.

Courtney sits on the floor beside me. “How’s Marissa doing? After last Sunday?”

“She’s fine. She feels badly that—”

“Oh, she shouldn’t. We understand.”

I texted Julian the next day to explain and to thank him, as Marissa asked me to do.

“I like her,” Courtney says. “I like her for you. She seems very down-to-earth.”

“Yeah.”

“By the way, Naomi’s husband got a couple books for Evie that I thought you’d like.” She grabs them off the bookshelf.

Quantum Mechanics for Babies.

Baby Loves Coding!

I laugh. “These are awesome.”

I had no idea such books existed. I add them to my mental list of things to get for Baby, and as luck would have it, I’ll be walking by Indigo on my way home. I usually drive to Courtney and Julian’s, but I have something to pick up in Yorkville today, which is in between my place and theirs.

Plus, it’s a beautiful day out. It’s spring, and any day now, it’ll be cherry blossom season. Normally, I wouldn’t care, but I’ve been checking the High Park Cherry Blossom Watch.

I might not be an expert on romance, but cherry blossoms are romantic, right?

My plan is coming together.

I sure hope it works.

* * *

When I walk into the lobby of my building, Brian is there.

“Hey, Vince,” he says. “Thought if I came to pick you up, you might actually go out tonight. There’s a party.”

“Of course there is,” I mutter.

But the truth is, I kind of want to go. I have no plans tonight. Marissa is hanging out with her friends, and we’ll see each other tomorrow instead. We’ve been spending most of our time at her place lately, but tomorrow, I’ll have her over for the first time since that fateful weekend.

“Sure,” I say. “I’ll go.”

“Yeah?” He follows me to the elevator.

“Why not?”

“So this whole commitment to the woman who’s having your baby—that’s over now? I told you—”

“Brian,” I snap as the elevator doors close behind us.

He startles. He’s not used to me talking like that.

“I love Marissa and I know what I want,” I say. “I’m not going to change my mind, okay? You got me to doubt myself last time, but you won’t succeed this time.”

“But you want to go out tonight.”

“Being in a committed relationship doesn’t mean I can’t go to a party. I won’t pick up a woman, but I can still enjoy myself. Have a few drinks. Shoot the shit. Be in bed by two.”