As Grady dashed out toward the sidewalk and up the hill, Raphe still hadn’t taken his arms off Zoe and nuzzled close. “He’s a weird guy. They’re all weird, the Mallorys.”
The host called her name, and thankfully, they were led to a table in the corner, a tall propane heater fired up next to them, and Zoe huddled into her jacket. Raphe ordered a beer, and Zoe asked for water, claiming her stomach was off.
“You were friends with Ryder back in school, weren’t you?” she asked.
“Yeah, we were friends. As much as anyone was friends with Ryder.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know.”
“I really don’t.”
“He’s all charm and not much under the surface,” Raphe said, as if everyone knew that.
Zoe tipped a look and studied his expression.
Their drinks arrived, and Zoe couldn’t stomach the idea of food, so Raphe ordered a pizza for them to share.
“Do you want to know why I’m in such a good mood?” he asked, and bit his bottom lip and waggled his eyebrows.
“Of course. What’s up?”
“It’s been a month since we’ve been back together.”
“Has it been a month already? Wow, I hadn’t realized. A lot’s happened in the last month.”
His expression dropped halfway, and he shook his head in frustration. “We agreed to take it slow, and that sex was going to wait at least a month. Well, it’s been a month.”
“You’re in this good of a mood over sex?”
“I’m a little offended,” he said, pretending to be kidding with a teasing smile, but his eyes were squinty with doubt. “Seriously, I think we’re going much better than last time.”
Fuck. She ought to just blurt it out. Her lips twitched in a partial smile, but she couldn’t seem to hold it. “Out of curiosity… did you date much, after we broke up?”
“A little, but I didn’t sleep with anyone else, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Words flitted in her mind, and not one of them would ease the blow. “I did,” she said softly.
“Oh,” he said quickly, looked away, and his skin pinked as he held his breath. “Oh,” he said again. “I guess, I mean, we were broken up. Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”
The restaurant buzzed with activity. Traffic flooded the main drag through town. At least the construction next door had stopped for the evening, but the chain link fencing and dug out foundations added to the chaos.
“Because it didn’t matter. But…” Fuck, she didn’t know how to say it. Announcing a pregnancy always seemed like such a lovely thing. So far, she hadn’t enjoyed telling anyone. “But it does now, because… I’m pregnant.”
“You… you… what?” He stuttered and squinted and stared at her like she had to be joking.
“I’m pregnant,” she repeated slowly, aching over how devastated he must be right now. “I didn’t know the best way to tell you. I…”
“So you told me in a crowded restaurant in the middle of town? So I won’t freak out?”
“No,” she growled. Yes. That’s exactly why she chose the crowded restaurant. “I’m exhausted in my first damn trimester and taking naps all the damn time and I didn’t feel like cooking.”
He puffed out his cheeks and leaned in, and reached across the table and took both of her hands in his. “You’re positive it’s not mine?” he asked, almost glaring now.
“I’m sure.”
He kept staring.
