Page 45 of The Hang Up
His sister raised an eyebrow. “What is it like, then?”
“Just—casual, I guess. Nothing serious.”
“Is that what she wants?”
“Definitely.”
“And it’s what you want?”
“Yeah,” he said, hesitating only a little. “It is.”
His sister looked at him a moment, then gave an eye roll that summed up every thought echoing in Jason’s head the last week.
“Whatever you say, bro.”
And with that, she stood up to go push Henry on the swings.
* * *
“So it’s official.”Miriam grinned and wrapped her best friend in a bear hug at her dining room table, doing her damnedest not to think about what she and Jason had done on that very table just over a week ago. “Congratulations, hot mama. Now I can start sending you links for all the trendiest designers of fashionable maternity wear.”
Holly hugged back, her hair tickling Miriam’s nose. “Thanks.” She pulled free from the hug and sat down, then grabbed a handful of rosemary-dusted almonds from the bowl in the middle of the table. “These are my favorite. I can’t seem to stop eating lately.”
“I’ll grab you some more,” Miriam offered. “I’d open a bottle of champagne, but I’m pretty sure that’s off-limit for preggos.”
“Right you are,” Holly agreed. “I’ll take ginger ale, if you’ve got it. Or anything fizzy. My stomach’s been giving me fits all week.”
“Is Ben over the moon?” She hustled to the fridge and grabbed two cans of club soda and a couple glasses. She hurried back to the dining room, not wanting to miss Holly’s answer.
“Yeah, he is. He’s always wanted to be a dad. To do better than his dad did with him.”
“I’ve met his dad, so I know that won’t be too tough,” Miriam pointed out. “But I know Ben’s going to be a great father.”
“Lyle did set the bar pretty low, but I’m positive Ben will rise above it,” Holly said. “We knew we wanted to have kids right away, but we kinda didn’t expect it to happen so fast.”
“Well, thatisthe way the birds and the bees work.”
Holly grinned and cracked the top on her soda.“Speaking of which…” She trailed off there, but gave a pointed look at the dining room table. “Please tell me you’ve sanitized it since then.”
“At least twice,” Miriam said. “You don’t see any butt prints on it, do you?”
“Ew.” Holly poured her soda, then took a sip. Then she set it down and looked at her friend. Miriam knew that look. It was the same one Holly gave their clients when she sensed they weren’t giving them the full story on a project.
“So,” Holly said as she adjusted a bobby pin at the edge of her chignon. “You’re sure it’s just a casual, no-strings-attached kinda thing with Jason?”
“Positive.Please.Can you see me with a scruffy mountain man in any long-term capacity?”
“You mean because you’re the world’s most citified city girl, or because of what happened with your dad?”
“Both,” Miriam said, her throat tightening a little as she lifted her own glass of soda. “I mean come on, can you imagine a worse match?”
“I can. And I’ve been happily married to him for two months now, so don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.”
“I just?—”
She stopped herself, not sure what she’d been about to say.
I just can’t see myself with a guy like that? I just can’t go through that again?
