Page 55 (2/2)

“Yes,” came a small, tired voice from behind Tina “She does” Rachel patted her friend-slash-bodyguard’s shoulder and Tina stepped aside, shooting a final, wary look over her shoulder at hiiven the way things were going tonight Rachel was pale, her face splotchy, and looked like she had the flu No, not the flu Probablysickness

His heart lurched in a not entirely uncomfortable way A baby He clutched the book to his chest, still hidden behind the sad bouquet of dyed purple and pink and royal blue daisies, and forced the words out of his throat “Can I come in?”

She pushed a lock of long, brown hair away from her face and shook her head

Okay She was angry But he could get past angry He’d thought a lot about their predica a child while they were in college—of getting married ay sooner than he’d planned She’d have to drop soh he knew she’d insist on working after Meanwhile, he’d hustle to finish his degree He’d landed an internship at an ad agency in Chicago that sounded pro The two-hour train ride fro to commute When the internship turned into a career, she could finish out her degree and he could balance the rest They’d make it work

Rachel, like himatic to allow her future to be conancies all over the world, all the time

We’ll ain

“Co and I’ eaten by mosquitoes” When she didn’t smile, he said, “We need to talk”

“There’s nothing to talk about”

Was she joking? There were fifteen things to talk about He knew because he had a typed list in his back pocket “Yes There is,” he told her “Plans need to be made Plans for us”

“There is no us,” she said, her face a placid mask