Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 132464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Josh exhales.
Shit. I shouldn’t have said that. That was a decidedly terroristic thing to say. Shoot. “So, anyway,” I continue, trying to deflect attention from my apparently pathological need to strap bombs to my chest. “So now I’m sitting in a restaurant with a stack of bridal magazines, waiting for Sarah to arrive.”
“Are you gonna tell her about the pregnancy?”
“No. I think we should wait to tell Jonas and Sarah until after the wedding. They’ve got plenty to think about ’til then.”
“I agree.”
“Plus, you never know. It still might not stick. So, anyway, continuing with my exciting agenda for the day, after lunch, I’ve got a doctor’s appointment.”
“A doctor’s appointment? You mean for the baby?”
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have flown up for it.”
“Flown up for a doctor’s appointment?”
“It’s my kid, right?”
I bristle.
“Shit. That came out wrong. Kat, please don’t freak out. I meant, ‘Hey, it’s my kid, right?’ Not, ‘It’s my kid... right?’”
I can’t help but smile. “I know exactly what you meant. It’s okay. But, bee tee dubs, it’s your kid, Josh.”
“Yeah, I know that.” He pauses. “Well, the point I’m making is that I plan to be there for my kid, right from the start. Doctors appointments and everything. I’m gonna be a real father—not just a wallet. So tell me about appointments, please, and I’ll always try to make them.”
“Okay. I’m sorry. It didn’t occur to me to tell you about today’s appointment—we haven’t exactly been chatting each other’s ears off this week.” I clear my throat. “But I’ll be sure to tell you next time.”
“Please do.”
“I will.” There’s a beat. “So how’s your day going, Josh?”
“Fine. I’m just trying to finish this huge report. It’s the last thing I’ve got to do for Faraday & Sons and then I’m free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I’m free at last. And the other thing I’m doing is sitting here watching moving guys put all my shit into a humongous truck.”
“What?”
“Yeah, considering what’s going on with you and the baby and everything, I decided to move into my new house a couple weeks early,” Josh says.
My heart leaps. “Really? When will you be up here?”
“Really soon. A matter of days. I’ll let you know when I get the moving schedule confirmed.” He lets out a pained exhale. “Shit. Fuck this, Kat—I can’t take it anymore. I’ve been going out of my head this whole week, dying to tell you—”
“Kitty Kat!” It’s Sarah, standing at the edge of the table, holding out her arms for a big hug. “I’m so sorry I’m late.”
Twelve
Kat
“Hang on, Josh—Sarah’s here,” I say into the phone, cutting him off. I leap up from the table and give Sarah a huge hug. “Welcome home! Ooooph, I missed you, girl. Let’s see it.”
Sarah shows me the humongous diamond on her hand.
“Oh my God!” I shriek, ogling Sarah’s rock. “It’s so huge! And sparkly! Oh, Sarah! That’s the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen. To die for! What girl wouldn’t kill to get a ring like that?”
We take our seats, both of us giggling and glowing and cooing at each other like we haven’t seen each other in twenty years.
“Hello?” a compressed voice says through my phone on the table.
“Oh my God,” I gasp, picking up the phone. “I’m so sorry, Josh,” I say. “I totally forgot you were there.”
“Mmm hmmm. Gosh, it sure sounds like Sarah’s ring is big and sparkly, Kat.”
I smile demonically to myself. “Oh, you heard all that? I’m sorry. Yeah. It’s gorgeous.” Sarah smiles at me, oblivious to what’s been going on between Josh and me this past week. “You should see Sarah,” I say to Josh. “She looks so happy. Hang on.” I hold the phone out to Sarah. “Say hi to Josh, Sarah—tell him how happy you are.”
Sarah giggles and takes the phone from me. “Hi, Joshy Woshy. Thank you... . Hey, that’s right, brother.” She squeals. “Hellz yeah, I will, you silly goose... Yep. Smart thinking... I love you, Joshy Woshy.” She giggles again. “I will. Bye.” She hands the phone back. “Here you go.”
I put the phone to my ear, but Josh is gone. “He hung up,” I say, feeling deflated.
“He told me to tell you goodbye. He said he’ll talk to you later.”
I stare at Sarah, stunned. “You told Josh you love him.”
“I sure did, because I do. I loooooove him. Josh is gonna be my brother—isn’t that awesome? I’ve always wanted a brother.”
“And what did Josh say in reply when you said that?” I ask.
“He said, ‘I feel the same way about you, my dearest sister.’” Sarah giggles. “Oh, the Faraday men. Gotta love ’em.”
“Yeah. Gotta love ’em.”
Oh my God, that should have been me saying “I love you” to Josh. I love him more than I knew I could love. I love every part of him, even the douchey parts. And I’m dying to tell him so. I already knew it, of course, but this week without him has made me realize I truly can’t be happy without him.