Just One More Time by Deborah Cooke

Author:Deborah Cooke
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-988479-13-2
Publisher: Deborah A. Cooke

Marie showed up at the salon at lunch time. Lauren was sure the other woman was sick when she saw her, because there were shadows under her eyes and her skin was pale. “Are you sure you should be out of bed?” she asked and Marie forced a smile.

“Some things have to be done,” she said enigmatically. She sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting area, landing heavily, and rubbed a hand over her brow. “If I barf again today, I will lose my mind.”

Lauren didn’t make the obvious joke. Marie didn’t look as if she’d appreciate the humor. “Do you have the flu? Do you need to see a doctor?”

“I’ve seen a doctor,” Marie said grimly. “This isn’t going to go away for nine months. Well, seven more.” She gave Lauren a significant look.

Oh.

Lauren pulled up another chair. She knew, of course, that Marie was single. They’d never been friends but they were friendly. Lauren always figured that Marie liked to keep her private life private, which was fair enough.

“You want to talk about it?”

“We both know how it happens,” Marie said with a ghost of her usual humor.

“Damn toilet seats,” Lauren said just to make her smile.

Marie did.

Then she made a face. “Look, there’s something I have to tell you and I’m not looking forward to it, so just let me do it, okay?”

“Okay.” Lauren sat and waited, assuming that Marie was going to quit. She was responsible and probably worried about leaving Lauren high and dry. Ingrid could probably work more shifts and Lauren could find another part-time stylist to take the chair. She was already planning how best to manage the change before Marie spoke.

Marie cleared her throat and kept her gaze fixed on the floor. “I never said I was sorry about you splitting up with Mark, because I actually wasn’t sorry,” she admitted in a hurry. “I always thought he was attractive, and actually—” She fidgeted. “And actually, I’d been sleeping with him for about six months when you two split up.”

Lauren thought she must have heard wrong.

But Marie squirmed and looked embarrassed, and she knew she hadn’t.

A cold weight landed in Lauren’s gut.

“Just off and on, kind of a casual thing,” Marie continued as if that made it all right. “But when you threw him out, I thought that he and I could have a future. So, he stayed at my place for two weeks.” She peeked at Lauren who couldn’t completely hide her surprise.

Not one woman but two.

How many others were there?

She wondered if Marie knew about the blonde, although she doubted the blonde cared about Marie.

“Until I found out that I was pregnant.” Marie released a shuddering breath. “Then he left.”

“Ah!” That seemed to be a safe comment to make.

“Mark wants me to terminate the pregnancy.” When Lauren didn’t say anything, Marie continued. “He says it will interfere with his career.”

At least he was consistent about not wanting kids.

“I believe I’ve heard that point made before,” Lauren muttered.

“But I want this baby, and I want to be with him with this baby.

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