Agnes just shook her head at her husband.
His cell phone rang and Trace was grateful for the escape from the current conversation.
“Sorry.” He pulled out the phone and answered.
“Trace?” a familiar female voice asked. “This is Chrissie.”
His heart pounded, but a repeated “Hello,” was all he said due to the curious stares he was receiving from the couple across the restaurant table.
“Is this a bad time?” she asked, her voice almost sounding as if she hoped he said it was.
“Could’ve been worse.”
“Oh.” She paused a moment. “I...maybe I could call back at a more convenient time.”
“There’s no need,” he assured, mouthing “sorry” to Bud and Agnes. “What can I do for you?”
“I...I want to see you.”
His heart leapt, but he kept his expression neutral under Agnes’s eagle eyes. Not that she knew who he was talking to, but somehow she’d always had a way of figuring things out.
“What’s changed?” he asked. After all, she’d left without saying goodbye to him.
“I’d rather not say over the phone.”
“You’re in Atlanta?” He was going for nonchalant, partly because of Agnes’s hawk eyes and partly because he didn’t want to sound overly eager to Chrissie.
Regardless of his efforts, Agnes was looking more and more interested in his conversation. He’d really rather not have to explain his phone call and have her asking questions he probably wouldn’t be able to answer.
“No, I’m in Chattanooga, but...”
“You expect me to drive there?”
“Would you?” She sounded hopeful. “That would definitely be easier given the circumstances.”
What circumstances? Part of Trace wanted to agree, but the curious stares of the couple across the table from him had him holding his guns.
“I’m a busy man.” He was coming off as a jerk. Then again, he hadn’t been the one to drive away without so much as a see ya. A little anger and bitterness was to be expected, surely?
“I know,” she admitted, sounding remorseful and making him feel every bit the prize jerk he was being.
“I wasn’t sure if you were still in the States,” she continued. “Are you?”
“I’m in Atlanta still.”
“Oh. That’s good.”
“Why are you calling?” he asked, because she was definitely stalling by talking in circles.
“I had a baby.”
No longer caring that Agnes and Bud were listening in on every word he said, Trace frowned at her blurted-out shocker.
“That’s impossible. It’s only been a week.”
If he’d thought about his response, he’d have known that was not what she meant but her comment had caught him so off guard he hadn’t been thinking. Maybe he hadn’t been breathing either because he felt light-headed.
“Not now,” she clarified, her voice shaky. “I... I had a baby before coming to Atlanta this time, Trace.”