“It’s so good to see you,” he breathed. “I thought...I mean, I didn’t think…
“Shhh.” Margot placed a gentle finger to his lips, and he clamped them shut obediently. They still felt kiss-starved, and even the most feather-light of her touches made him crave her mouth against his once more. “I wanted to apologize to you in person, Eddie. I’m sorry I reacted so negatively when you were trying to surprise me with such a wonderful gift. As much as I always thought I was ready to share my life with someone, the reality is that I never stopped to think about what that might actually mean. It means letting someone in, and inviting them to make important decisions that will affect you. It means trusting them.” Margot shook her head. "I'm sorry I didn't see that."
“You really think the apartment's wonderful?” he asked hopefully. Margot drew her finger away and nodded. “Did I do good?”
“You did good.” She smiled, and Eddie loved the way her adorable cheeks lifted. Any pregnancy weight she had managed to put on only made her look younger, and more beautiful; she looked well-rested and radiant today. “I didn’t want to just come by and apologize,” she added as she eased herself in against his chest. Her belly brushed his, and Eddie felt butterflies erupt within him. “I wanted to come by and thank you for taking so much on for us. And I wanted to invite you to go on a series of dates with me.”
Eddie’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”
Margot laughed and shook her head. “Well, I went ahead and booked us both for some classes on child care basics. I thought we could get some hands-on parenting training.”
Eddie’s heart fluttered. For a moment, he almost couldn’t believe that this go-with-the-flow iteration of Margot was once again taking such an active interest in the preparation side of things. She was starting to act like her old self again, and he…
God, he was relieved to see her. This was a bad sign. The Eddie Margot needed most was the one who was responsible; who could assume control easily. She didn't need the boy who had always been relieved to let her handle things. He needed to be better than this; still, he couldn't resist letting his happiness at seeing the old Margot resurface go unvoiced.
“Is it gross that I find that impossibly romantic?” he asked her.
She laughed. “Absolutely!”
“Great. Want to double down on the evening’s romance and order a pizza?” he inquired.
She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know. Is it on the recommended food list?”
“Screw the recommended food list,” Eddie said as he slung his arm around her and steered her inside. “My child’s going to learn to appreciate a good New York-style pizza from the womb.”
Margot’s laughter filled the apartment as the door swung shut behind him. For now, Eddie decided, it was the only furnishing he absolutely required to be happy.
The rest would come in due time.
Chapter Twelve
Eddie
Where are you?
Eddie stared down at the text from Margot. It was a week since what he had come to think of as the Forgiveness Pizza Party, and he had no idea what she was talking about. For a moment, he simply couldn’t wrap his head around her question.
“Eddie?” Trinity asked him. “Is everything all right?”
Eddie glanced up. Sam and Trinity sat across from him at the conference room table. Sam had his finger poised above the conference call phone.
“Jonathan Daley’s about to be on the other line,” Sam mentioned. “He’s going to know it if he doesn’t have your full attention.”
Eddie glanced back down at Margot’s text. His head hurt; his vision blurred; and no matter how hard he squinted, he couldn’t make her question ring out with any sense. He hadn’t slept at all last night, and he had barely managed four hours the night before. He knew he was running on fumes, but there was no way he had missed anything in his schedule. She had probably texted the wrong person, or mistaken the day, or…
Then it hit him, as hard as if he had just rammed Annabella right into the dock. The fucking class! He had completely forgotten about the class Margot had signed them both up for, the one on parenting basics.
Eddie gripped the arms of his chair, heart hammering in his chest. He must have looked like a spooked animal about to bolt. Trinity’s smile died, and her face, tan from living almost full-time in California, drained slightly of color. Sam watched and waited; then, when he clearly decided he couldn't wait anymore, he punched the button.
"Hello?" Jonathan Daley's voice came through the phone. "Eddie? You there?"
"I'm here." But I should be somewhere else! his mental voice shouted. Where the hell am I supposed to be?
"Trinity and I are here as well, Mr. Daley," Sam mentioned. His icy blue eyes were fixed on Eddie, but they were live now. Eddie didn't know how to convey to them that he had to go.
But he had to do something.
"Mr. Daley, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to reschedule our meeting." It felt like someone else had taken hold and was speaking through his lips. "Something's come up."