The Baby Pact (Babies and Billions #5) - Holly Rayner Page 0,21
Rhea. I should have gotten in touch with you a long time ago.”
“You couldn’t have,” she told him. “You didn’t know where I was.”
“I could have found you. You weren’t hard to track down.”
“Well, I could have found you too,” she said. “After that fight, I just thought you wouldn’t want to see me.”
He glanced down at her. “So we’re talking about the fight?”
“I wasn’t going to bring it up,” she admitted. “But I guess it’s better if we acknowledge it and move on, right?”
“It was stupid,” Zach said. “It was all my fault. I think I picked a fight, honestly, because I thought it would be easier to let go of you if I was angry.”
“It wasn’t all your fault,” Rhea argued. “I’m the one who was acting like a know-it-all. I assumed I knew what was best for you, and that you weren’t listening to me because you weren’t smart enough to understand how good my ideas were. I should have realized that you had already made your choice. I should have supported you.” She shook her head. “I just didn’t want you to leave, that’s all.”
They left the ice, changed back into their shoes, handed in their skates, and walked toward the Christmas market. Little wooden booths stood at intervals, and merchants sold handmade ornaments, candles, and seasonal treats.
Zach bought them a bag of roasted honey almonds to share and a couple of hot chocolates.
“I love things like this,” he said as they walked toward the center of the market. “They’re so cheerful. My dad used to take me to them all the time when I was a kid.” He laughed. “Of course, we didn’t have any money back then, so I would save up my allowance for months beforehand to make sure I’d have enough to buy Dad a present.”
“That’s so sweet,” Rhea said. She popped an almond in her mouth. “How is your dad, by the way?”
Zach hesitated. “He died,” he said. “About five years ago.”
“Oh, Zach.” She rested a hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s all right,” he said. “It was definitely really hard at first. He was my only family, you know?”
“I know. I’m so sorry that happened.”
“I have good people in my life now,” Zach said. “Good friends, good coworkers. I’m doing all right.”
“You have me now, too,” Rhea said. “I won’t let anything drive us apart again.”
Zach smiled. “I hope not,” he said. “Now that I’ve found you again, I don’t think I could stand to let you go.”
They left the mall, and Rhea led the way toward her neighborhood, claiming she wanted to show him where she lived. She stopped outside a bar with a bright red door.
“This is where you live?” Zach teased.
She swatted his arm. “This is my favorite bar,” she said. “Want to see?”
“Definitely.”
She led the way inside. It was exactly what he would have expected from Rhea—charming but low-key, with sawdust on the floor and rustic wooden tables.
“It’s like Hill’s,” he said.
She grinned. “I think so. Go find a place for us to sit. I’ll get drinks.”
“I can’t let you buy!”
“Zach,” she said firmly. “You bought dinner last night. You paid for the skate rentals and the hot chocolate today. I am going to buy you a drink. Sit down.”
He laughed. “All, right, all right, fair enough.” He turned away and went to find himself a seat.
She was back from the bar in just a few moments, two beers in hand.
“You’ll like this,” she said, pushing one of them across the table toward him. “It’s local. Really hoppy. I know you like that.”
He did like that. He was pleased that she’d remembered.
I guess I’m not the only one who’s remembering things now that we’re back in each other’s lives.
They drank their beers, laughing together and reminiscing about old times.
Rhea reminded Zach of the painting class they had taken together sophomore year and the experimental techniques their professor had insisted that they try. Zach brought up the time they had gone with a group of friends to the state park a short distance from campus and gone swimming in the lake in nothing but underwear and T-shirts.
After they had each had a few beers, Rhea reached out and rested her hand atop his.
“We’re right here in the neighborhood,” she said. “Why don’t you come see my apartment? I’d like to show you where I live.”
Zach’s heart beat a little faster. When they’d been on campus together, they had spent time in each other’s rooms all the