and he gives her a wild, threatening look. After that, he finally turns and leaves. He is now probably sufficiently embarrassed, and I hope I never have to see him again.
Blaire and I step in. I shut and lock the door.
“What the Hell was that about?” she barks, and I go to the couch.
“I don’t know what’s going on with him. Maybe I should have asked him to explain. Maybe he needs my help,” I say, beginning to stand up, but Blaire comes over and pushes me down again.
“Well, I don’t think he needs your help after the way he acted when you broke up. Especially not now when you should be looking after the welfare of your baby.”
I stroke a hand over my belly affectionately. Blaire smiles.
“Well, at least if you leave town, you won’t have to deal with Chase again!”
I smile at her and nod.
“You should come over some weekend. You can come over whenever you want. I want you to be a part of this journey with me, Blaire. And I would especially like you to be a part of the baby’s life.”
She throws her arms around me, and we hug.
“I don’t want you to go, but you’re right, this is probably for the best. And if you’re living with your parents, I will sleep better and not have to worry about you.”
She has probably noticed the faraway look in my eyes. I’m trying to blink it away but I can’t help the way my mind is working.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take this opportunity while you’re still in the city to pop over to Kirk’s office?”
I roll my eyes.
“You know as well as I do, Blaire, that it’s not going to be a quick pop-in or a talk. What I have to tell him is going to be a sensitive issue, and I have to do it right. I don’t want to be in a hurry.”
She nods. Hopefully, she understands now.
“But you do love him, right?” she asks. I let my shoulders droop. I could protest…but what’s the point? Blaire knows the truth about my feelings by now, anyway.
“Yeah, I think I do, but that’s okay because you don’t always get what you want.”
“Come on, you can watch me load the car and then we’ll go get pizza somewhere before I drive you to the station,” she says.
She won’t let me carry any of the bags, but there are loads of them. So we end up taking much more time than expected to get the car loaded. Eventually, we head to a nearby diner that we don’t go to. We get pizza and pop and try and chat about everything other than the baby or Kirk.
At the station, we both have tears in our eyes. It feels like a big chapter of my life is coming to an end.
“I’ll miss you, but this is not goodbye. We’re going to find a way to make this work for you in the city,” she says as we hug. I nod, but I know the chances of that happening are very low.
24
Kirk
This last week, ever since that idiot showed up at my office, I have been on a mission to work harder than before. All work and no play. I haven’t even bothered to keep up the fight with the board over my extra-curricular activities.
I’ve been getting my work done, going to all the meetings and work lunches and staying away from the cocktail parties. I can’t trust myself around alcohol anymore. I’d rather stay stark sober. At least it’s keeping me distracted from completely falling apart over Kim.
I return to my penthouse tonight after having spent all my day at work attending meetings. I have just about had the time to loosen my tie when I get a call from the reception to say that Blaire is here to see me.
I shake my head in frustration. I have managed to stay away from calling her, storming her apartment and raining hellfire on her. What does she want from me now?
“Yeah, send her up,” I speak into the intercom, against my better judgment. I can’t help but be curious even though I know this isn’t going to end well for either of us.
I have to pour myself a drink. After all these days of staying away from alcohol, it’s Blaire who pushes me back in its direction. I pour myself a gin and tonic and wait for her by my open front door.
I hear the elevator ding