“Thank you,” I reply with a smile. “And thank you again for watching Riley.”
“Are you kidding?” she exclaims. “He’s a delight and a nice break from my shifts at Sunday Scoops, believe me. If you decide not to come home for the night…” She shrugs coyly. “I’m just saying, it won’t be the end of the world. Riley and I will have ice cream for dinner and breakfast. You know I get to take that stuff home for free. I brought you a pint,” she says, nodding to the freezer.
I smile.
“Thanks, but none for the baby, you know that. Is it rocky road?”
She grins. “You betcha, and the baby’s getting a spoonful or two whether you like it or not!”
We laugh together and Riley joins us, although of course, my son has no idea what we’re laughing about.
“So where are you meeting the client tonight?” Colette asks, raising her eyebrows.
“The Roosevelt Hotel bar,” I sigh.
“Not his place?” Colette asks, confused.
I shake my head. “Safety first. He’s a new client, and I’ve never been out with him before, so you know how the agency does it: always meet in a public place.”
“Damn,” Colette says, her eyes wide. “I didn’t know you were taking on new clients. What’s this guy’s name?”
“Brian,” I say with a shrug. “Nothing special.”
Colette’s nods thoughtfully. “Well, that’s a normal name at least. He could be a schoolteacher from Iowa.”
“I hope it’s a schoolteacher from Iowa!” I exclaim, laughing. “I’ve had enough of scandalous rich boys from the Middle East.”
Colette nods.
“Yeah, that last client was a sultan, wasn’t he? A member of the royal family? Still, the Lambo you showed me a picture of was H-O-T.”
I merely shake my head.
“It was one of five produced in the entire world, according to what the sultan said. But you know what?” I shrug. “Money is money. A good man who treats me nice is worth way more than some sheikh from Arabia who’s looking for fun on the side.”
Colette nods knowingly.
“I hear you. And Annie, I know you haven’t had the easiest time in life,” my friend says in a soft voice while bouncing Riley up and down. “But you’re young. Don’t give up.”
I shoot her a small smile.
“Yeah, but I feel old. Motherhood will do that to you.”
Colette nods, but her eyes are empathetic.
“You are not over the hill, girlfriend. You’re only twenty-one. There’s a lot of life left, and a lot of passion in you still.”
I mere smile a little sadly, but decide not to answer. Then, I press a gentle kiss to Riley’s forehead.
“Be good tonight, okay baby?” I say, smoothing his black curls back. “Be a good boy for Mommy.”
He looks up at me and my heart almost breaks at how blue his eyes are, reminding me of his father yet once again. But that’s a long time in the past now, and with determination, I put on a jacket, and then grab my purse. I open it to make sure I have my cell phone, my wallet, and my keys. Condoms, too, because I’m extra-cautious these days. As wonderful as Riley is, I’m not in a position to be having another child, especially not with another mysterious no-name stranger.
Then, I turn to my best friend once more. “I know what you’re saying,” I reply softly with a sad smile. “But that time of my life is past, Colette. I already had my fun, and look what I got from it? A baby at nineteen, and now full-blown motherhood at twenty-one. Unfortunately, the sweep you off your feet hero isn’t going to happen to me now. It’s for a romance novel, or a made-for-TV movie. I’ve grown up enough to know that these kinds of things just don’t happen in real life.
Colette angles her head to the side, giving me a thoughtful look.
“Well, you never know,” she says in a gentle tone. “These past two years have been tough, but never say never, hon.”
I smile too.
“Maybe. Okay, enough with the sappy talk. Bye now. Bye baby,” I say again to my son before making a kissy face that puts Riley in giggles.
Then, I head out of the apartment and down the old, narrow staircase to the ground floor. But my friend’s words echo in my mind in spite of my best efforts, and a pang strikes my heart. Somehow, I feel that life has already passed me by, and that from here on out, my romantic life is only downhill. After all, I work as an escort, so what guy would really want me? Even more, I haven’t been on a real date since before I was pregnant. What are the chances that a dashing hero will sweep me off my feet given my life circumstances?
With that, my lips harden into a line and a look of determination crosses my face. I’m doing this for my baby, I remind myself in a grim tone. And no one else.