“We only have our clothes and all the stuff Dr. Chinto bought for the babies. We were really hoping she’d come back down to Boston when the babies were born. Guess that’s not happening now.”
He had promised himself that he wouldn’t ask. Connor had been dying to hear how Krista was doing. But if she wanted him to know, she’d have called and told him.
It wasn’t easy but he responded, “I’m sure you’ll see her when she can. Now go and let me pack before I change my mind,” he said, wanting out of the current topic.
Mikie heeded the warning and dashed out of the apartment. It really wasn’t going to take Connor long to pack. He had always travelled light. A couple of suitcases later and he was done. The only thing he knew he needed to do was grab that coffee or Mikie was going to think Connor was a lot older than thirty-eight.
Hell, I’m feeling a lot older, I don’t need Mikie rubbing it in.
As he walked to get his coffee he passed Uncle Ronnie’s. It was like everything he saw was going to remind him of her tonight. How much he missed her. And it was only making him want to see her. Damn it, he ached to hold her again. But even if he couldn’t have those things, he’d actually have settled for just hearing her voice again. But he needed to respect the fact she closed that door. She told him she didn’t need him. And by not calling, she proved it.
He felt like a fool for even thinking for one brief moment, that he could actually have what his sister did. That wasn’t the life for him, and he needed to remind himself of that.
Never wanted it before. No need to want it now.
If it was only that easy to get her out of his mind. The only thing that seemed to help was long hours working. Even then thoughts of her crept in. He needed to get out of Boston, before he found himself on a drive up north. Helping Mikie move wasn’t going to help any. But it was better than laying in some hotel room fighting the urge to call her.
Seems like it’s not just me she’s too busy for. She doesn’t even have time for Patty.
That shocked him. He never thought she’d walk away so damn easily. Guess he didn’t know her after all.
When he showed up at Mikie’s, he found they had a visitor from Montpelier. Unfortunately it wasn’t one he wanted to see.
“Hello Laurel. Nice seeing you again,” Connor said.
Patty shot them a look. “You two know each other?”
Laurel said, “Yeah. He spent a weekend with Krista. I wasn’t even finished watching my show and she practically kicked me out.”
Patty then turned her focus on Connor. “You spent the night with Dr. Chinto?”
He wasn’t here for this shit. But Mikie didn’t seem to have his back this time. “You never mentioned that,” he said.
“Because it’s called personal. We don’t talk about things like that,” he replied.
“But you didn’t even ask about her. And when we talked to her, she never mentioned you either?” Mikie said. “You guys have a fight or something?”
“No,” Connor said.
Patty huffed. “He’s probably one of those type of guys. You know the one that runs at the word baby.”
Baby? What baby?Connor knew nothing about a baby. He’d used protection, but hell, that didn’t mean accidents didn’t happen. If she was pregnant why the hell wouldn’t she tell him. Fuck. He had the right to know.
“I don’t run,” he snarled.
“You didn’t stay,” Laurel snapped. “You should see her. She’s exhausted trying to do it all on her own. I even heard her crying. She never cries. If I’m right, it’s because of you.”
Connor was torn between being pissed and not caring and feeling like shit for not picking up the fucking phone and calling her when he’d wanted to. But his damn pride had gotten in the way.
He pulled out his wallet and took out all the cash, which was a few hundred dollars at least. Handing it to Mikie he said, “This is to pay someone to help you move. But I can’t stay.”
Mikie took the money but asked, “Where are you going?”
“I have some unfinished business that I need to attend to.”
“See. I told you. They run,” Laurel said, crossing her arms and shaking her head. “That’s why I’m going to marry a guy from Montpelier. They’re there when things get tough.”
If Connor defended himself, it would look as though he were bashing Krista. He didn’t care what they thought of him. All that mattered to them was what Krista felt, and what she was going through. They were her friends, and care about Krista. So did he, but there was more to it.