Free When Girlfriends Step Up by Savannah Page

going on. She said she needed to be sensible and come to terms with the fact that she was destined to be, like me, unlucky in love. I found the whole thing rather confusing.
    “You know me, Robin. Always Mr. Wrong, never Mr. Right. That’s the story of my life.”
    “Tell me about it,” I said, taking the lead to share my own office romance, or crush, or whatever was going on (if anything at all). “This guy at my office, Bobby, I think I’m making myself crush on him just because he’s offering me coffee and making sure he says ‘hi’ to me every morning. As always, I’m blowing it out of proportion I’m sure. Thinking he’s actually interested in me…” I chuckled. “Oh well. He’s got a girlfriend anyway. And it seems pretty serious.”
    Lara shook her head, then changed the subject. “What do you say to some 90210 ? Think that’s coming on soon. Or would you rather I pop in an old Sex and the City episode? Or we could watch Pretty Woman . Oldie but goodie.” She pulled her hair back into a neat and small ponytail.
    “We need the inspiration; unlucky in love over here. Put in Pretty Woman .”
    There we sat that night, cuddled together under a big blanket on the sofa, watching Julia Roberts work the screen. Our nails freshly painted, the Brandon dilemma left for another day, and my ultrasound appointment on the horizon. Lara and I may have been unlucky in love—on the constant, unsuccessful hunt for Mr. Right—but we were unlucky in love together. We were both concocting imaginative love affairs with our office boys, and we were all right with that, I suppose. At least we had each other…and Julia to give us some encouragement. Love can be found in the strangest of places, so perhaps there was hope for us after all.

Chapter Five

    “Comfortable bed?” Lara asked the next morning, while she poured some milk into her dry cereal topped with freshly cut peaches.
    “Heavenly,” I said, taking one last look at myself in the hallway mirror before I headed out for work. “Thank you so much.”
    “Any time, girl.”
    I started towards the front door and Lara called out, “Aren’t you going to eat some breakfast? You’ve got to make sure you’re eating right. You’re eating for—”
    “I know. I’m eating for two now.” I gave her a smile and headed out the door. “I’m going to grab a muffin at a café. I’ll call you later. And thank you again, Lara. I really enjoyed last night.”
    She waved goodbye, her cereal spoon in hand. “Later, girl!” she mumbled through a mouthful of cereal.
    Before I pulled out of the apartment parking lot I stole a glance at my cell phone, hoping that Brandon had called or texted. Nothing.  
    That’s it. Enough is enough.
    Before I drove off, I rushed out a text to Brandon and typed, Robin here. PLEASE call me!!! Maybe that would get his butt into gear. And if it didn’t, I’d call again. Today during lunch. Same story, hopefully a different outcome.
    The drive from Lara’s apartment to my office was a breeze. Most certainly an improvement in time efficiency and mileage compared to when I drove my usual route from my apartment in the U District. The girls had been pestering me for years to move closer to them and out of the U District where we’d all gone to college. Since graduation they’d all moved into various areas of Seattle—Fremont, Queen Anne, Madison Park, and even wealthy men’s upper class penthouses in Downtown and Waterfront, but that was usually Jackie’s terrain as she was often on the move depending on Cupid’s arrow. I, however, chose to stay in the familiar apartment at Pacific Green Hills near campus. It was still relatively close to work, but seeing how brisk a dash I’d made from Lara’s apartment I started to second-guess my living arrangements.
    Once the baby came I’d have to seriously consider a new living arrangement anyhow. A small one-bedroom and one-bathroom apartment in a rather loud part of town, college students