Free Hurt by Lila Bruce Page B

smirked. “It’s all in the genes.” She glanced up at the other woman. “Damn Sundae, that shirt is really wet.” She crossed back over to the dresser for a t-shirt. “Here, put this on before you get sick. It’s cold out there today.”
    “You kill me,” Sundae said, shaking her head and unbuttoning her blouse. “I almost hate to get undressed in front of you. Here I am worried about packing on baby weight, and you stand there looking like the cover of Sports Illustrated without even trying.”
    Jamie began to laugh and then stopped. She cocked her head at Sundae.
    “Whoa, wait. Baby weight? Are you pregnant?”
    The blonde woman licked her lips and tossed her hair back.
    “We haven’t really told anyone yet, but…yeah, I’m pregnant,” Sundae said, smiling.
    “No fucking way.”
    “Yes fucking way,” Sundae laughed and then squealed as Jamie rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the short woman, spinning her around.
    “I can’t believe it, Sundae. This is so awesome!”
    “I know! I’m really nervous because we’ve been trying for so long, but I went to the OB doctor last week and she confirmed it. Early June.”
    “Oh Sundae, I’m so happy for you!” Jamie smiled. “Let me finished getting dressed and then we—”
    “Jamie?”
    Jamie snapped her head toward the voice and jumped, letting her hands fall from Sundae’s arms, as she saw Nicole standing in the doorway of the bedroom.
    “Nicole?” She looked to a shirtless Sundae and then back to Nicole’s stunned face. “What are you…what are you doing here?” The moment the words left her lips, Jamie knew it was the wrong thing to say. Feeling goosebumps rise on her bare stomach, she suddenly realized how bad it must look. From the look on Nicole’s face, Jamie knew what she was thinking.
    Nicole spun on one heel and left the bedroom without saying another word.
    “Shit,” Jamie said, quickly pulling on the shirt she had retrieved from the closet. She almost fell hopping into the jeans and then sprinted out of the room after Nicole. By the time Jamie got to the end of the hallway, Nicole was already on the front porch. “Nicole wait,” she called. “It’s not what you think.”
    Nicole whirled around and glared at Jamie, her green eyes flashing.
    “Not what I think? Then what the hell was that Jamie?”
    Jamie felt her mouth go dry and her stomach drop. She stopped a step away from Nicole and reached a hand out.
    “Come back in the house, Nicole. Let me explain,” she pleaded, her voice catching her in throat.
    Nicole narrowed her eyes and shook her head.
    “Fuck you, Jamie. Don’t think you can talk your way out of this. I know what I saw.” Nicole twisted away from Jamie and pounded down the front steps, all but running toward the Honda parked behind Sundae’s minivan.
    “Nicole, don’t,” Jamie cried after her, following Nicole onto the driveway. “Wait. You have to let me explain.”
    “I don’t have to do a goddamn thing,” Nicole barked back. She opened the door to her car and reached onto the front seat. “Here,” she said, throwing Jamie’s cell phone at her. “Take your fucking phone and go to hell. Don’t even think about calling me again.”
    “Nicole, wait a min—fuck,” Jamie said as the phone landed square against the side of her head. “Calm down a damn minute and let me tell you what was going on.”
    Nicole stared at her from the doorway of the car and for just a moment Jamie thought she was going to listen. Then Nicole shook her head again and scowled, “You missed a button.”
     

Chapter Eleven
     
     
    “Grab some glasses out of the cabinet while I open the wine.”
    “Julie, it’s a little early for wine, don’t you think?”
    Julie Kent glanced back at Nicole from the open refrigerator door and cocked her head to one side.
    “Sugar, it is never too early for wine,” she declared.
    Despite the fact that she’d been crying for the past couple of hours, Nicole found herself