Free Love in London (Restless Hearts) by Hunter J. Keane

and she gasped. “Laurel!”
    It didn’t seem possible that Dexter’s other woman could be in the exact same restaurant as me on the exact same day and at the exact same time. Life was cruel sometimes.
    “Stop staring at her,” I hissed.
    It was too late. Laurel turned away from her friends at that exact moment and found both of us gawking at her. Once she was facing us, it was impossible not to notice her bulging belly.
    “Whoops,” Cessy said, turning back to me. “She’s coming this way.”
    I was suddenly very concerned with the amount of milk in my tea. While I stirred, Laurel made her way to our table.
    “Pardon me.”
    Cessy and I stared at each other, slightly panicked. Finally, I glanced up.
    “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I believe we have a common friend.” She smiled warmly at me. “Dexter Sanders.”
    “Yes, I know him,” I said in a clipped voice. I was surprised by how friendly she seemed. Maybe she didn’t know all of the details about my brief tryst with Dexter.
    “I’m Laurel.” She held out her hand. “I’ve heard all about you, Taylor. It’s wonderful to finally meet you.”
    “Dexter told you about me?” To say I was surprised was putting it mildly.
    Laurel’s smile widened. “Of course. He’s a big fan.”
    “When are you due?” Cessy asked bluntly.
    “March.” Laurel’s smile faded when she saw the looks on our faces.
    “Dexter must be very excited.” Cessy’s eyes narrowed dangerously as she took a long sip of tea.
    “He has been wonderful,” she said, looking between us uncertainly. “I don’t know if I would say that he is excited though.”
    It was turning into the most awkward conversation of my life. “Well, if he isn’t excited, he’s sure good at pretending. He spends quite a bit of time at your place.”
    “He does,” she admitted. “I think he feels responsible for some reason.”
    “For some reason?” My eyebrows shot up to my hairline. “Probably because he donated the sperm.”
    “What?” Her jaw dropped open. “You don’t think Dexter is the father, do you?”
    I exaggerated a nod. “Well… yeah.”
    “Oh my.” Laurel pointed to the empty chair at our table. “May I?”
    I nodded again.
    After she was seated, she said, “Dexter isn’t the father, Taylor.”
    “Then who is?”
    She looked around the room quickly and lowered her voice. “Bill Young.”
    Now it was my turn to have my mouth drop open in surprise. “That’s impossible.”
    “Who is Bill Young?” Cessy asked in a loud voice, drawing a reproachful look from Laurel.
    “He is Dexter’s business partner.” Laurel’s eyes darkened. “He was my boss. Until we shagged and I got preggars. Now he’s being a wanker and denies that he is the father. As if I impregnated myself.”
    “So Dexter isn’t the father?” My brain was scrambling to catch up.
    “Of course not.” She looked at me in horror. “Did you not ask him?”
    My brow furrowed. “I did ask him. He said he was trying to do the right thing.”
    “He is helping me out financially until I find another job. Bill has refused to help and Dexter is a good man. I don’t know what I would have done without his help.” Laurel patted my hand. “He is mad about you. Lucky lass. Don’t bugger it up.”
    My heart dropped into my stomach. “Too late,” I muttered.
    The minute I got home, I rang Dexter’s number. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t answer. It was going to take more than a texted “I’m sorry” to make things right with him. It wasn’t until I really thought about everything that I realized I had never even given him a chance. When I’d asked him about Laurel, he had never admitted that he was the father. I had made that connection on my own. And I had been so wrong.
    Dexter and I had effectively switched roles. It was my turn to be the crazy phone stalker, leaving rambling messages.
    “Put down the phone.” Cessy had been quietly observing me for days, but she had finally reached her breaking