“I can manage without you today. You focus on yourself.”
Shauna’s words were saying she wasn’t taking any protests. And Tyler was still not looking at her as he got up onto the massage table. Gathering up the folder and clutching it to her chest, Kristie left the room, unsure whether she should be crying or not.
* * *
Three Months Later
“Are you almost done?” Shauna asked as she put her head around the door.
Kristie managed a small smile as she looked up from her scribbling.
“Nearly. You go on ahead. I’ll lock up.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’ve got to finish this up, and the others have left already.”
“You don’t need anyone to hang around for you, do you?” Shauna gestured at Kristie’s belly. “We don’t want you falling down the stairs when they’re steep.”
Kristie rolled her eyes.
“You guys worry too much about me. I’m not going to give birth for a while.”
“But things can still happen.”
“Oh, stop it. Get off home with you.”
Shauna sighed.
“Okay. But you need anything, you call me. Promise?”
“I promise. Now be off with you.”
Shauna left, and Kristie went back to her notes. She wanted to get this done before she went home. Tomorrow was her day off, and she was planning on making the most of it.
Mostly trying to do anything that didn’t remind her of Tyler.
It was odd not having him around, but he was in New Zealand playing against South Africa. He would have finished by now, and he should be on the plane coming back in the next day or so. Then he would be doing nets for a few weeks with Middlesex and Christmas before he travelled to the West Indies to join his team.
Kristie wanted to see him. But at the same time, she didn’t. She missed him badly, and she knew that was bad given the situation. They were keeping their distance, although when they were in the same room, Tyler was always asking after her and making sure she was okay. There was barely any intimacy anymore, and Tyler seemed to be working really hard not to touch her. He did look after her in terms of the baby, but that was it.
Kristie hated pining for something that wasn’t going to happen anymore. She had thought she could keep things separate and do this as a favour for someone who trusted her. But she should have known that this was a bad idea. She couldn’t keep business and her heart separate.
It was really hard to be in love with someone who wouldn’t return those feelings.
Sitting back, Kristie put a hand on her belly. She had only started to show about a month ago, shortly after Tyler had left to represent his country. She had sent him a picture of her bump, and he had returned a thumbs up, but that was it. He hadn’t seen her more recently, where her belly was more pronounced. What was he going to say when he came back and saw her?
She needed to stop thinking about him. And she also needed to figure out how she was going to tell her family. As of right now, Steve and her parents believed she had had a one-night fling, and she didn’t have a way to get in contact with the guy. They were not happy about that, but they had accepted that there was a baby coming. Kristie hadn’t said anything about Tyler. She knew she needed to. How was she going to explain having a baby and then there wasn’t one after she gave birth? That didn’t make sense.
Tyler had said he would allow her family to have a relationship with the baby, but it was at his discretion. Kristie didn’t know how her family were going to react to that. They would probably tell her to be in the baby’s life and be a mother. Kristie had told Tyler that she wouldn’t do that.
God, the two of them had made it such a mess. In the beginning, it had sounded like a good idea. But neither of them had seen the bigger picture afterwards, or the ramifications.
They were idiots. This was going to be a pile of crap they would have to get in order sooner rather than later. Otherwise, it was just going to implode.
Kristie’s phone started buzzing across the desk. She glanced at it, and her heart fluttered when she saw Tyler’s name flashing up. Trying not to get expected, she stopped herself from snatching up her phone and answering.
“Hello?”