Pregnant Pause [H.S]

Chapter 3

Less

It was three o'clock in the afternoon. We were eating brunch.

I could have slept longer, but I'd set my alarm and showered, hungover as all hell, wishing I hadn't promised to drive Liam and Macy to the station to catch their early afternoon train to York. I swung by and picked up Fitz beforehand, who had insisted on seeing her best friend off even though we'd reunite with both of them the following weekend at the wedding. Then we went back to my flat and, after I buried my head in a cushion and whined about my hangover for the better part of an hour, Fitz made eggs and bacon to shut me up.

The smell wafted into Niall's room and woke him. He graced us with his presence and pulled up a stool at the kitchen counter just as brunch was served.

Then I fixated on The Fucking Turtle in his tank while Niall gave his retelling of the evening, which involved many more naked women than I'd deemed appropriate to mention to Fitz in my own account. She shot daggers at me when he mentioned the lap dance, but after Niall produced his camera and showed her the footage – in which I was clearly being dragged against my every will – she simply rolled her eyes and said nothing.

I was saved from the rest of Niall's embarrassing stories of the evening by a series of knocks on the door.

"Got it," I said, dragging myself from the stool as I chewed on my last slice of bacon.

I opened the front door to auburn hair and a sheepish smile, immediately recognizing the visitor as the floor's newest arrival, Finley.

"G'morning," I said with a grin.

She paused, thinking it over. "It's mid afternoon."

Checking my watch, I realized that was true. "Right," I agreed, running a hand through my hair. "We're just finishing brunch, so... I'm a bit confused. What's new?"

"Well, I—"

"Who is it?" Niall demanded from the kitchen, too lazy to stand up and see for himself.

"Finley," I called over my shoulder. To her, I added, "Go on."

She opened her mouth but didn't get out a single word before she was preemptively interrupted.

"Who?"

Making a frustrated sound in the back of my throat, I replied, "The girl across the hall!" I shook my head in apology on behalf of Niall. "Sorry. Do you want to come in?"

"No, it's okay," she said, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. It was then that I realized how exhausted she looked – dark purple circles under her eyes, sweat glistening on her brow, shoulders sagging with the effort of holding herself upright. "I'm real sorry to bother you again."

I shrugged. "You're not bothering."

Niall, who could hear every word, said loudly, "Yes, she is."

I shook my head – another apology.

"But I'm building a bookcase and just realized I don't have a single slot screwdriver. Any chance you'd have one here?"

"Yeah, we have one somewhere. I'll check."

"Oh, and, um," she stammered, grabbing my sleeve to keep me from abandoning her at the door, "one more thing."

I waited expectantly.

"Any chance you know how to... build a bookcase?"

Chuckling, I nodded.