“So? How did it go?” Victoria asked.
“Pretty good, actually. The first thing he did was apologize for leaving that morning without saying good-bye. And he also said that he really regretted missing the first five months of Zoe’s life. He’s a nice guy. I can see why I slept with him,” Nicole joked.
“And you’re still on for tonight? Peter and Melanie will be at your place at six to meet Zoe?” Victoria asked.
“That’s what he said. But I wanted to talk to you about that. I’m starting to freak out about this meeting.”
Uh-oh. “How so?” Victoria asked.
“It’s Melanie. What if she doesn’t like me? What if she decides that Peter should be focusing on her pregnancy and their baby instead of Zoe? Or worse, what if she decides to get a lawyer involved because she thinks she and Peter should raise their baby and mine?”
“Based on my interactions with Melanie, I don’t think any of that will happen,” Victoria reassured her. “But if it does, we’ll handle it. I will handle it. That’s what I do, Nicole.”
Nicole still sounded hesitant. “Can you come tonight? I’d feel so much better if you’re there, too.”
The request surprised Victoria—she’d planned to stay out of everyone’s way tonight and just check in with Nicole afterward. But after hearing the nervousness in her client’s voice, she couldn’t refuse. Especially since Nicole wasn’t just any client.
I trust you to take care of my sister.
Of course I’ll take care of your sister.
“I’m happy to be there, Nicole. Absolutely.”
After she hung up with Nicole, Will walked into her office with a stack of message slips.
“All these came in during one phone call?” Victoria asked.
“That’s Monday for you,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Speaking of which, can you move my afternoon schedule around so I can be free by five o’clock?” When Will gave her a look—You’ve got to be kidding me—she smiled. “Thanks. You’re a god.”
He snorted disdainfully as he walked out of her office.
And then he worked his magic and had her free at five minutes before five o’clock.
When she stopped by his desk on her way out, he checked his watch. “Time for the big meeting, huh?”
“Almost time. I’m going to stop at my place and drop off my briefcase. Since this is supposed to be a casual get-together, I was thinking I should look less lawyer-y.”
Will looked her over. “Better lose the suit, then.”
Pfft. Now they were just getting crazy. “It’s still a business meeting.”
“Just saying,” he said in a singsong tone.
She caught a cab in front of her building and made a quick pit stop at home. Grumbling to herself that Will was probably right—because, really, when wasn’t he?—she changed out of her light gray pantsuit and into a cream, V-neck sleeveless dress. Then she grabbed another cab and gave the driver Nicole’s address.
The cab pulled up in front of a vintage apartment building in Lincoln Square. There were six units on the second floor, and Nicole’s was the closest to the stairwell, on Victoria’s right. She knocked on the door and waited. After a brief pause, she heard someone approach, and then the door opened.
Victoria blinked. “Ford. I . . . didn’t realize you would be here.”
He stood in the doorway, looking surprised himself. “Nicole asked me to come for moral support. She didn’t mention you were coming, too.” For a split-second, he seemed to hesitate, and then he stepped back from the door. “Come on in.”
Nicole’s living room was cozy, but small and packed tight with baby paraphernalia. Not sure whether she should sit or stand, Victoria hovered by Zoe’s swing and watched as Ford shut the front door.
He gestured in the direction of the bedrooms. “Nicole’s getting Zoe dressed. They should be out any minute.” He tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans and silence fell between them.
Victoria tried to fill the void, keeping her tone light. “How’s work going?”
“Good. Busy. You?”
“The same. Good. Busy.”
Another silence.
Victoria met his gaze, her chest pulling tight as she fought back the words hovering on the tip of her tongue. Oh, God, did you sleep with that woman? Or worse—do you have feelings for her?
Since this was hardly the place to have that conversation, she simply smiled.
He gestured to her outfit. “You’re awfully dressed up tonight.” Despite his easygoing tone, his jaw twitched. “Big plans after this?”
Just then, Nicole walked into the room carrying Zoe, who looked adorable in a pink sundress with a white lace collar. “Yay, Team Nicole is all here.” She smiled at Victoria. “Thanks for coming.”
“You didn’t mention that you’d asked Victoria to be here, too,” Ford said offhandedly.
“I didn’t?” Nicole cocked her head. “Huh. With you two being next-door neighbors and spending so much time together lately, I guess I figured you would talk among yourselves.” She looked between them. “No?”
Victoria and Ford shifted uncomfortably, neither of them wanting to take a stab at answering that one.
“All right, I want you two to be honest with me about something.” Nicole turned first to Ford, then Victoria, giving each of them a long look. “No bullshit.” She paused. “Does this dress make Zoe look like a pilgrim?”
Victoria exhaled, having been braced for something else. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pilgrim wearing pink.”
“But it’s too fancy, right? Like we’re trying too hard?” Nicole asked.
Seeing the anxious look on Nicole’s face, Victoria pushed aside her own feelings and did what she did best—focused on someone else’s problem. “She looks perfect, Nicole.” Walking over, she tickled Zoe’s tummy. “Because she is perfect. And Peter and Melanie are going to love her.”
Sitting on her mother’s hip, Zoe just stared up at Victoria with those big, brown eyes.
“Not even a smile for me, kid? Tough crowd,” Victoria teased.
Zoe held out her arms.
Nicole aw-ed and handed Zoe over. As Victoria smiled and bounced Zoe on her hip, Ford walked out of the room and headed into the kitchen.