UNPLANNED

Part 3

*tw: discussion of abortion*

Glenne answered the door and forced a smile, but you could tell she was barely holding it together. It was Harry's idea, really, to make her host a casual dinner on Tuesday night–a good reason for us to all be in the same room.

Glenne agreed, only after she got you on FaceTime to give all of the details, word for word, about the conversations you'd had. The only decision you made at this point was that Harry would tag along to the next appointment–you wondered what he'd do in a room with a plastic uterus and a poster of a vagina on the wall.

Los Angeles had a certain spring time glow to it–Lexi drove the two of you up to Jeff and Glenne's, a side street with lots of homes, ones that certainly cost more than you'd make in 10 years.

Jeff seemed more than happy to have you all over, he made a quick joke under his breath about your sleeping with his client when he set the bruschetta down on the table. You'd seen him since then, but only once. Apparently it hadn't been long enough for him to get over the teasing.

Harry's laugh floated in from the kitchen while you placed the silverware on napkins. A hushed voice, "don't make a big deal out of it, okay?"

"I'm kidding," Jeff laughed, his tone apologetic. "He's a nice guy–you should get to know him." That's what he probably thought this was–Glenne's attempt to play matchmaker for two friends.

An awkward beat. "Oh whatever, let's not make it weird."

He looked through the doorway into the other room, his voice more hushed than before. "He's definitely into you!"

You stopped in your tracks, looking up from the table after you adjusted the final place setting. "What do you mean?"

A shrug of his shoulders, he brushed a crumb off the table. "He asked me about you the other day."

"When?"

"Friday."

The day you spoke on the phone. Before he knew–whatever interest he had in you had likely diminished by now. "Said he was glad you finally reached out." He smirked at you, raised his eyebrows quickly, somehow insinuating that there might be a repeat of the last time you and Harry hung out.

You didn't have time to ask for more clarification, though, get more details out of him or tell him that the only reason you'd reached out in the first place was to deliver the news. But you were cut short–Glenne stuck her head into the dining room and asked for more help in the kitchen.

Jeff uncorked another bottle of wine at the end of the night, distracted altogether by the story Lexi was telling about her co-star. You picked up the plates in front of Glenne, put them in the dishwasher one by one to help with clean up.

He's got more self-control than you for sure, Lexi teased when you were out of earshot, tossing a napkin into the trash. He's waiting until the very end.

Which he did–it wasn't until you were all stood around the island in their kitchen, sink filled with dishes and wine glasses nearly empty. Jeff had already made a face in your direction when Harry skipped your glass. Headache, you lied. Been terrible all day.

He cleared his throat. "Uh, Jeff–listen, you know when we had that party at my house in April? After we finished in the studio?"

His eyes flickered to you quickly, a small smile on his face when he nodded. Glenne stiffened beside him, Lexi watched with careful eyes.

"And you know what happened between us that night," he motioned between the two of you with a finger, sounding calmer than you expected, like he'd been practicing in front of a mirror or alone in his car.