The Ex-Husband of Alice Langley

12

ALICE LANGLEY
I stare at the menu, overwhelmed by all the options. Everything looks amazing—even at this little cheap Tex-Mex spot—but onions and tomatoes are an absolute no-go. Just thinking about them makes me gag. Being 30 weeks pregnant is like an endless cycle of eating; I swear, it feels like I never stop.

"Hunter, I can't choose. I want everything. I'm starving," I say, rubbing my belly for emphasis.

He chuckles, glancing at the menu. "This place is cheap enough. Choose a couple entrees."

I grin, the memory hitting me. "Remember when I was pregnant with Luca? I finished everything, and the waitress came back and asked if we wanted anything else, and I said—"

"You said you wanted your entire meal again!" he laughs, shaking his head. "I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head."

"And I did order everything again."

"You ordered everything again," he repeats, chuckling as if the memory never gets old.

"And I didn't leave a crumb," I say proudly, patting my belly. "Pregnancy hunger hits different."

Hunter smiles at me, his eyes softening. "Guess we're doing a repeat. You want one of each?"

"Maybe not everything... but close," I grin, already planning my order.

"Why do you think I chose somewhere cheap, Alice? I know you love this place and it's pregnancy appetite friendly!" Hunter grins, raising an eyebrow.

"I honestly thought you were just being a cheapskate." I laugh, teasing him.

"If you really want, I'd pay for a steakhouse. Then you can eat their biggest wagyu steak, and I can be broke for the next six months."

I throw my head back, laughing like a kid. "You don't have to do that. I think having money for the baby is more important than a wagyu steak."

Hunter smirks. "Yeah, but it'd make you happy, and that's what matters."

I nudge him. "Well, I'm happy right here, eating all the cheap tacos and enchiladas I want."

Hunter's smirk fades slightly, replaced by something softer as he looks at me. "I'm glad you're happy, Alice. I mean... that's what matters, right?" His voice dips, almost uncertain, like he's navigating dangerous waters.

I swallow, feeling that familiar tension tighten between us, the unspoken history hanging like a thick cloud in the air. I glance down at my hands, resting on my pregnant belly. "Yeah... happy," I murmur, though we both know happiness is more complicated than just tacos and cheap dinners.

His eyes flick to my stomach, lingering for a moment before he speaks again, voice quieter. "You know, I never wanted things to end up this way."

I meet his gaze, trying to stay neutral, but there's a warmth creeping into my chest, something unresolved. "Neither did I," I admit, not sure what else to say.

For a moment, it feels like we're standing at the edge of something, both of us unsure whether to step forward or turn back. Hunter clears his throat, breaking the silence. "So... what're you thinking? Tacos, enchiladas, or everything again?" He smiles, but his eyes still hold that seriousness, that lingering question.

I force a chuckle, trying to break the tension. "Everything again, obviously. You know me."

"It's been a good few years," Hunter says with a laugh, though there's a softness to his voice that catches me off guard.

I look across the table at him, wondering why this feels so surreal—sitting here, eating Tex-Mex with the man who's still the father of my child, even though we're not together anymore. "Why'd you want to go out tonight?" I ask, keeping my tone light, but the question feels heavier than I intended.