AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The only way that could happen is if I went back to living without you. You’re the only woman for me, Rose. You always have been.”
She crumbled. The ring in one hand and the flower in the other, she threw her arms around him and wept into his shoulder. He knelt, embracing her tightly, and they remained there on the threshold, clinging to one another. She held on so hard she was afraid she might hurt him, but his grip on her remained firm. Comforting.
“Is that a ‘yes’?” he muttered.
Rose smiled, and for the first time in recent memory, all her fears and worries evaporated. There were still going to be struggles—they would have to figure out how to keep everyone involved in the baby’s life who needed to be, and Luke’s mother’s political rivals would be scrutinizing the pair’s every move for something to use against them. But none of the problems mattered because they would be facing them together.
Always.
“It definitely is,” she said.
***
The smell of coffee and the sounds of porcelain mugs clinking against tables filled the air. Rose sat at a small booth across from Lenore, who wore a purple dress and blazer even at ten in the morning, and Morgan. Rose took a second to process her sister’s presence. Morgan held a cappuccino between her palms. Her hair was medium-brown and fell in gentle waves to just past the top of her back, and the two of them shared the same wide blue eyes. They saw each other far more often now than they had while Rose had been in college, and they talked at least once every few days, but every time they spoke felt like something she needed to savor.
“So… are you going to tell us why you called us here?” asked Morgan, raising her cup to her lips.
“In just a minute,” said Rose. “We’ve got one more person coming.”
Beneath the table, she fiddled with the ring on the fourth finger of her left hand. She glanced down at it and studied it in the light from the cone-shaped fixture above their table. The ring was white gold with a large, round diamond at its center and lines of them inlaid in the band on either side. She’d never asked Luke how much it was worth, but she had a suspicion she didn’t want to know.
At the sound of a bell tinkling, she looked up to find Beatrice hurrying in, a design portfolio in her arms. She wore a cream-colored suit, and her curls bounced as she walked.
“Sorry,” she said as she slid into the booth beside Rose. “Didnae want to forget anythin’. I’m goin’ to the office from here.” She glanced around the table and blinked. “Good mornin’, all.”
“I’m getting more suspicious by the second,” said Lenore, who leaned forward to drum her French-painted fingernails on the table. “What’s going on?”
Rose pulled in a deep breath. Her pulse was quick, and she felt it in her throat. She reminded herself that she had no reason to be nervous—each of these women had only ever been supportive to her.
“Well,” she began slowly, “as you know, things have been… pretty crazy lately.”
“If you mean that we’ve all gotten secondhand anxiety just thinking about what you’ve been dealing with,” said Morgan, “then yes.”
Rose’s lips twitched. “Glad you understand that it’s been rough. But sorry about all the stress.”
“It’s worth it if it means things are going back to normal,” said Lenore.
Beatrice nodded, and Rose braced herself with her hands on her knees, hoping none of them could pick up on her nerves.
“Actually, things are better than normal,” she said. “Before I say why, though, I want to make sure you all know exactly how much I appreciate you.”
“Aye, we do,” said Beatrice, an air of excited impatience to her words. “Ge’ on with it.” She elbowed Rose playfully, and as her eyes fell on Rose’s hands beneath the table, they widened. Beatrice caught her breath.
Rose felt herself starting to blush, and she knew she needed to get this over with. She pulled her left hand onto the table, and Morgan and Lenore gasped, the latter’s hands flying to cover her mouth.
“I figured it was coming,” said Lenore. “I’m just shocked it was this soon.”
“Oh, I’m not,” said Morgan, starting to smile. “It was already like you two picked up right where you left off. Just with a baby on the way.” She froze, blinked, and looked from Lenore to Beatrice. “Everyone knew about the baby, right?”
Beatrice laughed. “Even if she hadnae told us, we all would’ve suspected, wha’ with all the gossip.”
“On that subject—” Lenore laid her hand on Rose’s. “My brother hasn’t punched anyone else lately, has he?”
“No. He’s sworn off of that.”
“That seems like less fun,” said Morgan.
Rose shrugged. “Maybe, but I think I’ve had enough excitement for a little while. At least until July.” She tried hard to keep her poker face, but a smile crept through it.
