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“She hasn’t told him. She wants to tell him when they’re alone, wants to make it a special moment—which you’d also get if you weren’t the moron. And she asked me not to tell anyone, and now I’ve broken my promise. And that pisses me off.”
“I won’t say anything to him, for Christ’s sake. I won’t spoil it for them.” Unsteady, unsure, a little light-headed, he shoved both hands through hair just damp enough to stand out in tufts. “But, Jesus, what was I supposed to think when I saw you buying the thing?”
“I don’t know, Owen. Maybe the solution might’ve been to walk the hell up to me, say, hey, Avery, fancy meeting you here, and why are you buying that pregnancy test?”
“I have to sit down.” He did. “I’m going to remind you, you owe me a break.” He breathed for a minute. “I couldn’t think. And then you were just walking off. You were so damn casual about it, and I just couldn’t think.”
She said nothing as she studied him. He looked so perplexed, so confused, as Owen rarely did. “You wigged.”
“In a manner of speaking. Maybe.”
“And you jumped to conclusions.”
“I . . . Okay.”
“You never jump.”
“I’ve never seen you buy a pregnancy test before—especially when I’m the only one having sex with you.”
She considered. “That’s actually sort of understandable. Sort of.” When a grin tugged at the corners of her mouth, she let it come. “You totally freaked.”
“I semi-freaked,” he corrected. “I was more pissed, and . . .” Might as well admit it, he decided. “And hurt when I thought you weren’t telling me. We’ve never talked about if.”
She blew out a breath. “That’s a conversation. I don’t know, and it’s not something we can talk out in ten minutes, I guess. We’re fine now, right, because I’m not, and Clare is. And she’s so happy. Beckett’s going to be happy.”
“Yeah, he is. He really is.”
“So let’s just be happy for them, and let me have the pleasure of knowing you were a moron. We’ll talk about ifs sometime, but I really want to see the demo. Then I told Clare I’d get the kids from school and bring them to the shop so she can tell Beckett. She doesn’t want to tell the kids until she’s further along. Probably not until after the wedding anyway. It’s for her and Beckett now, and I guess you and me and Hope and Ryder and your parents and hers. Which is already a lot.”
“All right.” Steadier, he rose. “But we’d both better think about it, and talk it out, in case.”
“You worry about ‘in case’ more than I do, but we’ll do that. It’s a really good day, Owen.”
“You’re right.” He settled a bit more when she reached up, smoothed at his hair. “It’s a really good day.”
“For right now, let’s just be happy for Clare and Beckett. They’re getting married, making a family, expanding one. It’s all exactly what they both want.”
“All right,” he said again, and reached for her, drew her in. “We’ll be happy for them. Sorry I was pissed at you.”
“I’m not, because I get to say moron.” On a laugh, she tipped back her head, kissed him. “Let’s go over to the new place. Can I knock something down?”
“I’ll find something for you to demo. It’s the least I can do.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
HOPE SHIFTED THE clear vase of white roses an inch to the left.
“There.”
Though Avery didn’t see the difference, she nodded approval.
They’d transformed the long table borrowed from Turn The Page with a draping of white linen. With Hope’s focused eye, clear, square vases of newly opened white roses and tiny white tea lights in silver holders graced what would serve as the dessert and champagne bar.
Clare may have opted against a white wedding, but her wedding shower was going full-out.
“Gifts there, food there, desserts and champagne here.” Hands on hips, Hope turned a circle in The Dining Room. “You did a great job on her chair.”
“I amazed myself.”
They’d positioned one of the high-backed chairs to face the room. An enormous bow of white tulle crowned the top, its tails flowing to the floor. Garlands of white and pale, pale pink twined around the rungs, the arms, the legs.
“I forget how much I like girly stuff until I have a chance to do some.”
Gorgeous red heels clicking on hardwood, Hope walked over to shift candles minutely. “I’m going to put some wine, some nibbles in The Lounge so people can wander around, settle down wherever they like.”
“You know a lot of people coming haven’t seen the place yet. You’re going to get hit up for tours.”
“Already figured on it. It’s just too bad it’s really not warm enough so we can spread out into The Courtyard. Anyway, the place looks great, and we look . . .” She turned, hooked an arm through Avery’s so they reflected together in the gold-framed mirror. “Fabulous.”
“Agreed.”
“So . . . Pre-party champagne?”
“Twist my arm.”
They went into the kitchen where Hope poured two flutes. She clinked hers against Avery’s. “To maids of honor and godmothers.”
“That would be us.”
“And in about eight months, we’ll be hosting a baby shower.”
“Four kids. Whew.” Avery took a drink, then hoisted her glass again. “More power to them.”
“They’ve got it. Loves runs the engine.”
“You think?”
“I do.” Hope slid onto a stool. “How long do you think they can keep this a secret? The two of them are absolutely radiant.”
“Most people will think that’s about the wedding, and part of it is. If they can keep it quiet until after the honeymoon—that’s Clare’s goal anyway—it gives them a little breathing room.”
“I can’t believe you kept it from me for an entire day.”
“I was dying to tell you.” In her spring green dress, Avery hopped onto her own stool, tugged down the narrow skirt. “And I would’ve come over and filled you in after work, but the whole Owen thing was so weird.”
“What are the chances?” Because it still amused her, Hope leaned back and laughed. “Seriously, he turns the corner in the drugstore just as you’re buying the test kit.”
“Fate’s twisted little joke on him.”
“Poor guy. Imagine what was going through his mind.”
“That’s just it. I can’t, or not clearly—and I usually get Owen’s mind. But he was so serious. I can’t figure out if he was mad, scared, what.”
“A combo of both, I imagine.”
“Even after I explained?” It continued to nag at her, just a little. “We both brushed it aside, but really, I can’t be sure. Mad and scared because maybe I was, or maybe I was and hadn’t said anything.”
“I’d guess he had to process the okay, it’s Clare, but what if it had been? Didn’t you?”
“Maybe. A little. But only because I had to think what if we’d gone down that road after his reaction. You know Owen by now. He’s a planner. Everything in its time, in its place. He’s the guy who actually checks the expiration date on the milk carton before he buys it.”
“So do I.”
“Which is why you get him. An unplanned pregnancy?” Avery rolled her eyes. “That would shake the very foundation of his life plan.”
“What’s his life plan?”
“I don’t know, but you can bet he’s got one.”
“I think you’re wrong.” Hope topped off their flutes. “I say that because I share a lot of sensibilities and traits with him. Yes, he probably has a basic plan, which includes goals, achievements, events, steps. But he’s also capable of adjusting the plan.” She lifted a hand, gesturing around her. “I did.”
“Sure, he can adjust.” Organized and efficient wasn’t rigid, she told herself. It was just . . . a little stiff by her personal gauge.
“Okay, since we’re playing what-if? If I’d been buying that kit for myself, and if the results had been positive, he’d adjust, and plan out from there. The first step of the plan would be marriage.”
“That annoys you?”
“No. No. He’d see that as doing the right thing, the necessary thing. I wouldn’t want to get married because it’s the right thing.”
“Better that than the wrong thing,” Hope pointed out.
“You know what I mean. I’d want to get married because I want to get married, I’m ready, in love, excited about the idea of spending my life with someone.”
Because they were there, Hope took one of the little pastel mints from a bowl on the island. “You’d say no.”
“I don’t know.”
“I do. You’d say no because you’d feel obligated to prove a point, and to let him off the hook—both of those in equal measure.” Recrossing her legs, Hope studied Avery over her next sip of champagne. “I can take care of myself, and you’re not obligated to marry me. Share responsibility for the child, yes, be a vital and integral part of the child’s life, yes. But under no obligation to you, individually.”
“That sounds hard-line.”
“I don’t think so. It sounds like you—pride, caution, heart, tangled up with parental issues.”
“Would they have gotten married if she hadn’t been pregnant with me?” A bit grimly, Avery took a gulp of champagne. “I don’t think so.”
“If they hadn’t, you wouldn’t be sitting here wondering about it. They made a choice; you’re the result.”
Avery lifted a shoulder. “The Hope Beaumont Practical School of Logic.”
