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"He doesn't think he'll have time to use it now that your grandmother's health is so fragile. Aiden is determined to keep the boat in the family. He's trying to talk Drew into going in on it with him."
"How do you feel about it?" Emma asked, seeing an odd look in Sara's eyes. Her friend seemed distracted. "Is everything okay with you two?" As the words left her mouth, she couldn't believe she was even asking the question, because Sara had been in love with Aiden since she was fifteen years old, and she'd been over the moon since Aiden had fallen in love with her last year.
"We're good," Sara said, her tone not at all convincing.
"Sara, come on. I know you. We've been best friends since we were kids, and we're soon to be sister-in-laws. What's going on?"
Sara stared back at her for a long moment, indecision in her brown eyes, then said, "I'm late."
Two words that every woman feared having to stay. Emma blew out a breath. "You're pregnant?"
"I don't know. Maybe. I shouldn’t be. We've been careful. I mean, as careful as anyone can be with Aiden."
Emma put up her hand. "Please, I do not want to hear about your sex life with my brother."
"Sorry."
"How late?"
"Four days."
"That's not that long," Emma said slowly.
"It is considering I'm never late."
"You need to take a test."
"If I'm pregnant, it's going to mess up everything," Sara said. "Look how long it took us to set the date, to find a church and a reception venue that we both liked. And what about the dress I just spent several thousand dollars on? August is five months away. If I'm pregnant, I'll be too fat to wear it by then."
"So you'll get another dress. Or you can get married earlier."
"We wanted to do it together, Em."
Emma smiled. "I would love to get married on the same day as my best friend and my brother, but not if it doesn't work for you." She paused, seeing the tension in Sara's eyes and wondering if there was more going on. "It's not just the fact that you might not fit into your wedding dress, is it?"
Sara sighed. "There are a lot of reasons why this is a bad time for me to be pregnant. Aiden is still trying to figure out his career. He's been doing construction, but I don't know if that's what he wants to do long term, and he doesn't either. I've just started a new job. So asking for maternity leave will be tricky."
"That's all logistical stuff. What is really bothering you?"
"I don't know if I'll be a good mother. I thought my mom was good, but after her death, I discovered all the secrets she'd kept from me. What kind of mother keeps such big secrets? And God knows my father was a disaster as a parent. He was cold and judgmental and made me feel terrible most of the time. My house was not a happy place to grow up. What if I take after either or both of them?"
"Sara, stop. You are neither of your parents. You are the best of both of them. And even though your mom had her secrets, she loved you, and she tried to make up for your dad. But none of that matters. I know that you will make a great mother. You're smart and kind and you have a lot of love to give." She paused. "And before you completely freak out—"
"Too late," Sara said dryly.
Emma smiled. "You need to find out if you're actually pregnant. Why haven't you taken a test?"
"I'm not sure I can handle the answer."
"Have you told Aiden?"
Sara shook her head. "I don't want to say anything until I'm certain."
"Maybe you should say something before he goes out and buys a boat he can't afford."
"He really wants that boat. He told me he has great memories of going out on the bay with his grandfather. I don't want him to miss that because—"
"Because you're having a baby?" Emma interrupted. "Trust me, Aiden will put family over a boat, but let's take it one step at a time. After the party, we'll go to the drugstore and get you a test. You can take it in my apartment. Max is working all day. We'll be alone."
Sara smiled, relief in her eyes. "Thanks, Em. Just talking to you makes me feel like everything will be okay."
"Of course it's going to be okay. It will be amazing. We could use another kid in the family. Give Brandon a little cousin." She glanced over at her nephew, whose attention was focused solely on the task in front of him. "I wonder if he's understood any part of our conversation."
