Page 18 of A Complicated Bride

Chapter 7

Lily

Idrove us down main street in my Volvo and I wished we were in a cool convertible.

“Note to self. Trace this accountant’s car in for a red convertible first chance I get.”

“Going all the way to the dark and dangerous side?” Brad looked at me with that illegally charming smile and Ray Bans covering his hypnotic eyes.

Would I ever get over thinking of Cary Grant every time I looked at him?

“I’m with you, aren’t I?”

“Touché.”

His dimple went deeper making my tummy flutter in that way it hadn’t done since I was a freshman flirting with a senior.

He walked me in the front door as if he owned the place and with an exciting proprietary hand resting a bit lower than the small of my back. If the damn nerve-tingling didn’t stop I wouldn’t be able to eat a bite of Julie’s dinner.

“We’re hear,” Brad said as he lead me through the dining room with the elegantly set places for four including way more than my standard two utensils, several plates and two glasses for each seat.

We moved through the room to the swinging door into the amazing kitchen that could either look like a high-end restaurant or a charming homey space depending on your angle.

“Where are the twins?” I asked, spying the empty spotless high chairs that looked so different than earlier in the day.

“Babies are all fed and put to bed so Mama can enjoy her dinner,” Julie said. She lifted a wine glass and came forward to give me a hug.

Then she gave Brad a hug too.

“You two are amazingly wonderful people. Thank you so much for taking such good care of the babies today, giving them a bath and tiring them out for me.”

“That goes double for me,” Jack said, coming around the counter with a bottle of champagne.

“Let’s go celebrate.”

I knew that meant Julie broke the news about her pregnancy. I felt a twinge of excited envy and hoped they were past the inevitable shock and into a happy place about it.

They all took their seats and though I knew I’d be sitting next to Brad on some level, the actuality of being there with him as his date—and not being with Teddy—was like an out of body experience. A thrilling one, like I didn’t need a drink to feel buzzed. I decided not to dwell on it or question it, but to go with it and enjoy every last squeeze of it before anything changed. I don’t know why I was waiting for something to happen to ruin it all, but that proverbial other shoe felt like it had been hovering over my left shoulder.

Time to banish it.

“I love champagne. What should we toast to?” I winked at Julie.

“Of course you knew,” Jack said. I laughed.

“Did you know too? Was I the last to find out?” Jack’s smile didn’t diminish when Brad nodded with a grin.

Champagne was poured all around and Jack made the toast.

“Here’s to having another beautiful baby and to the best mother in the world to share my family with.”

“I’ll accept that and raise you the best father in the world.” Julie clinked her glass against her husbands and after a meaningful stare they sipped their drinks.

Meanwhile I stared and sighed as if I were watching a romantic movie. Brad, as I realize he was wont to do, read my mind.

“Reminds me of a scene from Yours, Mine and Ours with Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball.”

I laughed at the look of horror on Julie’s face.