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??d thought I was nervous before dinner with Brock’s brothers, but that was nothing compared to the avalanche of emotion at the thought of attending Shelly’s baby shower.
I’d never had a good relationship with anyone who was going to be at the party, except for Scott, and that didn’t end well.
These people hated me.
Now, I was standing at the front door, near frozen in panic, and contemplating a quick getaway, when I felt Brock’s large, warm hand clasp mine, and his breath hit my ear. “Everything’s going to be fine. And if it isn’t, we’ll leave. Easy as that.”
I nodded at his comforting words, and gave him a shaky smile. He lifted his hand and knocked, causing my already tumultuous stomach to drop to the concrete at my feet.
I stopped breathing as the door began to open, revealing Gaby on the other side, wearing a welcoming grin.
Shit.
I guess it was better to get the awkwardness out of the way. What did you say to the girl who had once dated the guy you were currently with, but was now in a relationship with your ex-fiancé?
“Hello?” I blurted out on my quick exhale.
Brock chuckled next to me, and leaned in to give Gaby a kiss on the cheek, obviously not uncomfortable in the least.
“How’s it going, sweet girl?” Brock asked as he pulled away.
My stomach knotted at his endearment, surprising me a bit.
“Great,” Gaby returned with a smile, then she included me in her greeting and added, “I’m so glad you both could make it.”
Weird.
I tried unsuccessfully to loosen my tight smile. Not because Gaby’s greeting didn’t seem genuine, it did … but because I knew that she was only one of many, and I wasn’t sure that all reactions would be as pleasant.
Brock dropped his hand to the small of my back, leading me into the house as we followed Gaby.
The living room was decked out in pale green and yellow, with decorations everywhere. Men and women were spread throughout the living room and kitchen, and although the room was filled with chatter, the gentle sound of music could be heard in the background.
The vibe was happy, and I was terrified that my presence would change it. This day should be about Cal and Shelly having a baby, not about me further complicating their lives.
Brock must have felt me stiffen, because his arm came around my waist, pulling me closer to him, and I watched as Cal and Shelly approached us.
“Thanks for coming,” Shelly said, radiant in a cute maternity summer dress, her hair left down, with big fluffy curls. She leaned in, so I bent and offered her my cheek, which she kissed. She gave my arm a little squeeze before moving on to greet Brock.
“Hey, Victoria,” Cal said softly, his face less friendly than Shelly’s, but still welcoming. “It’s good to see you again.”
I smiled up at him and said sincerely, “Thanks for having me.”
Cal was saying hi to Brock when I remembered, “Oh, we left the presents in the car.”
Brock turned and replied, “I’ll run and get them.”
When he left to do just that, I realized my mistake.
I should have gone to get them myself, or told him I’d help. Now, I was alone, without his strength and comfort, and as Shelly and Cal moved on to greet their other guests, I was left standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.
I looked around and noticed that Gaby and Sasha were in the kitchen, plating up food and chatting happily. I took a deep, cleansing breath, then forced myself to move forward. I entered the room quietly, stopping right before I reached the counter, then asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?”
They both looked up. Gaby’s face open and friendly, while Sasha’s was more guarded.
I figured the best thing to do was clear the air now, which would let them know where I stand, and they would either accept it, or reject it. But at least I would know…
“Look, I know that we don’t have the best history, and a big part of that is because of me. If I’m being honest, I always knew that you didn’t want me for Scott.” I shot a smile at Gaby, hoping to convey that I was trying to make things right. “So I did my best to keep you at a distance. All of you. I was often rude, and did whatever I could to keep you out of our lives, to the point where I even asked Scott not to have you at our wedding.”
