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br /> I felt like a better person inside.
Chapter Eight
Bella
MEANWHILE, ACROSS TOWN
Bentley never made any pregnancy or miscarriage announcements to the family. And waiting for her to share any news was killing me, so I threw together an impromptu girls’ night, and I invited all the moms too, meaning Bentley would have no excuse not to come without revealing something.
With twenty people set to show up in less than an hour, my mom arrived early to help me prepare.
“I’m so glad you did this.” She patted my back in approval. “I’m beyond ready for some girl time. Your father’s been relentless with trying to come up with a birthday present. I’m not even turning a big, important number, either. So I have no idea what his deal is. Honestly, I’d just as soon forget I’m so old.”
“Come on, Mom. Dad’s known what to get you every other year. Except for this one, and you’re giving him nothing.”
“Because I can’t think of anything I want.”
“Then make something up,” I told her. “Because he’s driving me and Gray crazy right along with you. Put us all out of our miseries and say something. I mean, after all these years, the man only wants to lavish you with gifts and worship the ground you walk on. I say let him.”
Mom stared at me a moment, until she finally said, “You know what; you’re right.” Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, she pulled me in tight for a side-hug. “I raised such a wise and wonderful daughter.”
“Yes, I know,” I said with a nod, then had to laugh at myself because the last thing I felt most of the time was wise or wonderful. “Now let’s get to business and try to remember where I stashed my foot massage tub and facial mask collection after I hosted the last girls’ night.”
Half an hour later, I had a full house, Bentley included. When her mom, Felicity, arrived before her, I’d been very nonchalant and chill about saying, “Oh, Bentley didn’t come with you?” All the while, I was thinking, What the hell? She better freaking show. I threw this whole damn party just to get her here.
Felicity shrugged as she answered, “I called, but she wanted to eat supper with Beau and Braiden first, so I guess she’ll be here soon.”
When Bentley finally did arrive, however, she slipped in when I didn’t catch her, right after Teagan and Caroline showed up. And those two brought along Teagan’s baby girl, Harper, who stole everyone’s attention for a minute.
So I was surprised when I glanced around, and boom, there was Bentley, hanging back, not talking, just watching everyone else gossip and blather on.
Very un-Bentley-like.
When I wasn’t answering someone’s question or playing hostess, I watched her.
The woman was beautiful. She had her mother’s coloring with deep red hair and bright blue eyes and not many of her father’s features. Fox was the one who’d taken after their dad.
Knox Parker was an ex-ring fighter, ex-con, ex-security guard, but still currently one big and scary-looking dude. Dark hair and eyes, he’d passed on his coloring and only a portion of his bulk to his only son. And I had to say, I did not mind that in the least. Felicity and Knox had made a devastatingly handsome man together. Sometimes, Fox could look at me with those intense brown eyes of his, and I’d get overwhelmed with sensation.
No one had ever looked at me the way he did.
But he wasn’t my focus tonight.
His sister was definitely acting differently. Too different. I was about to sneak over and simply hug her, except Mom passed the baby to me, knowing I wanted a turn, and I got distracted all over again with oohing and awing over little Harper, and playing with the huge pink bow headband she wore, until Aunt Julianna snagged her from me, claiming she needed extra time since she’d never be a grandma, unless her son, Cress, adopted.
I would’ve moved toward Bentley then, but Teagan propped an elbow on my shoulder and leaned heavily on me before loudly calling across the room, “So, Luce! I gotta know more about your little bambino.”
“M-mine?” Lucy Olivia’s eyes widened in trepidation as she eased closer to her mother, Aspen, and protectively set her hand over her stomach. “But there’s nothing to know yet. So far, I couldn’t even tell you if it’s a boy or a girl.”
Aspen wrapped a supportive arm around Lucy’s waist. “Everything seems normal and healthy, though,” she announced. “We had our first ultrasound just the other day, and it measured seven weeks and two days along.”
I glanced across the room toward Bentley, who went pale and sank closer to the wall as she hugged her own waist. Not even Felicity seemed to notice the move, nor did her mother-in-law.
Oblivious, Aspen was still protectively hovering near Lucy Olivia as she caught a piece of her daughter’s hair and tucked it out of sight. “Lucy’s doing great, though. No morning sickness yet at all.”
Maybe that was why Bentley wasn’t talking. She didn’t want to take attention away from one grandchild, while the other maybe wasn’t even here any longer.
“So why won’t you tell us who this baby’s daddy is?” Caroline asked, tipping her head curiously to the side.
