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Sarah nodded. “That’s the plan. We like the idea of keeping them close in age…”
Whitney tried to silence her sigh. Another evening chatting about babies.
“And it makes sense to have the wedding early next year before you start showing again so you can buy that dress you saw at Dashing Bridal on Main Street,” Jess said.
Sarah had found a dress already? Obviously, she and Jess had gone together. They hadn’t invited her?
No, they had. She vaguely remembered the text from Sarah a month before, asking her if she was available. She couldn’t remember replying to it. As much as it hurt not to be included, she couldn’t expect her friends to put their lives on hold while they waited for her.
Besides, going wedding dress shopping may have given her an anxiety attack.
Sarah grinned at Jess. “I heard someone was perusing the jewelry counter at Bingly’s last week…”
Jess’s cheeks flushed. “Mitch was probably just looking for a gift for his mother’s birthday next week,” she said, but they all knew she was secretly hoping that Mitch would pop the question any day now.
Whitney rubbed her chest, and Lia caught her motion.
“You know,” she said, “as much as I adore Henry and Marissa and all babies, in fact, and weddings are my favorite topic of conversation, tonight we’re not moms, fiancées, girlfriends, or wives—we’re four hot ladies out for a good time.”
Sarah and Jess nodded their compliance, and Whitney sent Lia a grateful look.
And before long, that’s exactly what they were. Within an hour, they were laughing and chatting like old times, and Whitney realized just how badly she’d needed this night out.
“Remember senior year when Kelli organized a protest against further frog dissecting in schools?” Lia said. “I think it was ten of us chained to that big tree in the schoolyard.” She laughed and shook her head.
“And then we lost the key to the lock, and the school made us stay there for hours as punishment for the stunt,” Sarah said, shaking her head.
If talking about Wes’s first love bothered her friend, Sarah didn’t show it as she reminisced about their high school friend they’d lost far too soon to cancer. Kelli had been Lia’s best friend, and Lia was Marissa’s godmother.
“Oh my God, this is my favorite song,” Jess said as a fast-tempoed hip-hop song played. She jumped out of the booth and grabbed Sarah’s hand. She waved to Whitney and Lia to join them.
Lia pushed her out of the booth, and Whitney gave in to the fun as she followed her friends out onto the dance floor. Moving her body, arms in the air, her hips swaying, she enjoyed the rare feeling of freedom.
Behind the bar, Trent looked their way, and his gaze was completely mesmerized as he watched her dance with her friends. Whitney smiled at him, and he leaned his forearms against the bar as he took her in, as though there was no one else in the room.
She hadn’t felt as sexy as she did in that second in a long time. Not even during their more intimate moments. This connection in a public place, as though no one else was around, as though he was seeing only her, had eyes only for her, had her vibrating.
Unfortunately, as Lia took her hand and spun her, a wave of dizziness hit her, and she stumbled slightly off-balance. She blinked several times, trying to refocus and regain her stability, but the wooden floor beneath her feet seemed to be rippling like waves. The bright lights around her and the loud beat of the music now vibrating in her chest in time with her thumping heart had her feeling nauseous.
She released Lia’s hand and hurried off the dance floor. “Pee time,” she said weakly as an excuse and left them, not wanting anyone to follow her. She made it to the washroom just in time, and pushing through a bathroom stall, she retched, slumping to the floor.
This dizzy spell was the worst one she’d experienced. They typically threw her off, but this one had made her feel as if she was on an uncontrollable tea-cup ride. And it continued. She took several deep breaths, eyes closed as she fought against another wave of nausea. Sweat pooled on her forehead, yet a chill ran over her body.
A long few minutes later, Whitney peeled herself up off the floor and took a calming breath as she slowly opened the stall door and went out to the sink. Her reflection in the mirror was slightly pale, and her mascara had run.
The washroom door opened as she splashed water on her face. She quickly reached for a paper towel and dried her face as Angel entered and smiled at her warmly. “Hey, Whitney! Your friend Lia is a riot. She’s like a little bit of city in this place.”
Funny that Angel would feel the same way that Whitney did. Made sense, though, as Angel had always lived in L.A. before moving to Blue Moon Bay.
“Yeah, she’s great,” Whitney said, wiping away the dark makeup from under her eyes.
Angel studied her. “You okay? You look a little pale.”
“Totally fine.” She forced a smile. “I think Trent might be pouring doubles.”
“Hoping to get lucky, maybe?” Angel said with a wink as she reapplied her lipstick.
“Doesn’t need to liquor me up for that,” she said, suddenly feeling a desire to make sure this woman, and everyone else for that matter, knew that she and Trent were okay. They’d had a rough year since her accident…and a little before that. But lately, they were getting better.Shewas getting better. Unfortunately, her health was still an issue, but she vowed to make her test appointments that week and figure that part of things out. Once she had the test results and a game plan on how to fix herself, she’d tell Trent and her friends everything.
