AllFreeNovel
Share Us
There’s a bang on the window of the bookstore. “Uh oh. The natives are getting restless. I better get in there before they start a riot in Aspen’s store.”
“Remember to act surprised,” Cole reminds me as I walk to the door. I give him a thumbs-up before I enter the store. “Aspen? Are you here? Cole said you needed to talk to me.”
The lights switch on and my older sister glares at me. “Who told you?”
I blink as I survey the room and pretend to notice the decorations for the first time. “Is this my baby shower?”
“Cut it out. We know you’re not surprised. Who told?”
I shrug. “You gave it away at dinner a few weeks ago.”
“Aha!” Ashlyn shouts as she bounds into the room. “I knew it wasn’t me.”
I snort. “Asking me a gazillion questions about what I want in my nursery wasn’t exactly cunning, baby cakes.”
“I was asking for my nursery,” she claims.
“You keep telling yourself that.”
“I certainly didn’t give the secret away,” Sage announces as she comes around a bookshelf with Feather, Petal, Cayenne, and Clove tagging along behind her. They’re all wearing bright pink t-shirts with the words Gossip Gal Aunt on them.
“How many shirts do you buy?”
“We didn’t buy them. We made them.” The pride is clear to hear in Petal’s voice. “A bit of fabric paint goes a long way.”
“We’re designing more styles to sell at my coffee shop,” Clove adds.
I think I know what I’m getting as a gift from these ladies.
Aspen claps. “Time to get this party started.” She walks to me and puts a crown on my head before handing me a sash. “For the mother to be.”
“I still say the diaper crown was a better idea.”
Feather gasps. “Ashlyn Dream West, you shut your mouth. We do not use disposable diapers in Winter Falls.”
Ashlyn shoulders fall. “I know.”
“Plus, I’m in charge, baby cakes. Not you.”
Lilac rolls her eyes at Aspen’s declaration. “Yes, you made it perfectly obvious you’re in charge when you sent us a list of do’s and don’ts for the day.”
Juniper giggles. “She didn’t send a list to everyone, only to you.”
Lilac purses her lips but chooses not to respond.
“Here.” Ashlyn presses a drink in my hands. “Don’t worry. It’s a mocktail.”
“What? There’s no alcohol in these drinks?” Moon curls her lip as she glares at her drink. “What’s happened to the Ashlyn Bashlyn who’s my best friend?”
“She’s trying to get pregnant,” I answer on her behalf.
Ashlyn growls at me. “You know darn well I didn’t want the entire town knowing.”
Feather pats her back. “I don’t know why not. We all know a thing or two about getting pregnant.”
“Doggy style is the best way to get pregnant,” Petal says before asking me, “Am I right, Ellery?”
Everyone stops talking to listen to my answer. Uh oh. I know what their sudden attentiveness means. “Let me guess. There’s a bet on how I got pregnant.” Petal nods. “I’m not telling.”
