AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That wasn’t what it was like for me.”
She squeezed my arm. “I know, sweetie. Jack and the Rawlins brothers helped you rediscover yourself again, and I’ve enjoyed seeing the real you without the all-consuming grief that’s been so present in your life ever since we met. Seeing what you have with them is beautiful. Maybe I could have something similar with Ruben and these guys?”
I giggled. “I’m sending you all the sexy, romantic vibes.”
“So, tell me how things are with your crew?”
With a suppressed sigh, I said, “There’s some tension at the moment.”
Sienna scowled. “Which one of them do I need to punch for you?”
“Tate, please.”
She froze. “You mean Harris is being good for once?”
“As good as Harris can be. He’ll always have a little bit of the devil in him.”
Sienna mewled like a cat.
“So, the guys all know, now, that I can’t have babies. Tate completely flipped out, and Byron is in a funk about it, and I’m feeling… well, let’s say more than a little inadequate.”
She gasped so loudly that some other shoppers glanced our way. “Hold up there, girl. No! Just no. That is not okay at all. I will totally punch Tate and Byron for you because screw them for making you feel that way. I never thought you even wanted kids.”
I shrugged. “It’s more the fact I resigned myself to a life without them. I didn’t exactly decide not to have them. I never got a choice in the matter.”
“But now you’re thinking you might want them?”
“Yeah, maybe in the future. Right now, I’m enjoying my men. I mean, we haven’t even been together for a year yet. What’s their rush? They don’t have to worry about biological clocks and all that shit.” I huffed. “We had a brief conversation last night where I basically told them to shove it. But I don’t want this hovering over us and causing long-term problems.”
“So, don’t let it. Talk about it more if you need to, shag them if necessary, and I also think you should spend your morning with me getting them some amazing gifts for Christmas. But don’t forget to pamper yourself a little too.”
“Did you just say ‘shag’ them? Have you gone native, Sin?”
She giggled. “A little something I picked up, maybe.”
“Oh, I’ll bet you’ve picked up a lot of things.” I wriggled my eyebrows, and we laughed.
Sienna touched my shoulder. “So, what are you wearing to the gala tonight?”
We moved through the racks of accessories, and I shrugged. “No idea.”
She glared at me. “Lou, it’s mere hours away, and you still don’t know? You know you’re supposed to plan for these things, right?”
“Plan? In what way? I can’t throw something on?” I twisted up my mouth.
“Oh, my God.” Sienna rubbed the bridge of her nose. “You are going to be the death of me.”
“I didn’t plan what I wore last night or to the Christmas party I went to with Tate.”
“Okay, new plan. We buy your guys their gifts. Then we are taking you gown shopping, followed by a delicious lunch in the tea rooms.”
I shook my head. “I can wear what I wore the other night.”
“No, no, and no. Kate Middleton can be thrifty. You, my darling lady, are new on the scene, so you have to wow.”
She began to drag me through the department store, and I stumbled after her. “I don’t have aspirations of becoming the nextItgirl. We’re only in London for a short time before we’re off to Kenya. Who cares what I wear?”
“I care. Because this gala is a huge deal to me. It’s all about my job, and I’m going to be escorting a member of the royal family who also happens to be our latest catalog model. So because you’re my best friend and everything, I need you to look a million bucks.” She faltered in her step for a moment. “Or pounds sterling, in this case.”
