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“You’d better call her. Blue Beech news makes nationalnews.”
I laugh. “I saw the town’s newspaper. The front page was about some ribfest cook-off. I’m sure my mom subscribes because who can go about their day without finding out Sandy May’s specialrecipe?”
“Sandy May makes killer ribs. I’d never even had ribs until Hudson dragged me to thatfestival.”
“I’m sure there’s a plan in Dallas’s head to drag me to the nextone.”
“It’ll be fun.” She pokes my side. “Now, if you get any more baby news, you’d better let me know. If I find out you’re having quintuplets from another six-year-old, I won’t behappy.”
“Maven didn’t tell you? It’s actually sextuplets. We’re waiting for another party to shockeveryone.”
“Very funny.” She glances around. “By the way, I’m pretty sure Rory is over there, planning your babyshower.”
“God, her reaction was dramatic. Her fruit punch fell to the ground in slow motion. I thought she wanted to kill me for not tellingher.”
“Oh, that was just the shock. You didn’t see the bright-ass smile on her face after you left. She’s not pissed. She’s fucking elated.” She laughs. “The only people who weren’t over the moon were the women who wanted to be the one Dallas had knocked up. You got knocked up by Blue Beech’s finest bachelor. You go,girl.”
* * *
“So, the news is out,”Dallassays.
“The news is out,” I repeatslowly.
Maven is passed out in the backseat, snoring like a man in a nursing home, and it’s almost eight o’clock. She apologized to me countless times for her outburst, but I couldn’t be upset at a girl sporting aBirthday Girltiara andsash.
“You want to come over?” he asks. “Hang out for a bit? I have leftovercake.”
Jesus, does everyone think all I eat iscake?
The thought of spending more time with him excites me, but the problem is, going to his house doesn’t. It terrifies me. The memories from our night together might slash a hole in the connection we’ve been making. We’ve already been through enough today. Reliving those memories isn’t something I want either one of us todo.
“Not tonight,” I answer. “I’mexhausted.”
“Yousure?”
I nod at the same time he pulls up to my apartment building, and I stop him from unbuckling his seat belt. “Don’t wake her up. I can walk myselfin.”
“Okay. I’ll wait out here until I see your light come on, and you call me to let me know you made it inokay.”
And that’s what hedoes.
* * *
It’sseven in the morning, and someone is banging on mydoor.
“What is up with your family knocking people’s doors down at the butt crack of dawn?” I ask when Lauren walksin.
“Good morning, my future sister-in-law,” she sings out while walking into my apartment. “I brought doughnuts and greentea.”
Seriously?
“What do you want?” I mutter in my best crankyvoice.
“You didn’t believe it’d be that easy to dodge me, did you, neighbor?” She plops down on a barstool at the island. “I was upset enough that I got called into work and missed my niece’s birthday party, and then I find out you’re havingtwins, and you didn’t tell me.” She crosses her arms. “As the girl who lives above you, I am extremelyoffended.”
I take a gulp of the green tea.Yummy.“We were waiting. No oneknew.”
“Except the six-year-old.”
