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“No, but we can advise…”
“Yes, of course,” Theo says. “But for one, you give your advice once and that’s it. You don’t force it on them. Two, they have to ask for it and I don’t think either of our children would ask you for advice for much, and three,” he points at her. “Now pay attention because this is a big one, you support them anyway even if they don’t take your advice. Because they are now at the age where they have to make their own decisions, mistakes, whatever.” He gestures towards Raegan and Wes. “I’m not even saying this is a mistake. I’ve been around them so few times and I can see how much they care about each other and I want that for Raegan.”
She sighs. “Well, fine. If everyone is just so on board.” She rolls her eyes just as the waitress comes back with her drink. Another server follows behind her with our appetizers and disperses them around the table. “Oh, much better! Thank you.” She smiles as she sips her drink. She opens her napkin. “Well, at least you’re not pregnant, I suppose,” Rebecca says flippantly.
Nobody says anything until Wes clears his throat and chuckles. “Well, that’s a really unnecessary and quite frankly, rude thing to say.” He looks at Raegan who’s staring down at her hands and shakes his head. “You know, Raegan has been really happy about the fact that we are having a baby until she realized she had to tell you. Ever since she talked to you, she’s been anxious and nervous and upset and I have no tolerance for that. She’s twenty-three years old and she’s nervous about telling her mother who she barely has a relationship with that she’s pregnant? What does that say about you?”
I sense movement in my periphery and I notice Lucas’ nodding in approval. “Wes, you and I are going to get along just fine.” He laughs and gets up from the table. “I have to take a leak.”
Rebecca looks at Raegan, tears flooding her eyes. “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“So that’s the reason for all—” Rebecca starts.
“Let me stop you right there,” Wes interrupts, holding a hand up.
“I was talking to Raegan.”
“Well, now you’re talking to me. Let’s get something straight. I’ve wanted to marry Raegan since about five minutes after I laid eyes on her. We’ve been together for over a year, and we first discussed marriage about three months into our relationship. We’ve been living together officially for six months, so no, herveryrecent pregnancy is not the reason for anything.” He looks around the table. “In the spirit of transparency, Raegan would like to be married before the baby is born and more specifically before she’s really showing so that does move things up some, but let me be very clear to everyone here, and then I don’t want to talk about it again, we arenotgetting married just because she’s pregnant.” He looks at Raegan and I melt at the look they share.
He loves her so much.
“We are getting married because we love each other. The fact that she’s also pregnant just makes us more excited to be tied together forever.”
I think my heart and uterus just skipped a beat.
Two hours later, I’m in the bathroom with Raegan after the awkward dinner where Rebecca was basically on her phone the whole time. “Well, that was…something.”
“Did you expect anything else?” Raegan asks.
“I did not expect your guard dog.” I giggle. “He is…” I whistle. “That was sweet and hot and I think triggered my Daddy issues a little bit.” I laugh nervously, as I play with the ends of my hair and Raegan giggles in response.
“Yeah, he’s like that.”
“Love that for you.”
“Hey, he’s an only child but he’s got some nice cousins? Or maybe a friend? I could set you up!” She claps her hands.
I chuckle, hoping it doesn’t sound forced and nervous. “That’s nice, but I’m okay.”
“Okay,” she says as she begins to touch up her lipstick. “Thanks for being here. I know you came for Lucas, but it made me feel good too.”
“Of course.”
“You’re a really good friend, Avery.” She hugs me. “And the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister.” She gives me a smile that reminds me so much of Lucas. “And I’d really like it if you’d be one of my bridesmaids.”
I put a hand over my chest as I try to calm the euphoria coursing through me that causes my heart to flutter. “Really? Me?”
She nods as tears flood her eyes. “Of course. You’re family.” She wraps her arms around me and I feel the tears prickling in mine as well. But the overwhelming feelings of happiness and honor are quickly cut short when I realize that she probably wouldn’t ask me if she knew about what her father and I have been doing behind everyone’s backs. I’ve spent so much time focusing on how Lucas would take it that I didn’t even think about Raegan’s feelings and she’s asking me to be a part of the biggest day of her life.
I am the worst.
She pulls back and wipes under her eyes and then mine before laughing. “We should get back out there. Wes can only serve as a buffer for so long.”
When we get back to the table, Theo is signing the check for dinner while Rebecca is touching up her lipstick and Lucas is scrolling through his phone. He nods at me and when I sit down next to him, he grabs my hands in his. “Want to get a drink?”
Theo isn’t looking at us but I know he’s paying attention. “You don’t want to hang out with your sister and your dad on your last night?”
