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The door to Beans and Leaves opens with a ding. Jillian comes in, looking ravishing, as always. Her red hair is up in a bun, and she’s wearing a silk dress and blazer, paired with designer heels. Our orders are announced, so I grab mine while Melissa takes the other two, handing the Frappuccino to Jillian.
“Hey, Jillian. Surprised you went with decaf.”
“Thanks. I am swamped upstairs with work, but I don’t need the added caffeine. I’d be up all night. Hey, Tara. How’s playing sexy ranch hand with the broody brother?”
We walk our coffees to a table in the back.
“Good. He saw my nipples.”
Jillian gives a blank stare to Melissa. “Do I want to know why?”
Melissa shakes her head. “It’s everything you imagine it is. A typical Tara moment. The question you do want to know is, how did he react to seeing them? Which is information I haven’t gotten yet.”
I sit down at the table and continue to sift through my mail. “Obviously, he loved them. They’re spectacular. But, no, he didn’t get the wrong impression or anything. Like he always says, nothing can happen between us.”
Melissa settles her very pregnant self down at the table and grips her back. “Good. Sex is overrated, especially when you’re carrying around a bowling ball. I forgot how uncomfortable the last few weeks of pregnancy are.”
Jillian is eyeing Melissa’s growing stomach with a look of concern. “You’re right. You do forget how awful the end of pregnancy is.”
I open up one of my envelopes. “Good thing I don’t ever plan on going through that. The change in your body, the spit-up, and changing diapers—”
“Someday, she’ll stop lying to herself and realize she’s full of shit,” Melissa states to Jillian. “Tara would be an awesome mother, and she knows it.”
I take the letter out of the envelope. “I’d be the best. Do I really have to explain to you why my ability at mothering has nothing to do with not needing to be a mother?”
The two friends give each other a look like they’re in on a secret that I’m not. I ignore them and read the letter I just pulled out of the envelope.
“Oh my God!” I yelp as I look at the gold emblem at the top and read the exquisitely typed letter.
“What?” Jillian asks.
“I’m getting an award for distinction in the accounting profession.”
Melissa smiles big for me. “They have awards for that?”
“They have awards for everything. I was nominated by my boss. I had no idea. It says I’m getting a leadership award from the county for my notable professionalism and distinguished accomplishments within the accounting industry as a whole. The governor will be there.”
Jillian boasts, “I always knew you were amazing at your job, and this just confirms it.”
“It’s a gala at the Wolfson Manor. Perfect. Close to home, and I know exactly what I’m going to wear.” I grin as I look at Jillian. “Your V-neck rose-gold gown that gives off the Jessica Rabbit silhouette.”
“Might as well. I can’t fit into it anymore,” she says with a sly wink.
I put the paper down and stare at her with narrowed eyes and a tilt to my head. “Okay, you are definitely keeping something. Decaf coffee. Not fitting into dresses. Passing on wine at dinner at Melissa’s house. I know I’m not supposed to ask because it’s rude, but screw it. We’re friends, and I don’t care if you think I’m crass. Jillian, are you pregnant?”
Melissa twists her body to her business partner and stretches her fingers out in excitement. “Oh my God. Tara’s right. You’ve been extra tired and complaining about your bra feeling too tight, and you almost vomited when the vanilla-scented candles arrived. You are so pregnant. Say you are. We can have our babies together. Please tell me you’re pregnant.”
A blush creeps up Jillian’s face. “We just hit the ten-week mark, so it’s early, but yes!”
Melissa throws her arms around Jillian, and I stand as well, rushing to her side of the table and hugging my friend. I’m surprised to find I’m actually crying with how excited I am for Jillian. It wasn’t even a year ago when she was commiserating with me on how horrible the dating scene was. Unlike me, she wasn’t looking for anything and truly believed it would never happen again. Here she is, beautiful, glowing, getting married to the love of her life, and having her second baby with him.
Rob could say happily ever after is bullshit, but I have a front row seat to it right here. It isn’t a fallacy, and these two women are living proof.
Now, if only the universe would behave and give me my turn.
The ding of the coffee shop door has me turning my head toward the entrance again. This time, instead of being happy for the patron who walked in, I drop to my knees and hide my face between the table and the wall, using Melissa to block me from view.
“What are you doing?” she asks, concerned, as I accidentally kick her in the shin as I crawl away.
