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“Noooo.” Kate’s eyes went wide in shock. She looked over at Gwenn and back at Bree again. “You said nothing…”
Now it was Bree who blushed. “I know. I felt so ashamed… My feelings for him freaked me out, Kate. I got scared and didn’t want anyone to know. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Bree. I just want to be there for you. And help you where I can. Did I hear correct that Declan doesn’t know yet?” Kate asked before stepping aside for a woman who snatched the last tin of the good cranberry sauce behind Kate’s voluptuous bum.
“Oh, sorry.” Kate said, although the sturdy woman didn’t even excused herself as she wiggled her way behind Kate’s butt.
The woman smiled and held the tin in the air. “No problem. Got what I wanted. Happy Thanksgiving!”
“Happy Thanksgiving,” they all three murmured back.
“Shall we, eh, go somewhere else to talk?” Kate asked. Bree nodded. Now even Kate knew she was pregnant before Dec, she wanted to go home and hide under the covers.
“She’s been beating around this bush for weeks now, Kate. And today, it’s Thanksgiving. Maybe she should say thanks right after Pops and tell everyone at once at the diner table!” Gwenn said, probably thinking it was a great idea.
“I’m not doing that!” Bree turned and strode toward the exit.
“We haven’t bought what we came here for,” Gwenn said from behind Bree.
Bree didn’t care. She needed to go outside. Breathe in some fresh air. Her chest felt tight and her head pounded. Gwenn showed up by her side and said, “Okay, let’s get a move on. You can talk later. We’re going to miss Thanksgiving. I don’t think any of us would like to explain to people why we’re late.”
Twenty minutes later, Bree followed Gwenn into Lucky, with Kate right behind her. She searched for Declan in the throng of people, but didn’t see him. The Mills, Walsh, and Ryan families were all present today, filling up the pub.
Even the Mills and Moore cousins joined them for Thanksgiving. Everyone’s eyes were glued to the enormous wide screen above the pool tables on the back wall, watching the first football game of the day.
Being in the pub with family and friends while carrying this big secret made her antsy. She was certain people could tell she was different somehow. The thought of being around family had made her jumpy all day. And she felt awfully guilty because she hadn’t even told Declan yet. Luckily, her family thought she’d come down with the flu, so they wouldn’t think much of it if she wouldn’t drink tonight.
Keenan and Aiden offered a casual “Hey” at their entrance, and Bree sighed a breath of relief. Declan was nowhere. She was about to combust if she didn’t tell Declan soon. Besides her sisters Kera and Gwenn, now even Kate heard about her pregnancy before Declan.
That wasn’t right. She had waited and searched for the right time to tell him. She really did. Bree followed Gwenn into the kitchen where Emmy was giving out orders like she normally did as the chef at Lucky. She clapped her hands together. “Okay. Listen up. You too, Errin.” The two friends smiled at each other as Emmy liked to keep Errin on her toes.
Emmy spoke in an exaggerated game show voice. “At the back of my kitchen, we have the Ryan sisters competing. Come on up here, Bree. Join your sisters.”
Bree walked over to the countertop and Fianna put her arm around her shoulders.
“This year we’re going to kick some ass!” Fianna said.
“And on this counter we have the newcomers to our Thanksgiving bake-off competition: the Walsh sisters.” Emmy waved her ladle toward a stainless steel table to her right. Kayla and Errin hollered for Kate to join them at their table. Kate turned bright red and shuffled around Emmy to walk over to her sisters.
“Next to the newcomers, we have our runners-up from last year; the lovely Mills girls: Briana and Deirdre.” Bree smiled at Keenan’s sisters, who gave each other a high five.
“On my left we have the winners of last year…” and before Emmy could introduce them, Errin booed, making everyone laugh out loud.
“These newcomers are a rowdy bunch,” Caitlin said.
“Yee-ha!” Kayla cheered.
The kitchen door opened and Duncan and Declan peeked their heads around the swishing door.
“You just know the football game is shite if the girls’ hollers from the kitchen drown out the men,” Duncan said.
Bree’s eyes found Dec’s, and she quickly lowered her gaze and kept it on the tomatoes in front of her. Her face probably matched the vegetable.
“Go away. No penises aloud,” Fianna shouted next to Bree.
“Does a three-inch dick count? Maybe Dec can stay?” Ronan said from behind Declan. Bree was this close to put in her two cents about his rather large size before Fianna responded.
“In that case, you’d be welcome too, if I remember correctly….” Fianna said while she vehemently chopped her cucumber with a shiny kitchen knife. She looked up at Ronan and smiled like a possessed maniac. Bree grinned at her sister.
