“You’re going to have to bend over and give me a hug.This little girl is pressing right on my sciatic nerve and Nash is being a worrywart about me moving around.”
“I heard that!” Nash turned around from where he was talking to Gunner. “You almost fell yesterday from the pain. I’m not taking any chances. You’re going to sit there like a good girl with the heating pad on your back and if you do, I’ll reward you tonight.”
“Promises, promises… You and Gunner need to scoot on out of here. Go. Let the women folk talk without fear of you butting in.” Lacy rolled her eyes, but sank back just a little more into the chair. Mae bent over and gave her a gentle squeeze before moving to hug Sloane, who was sitting on the sofa.
“You and Nash are still so cute together. I can’t get over how beautiful you look, Lacy. Pregnancy suits you.”
She huffed. “Hopefully having a newborn suits me, too. I’m beyond ready to have her here. But not until after next week. She’s staying inside until we get through Lily and Gunner’s big day. And even then, she needs to cook a little more.”
“I’m sure she’ll behave,” Lily laughed.
“Have you guys settled on a name? I know the last time I called you were still arguing…”
“Nash wants to name her Camilla, and I’m going to cave, but I like to give him a hard time, you know?”
“Why Camilla? Is that a family name?” Mae asked.
“No. Her middle name is going to be Nadine, though, after his grandmother. I got to choose that.”
“So, he just likes Camilla?”
“Actually, it’s for Embrie. Because she has a cheese nickname with ‘Brie’. Nash wants to be able to call Camilla ‘Cami’… a nod to Camembert.”
“Stop. It.” Lily sighed. “Oh my god, that’s adorable.”
“Brie loves it.” Lacy winced and shifted her hips, trying toreach back to grab the heating pad. Mae took a second to help her get everything situated. “Thanks for the help,” she sighed. “Honestly, I love how he put so much thought into keeping the joke with Embrie alive for this little one, too. It’ll always be their special thing with their dad… even if it is extremely…”
“Cheesy?” Mae laughed.
“Exactly.” Lacy wiped at her eyes. “And here I am crying over it.”
“It’s really sweet,” Sloane cooed as she laid her hand on Lacy’s arm.
“Alright you.” Mae pointed at Sloane. “While we let Lacy gather herself…. Let. Me. See. It.”
Sloane smiled, holding her left hand out to Mae.
“I still can’t believe he proposed to me while my family was here visiting. It’s been so wonderful having them back in my life, and to know Gage put in so much time to make sure they were included…” Sloane sighed. “He really is just the perfect man for me.”
“It’s perfect. The ring. The proposal. I know we have a wedding to celebrate next week, but I’m just as excited for the day I get to come back to celebrate the two of you.”
Sloane’s brows pulled together. “Come back?”
Mae’s smile fell. “I didn’t mean… but I don’t think I can stay. I want to see him. Feel his arms around me again. Tell him I’ve missed him beyond words. I’ve played the moment over and over again in my mind. But what if I’m not ready?”
“Will you ever truly be ready?” Lily asked. “After so much time, it almost becomes too easy to not fight for what you want.”
“I know I’ve missed so much…”
“Life keeps moving,” Lacy said, her hand running circles over her belly.
If life moved the way it was supposed to, Mae’s baby would be in her arms. She swallowed the bitter taste in hermouth, not aimed at her friend and the happiness she was radiating, but just at how differently she knew her life would be if things had worked out another way.
Mae cleared her throat. “It hasn’t for me.”
“There’s another person here who probably feels the same way.” Lily’s hand squeezed Mae’s arm.
She heard the door to the balcony slide open. Mae forced herself not to look up when he walked into the apartment, stopping dead in his tracks the second his eyes landed on her.Don’t do it, Mae.She refused to turn towards him as she felt his gaze heat her skin for moments so long it felt like an eternity.
