I rolled the word in my mouth like candy. “He’ll definitely be hot.”
Sharla chortled. “My only goal in life.”
Chase shook his head. “You want him to be ugly. So he has to try harder.”
Maddie laughed. “Because you’re such a slacker.”
“Ooh!” Sharla’s hands shot out. “He’s kicking. Come here!” She motioned at both of us. I dropped my shoe and ran back to the chair, falling to my knees. Shar grabbed my wrist, then Maddie’s, and placed both our hands next to each other on the side of her stomach.
For a heartbeat, there was just warmth. Then, like a fish turning quickly under water, something shifted beneath my palms. I gasped. I’d felt this before, but somehow it never got less magical.
The kick pulsed again, and I laughed. “He’s feisty.”
“Wonder where he gets it.” Maddie’s eyes grew glassy.
Shar grinned. “You’re stuck with him. Aunties for life.”
I felt for another kick, then rose from the floor. “More like you’re stuck with us. I’m going to spoil the hell out of him.” Small caveat: if I got a job and wasn’t still paying off student debt. Then all the toys and adorable baby clothes would be purchased.
I thought back to Logan’s mention of Norman Marcus in the grocery store, and my stomach did a little flip. How well did Logan’s mom know him? Would Logan actually follow through? I could already tell that waiting the next few days was going to be torturous.And what if he never called?I’d just have to live with that unknown for the rest of my life?
“Just trying to run out of here, eh?” Maddie stood beside me.When had she walked over?
“Just tired I guess.” I flashed a smile and put on my shoes. She followed suit, and Chase joined us by the door.
“Thank you so much, you guys.” Shar got up to see us out. Rob kept his arm looped protectively over her shoulders, and I got a flash of an image. A painting, or sculpture? A modern pregnant woman in cute maternity clothes, looking down at her belly with a caveman or Greek warrior or something curled around her, his club or sword drawn.
Huh. I’d write that down in my notebook. Not sure I had the skills to pull it off, but it had potential.
We said our goodbyes, and then we were back in the cold.
“I’m not ready for winter,” Maddie groaned.
Chase pulled her close. “Vancouver’s looking really good right about now.” Maddie smacked him, rolling her eyes.
“What are you up to this Friday? Want to do trivia?” I asked, mostly talking to Maddie. Chase sometimes had games on the weekend, depending on the schedule.
Maddie winced. “I’m actually going to the Outlaws tournament. We leave Friday afternoon.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize you were still helping with that.” Something twinged beneath my ribs. Maddie had been integral to the team last season, but since she started the Elite League, I assumed that was done. It was tangible proof of how little we’d talked over the past few weeks. “No worries, we can do it another time.”
“I’d really love to.” Maddie pulled away from Chase to give me a hug, then shoved her hands in her coat pockets and made a beeline for his truck.
I ran after her, and the truck door’s metal bit in my palm, the seat’s vinyl frigid as I slid in. I warmed my hands between my thighs as Chase started the engine. Yeah, I wouldn’t have survived walking. They would’ve found me in ten minutes, standing stock still on the sidewalk. A frozen popsicle.
When I did get a car next spring, I was going to need a wheel cover. Or driving gloves, but that felt a bit pretentious. Therehad to be a way to improve car heating. A seat warmer? Wheel warmer? Maybe it already existed, and my family just couldn’t afford it.
We pulled away from the curb, and Maddie hit the front defrost so the windshield wouldn’t fog. It was only a four-minute drive, and the heat never fully kicked in, but I would never in a hundred years complain.
I hugged Maddie and thanked them both, then jogged up the walk. Warm light filtered out of the front two windows of our fourplex. Jenna’s Christmas cactus on the sill was starting to show little pink buds.
I pushed through the door, slamming it behind me so no hot air would get out.
“Hey!” Jenna called from the couch, where the latest episode of Survivor was playing. We’d all gotten really into it last season, but this time, I needed to wait until at least half the people were cut before I got invested.
The living room smelled faintly of nail polish remover and popcorn. Lindsey hunched at the table, textbooks open, highlighter caps scattered like candy.
We were friends, the three of us. Good ones. We shared rent, rides, grocery and cooking duties. They were great. But our friendship didn’t feel the same as when I was with Maddie and Shar. Here I could joke around, laugh, and problem-solve. But with them I let out my doubts, my fears. I cried with Maddie and Shar. Said the things I’d never admit to anyone else. I fit in with my roommates, but with Maddie and Shar, I belonged.
