“Why?” Paige’s brow furrowed.
“Well . . . I heard things about you guys over the years. Didn’t Jack catch you and Evan having sex in the supply closet at the office?”
“God, he had such a big mouth.” Paige scoffed. “No, we were just kissing. And besides, closets are hot, right Ellie?”
Her lips twisted in a smirk as I glared at her.
“Closets?” Kate raised her eyebrows.
I shrugged as I sipped my cranberry juice.
“Nice dodge.” Paige laughed as she patted my arm. “Anyway, between the pregnancy hormones and the fact my husband is hot as hell, I was ready to climb the damn walls.”
“Because Evan wouldn’t let you climb him,” my sister snickered.
Paige let out a long sigh and nodded. “Exactly.”
“So, tell me, almost birthday girl. How are things with the baby daddy?” Paige asked with a sly grin.
“Ugh . . . I hate that expression almost as much as baby mama. Honestly . . . fantastic. He’s so excited about the baby. He insists it’s a girl, but wouldn’t let the technician tell us at the sonogram. He wants to gloat when the baby is born, I guess.”
I dropped my eyes to the table and fiddled with my napkin. The past three months had been wonderful. Nick practically lived with us, and the three of us felt more and more like a family. Except we weren’t, at least not yet. I was more than ready to marry him. If I was honest, I’d been ready since that night at the hospital. I was so sick I could barely sit up, but overjoyed he came back to me.
Nick loved me, but something was holding him back from making us permanent. A pesky twisting in my gut wouldn’t go away.
“Hey!” Kate snapped her fingers in front of my face. “There goes my sister, morphing into Eeyore before our very eyes once again. Now, what’s wrong?”
“I want to marry Nick. Like now.”
“So, you can be married before the baby is born? Mom and Dad would like that,” my sister chuckled.
“No. Regardless of the baby. I love him, and he makes me happier than I ever thought possible. All I want is to be his wife. So much that it’s all I think about, and I could kick myself for screwing it all up.”
“Ellie, that’s terrific!” Paige squeezed my hand. “I seriously doubt you screwed it all up.”
“You both panicked. It happens. Have you told him how you feel?” Kate huffed and turned to Paige. “Of course not. Those two will get it together eventually. Maybe when the baby is in high school.”
Paige chuckled at my sister but gave me a sympathetic smile.
“I think,” Paige whispered, “if you tell Nick, he’ll probably drive right to City Hall. That man adores you. I’m so happy for you.” Paige’s voice cracked.
I reached over and squeezed her arm. Our teary gazes met, both of us thinking of the same thing—or of the same person.
“I . . . I never thought I’d be here, you know? Loving someone again, pregnant. I won’t give him the satisfaction, but I think Nick is right. I think this is a girl. Remember at your sprinkle, you said a little girl could be in my future. It’s surreal to think that she actually might be.” Nowmyvoice cracked. Damn hormones.
“How is Nick holding back? Oh God, is he like Evan and afraid of his over-sized cock poking the baby in the head?”
Kate spit her wine across the table as my head dropped to my hands.
“No,” I answered with a slow shake of my head. “He’s not afraid of that—at all.”
I chuckled at Kate and Paige’s saucer-wide eyes.
Nick was always on the affectionate, touchy-feely side, which I always loved about him. Over the past couple of months, he was a six-foot sex monster with twenty pairs of hands. We did it everywhere, anywhere, and every way. The other day, I stepped into my bedroom to put laundry away, and Nick appeared behind me as if he had a sixth sense I was bending over. He shoved his hand down my already stretched out leggings and pushed me into my closet for very rushed, mind-blowing sex.
Paige was right. Closets were hot.
“Every time I mention moving in, or anything having to do with the future, he gets quiet. He shuts down or makes a joke to change the subject. Funny how it started out him chasing me, now I feel it’s the other way around.” I shook my head and let out an exasperated sigh.
