“I could see that,” Lexie agrees. “But we also get to choose the family we surround ourselves with, and I for one am grateful for the three of you.”
“You big sap,” Dillan teases, and I laugh.
These women make it seem simple. Opening yourself up. Something that’s been anything but simple for me for years now. They make me less afraid to try.
The waiter stops by the table and sets our dinners in front of us, and my stomach immediately flips.
In through the nose.
Out through the mouth.
“You okay over there, Ashton?” Kaleigh prods, and it takes me a moment to decide whether I am actually okay.
I open my mouth to say yes but jump out of my seat and run to the bathroom instead, where I empty what little I have in my stomach into the sink, not even making it to the stall.
By the time I’ve stopped retching, all three women are standing behind me.
Dillan holds my hair off my face as Lexie leans her back against the door, giving us a little privacy from any prying eyes.
“Holy shit, Ashton...” Kaleigh murmurs as she passes me a damp paper towel. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”
As if in slow-motion, I turn to look at her. “Absolutely not.”
“Good. You reminded me of my sister for a hot minute. She spent the entire nine months she was pregnant with my nephew puking any time food was placed in front of her.”
A knock at the door has all four of our heads swinging that way. “Occupied,” Lexie calls out and makes sure it’s locked, before sharing a look with Dillan.“Are you sure you’re not? Because you just reminded me of Dillan’s sister at the beginning of her pregnancy too.”
“Seriously,” I wipe my mouth, wishing I had some mouthwash on hand. “I’d have to be having sex to be pregnant.”
Jamie
The cool night air sticks to my sweaty skin as I step out of thecarriage house I transformed from a guest house to a training facility before we moved in. Gotta say, it was one of my better design ideas. At least it was before my cousin flies down my damn driveway, nearly running me off the path. The little shit.
“What the fuck, Dillan?” I grumble, watching her stop the car in front of the house and throw her middle finger up through the window.
She steps out of the front of her SUV, ignoring me, and opens the back door.
My little honey badger emerges, looking fucking beautiful in a red sundress with a white sweater thrown over her shoulders. Her dark hair is down and her face?—
Ahh shit.
Her face is fucking green.
I jog over to the girls and wrap an arm around Ashton’s waist without waiting for permission she probably won’t give. “Hey, Ace. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she snaps, but it’s less nasty, eat your face off vicious animal and more bear with a splinter in its paw. “I’m fine.”
“She’s not fine.” Dillan pushes Ashton’s hair away from her shoulders like they’ve been friends for years, and I’m pretty sure she just became my favorite cousin. “Want me to help you inside?”
“No, really. I’m fine. But thank you.” Ashton sticks her head back in the car, where Lexie and Kaleigh are both waiting. “Sorry for the early night.”
The girls say something I can’t make out before Ashton straightens and starts for the door, completely ignoring me.
Before I can follow her, Dillan grabs my arm. “Keep an eye on her if you can. She just threw up so hard she broke the capillaries around her eyes.”
“Shit. Thanks, D.” I kiss the top of her head and jog up the walk to catch up to Ashton.
“Slow down, Jameson. That girl is not your biggest fan, and if you chase after her, she’s going to be pissed. You need to play it smoother than that.”
