My fingers tightened around the coffee cup, my stomach knotted, but not from nausea this time—from nerves.
I hadn’t planned on telling them about the pregnancy yet.I could barely believe it myself, despite my mornings comprising puke and crackers.I’d planned to talk when Wy and I got back from the wedding, but with them sitting beside me, the secret growing inside me, the pressure to keep up appearances… it was too much.
I looked between the two people I would trust my entire life with.“I need to tell you something.”My voice came out quieter than expected, like I was whispering a secret, and maybe I was.
Both their heads snapped toward me.My hand drifted to my stomach without thinking, and my fingers splayed protectively over the still flat skin.
“I’m pregnant.”
Shery blinked.“You’re… Wait.What?”
Chardonnay didn’t move, didn’t say anything, but her eyes didn’t waver from me.
“I found out the morning I left for Meadow’s actually.It’s why I left.We had broken up the night before.Wy slept on the couch, and I woke up puking my guts out.I took a test… it was positive.”
Chardonnay finally glanced at Sherry.They shared a look, then Char inhaled, lips pressing together before turning back to me.“Does Wyatt know?”
“What do you think?”
Sherry jumped up, her chair practically knocking over.“You have to tell him!”
Char’s gaze, still intense, stayed on me.“She can’t.Not yet, at least.”
“What are you talking about?He has a right to know.”
“He does, but if she tells him now, he’ll feel obligated to marry her because it’s what she wants.”
“Good!”Sherry exclaimed, but Char got it.She got me.
Char shook her head.“Not good.She’ll never know if he did it because he truly wanted to or if he did it out of obligation.”
Sherry sank into her chair, her excitement evaporating.
“She’s right,” I added.“It couldn’t have come at a worse time, honestly.But I know if Wyatt found out, he would marry me tomorrow.”
“Shit,” Sherry muttered and took my hand while Char took my other.
I laughed.“Yeah.Shit.”
“You’re going to have to tell him eventually,” Sherry said.“You’re not going to be able to hide it.That man knows your body.”
“I know, which is why I plan on telling him when we get back from the wedding, before Cynthia’s bachelorette party.I can fake drinking through the wedding.There’s no chance I can at the bachelorette party.”Plus, weddings wore Wy out.He needed to be on his game, and this news… he wouldn’t be able to act like everything was okay.
A warm droplet of water hit my hand, though I hadn’t even realized I was crying.
“I hate to put you in this situation, but can you keep this between us three until I talk to Wy?I know that’s not fair, and it’s asking a lot.I don’t want you to lie to Brady or Ben.”
“Done,” my sisters said in perfect synchronization.My heart lifted immediately.
“We’ve got you,” Char added.“Always have and always will.”
“Another!”I slammed my glass down on the bar top of Three Barrell Distillery and motioned to Brady to fill er up again.Instead, the big ogre crossed his arms over his chest, causing his ridiculous muscles to push against his t-shirt.
“I think you’ve had enough.”
“I think you owe me after drowning my ass.Repeatedly.”
“It was for charity.”
