“Wrong,” Ryan declares. “They’re chocolate, bacon, and cheese.”
“Nottogether,” Luke groans.
“More of a good thing is a good thing,” Ryan insists. “Here, Maura, try it. You’ll see.”
He reaches to a revolting looking dish in the center of the table. Before he can cut me a slice, James flexes out his hands.
“I'd rather you not poison my wife,” he says coolly.
Beau appears from the kitchen, wearing a pink frilly apron and potholders with Hello Kitty on them. Ryan, Luke, and James burst out laughing.
“When did you rob Barbie's closet?” Luke cackles.
“Har, har,” Beau says, unphased. He sets down a beautiful looking lasagna. “These are Cat’s. I borrowed them so I could generously make all of you a homemade dinner. I expect thank you’s from everyone, by the way.”
“Thank you,” Pippa and I chime.
“I’ll thank you after I taste test it,” Brinley says.
Beau waggles his eyebrows. “Trust me, I think you're going to like the flavor.”
The rest of the group joins us at the table as Beau starts serving up lasagna. I sniff carefully, and thankfully, my stomach seems to approve. I take a bite and moan loudly.
“Brinley, tell Beau thank you,” I demand.
Even though my stomach isn’t able to handle much more than the lasagna, dinner is still perfect. Conversation is full of old stories and good-natured debates over movies and travel locations. I find myself sitting back and just listening. Growing up, it was just me and Victor at the table, on the rare occasion he actually came home for dinner. Most nights, I ate alone with a book or with a staff member.
I never got to sit at a table like this, so full of warmth, noise and love. It’s probably the pregnancy hormones, but I get a little misty-eyed thinking about all the honorary uncles and aunts my baby will get to have. I’m grateful that they’ll be born into this little family. And if I can’t make it to see them graduate college or get married, at least my child has Cat to make them banners, Beau to take pictures of everything, Nate to spoil them with gifts, and everyone else to hug and teach and love them.
When everyone's done, Cat orders the men to clear the table for dessert. They fall in line without complaint, a feat they only perform for her. I guess they might do the same for me if I asked them, if only out of fear for James's wrath.
“Hey, Brinley, is your friend finally coming to visit this month?” Pippa asks.
Brinley’s face brightens. “Eden! Yes, she’s going to visit and test-drive Toronto as a place to live. I'm hoping she'll stay with me for at least a week. It's been way too long since we got to spend any real time together.”
Behind her, Luke freezes, an empty bread basket in his hand. After a moment, he shakes his head, almost like he's trying to shake off the thought.
“Dessert is served,” Beau says, approaching the table with a gigantic platter. I gasp at the massive display of cheesecake slices, brownie bites, lemon tarts, and macarons.
“You really think we’re going to eat all this?” Pippa laughs.
“I think we’re going to get through about half of it, and Ryan and James will hoover up the rest like the human vacuums they are,” Beau says.
Ryan shrugs and snatches a pistachio macaron. “He’s not wrong.”
Beau circles the table, pausing behind Brinley. As he leans down to put a small plate of pink cookies in front of her, I think I see him sniff her hair. It’s so quick, I would have thought Iwas seeing things if Brinley’s face didn’t turn a bright tomato red. It seems…odd. Flirtatious, even. But that wouldn’t make any sense. Beau is her brother’s best friend, and if Brinley were messing around with him, I’m sure she would have told me. Maybe he has some unrequited crush or something.
Cat stands at the head of the table and clears her throat. “I wanted to thank all of you for coming, and for all the support you've given Nate and I over the past few months. We've got a lot to celebrate. Pippa’s articles going viral, Maura’s solo show, Ryan launching his website—I don’t care what you all say, I love my neon green sweatshirt.”
“Hear, hear!” he cries, raising his glass.
“Tonight, I'd like to add another celebratory moment to the list,” she says.
“You’re pregnant!” Ryan gasps. “I call godfather!”
Cat holds up the champagne she’s been sipping all night. “Good guess, but no. Wedding planning has been exhausting, and I've had to make a lot of hard choices. Thankfully, at least one decision has been easy. Pippa, you’ve been my best friend for years. You were my rock while I figured out my whole relationship with Nate, and I want you by my side at the altar. Will you be my maid of honor?”
Pippa covers her mouth with her hands. “You’re serious?” she squeaks.
