“I’m calling reinforcements,” she said. She pulled her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and quickly typed a text before pulling me in for another hug. I must have cried wordlessly on her shoulder for longer than I thought because soon there was another knock at the door.
“Coming,” called Juliet as she released me and stood from the couch.
I watched her open the door and saw my good friends, Sadie and Erica standing there. Juliet murmured something to them that I couldn’t quite hear and they peeked around her at me, their expressions grim.
“You didn’t have to come,” I said with a shake of my head, feeling thankful that my friends rallied around me so quickly withouteven knowing what was going on. I still hadn’t told Sadie or Erica about Chandler or the baby. I knew I could have. They would never judge me. I think I just figured I wasn’t sure what I was doing yet, so why drag more people into my messy life? Now that they were here in my apartment, I knew I should have told my friends.
Out of anyone, Sadie and Erica would be the most understanding, having gone through their own surprise pregnancies and trials and tribulations with their now husbands. I didn’t know why I hadn’t called them sooner, but again, I was so unsure of everything. It felt like if I spoke about it, it would become all the more real.
“Juliet said it was bad, but seeing those pajamas, now I know it can’t be good,” said Erica, biting back a bemused smile.
I couldn’t help but laugh. She was right. I looked ridiculous. It felt good to laugh, and I pulled her in for a big hug. Sadie, too.
“Sit,” I said, gesturing to the couch behind me. “We have alotto talk about.”
When we were all sitting with our legs crisscrossed on the couch, covered in fluffy blankets, Juliet gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. I smiled at her and turned to my two friends who waited patiently for me to tell them what the hell was going on.
“I’m sure you saw on the news that I didn’t get the CEO position at my father’s company,” I said meekly.
Erica harrumphed. Sadie smiled weakly. “I saw, but didn’t want to bring it up until you did,” she said. “I’m so sorry, Gabs. I know how much you deserved the job. How much you wanted it.”
“Your father is an idiot,” said Erica with a roll of her eyes.
“Erica!” said Sadie, her voice shrill.
“What?” she shrugged. “He is.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Erica was blunt, always to the point. I loved that about her. Sadie was softer, more understanding. It was like a yin and yang of best friends. I was so glad that Juliet had fit in so well among us. My past and present had come together to help me through this difficult time. I realized then I didn’t need to always go to my family for advice. I had three sisters right here.
“Whatever his reasoning was, he gave the job to Chandler White.”
“The raven-haired hottie,” said Erica with a smirk.
“Erica!” said Sadie again, her voice even more shrill than before.
“Sure, if that’s what you want to call him.”
“And your father knew him prior? Or…what? Why did he choose him over you?” asked Sadie.
“I don’t know. We haven’t really talked about it. He usually brushes me off, saying, ‘It’s for the good of the company,’” I said in my best impression of my father.
“Pfft,” said Erica through her lips.
“I was assigned to teach him the ropes. Be his ‘handler.’” I put my fingers in air quotations. “At first, we despised each other. Likereallydespised each other. It started with a spilled coffee and progressed from there. The guy is a total asshole.” I shook my head. I was really painting him in a horrible light to just drop the bomb on them that I had slept with him.
“But?” said Erica, raising a brow. She seemed to be on to what happened next. She knew me too well.
“Somehow we ended up having sex.”
“Somehow?” asked Sadie confused.
“It was a crime of passion. Passionate hate.” I groaned, putting my face in my hands as my cheeks turned red.
“When? Where?” asked Erica.
“At a charity gala months ago.”
“Inpublic?” asked Sadie, wide-eyed.
