Everyone laughs, and I join in, but my focus is on her belly, wishing I could push my envy away but wanting so badly what she has.
“So, when does the studio officially become yours?” Nicole asks, shaking me from my thoughts.
“Wait, what studio?” Peyton asks.
“North Harbor Point Pilates,” I say with a grin. “I didn’t want to jinx it until it went through … but the contract has been signed, and once the funds have cleared, the studio is all mine.”
“Oh, Bri!” Dani exclaims. “That’s so awesome.”
“It all happened so quickly,” I admit.
One minute, I was googling purchasing the studio, and the next, the contract was signed.
“Congratulations, honey,” my mom says with a sniffle.
“Mom, why are you crying?” I laugh. “It’s a good thing.”
“These aren’t tears of sadness,” Mom clarifies. “They’re from joy.” She smiles warmly at me and then glances at Peyton and Dani. “All I wanted was for my kids to find love and happiness, and I’m so glad they have.”
Dani glances at me with a soft, sympathetic smile, knowing what my mom doesn’t know—that I haven’t found love. But I shake my head, silently telling her to let it go.
“Kane’s actually the one who got it for me,” I admit, unsure why I feel the need to say that. “Apparently, Theo was butthurt that I’d broken things off with him, and he tried to ruin the deal I was working on with the investment company. But Kane found out and handled it.”
Nicole smirks. “Look at him go. Not even married yet, and he’s husband goals.”
I roll my eyes and lean my head back, ignoring her remark. Every day this week, Kane has joined me for breakfast at Nicole’s coffee shop before we part ways—me to the Pilates studio and him to work. And every day, once he’s gone, Nicole tells me that my husband is in love with me. And it didn’t help that, one morning, when I was running late, he got in line for me, and when the person in front of him bought the last strawberry muffin—after I told him I was dying for one—he gave them a hundred dollars to order a different muffin. Apparently, that was enough to have her crossing over to Team Kane.
Once our pedicures are done, we follow Leslie, the spa owner, back to the luncheon room, where we’re having afternoon tea. The room is decorated in different shades of pink with a banner across the top that readsBridal Shower.
There are adorable four-tier stands that hold layers of sandwiches and snacks and so many sweets. Nicole once told me her favorite place to travel as a teenager was to the UK, and I now understand why.
“This is so cute!” Dani gushes. “I need to take a picture.” She pulls out her phone, but then drops it, clutching her belly.
“Are you okay?” I ask just as a loud scream pierces the air from somewhere outside of the room we’re in.
Immediately on alert, I run toward the door and slam it closed, locking it behind me. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I’m not going to make it easy for whoever it is on the other side.
“We need to hide,” I tell everyone as I glance around the room, confirming there are no other doors.
“I don’t know what’s happening,” Leslie cries in panic as the screams continue.
“You guys,” Dani whispers, “I think my water broke.”
I look down, and sure enough, there’s water dripping down the insides of her legs.
“Okay, we have to—” I begin, but my words are cut off when the doorknob jiggles, giving me flashbacks to when my nephew was taken by Anthony and Peyton and I had to chase him down.
“Peyton, Dani, text my brothers. There should’ve been guards out there, which means they either came in without them knowing or they took them out.”
A loud bang makes everyone shriek, and I know we only have a few moments until the door is either broken down or they lose their patience and shoot their way in.
“Everyone, in,” I say, opening the closet door.
It’s a tight fit, especially with Dani heavily pregnant, but they’re all in.
“Wait, Bri, what are you doing?” Mom asks when she realizes I’m not joining them.
“If they get to the closet, they’ll take us all out,” I rush out. “Hopefully, before that happens, Dominick or Matteo will get here.”
