“What about her?”
“I don’t know, you tell me.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
Smoke nodded. “You made your decision then?”
“There was never a decision to make. Charlie’s the one for me. She always has been.”
“No matter how good Angel felt in your arms when she kissed you?”
Ben sucked in a deep breath. He’d been trying to put that as far from his mind as possible. “I don’t know what to say about that, Smoke. I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe in another lifetime Angel and I might have worked, but not in this one.”
“Hey,” Smoke held up a hand. “I told you plenty of times, I don’t need the answers. I’m just trying to help you ask the right questions.”
“I know, thanks. All I can tell you is I have all the answers I need. I’m back with Charlie, we love each other, and we’re building our future.”
“Good. Then I’m happy for you. Whoa …” Smoke jumped up as beer spilled all over him.
“Sorry!” Michael looked panic stricken. He’d spilled his beer as he jumped to his feet.
“What’s the matter?” asked Ben.
Michael stared at him for a moment before he answered. “I’ve got to go. That was Meggie. I’ve got to get home to her. Her waters just broke.”
Gabe appeared at his side. “That’s awesome. I’ll drive you. You look too shaken up to drive yourself.”
Michael stared at him. “You can’t, this is your party.”
Gabe smiled around at everyone. “I don’t think anyone will mind, will you?”
“I don’t think anyone will mind at all, and I imagine quite a few of us will want to come with you,” said Dan. “I know Missy would kill me if I didn’t let her know what’s going on.”
Michael looked around at everyone; he seemed to be in shock.
“What’s up?” asked Pete. “I thought you’d be cool, calm, and collected; you’re the doctor after all.”
“I’ll ask you how cool, calm, and collected you are when it’s your turn,” said Michael with a grin. “I might be a doctor, but I’m about to become a daddy again.”
“And we’d better hurry up if you want to be there when it happens,” said Gabe. “Let’s go.”
“You know where to find us if anyone wants to come,” called Michael over his shoulder as Gabe led him out.
“I said this might become a tradition,” said Dan with a grin. “I need to go crash Renée’s bachelorette party. I can’t get Missy to answer her phone, and I know she’ll want to be there for Michael and Megan.”
Ben smiled. It seemed none of his friends ever had a stag night without meeting up with their girls.
Chase was already standing by the door. “I’m going to have to take Kenzie over to the hospital, does anyone else want to come?”
The others all looked at each other. “It sounds as though we all need to go,” said Pete with a grin.
~ ~ ~
Charlotte made her way up the stairs to the function room above the Boathouse. It was weird to come in here and not see any familiar faces. She couldn’t remember a time she’d ever come in and not seen Ben here. He was over at Giuseppe’s with all the guys, and she was here to meet up with all the girls. She’d spoken to Missy this afternoon who had offered to meet up with her so they could come over together, but Charlotte had wanted to come by herself. She didn’t need anyone to hold her hand. It seemed important that she should establish herself here in her own right.
She looked around when she reached the top of the stairs. She knew many of the girls, but there were a lot of new faces, too. She spotted Holly and Laura standing by the bar and made her way over to them.
“Hey, girlfriend,” said Laura with a smile. “I’m glad we finally get to socialize. I feel like I’m behind with you. I missed out on your big return and we’ve only had chance to talk shop so far. What are you drinking?”
