Page 113 of Sweet Heart

My cheeks heat even more, and I duck my head when all eyes turn to us.

“We are?” Riley asks, her eyes traveling over my body. “Are you, like… pregnant or something? Wait Cat wouldn’t give you alcohol…”

Celeste chuckles, but eyes me with equal suspicion. “No, something else is happening.”

“Dios, are you getting married already?” Carmen exclaims, her face betraying the enthusiasm rather than criticism behind the words.

Cat chuckles and shakes her head.

“I could only wish, but no… However, it is definitely life-changing.”

My heart skips a beat at her offhand comment about wanting to marry me, but she moves on so quickly that I barely have time to process it.

“Tell us already, Kitty Cat! Why do you always have to be so mean?”

“Mean? I am making you part of this moment, aren’t I?”

“You are torturing us because you know something we don’t. That’s mean.”

“No, you are just being your impatient little self, and now you are stomping your feet like a kid because you—”

“Hey, that’s enough,” Isa says, her voice quiet but with a slight edge.

Both Cat and Carmen turn their heads toward her, their eyes large, before they burst into laughter.

“Ay, amor, Katherina was just teasing me.”

“Claro, una broma, nothing more.”

“Broma?” Celeste asks, and Cat nods.

“A joke. Carmen and I have been play-fighting since we were kids.”

“Sorry, amor.” Carmen scoots over and wraps her arms around Isa. “We tend to forget how real it can look from the outside.”

“I just don’t like it,” Isa murmurs, her cheeks red.

Cat smiles.

“Oddly enough, that’s exactly why I like you.”

Isa regards her for a moment before her face softens and she lets out a huff. She nods, and it is evident that she accepts the connection for what it is. She’ll learn it, understand it, and eventually grow to love it. I know, because I’ve been there.

“So, if you aren’t pregnant and you two aren’t getting married, then what is happening?” Riley asks, and just like that, the attention is back on us. On me.

“Go ahead, baby, tell them your news.”

“Yes, Mary, for the love of all that is holy… tell us,” Carmen grunts.

Despite wanting to disappear even more, I can’t help but grin at that. Cat squeezes my hand and nods encouragingly when I bite my lip.

“I, um,” I stammer.

No, Mary, no hiding from this. Own it. I roll my shoulders back and take a deep breath.

“My agent called me earlier this month. My book has been picked up by a small publisher.”

“Like, a legit publisher?” Riley gasps.