Page 149 of The Trouble with Flings

“You killed the babies!” Bellamy screams, and everyone cracks up as the guys run over and retrieve their dolls.

“They’ll walk it off!” Grant argues, he and Levi sprinting back to their teams, handing off to Roddy and Alexander.

Roddy and Alexander barrel across the grass, pushing the tiny strollers. Behind them, Margot and my mother have kicked off their heels, and they’re chasing after them, laughing so hard their strollers bump, sending the dolls flying and them into hysterics. I’ve never seen this side of my mother, and I love it!

“Out of my way, Remington!” Alexander roars, hauling ass past him.

“Holy crap, look at Dad!” Keira yells.

“Eat my dust, Silver!” Roddy shouts, catching up.

“Go, Dad!” Tessa and Randi holler.

They’re racing shoulder to shoulder. Roddy hits a bump at the same time Alexander’s stroller wheel snaps off, sending the tiny stroller cartwheeling and the dolls spiraling through the air. One flies toward the bushes. The other careens toward the drink table and lands headfirst in a pitcher of lemonade.

For one hot second there’s dead silence. Everyone’s staring, mouths agape.

Lenore saunters over with the grace of a woman who’s seen it all and can’t be rattled. She lifts the soaked doll out of the pitcher and says, “Well, at least she’s hydrated.”

The group howls with laughter, and as Fitz and I make our way toward each other, I fall even more in love with these crazy people.

Chapter Forty

Jennifer

While everyone is milling about, gearing up for the big reveal, my mother and I find a quiet spot on the deck. As we’re settling into chairs, Margot finds us. She looks as chic as always, in a pretty white dress with blue flowers climbing up the skirt and a matching blue belt around her waist.

“Is this a private party, or would you mind if I join you?” she asks.

“Not at all,” I say. “Please join us. The baby’s been dancing on my bladder all afternoon. I just needed a minute to sit down.”

My mother studies me over the rim of her iced tea. She looks so pretty in a light blue dress with pearl earrings and the matching necklace my father gave her for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. “How’re you holding up, sweetheart?”

“I’m good. This has been so much fun. I can’t believe how much effort everyone put into it.”

“Most of the girls live for this kind of thing,” Margot says. “Keira, Leni, and Randi, less so, but the sisterhood on the island is strong, and we all love you and Fitz.”

My throat thickens, and I glance out at the lawn in an effort to keep my burgeoning emotions under wraps. I see Fitz and Wells, each with a giggling twin on their shoulders, and Kyleigh tugging at Fitz’s pant leg. He crouches and scoops her up in one arm, and my heart takes another hit.

“That makes me very lucky,” I finally say.

The words feel inadequate. What I really want to say is that I love them, too. That somewhere along the way, these people stopped feeling like Fitz’s family and started to feel a little like mine. But those words still catch in my throat. Even though I feel so much, a part of me still worries about handing over my heart. It’s not rational, but it’s me, so I reach for something easier.

“Thank you for hosting and for thinking of dragonflies as a theme.” I sip my drink. “Did Fitz tell you a dragonfly landed on me in Central Park last weekend?”

“No,” she exclaims. “But I’m not surprised. According to Gail, nature senses things we can’t. Are you ready for the big reveal?”

“Honestly? I’m a little nervous.”

My mother covers my hand with hers. “You don’t have to find out the sex of the baby if you’d rather not.”

“I want to,” I say. “I’m just nervous about finally finding out what we’re having. I don’t even know why I’m nervous. I’ll be happy either way.”

“Honey, I spent every moment of my first two pregnancies nervous about everything,” my mother says.

“So did I,” Margot says. “I think it’s like a rite of passage for new moms.”

“That makes me feel a little better, but why only your first two pregnancies?”