Page 62 of Solid Ground

Lana laughs. “Wait until Delaney plays them against each other and they start taking off their shirts to show off.”

I shift my gaze to her. “Does that happen often?”

“Not really, but it’s a sight to behold when it does.” Delaney shoots me a wink and I laugh. “Where are you living? LA?”

I shake my head. “San Francisco. But I’m not sure if we’ll stay there. I’m working out my contract after selling my company, and being pregnant I’m not doing much in the office. Declan and I really need to talk about it. He’s got a huge house here. I wouldn’t complain if we moved.”

She grins. “You should do it. We help each other where we can. I’ve got children, and so has Lana, and we babysit for each other all the time. None of us really have family here, so we made our own village.”

“That sounds wonderful,” I say. “My parents are back in New Zealand, and I do have a bestie, but she’s recently moved to Chicago, so I don’t know if I’ll see her that often.”

Pania frowns. “I’m so sorry. Why did she move?”

“Her husband’s in the NFL. He transferred teams, so she followed.”

“That sucks. I mean, good on them, but it’s hard whenyour best friend moves away.” Pania shifts her gaze to Delaney.

Delaney snorts. “Look at us. You followed me to LA.”

Pania rolls her eyes. “I followed Reece to LA. You were just the icing on the cake.”

I can’t help but smile at their banter. Lana catches my eye and grins at me.

Music starts up, and I sigh a little at the sight of Josh Carter and Reece Evans walking toward us. Right behind them is Alex Stone, and I sigh a little more as Declan comes into focus. That tux is something else on him, but I can’t wait to get him out of it.

One by one, the women leave the table to dance with their partners.

“Do you want to dance?” Declan asks.

“Would you be upset if I said no? I’m really comfortable here.”

He grins. “No. I’ll join you.”

Sitting beside me, he leans over and places a kiss on my temple.

“So, what do you think?” Declan asks.

“About what?”

He waves his hand around. “This. Them. I feel comfortable here, but if you don’t want?—”

“I love it. They’ve all made me feel at home. I think this is what I’ve needed all along—friends.”

He chuckles. “Don’t let Caitlin hear you say that.”

I shrug. “She knows she’s my best friend. But she’s also newly married and has her own life. There’s no reason why she can’t visit us here and meet everyone.”

Declan nods slowly before a smile spreads across his lips. “Visit us here? Does that mean we’re staying?”

“What can I say? I’m crazy in love with your house, and I can work from anywhere at this stage.”

He slips his arms around my waist and pulls me as close as possible. “I’m crazy in love with you.”

“And I’m about a hundred months’ pregnant, so make the most of it while I’m feeling emotional.”

Declan roars with laughter before kissing me tenderly. “I can’t wait to hold our baby,” he murmurs.

“You and me both.”

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