Page 122 of Smoke

“I’m pregnant.”

Shar screamed, causing the whole bar to look at us, but she didn’t care.

“We get to be bump buddies for a little while!”

“It’s about time,” Mia said. “If I had to hear my brother tell us he was trying to make another baby one more time, I was going to scream.”

Jaeda laughed. “Congratulations, Salima. For the record, I agree with Mia. Deuce was running that into the ground.”

“No harder than he was running up in me,” Salima said. “I was pulling out all my best tricks to get pregnant so that man would give me a break.” She smiled. “I do love him in daddy mode, though. Darlyn is his pride and joy. She loves him so much.”

I’d seen Deuce with their daughter at their grandmother’s birthday, and it was safe to say he was head over heels in love.

“I’m happy for you two,” I said.

“Thank you. I guess it’s mocktails for the next eight months.”

Shar groaned. “I just want you heifers to know it was very tasteless to order alcohol when a bitch can’t even smell it right now,” she said, rubbing her belly.

She looked so cute sporting her baby bump. Pregnancy looked good on her.

Salima rolled her eyes. “Then you should have swallowed.”

“I do swallow.”

Jaeda and Mia made a face.

“Y’all keep forgetting that you’re married to our brothers,” Mia said. “We don’t wanna hear that shit.” She pointed at me. “And don’t you get any ideas about adding your two cents about Smoke.”

I laughed. “I prefer to keep my bedroom habits to myself.”

“Oh no, ma’am,” Shar said, turning to me. “I need to know if my brother got you right. We saw the way you two were all over each other at Granny’s birthday. Looking in each other’s eyes and shit. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were in love.”

I blushed. “I do love him, Shar.”

A round of awwws went up from the table.

“Have you told him?” Salima asked.

“We’ve told each other. I know it’s soon. I know I have a lot of baggage?—”

Salima stopped me. “Listen, boo. The Dillingers men are built to carry a lot of baggage. No offense to my father in-law. I love that man, but he’s got having baggage down with having kids by four different women who are all friendly or friends. It’s the healthiest coparenting I’ve ever seen in my life. If Smoke can handle it, don’t worry about a thing. Shit, he’s still around.”

Shar nodded. “They have thick skin, and they are super protective of those they love. Once they love you, it’s up and it’s stuck.”

It was reassuring to hear that from two women who married into the family rather than was born into it.

Jaeda smiled. “They are right. I might be biased because it’s my family, but when we love, we love hard. Y’all are picking my brothers off one by one. I love it. They need to settle down. Now, if Steel can find someone, everything would be perfect.”

“Are you two dating anyone?” I asked.

Shar and Salima both groaned while Jaeda said no.

“Please don’t get Mia started,” Shar pleaded. “You don’t want to hear about her toxic love affair with Titan Deluca.”

Mia scoffed. “Shut up. Romi, as far as I’m concerned, I’m single.”

Shar laughed. “Ha! Until she sees another woman in that man’s face. Then she’s ready to pistol-whip somebody. Go on and tell that man you love him, sis.”

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