Page 63 of My Brother's Roommate (Frisky Business 2)
Confused, I bristle. “Do I seem like I’m not?”
“I just mean . . . are you nervous? I probably should’ve asked if being a couple in front of all our friends was okay with you? Not nervous?”
She chews her lower lip, and I wish more than anything that my hands were free to pull this kind, thoughtful woman into my arms and kiss the worry out of her. But I can’t, so instead I lean down and press my lips between her furrowed brows.
“I’m not nervous, sweetheart,” I assure her. “Not with you by my side.”
Her features soften, a warm smile forming on her cherry-red-painted lips. They’re so vibrant against the dull gray colors of December. But that’s Penelope for you. Bright and wild in an otherwise dull world.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” she asks again. “You’re not just saying that?”
“The only thing I’m nervous about is getting this gorgeous cake you made into the house safe and sound,” I say, nodding toward the precious foiled-wrapped cargo in my hands. “Everything else is under control. Come on, babe. Let’s do this thing.”
Inside, the house is buzzing with chatter, and I follow Penelope down the warmly lit hallway to the living room, where the party is centralized. All the usual suspects are gathered around the do-it-yourself nacho bar, a grand slam of a catering decision on my girlfriend’s part, in my opinion.
Hayes and Maren nailed their job as party decorators, placing bouquets of bubble-gum-colored balloons in every corner and hanging silver streamers around the bay windows.
The star of the show, however, has to be the hand-painted sign that Penelope had custom made for the buffet table. It reads NACHO AVERAGE BABY SHOWER, which is both funny and painfully accurate, seeing as Connor, his baby mama, and his baby mama’s new boyfriend are all in attendance today. You know, just the classic, all-American family. Although, to be honest, it’s kind of awesome at the same time.
“Penelope! Over here!”
Maren waves my girlfriend over to the gift table, leaving me alone with this precious frosted masterpiece. I recruit Caleb to help me shift the tortilla chips and salsa to make room for the cake at the end of the buffet, and I don’t even realize I’m holding my breath until after I’ve peeled back the layer of tin foil.
Whew. Thank God. It looks just as perfect as when we left my apartment. The fuchsia frosting is totally untouched, and the words IT’S A GIRL! didn’t get so much as bumped.
“Is this your work?” Caleb asks, gesturing to the cake.
I snort. How kind of him to think I’d be capable of this sort of thing. I’m liable to fuck up making brownies from a box.
“Nah. That’s all Penelope. She’s some sort of cake-decorating sensei. Just one of her many talents.”
I’m glad she’s off chatting with the girls and not around to hear me brag about her. She’d probably get bashful about it and roll her eyes at me. But I can’t help it. I’ve yet to find anything this girl isn’t good at. Wherever she lands in her next professional role, I know she’ll absolutely crush it.
Caleb slips off to the kitchen muttering something about finding a serving knife, and I scan the room for the dad of honor. Instead, I spot an unfamiliar couple tucked back in the corner. The woman has mid-length brown hair, her butter-colored dress stretched tight over a big round baby bump.
I’ll bet I can guess who that is.
After taking advantage of the nacho bar, I make my way over to introduce myself. “Nice to meet you. I’m Wolfie. You must be Beth.” I extend a hand to her, giving a friendly nod to the tall man beside her.
“How’d you guess?” She smirks, running a hand along the top of her bump. “And this is my boyfriend, Brett. Brett, this is Connor’s . . . second cousin?” Her eyes flash back to me, crinkling with uncertainty.
“Former roommate,” I remind her gently.
“Right. Sorry. Damn pregnancy brain.” She knocks against her head with her knuckles, making a hollow sound with her tongue.
It gets a chuckle out of Brett, who lifts his girlfriend’s hand to his lips and kisses her knuckles. “Pregnancy brain or not, she’s still the smartest person I know,” he says, sending a flush of pink creeping across Beth’s cheeks.
“Oh, stop it, you.” She giggles, swatting his arm playfully.
Something tells me that she does not, in fact, want him to stop it.
If there were any question as to whether this little bundle of joy would bring Connor and Beth back together in any serious way, this little interaction just answered it. Beth is enamored with this Brett guy, who is lanky and blond and obviously no stranger to the lovey-dovey stuff. Pretty much everything that Connor is not.
It looks like this little girl is going to have two very different dads. But I think that’s a good thing. Right?
