Page 60 of The Rules

Dylan followed. “Until dessert.”

Sonya gasped and jumped from her seat. “I almost forgot. Catia, look what I made for you.” Sonya went to the table and lifted the lid off of a Tupperware cake holder like she was revealing a rabbit in a hat. “Your favorite. Mocha coffee poke cake.”

“Oh my God. Yum!” Minnie said.

“Well, I guess it’s for Shawn since it’s his birthday,” Sonya said. “But I know Cat’s going to eat most of it.”

“Not if I can help it,” Shawn said, rubbing his belly.

Sonya walked the platter over to where Cat was sitting, but Cat pulled her knees up to her chest like a shield, shaking her head. “I’m full,” she said, but the way she said it was like she couldn’t open her mouth all the way.

Sonya scrunched her nose. “Really? You barely ate anything. It’scoffee!”

Cat put the back of her hand to her mouth and—Dani wouldn’t have believed it if she didn’t see it—actually started gagging.

Josh noticed too. He set his plate on the ground and turned in Cat’s direction just as she scrambled up from her chair and darted through the trees to her own campsite. Josh took off after her, and the sound of what Dani assumed was Cat emptying her dinner onto the sand mixed with the peepers croaking and waves lapping.

“Is she okay?” Minnie asked the group who were all sitting there half stunned, half grossed out.

Sonya shoved the cake at Minnie and disappeared down the path Cat and Josh had taken.

Dani should go too. She knew that. But her brain was too busy accepting that there was no other explanation after what she had just witnessed. Anger and disbelief coursed through her. It was a selfish reaction, given the fact that she could still hear Cat retching, but she couldn’t stop it. Unless she had some sort of months-long stomach bug, Cat was definitely pregnant, and for whatever reason, had kept it from her.

She turned to see Dylan watching her, waiting for the reaction only he knew she would have. Tears pricked her eyes. She couldn’t explain it, but every cell in her body wanted to climb into his lap and bawl.

“So, can we eat this or…” Shawn held up a stack of plates.

Dylan jumped to his feet. “I’ll take a piece. Dani? You want some?”

She shook her head.

Sonya came trudging back up the path. “Josh said they’d be back in a minute,” she said with a tight grin that screamed: I have a secret.

Dani’s stomach twisted harder, preparing herself to put on a show. She’d have to pretend to be thrilled, hand out congratulatory hugs before she could sneak away. If she kept her eyes off of Dylan’s sympathetic ones, she might be able to pull it off.

Everyone had finished a piece of the offending cake by the time Josh came back. His mouth was straight and serious, but his eyes were dancing with a happiness he was trying to contain. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts, his gaze stopping on Dani’s for an extra second. He swallowed hard. Guiltily. “So, Cat’s pregnant.”

“What?” Minnie jumped up, nearly spilling her plate. “Oh my God, Joshy. Yay!”

“Well, that took about five seconds,” Shawn said. “Congrats, man.” He stood to shake Josh’s hand, and Dylan did too, slapping Josh on the back then giving him a tight hug. The kind she should be giving Cat.

Dani stayed glued to her chair.

“She’s been sick,” Josh said, rubbing a hand down his face. “It’s been a rough few months.”

“Months?” Minnie’s eyes widened. “How many?”

“Almost five.”

Josh looked down at the ground, the guilt that felt so personal to Dani laid bare. Dani did the math. Just like she thought, they’d been keeping this from them since before the wedding.

Dylan’s eyes darted to her again, watching her carefully like he was afraid she was about to lose it. She felt her face getting blotchy from holding back tears.

“Shut up,” Minnie said, the glee that should be Dani’s shining on her face. “I just saw her in a bathing suit! She is not five months along.”

“Almost five. And she’s been sick, so she hasn’t gained much.” He looked over his shoulder toward their tent. “We were hoping it would end once she hit her second trimester, but so far, she hasn’t gotten a break.”

The details and Josh’s excuses faded out, and Dani’s chest expanded like a balloon of irritation and sadness. Did Cat really think she couldn’t tell her? Okay, maybe the condolence card she sent Sonya for her engagement was a bit over the top, but this was Cat! And a baby Cat! Baby JoshCat. She was there when Cat met Josh. She was there when they had their first fight. Bachelorette party, maid of honor at her wedding, now all of a sudden she was being shut out.Why?

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