Page 77 of The Rules

“It’s okay,” Dani said. “You can say it. If I wasn’t there I wouldn’t have believed it myself.”

Sonya slapped her palm on the table, her silverware jangling. “I knew you two were acting weird on that camping trip! You were standing too close, touching. You went swimming that night. It was different. How the hell—” She ran a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God. He was the freebie, wasn’t he? Oh my God. I will not take responsibility for this, Danica!”

“What’s a freebie?” Emma asked.

“It started out like that,” Dani explained. “But then things… changed.”

“Bullshit,” Sonya said. “WeknowDylan. He doesn’t change! He’s… he’s…Dylanfor God’s sake. ”

Emma’s eyes bounced frantically for a face to land on. Between Sonya’s disbelief and Cat’s confusion, she was clearly at a loss as to how to react. Apparently she decided to go with diplomat. “Dylan’s always been very nice, Sonya.”

“Dylan?” Cat repeated, her eyes blinking rapidly. Her pregnant brain was probably short-circuiting. “You’re sleeping with Dylan?”

“I’m dating Dylan.”

Sonya pointed at Cat. “And how didyounot know?”

Cat’s eyes turned glassy as she sputtered. “What…I… How could you not tell me?”

“Really?” Dani said. Cat snapped her mouth shut. They would hash that out later. Right now her apprehension had turned to indignation. She hadn’t expected an intervention. She’d expected… well, she didn’t know what she’d expected, but not this. “I didn’t tell you to get your advice. It’s already happening. I removed my profile from the dating site. Dylan and I are good together. We have fun.”

“Oh, I bet it’s fun.” Sonya shook her head. “I want to be happy for you, Dans. It’s just that it was only a couple months ago we were sitting at this same restaurant and you were telling us you were ready for something real. And now Dylan? I don’t want to see you disappointed when you realize he’s not it.”

“Maybe he is.” They all turned to look at Cat who had apparently broken out of her spell. “Maybe Dylan is ready for it too. Maybe Dani made him ready.”

Dani chewed on the inside of her cheek, caught between her lingering resentment and being grateful for the help. Cat knew Dylan better than all of them. Her support would hold some weight.

Sonya shook her head. “I don’t know, Catia.”

“Look, I’m not saying Dylan is a choir boy all of a sudden,” Dani said, “but he told me he wants this to be more. I want this to be more. So we’re trying it.” She looked at Cat. “It’s been really good.”

Cat nodded. “Then we’re happy.” She smiled, and Dani felt a tiny thaw.

When they’d finished their meals, Emma and Sonya passed out parting hugs.

“I’m sorry if I was harsh,” Sonya said, squeezing Dani’s shoulders. “If you’re happy, then I’m happy.”

“Same,” Emma said.

Sonya turned to hug Cat, then gave Dani one last look. “I just hope Dylan knows that I’ll kill him if he screws this up.”

“You’ll have back up,” Cat said. She didn’t move to get off her stool and Dani stayed glued to hers too. It was time to have a long-overdue conversation.

“Cat,” Emma said, “you stay healthy. Dani, you stay happy. We love you both.”

Sonya waved Emma off. “Don’t speak for me, Em. They’re both on my shit list. Secret babies and secret boyfriends. ”

Dani watched them leave, Sonya still ranting, and the little bell over the door signaled play time was over. She gulped the last of her newest mimosa and spun in her stool to face Cat, a hundred different opening arguments lining up on her tongue.

But Cat beat her to the punch. “Why didn’t you tell me about Dylan?”

Here we go.Nerves swarmed in Dani’s belly, but she squared her shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”

“What?”

Her voice cracked as she pointed to Cat’s belly. “This right here, Cat. You know, the child growing inside of you!” They were actually going to have a real fight about this. One of only a handful in their long friendship. But it felt like the pin on a grenade had been pulled weeks ago and they’d both been watching in slow motion, waiting for the explosion to finally put them out of their misery.

Cat’s mouth dropped open. “I did tell you!”

---