Page 35 of Never Really Mine
“Or,” I tease, “You could just buy me the ice cream anyway, because I’m your best friend.”
“You got it, Mar.” He walks to the door, giving me one final glance before pulling the door shut behind him.
24
BEAU
Aknock on my office door startles me out of my Google search. I quickly minimize the screen showing home remedies for morning sickness. In the week since the ER visit, Marley has continually gotten sick, and not only in the morning. Apparently morning sickness doesn’t just mean she’ll only be sick in the morning. Sometimes, it’s an all day thing. Her first official appointment is tomorrow morning in Cinder Valley, and I’m looking forward to joining her. I’ve made a list of all the things I’ve noticed about her pregnancy so far, and I plan to ask if there are things we can do to ease her discomfort.
My gaze lifts from the screen after I lock it, and in front of me stands Josie, my new sister-in-law. “Hey,” she says. Her red hair is pulled up in a ponytail, and she’s wearing a pair of black leggings with a Cunningham Bespoke Woodcraft shirt on top. “I dropped off a bouquet next door, and figured I’d stop by, say hi!” Her voice is cheery, much like her personality.
Josie’s an incredible person, and I truly couldn’t imagine someone better for my little brother. I stand from my chair, rounding the desk to give her a quick hug. “How’s the day going? Busy?” I ask.
“Yep,” she says, dropping down into the chair I have for clients. “But it’s a good kind of busy. Not too stressful.”
“Good.”
“How’s Marley?” Josie asks, arching an eyebrow. “She’s been so busy this week, too, I haven’t even seen her since she passed out. Lucky you were there.”
“Hmm,” I mutter noncommittally. “Yeah. She’s good though, I’ve seen her a few times since.” I’m not about to tell her that I’ve pretty much moved in with her, cause not only is she pregnant with my child, but she’s pregnant with mychildren.
One thing about Josie, though, is she's extremely perceptive. I know she knows something is up. Especially since she’s watched Marley and me interact for the last year and a half. She’s seen the tension and mutual fighting of feelings between us. For things to suddenly be so chill, she has to know something is up. I also suspect she didn’t have a delivery next door. Andrew probably put her up to this.
I’m pretty sure he’s been conspiring to get Marley and I together for years. It feels good to know that I don’t have to fight things between us anymore, even if I do have to take things at her pace. I don’t have the pain of not knowing if she will ever be mine anymore.
“How are things between you two? You stopped begging me to send her flowers…” Josie trails off in a slightly sing-song voice.
I clear my throat, running my hands through my hair. “Things are fine.”
“Just fine?”
“Just fine,” I say. I will not crack, I will not tell her. “We’re working things out.”
Josie’s eyes light up. “Working things out… as in….working things out?”
“You just said the same sentence twice.” I point out. “How am I supposed to know what that means?”
“Oh shush,” she replies. “You know what I mean.”
“Not really,” I reply. I’m totally playing dumb right now, but I can’t break. “We’re fine, same as always.”
Josie groans. “Ugh, you’re like a freaking brick wall. All three of your brothers fold within a second of interrogation from me, but I don’t think I’ll ever get you to crack.”
“Does that mean you’ll stop trying?” I ask hopefully. I don’t care that she likes to interrogate me, I think it’s funny. I just can’t tell Marley’s secret right now, and especially not to her best friend. Well, her best friend besides me.
“Never,” she states.
I chuckle. “As fun as this has been, I need to get going. I have a showing in thirty minutes.”
She huffs a sigh, standing from the chair she was in. “Fine, but this conversation isn’t over, Beau Joshua Cunningham.”
“That’s not my middle name,” I reply as we walk toward the glass doors of the realtors office.
“Yeah, it didn’t sound right even as I was saying it.”
I walk her over to where her car is, and give her a quick hug. She murmurs something into my chest that has my heart squeezing. I’ve never had a sister before, but having Josie in our lives has been amazing. “Are you really okay? You’d tell someone if you weren’t, right? Or if Marley wasn’t?”
Her strong confident voice from before is gone, insecurity in its wake. The knowledge that I’m lying to her, that I have to keep this secret from her hits me hard. This is Josie’s best friend, and my sister-in-law. I know she means well, but I can’t think of a way to let her in on this without betraying Marley’s trust in me.
