Page 79 of Not that Sea-Rious
Wearing a Cheshire cat grin, he nodded.“Totally doable.”
Still confused, she stammered.“Wh-I-What?”
He pulled her against him as he swayed.“I’m starting a new consulting firm.Very small.One employee and a former client reached out, infuriated that I wasn’t working with him anymore.He’s got some franchises around the Allentown area and offered to pay my relocation costs if I’d help him out and get his businesses in better shape.”
Her eyes widened, and her feet stopped.“What?”
None of this made sense.What was he even saying?Her brain wasn’t wrapping around his words, and she was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the half a sip of champagne she had during the toast.
“I’m moving closer to you because I want to give us a shot,” he said and kissed the top of her forehead.“That is, if you’ll have me.”
She blinked, still processing what he said.Things like this didn’t happen in real life.When did she wind up in a rom-com?
“Marissa, will you be my girlfriend?”he asked more blatantly.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Tina and Joyce leaning in, practically biting off their fingernails.Wait!Was Carolyn in on this too?
Turning her focus back to the man in front of her, she caught the final verse of the song and took a leap of faith.“Absolutely.”
Epilogue
Marissa
Last month they got mani-pedis together.This month, brunch.Marissa sat back, sipping her mimosa, eying the other women suspiciously.Tina and Carolyn had Bloody Marys, but Carolyn’s looked different.Joyce hadn’t even touched her Bellini.Something was off.
Swirling her glass, Marissa listened while the others chatted about Carolyn’s plans for later in the day.It was her first anniversary, after all.A smile spread across Marissa’s face as she marveled at the fact that she had been with Beau for a year now too.It was amazing how time flew.
When Joyce’s gaze met hers, her cheeks tinged pink, she glanced away and lifted her glass of water for a sip.Marissa arched a brow.
“What?”she blurted, unintentionally interrupting the conversation.
Tina and Carolyn quieted.Their attention shifted from each other to Marissa, who stared pointedly at Joyce.The woman across from her clearly had a secret.
Biting her bottom lip, Joyce squirmed.
Everyone waited.She wasn’t getting off that easily.Marissa would sit here all day if she must to find out what Joyce wasn’t telling them.
“Fine!”Joyce huffed.“I can’t keep it to myself anymore.”
Carolyn and Tina exchanged a look.
“I’m pregnant,” Joyce admitted, covering her stomach with her hand.“It’s really early, like eleven weeks.Ted and I promised we wouldn’t tell anyone until twelve, but I just… What’s one week between friends?”
“No way!”Carolyn squealed before Marissa could actually react.“Me too!”
Marissa’s mouth fell open.
“Okay.If everyone is sharing,” Tina began, and Marissa reached for her glass.“So is Cynthia.”
A chorus of excited squeaks erupted from the women as they all bounced in their seats.Marissa raised a glass.“Mazel Tov.”
The three women reached over the table and clasped hands.Their attention shifted to Marissa.She swallowed a gulp of the orange juice diluted with vodka, imagining planningthreebaby showers before she noticed their expectant expressions.
“Oh.”Marissa chuckled and placed her hand on top of her friends’ and waited for the “go team” cheer.
“Doyouhave anything to share withus?”Carolyn asked.
Glancing around, Marissa wasn’t sure what they meant.“I’mnotpregnant.”She furrowed her brows.“Wait!Do you knowsomething?”
