Page 124 of Wild Then Wed
She leans in for a hug and I let her, patting her back lightly before easing away.
“How are you doing?” I ask, glancing down at her belly before I can stop myself. “You look really good.”
Anna smiles, her hands resting gently on her bump. “Thanks. I’m doing okay. Actually…” She nods toward a couple standing off to the side, waiting for hot chocolate—he’s got kind eyes and a navy beanie, she’s holding two paper cups in her gloved hands. “I’m here with them.”
I raise a brow, not following.
“They’re the adoptive parents I picked,” she says, running a hand over her belly almost reflexively. “That’s Ron and Alicia—he’s an eye doctor. They’ve been wanting to spend more time with me on his days off, just to feel more connected and everything.”
I follow her gaze, then look back at her.
“They’re really nice,” she adds, her eyes lingering on the couple. “They’ve been trying to have a baby for a long time.”
A tightness catches in my throat, but I nod. “That’s amazing, Anna. I mean it. I’m glad you have them.”
She smiles, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Yeah. Me too.”
“Do you know what you’re having yet?” I ask, nodding toward her belly.
Anna shakes her head, stubborn snowflakes clinging to her hair and lashes. “Not yet. Honestly? I don’t really want to know. But I told Ron and Alicia they could find out if they wanted to.”
She looks back at them—he’s handing Alicia a hot chocolate, their gloves brushing, their heads tilted toward each other.
“But they said no,” she adds with a sigh. “They said it’d be fun for everyone to find out together.”
“That’s sweet,” I say. And it is. Almost painfully so.
“I think it’s a boy,” she says, turning back to me. “I’ve been craving salt like it’s its own food group. Apparently, that’s a sign or something.” She shrugs. “Could also just be that I really like pretzels.”
I smile. “Either way, it’ll be a good surprise.”
She hums, then glances over my shoulder. “Hey, Sawyer.”
“Hey, Anna,” he says, polite and smooth.
Her gaze bounces between us, and I see it happen—the exact second the dots connect in her head. “Wait. What are you two doing out here?”
I fumble for something—anything—that sounds remotely casual, but I’m already halfway to choking on my own tongue.
Sawyer steps in, cool as ever. “You didn’t hear?” he says, bumping my shoulder. “We’re engaged.”
Anna’s eyes almost pop out of her head.
“What?!” she squeals, grabbing my hands like we’re seventeen and I just told her my crush asked me to prom. “You lying slut bag!” she half-shouts, and I instinctively scan the crowd like we’re about to get banned from the rink. “You told me nothing was going on when I asked why he was giving you heart-eyes at the round pen!”
My cheeks heat up instantly. I glance at Sawyer, who looks like he’s trying not to laugh, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in amusement.
I manage something that I hope resembles a smile. “Surprise?”
She laughs and actually slaps my arm. “Oh my God. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” Then she steps back, her eyes flicking between our faces. “You know what? I can totally see it. You guys look really good together. You’ll make the most gorgeous babies this town’s ever seen.”
Great. Fantastic. If this is how it’s going to go every time, I’d rather crawl under the ice and stay there until spring.
Anna grins. “Wait—are you wearing your ring?”
I nod, tugging off my glove and holding out my hand. The lights strung around the rink catch on the diamonds and make it shimmer, throwing off little flecks of color like it’s trying to show off.
It’s beautiful. Classic. Something I totally would’ve picked out myself, if I’d ever let myself imagine a moment like this.
