Page 105 of Just My Type
“She’s right, Hans,” Amelia says, wrapping an arm around my waist as we head off the dance floor. “I don’t know why you were so committed to the heels. I mean, they’re pretty and they make your legs look sexy as fuck, but I’m not sure anything is worth that kind of pain.”
I grimace at the ache in my feet. “An hour ago, I would have argued with you, but right now? My life for a pair of flats.”
“That’s why I love being pregnant,” Molly says, linking her arm through mine. “An excuse to wear flats and I get to eat all the cake I want.”
Julie rolls her eyes. “You hate being pregnant. On the way here you were complaining about how much you missed heels,you told me you would literally kill someone for a margarita, and you ate all the cake you wanted even before you were pregnant.”
Amelia laughs, bumping her hip to Molly’s. “She not wrong, Mol. The complaining this morning was really top tier.”
Molly just laughs too. “Listen, I am who I am, even when I’m growing a whole ass human. And at least we’re all not drinking together.”
Molly immediately slams her mouth shut like she didn’t mean to say that, and as soon as her words register, I stop in my tracks, painful heels be damned, looking between Molly, Julie, and Emma. Then I turn my gaze on Hallie, who has a mixture of guilt and joy spreading over her face. “Hang the fuck on. What do you mean you’re all not drinking together?”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Jo says, putting her hands to her hips and looking accusingly at Hallie. “You skipped the very excellent cocktails Ben made last night, and I haven’t seen you drink anything this entire day. You’re pregnant.”
A beaming smile spreads over Hallie’s face. “I am.”
Jo and I both squeal in unison and fold Hallie into a hug. “Why didn’t you tell us?” Jo demands when we break apart.
Hallie shrugs. “It’s your wedding day, Jo Jo. I didn’t want to take away from that. I’m only like seven weeks. I’m going to be pregnant for a long damn time. It could wait until after you got married.”
Jo wraps Hallie in another hug. “Hal, there’s enough happiness to go around. You didn’t have to wait.”
“So…all of you?” I say, looking at Hallie’s friends and zeroing in on Julie. “Isn’t your baby like seven months old?”
“Yep,” Julie sighs. “I’m only freaking out a little bit. Asher is over the moon, obviously, since he wants, like, a full football team of babies. I’m mostly just trying to keep my shit together.”
“Join the club,” Emma says, her eyes shining with happiness and fun. “I don’t know how it’s possible that we all ended up with a surprise pregnancy at almost exactly the same time, but atleast we get to do it together. And anyway, you’ll be great. You and Asher are, like, the best parents I’ve ever seen.”
“Bite your tongue, Ems. We’re the best parents of all time.” Emma’s husband, Jeremy, sidles up behind her with all his former hockey player swagger and wraps his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her neck. “And we’ve also been parents the longest, which means we have the most experience. Most experience means the best.”
“Fuck right off with that.” Asher wraps an arm around Julie’s waist, tugging her closer to his side and grinning down at her with a dreamy expression on his face. “We’re the hottest parents around.”
“Hottest does not mean best, pal of mine.” Ben drops an arm around Hallie’s shoulders. “We have twins, which means we’re already parents of the year. You guys can all fight over second place.”
Gabe scoffs, wrapping an arm around Molly’s waist and pressing a hand to her bump. “I raised my sisters, and now I’m raising my own kids. I’m the fucking parent of the year. Tell them Ames.” Gabe grins at Amelia and she rolls her eyes.
“You only call yourself my dad when it suits you.”
Gabe’s grin spreads. “And right now, it suits me.”
“Are they fighting over who’s the best dad again?” Jordan’s voice is full of amusement as he tugs Jo against his side and drops a kiss on her lips.
A laugh bubbles out of me, my chest warm as I watch these guys together, full of so much love for each other and for their girls. And Hallie and her friends, who have been through so much together and are sisters in every way that matters. I used to be a little jealous of the relationship that Hallie had with her friends, but as I look at her, at Jo and Amelia, I realize that I have exactly what she has. Women I love who love me back. Who will be there for me always and no matter what.
Sisters, by blood and by choice.
I glance to my right, my eyes finding Noah again where hestands laughing with his mom, and his eyes catch mine. His face lights up and he winks, and I feel my smile spread.
I have him too.
We are all the lucky ones.
I didn’t know life could feel like this.
“I’m going to run to the bathroom,” I say to Amelia, who drifted over to me while the conversation shifted to weird pregnancy shit and something about a countdown to a delivery room margarita. My head is swimming with the emotion of this day, and I need a minute to get myself together.
“Take me with you,” she whispers dramatically. “I didn’t realize there were so many ways for pregnancy to suck.”
