I shrugged and took her hand. “I don’t want to be eaten by a shark but I get the sentiment.”
Zane helped me up and then hesitated to help me into the water. “Your bestie is sounding a little crazy. Are you sure you want to be in the open ocean with her?”
“No shark is going to come near the gas twins.” Uncle Sal perched at the end of the boat and crossed his legs. “Before you two I was under the impression that pregnancy was a beautiful event.”
Anthony growled at him as he came to help Zane lower me into the water. “My wife is a beautiful pregnant woman and we don’t talk about the gas.”
I looked over at Sophia and sighed. “You let one little toot out and suddenly you’re one half of the gas twins.”
As if it was written into a scene, a group of bubbles came up from behind Sophia. “Oops.”
I giggled. “It’s shark repellant. You’re doing a good thing.”
Zane’s face was red from holding in a laugh. “Who let these two get pregnant at the same time?”
Will jumped into the water behind me and then came up to help me ease my way into the water. “God, Soph. What the hell did you eat?”
Jake sighed. “Don’t bring up food, man.”
Uncle Sal leaned forward so he could smirk at me. “Imagine the hell these men would go through if I yelled ‘shark’ right now? They’ve taken fifteen minutes to get you in the water.”
“Not funny, Sal.” Anthony glanced around, always on the lookout for sharks or other ocean creatures.
Once we were in the water, Sophia and I floated next to each other, our fingers linked to keep each other close. Lowering her voice, she informed me of what she’d found out at the beauty salon the day before. “Steve left Madeline.”
I squeezed her fingers. “No!”
She sounded gleeful. “Yep. Steve’s mom was getting a perm while I was getting my nails done. She said he found out that Madeline was cheating and left her ass. They had a prenup, too. She’s not getting shit from him.”
I couldn’t find it in me to feel bad for her. “She’ll find someone else to latch onto soon. That’s one thing I’ll say about her; she’s determined.”
“Determined to ruin her life and everyone else’s, too.” Grunting, Sophia moved on. “Do you want to come over and help me with the nursery this week? Since you finished your book early and hopefully have the time to help a lady who stupidly married one man instead of three?”
“It has been handy to have three men around. Although, I thought they were going to come to blows over building the crib.” I gasped when hands grabbed my ass from below and then swore when Will’s face popped out of the water next to me.“William! Don’t scare a pregnant woman! This is not the water birth I want!”
He pulled me into his arms and pushed Sophia towards the boat. “Scram, brat.”
She splashed us but spotted Jake and swam over to him.
“You look so beautiful.” Will gently kissed me. “How are my girls?”
I smiled at the mention of our daughter. “We’re good. She likes the water. I swear it’s the only time she stops kicking me these days.”
“Shark!” Uncle Sal’s voice rang out, loud and clear, but Will and I just rolled our eyes.
“He’s a pain. I think we should prank him after-”
“Get the fuck out of the water! Now!” Anthony took a running leap off the boat and we watched in horror as it looked as if he was immediately trying to fist fight the water.
Will dragged me to the boat and all but threw me aboard before doing the same to Sophia. Uncle Sal helped us both up and we all stood there watching as Anthony swam back to the boat. Zane and Will dragged him up and I watched with tears in my eyes as they both quickly hugged Anthony before shoving him towards me.
He was pale and looked freaked out but there was a boyish smile on his lips. “I fought a shark for you.”
“There was a real shark?!” I was screeching. Full on screeching. “Anthony! No! You dove into the water to fight a shark?! What the hell?!”
Uncle Sal sank heavily into his chair. “Well, hell. That was enough excitement for this old man.”
I jabbed my finger in his direction. “This is why you shouldn’t cry wolf!”