Page 34 of An Inconvenient Plan
She sipped her sparkling cider. “Sorry, I’m hepped up on hormones and just a smidge more aggressive than usual.” Her lips formed a flat line, her hazel eyes sharp. “Of course, I meant every word of what I just said.”
“No problem.” Damn, Jake had his hands full over here. He pushed his wineglass away. “So, uh, what’s the book about?”
“Love.”
He’d skim it if he had to. “The whole thing’s about love?”
“Yes, it’s a journey, much like the one you’re on.”
His gaze snapped to her knowing look. He was on a love journey, and he hadn’t even known it. Maybe things weren’t as bleak as they seemed.
11
Things were looking damn bleak.
Josh knew it the moment he showed up for book club right on time at Jake and Claire’s house, accidentally intruding on estrogen central. The women were already there, seated in a circle of white sofas and floral-patterned chairs in the formal living room, chattering away. Had Claire told him the wrong time, or had everyone showed up early? One by one they spotted him.
Conversation ground to a dead halt.
His gift for Hailey was in the inside pocket of his black fleece jacket, which he desperately wanted to take off because he was on fire with embarrassment, but he didn’t dare risk the additional embarrassment of the gift tipping out onto the floor where everyone could see it. He hadn’t wrapped it.
All eyes went from him to Hailey. It seemed like everyone knew he had a purpose here tonight with her. The fire ignited to an inferno of embarrassment as Hailey’s brows drew together in confusion. “Josh, what’re you doing here?”
He cleared his throat. “You invited me.”
“No, I didn’t.”
He waved a hand lazily in the air, wishing he could rewind back to NEVER TAKING CLAIRE’S ADVICE. “Yeah, you did. Back when you first started book club, you invited me, so I figured the offer still stands.”
Hailey’s pink lips formed an O of surprise. “That was two and a half years ago.”
“You’re most welcome, Josh,” Claire declared. “Please, take a seat.” She stood and dragged a floral-patterned chair over to the circle of women for him.
Man up. You read the book. You’re on a mission.
He took the offered seat. The women stared at him. He was dying in this fleece. Why had he worn a flannel shirt over his T-shirt today? A bead of sweat ran down his forehead. He wiped it away and worked on blending in.
Claire took the lead. “I loved this story with the sweet baby niece, didn’t you guys?”
Dead silence. The women shot curious looks at him.
Josh spoke up, desperate to get the conversation going. “It was touch and go, but everything turned out great.” The ending had been unexpectedly touching despite being a historical story set in long-ago England.
“It wasn’t that easy,” Mad said. “Remember when—dammit.” She gestured across the circle toward him. “I can’t talk about hot scenes with my brother listening.”
He turned to Claire.Fix this.
“I’m pregnant!” Claire announced.
The women exploded in excited congratulations, everyone leaving their seats to hug Claire and exclaim over her. He took the opportunity to remove his fleece jacket and flannel shirt, draping them over his lap.
“Josh!” Mad exclaimed. “Get over here! This is big news.”
“I congratulated her yesterday.”
“You knew before we did?” Mad asked.
The women turned to Claire in question. Claire smiled. “Jake told him. Twin thing. You know you’re all like sisters to me. I had to wait to tell you in person. Please keep it to yourselves though. We’re not going public with this at all.”
