Page 82 of Perfect Pairing
“That first time we hooked up,” I started slowly, dropping my gaze to my lap, too embarrassed to face any of them directly, “I got pregnant.”
The pause was deafening, and then they exploded once again, each of them asking questions over each other, hands reaching for me, offering reassuring squeezes and side hugs.
“What the fuck happened?” Delia asked. “This was like…over two years ago? Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I found out on my twenty-third birthday, and I was so scared. I just made the appointment and pretended like it wasn’t happening until I knew what my options were. But I miscarried the day I went in. I was so…embarrassed.”
“Oh, Brie,” Amara said, voice thick as she settled her hand over her stomach and the life growing inside of it. “You should’ve told us. We never would’ve judged you. You could’ve given us the chance to be there for you.”
“I know,” I said, hanging my head and swiping away the tearsspringing from my eyes and rolling down my face. “I just…I couldn’t tell Ezra, not after everything he went through with his ex, and if I wasn’t telling the father, I couldn’t in good conscience tell you guys.”
“But he knows now,” Chloe said, also cupping her own baby bump. God, this news must have been so difficult for her and Amara to hear. They were both mostly out of the danger zone where miscarriages were concerned, but I couldn’t imagine that made it any less scary to think about losing the babies they were both so excited about.
“Yeah, he does. I told him last night.”
“And how did he take it?” Ella asked.
“Better than I ever could’ve dreamed. He didn’t yell or berate me for not telling him. He just…held me, apologized that I had to go through that alone, and assured me everything was okay.”
“And you care about him,” she continued. It wasn’t a question. “A lot.”
I lifted a hand and tapped my chest, right over my heart. “There’s an invisible string here,” I said. “And it leads right to him.”
“Then I don’t see what the problem is,” Delia said. “You’re into each other. He’s hot as fuck and an absolute boss in the kitchen. Plus, he’s the best dad ever—second to ours, of course. All your cards are on the table. I say go for it.”
“That’s rich coming from you,” Chloe snorted. “Miss I’m Going To Pretend My Business Partner Doesn’t Have Hearts In His Eyes Every Time He Looks At Me And That I Don’t Feel The Same.”
“Please,” Delia scoffed. “It issonot likethat.”
Amara snorted. “That man is down so fucking bad for you, and you’re a simp for him. How about you stop fighting it?”
Delia rolled her eyes and said, “We’re here to talk about Brie.”
“I’m just saying,” Amara continued, raising her hands in surrender so Delia wouldn’t come for her and numerate all the ways she and Cal had been idiots about their own feelings for each other. “The way you two are around each other… There’s something there. We all saw it at grape crushing.”
Toying with the hem of her sweater, Delia was silent for a beat before she said, “I like him, but…after everything, I’m afraid to go there.”
My heart went out to her in that moment. My sister had been through a shitty relationship with an older guy in college and had been reluctant to give her heart to anyone since. Owen wasn’t that douchebag, though, and Delia knew it. I had all the confidence in the world she’d find the bravery to take the leap before too long.
I reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Now you know how I feel.”
Her expression softened, and she shifted over on the mountain of blankets and pillows we’d set up on the massive sectional to pull me into a side hug.
“I guess we’ll never know unless we try, huh?” she said quietly to me.
“Giving me and Cal a chance was the scariest thing I’ve ever done,” Amara said. “But I also knew I was ready to take that step because I couldn’t imagine a life without him.”
I knew where she was coming from, and maybe I was ready to take my own leap of faith at last.
Ezra was finally presenting me with the whole damn meal I’d wanted from him for so long, and it was time I sat down at the table.
“Are you sure we’reallowed to be here?” Hansen whispered as we stood on Leon and Lena’s front porch, waiting for someone to let us in.
“Yes,” I said, reaching down to ruffle his hair. “The Delatous invited us, and you’re going to be on your best behavior.”
“Duh,” he said.
I sighed heavily. I wasn’t sure where he’d picked up that little expression, but I assumed it was from one of his friends at school.
