Page 81 of Accidentally Falling
“Does that happen a lot?” Lana asks from across the table.
“Uh—”
“Has anyone seen Cal?” Ellison asks as she bustles over to the table, her gaze sweeping back and forth over the party.
“He was talking to his sister when I got here.”
“Cal?” Nessa snorts as she joins us. “I think he just went inside.” Leaning in conspiratorially, she adds, “He wasn’t alone.”
“Shut up,” Ellison gasps. “What did the other guy look like?”
“Dark hair, expensive clothes, definitely good-looking. Why? Who is it?”
“Pretty sure it’s my ex-boyfriend.” Ellison laughs as she drops down onto one of the free chairs and rests her hands on her belly.
“Is that complicated?” I ask and she shrugs.
“Reckless for sure.”
“I love drama when it’s not mine.” Nessa sighs happily and the rest of them giggle as I pull Arden’s chair closer to me so I can put my arm around her.
I want to be near her always.
Because this woman is it for me.
She’s my past, present, and future and it’s the greatest gift of all.
45
ARDEN
“What…is going on here?” Lana asks as she sits down on the patio, accepting the pink cocktail from Nessa without question as she pushes her sunglasses up on top of her head. Despite being together last week for our collective baby shower, Ellison invited everyone over for a barbeque. Because why wouldn’t she?
She points at the group of men huddled around the three strollers in the driveway. “Dad and Montana went to the store together and got one of those really expensive baby strollers that does everything but make coffee. So there’s that one, a backupjust in case,and then Jensen brought his stroller out to compare.”
“And look how easy this is!”Montana exclaims as he throws open the back door of the truck and puts the car seat into the dock.
“Jensen has been doin’ a lot of nodding. I think he’s upset Remi is too big for that system,” Nessa says.
“Are you and Mason having kids?” I ask Lana, surprised at how animated Mason is as he folds and unfolds the stroller.
“No, he just likes babies.” She waves between me and Ellison. “Make sure he gets his fill of yours.”
“There’s so much nodding,” Nessa says, taking a sip of her drink as Ella joins us and Bodhi walks toward the stroller party.
“Wow,” Ella says, sitting down next to Lana before clinking their glasses together. “This is hot.”
“Is that what we’re going with?” I ask but I can’t deny that I’m a little flushed watching Jude do bicep curls with a car seat from each travel system.
“Yes,” the others say in unison.
“Competence is sexy,” Ellison says pointedly, “and look how happy they are!” She squeals and we all laugh.
“Plus it’s nice that if we ever need someone, there’s no shortage of car seats or men who know how to use them,” Nessa says, crossing one leg over the other.
“Uh-huh. Mason said that when the guys were teasing Bodhi one night about his impending road trip with this one,”—she elbows Ella playfully—“Bodhi just said goodnight and took Remi home with him.”
“I remember that, although Jensen said Bodhi’s response was alittlemore colorful than that,” Nessa says, leaning forward and pointing at Lana. “We used every second of that free time.”
