Just as her palm hit the handle, she heard through the door, “Shelly, keep it down.”
Thank. You. Lena.
With a twist of her hand, Rachel opened the door to find Shelly and Lena standing in front of her. Shelly was dressed in tight fashionable blue jeans and a turquoise sweater that molded to every bodacious curve she had. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and her face was perfectly made up to make her look like some kind of model. Playboy or runway, Rachel couldn’t quite decide. Lena, on the other hand, looked relaxed and casual but still gorgeous in jeans and a green cowl-neck sweater that brought out her eyes. She’d left all her brown curls out and curling over her shoulders.
“Is there a reason you’re making so much damn noise outside my door?”
Lena shrugged and almost looked apologetic. Shelly held up two bottles of red wine and announced, “We are here to gossip and drink.”
As she peered past her shoulder, Rachel almost groaned as Shelly’s pink lips widened into a grin. “And apparently pack.”
Lena shook her head as Shelly pushed in past Rachel.
“I tried to prevent the invasion,” Lena told her. She stepped forward and hugged Rachel. “But you know Shelly.”
Laughing, Rachel shut the door and turned around to follow Lena back into her small living room. Shelly had removed her shoes, and with her legs tucked under her, she had settled onto the couch in the corner. Shelly had placed the two bottles of wine over on the kitchen counter, and as Rachel noticed them, she wondered if it was bad to start drinking at five in the afternoon.
Lena took a seat on the loveseat against the wall and patted the spot beside her. Moving over to her sister-in-law, Rachel curled up in the corner of the couch and pinned Shelly with an undaunted look.
“Oh, just get it over with already,” Rachel whined.
“You married him!” Shelly shouted as though she could no longer contain herself. Then, she began to laugh like a lunatic. “I mean, I knew you’d cave and sleep with him. Hello? The guy is so goddamn sexy. But damn!” Shelly shook her head as if she were truly flabbergasted. “Getting hitched! Holy. Shit.”
Rachel arched her brow at the blonde with the mouth. It always surprised her that they were friends with the way they bickered and sniped at one another. Then again, that was what family did. Right?
“Well, at least I go after what I want, unlike some who take forever to decide.”
That shut Shelly up quick. “Touché,” she muttered.
“Would you two quit?” Lena asked as she glared over at Shelly.
“Okay, okay. I just can’t believe it. And Mason and Josh? Ha! Talk about being shocked stupid. I still don’t think Josh believes it.”
Rachel couldn’t help but laugh at that. She had definitely shocked the boys. That much was true. Josh, even more so, she figured, considering he knew Cole better than anyone else. Josh had understood how out of character this was for Cole.
“Mason is coming around,” Lena admitted and winked in Rachel’s direction. “Sometimes, you just know. Right, Rach?”
Rachel nodded in agreement. “As crazy as it seems, it definitely feels right.”
“I’m sure it feels very right,” Shelly teased.
“Do you ever think about anything other than sex?” Rachel asked as she looked pointedly at Shelly.
“Well, I try, but honestly, with all the testosterone we have around us, it’s hard.”
Lena snorted. “All the testosterone? There are approximately two men in our lives.”
“Well, three now,” Shelly interjected, looking at Rachel. “And let’s face it. I wasn’t the only one in the club that night, thinking that her guy was like testosterone on steroids. I swear we all just stood in awe.”
When Rachel thought back to that night, she did remember the way Lena and Shelly had stood mute while her and Cole had sparred over a shot of tequila.
Lena tapped Rachel’s foot as she smiled. “Well, in our defense, we were rather—”
“Drunk?” Shelly supplied.
Lena laughed as Rachel stood and made her way to the kitchen.
Pulling out a bottle opener, Rachel uncorked the first bottle of red and poured three glasses. For the rest of this conversation, she had a feeling that she would need liquor. Making her way back to the other women, she passed Lena a glass and then turned to Shelly. When she held it out to her, Shelly shook her head and grinned widely.
“I’m sorry, but for the next nine months, you two will have to drink all the red wine and cosmos for me.”
The room fell silent, and Rachel found herself staring down at the Man-Eater, who had suddenly turned into a gooey ball of mush.
“You’re pregnant?” Lena yelled as she bounced up from the chair and came to stand beside Rachel.
Shelly beamed up at them, nodding like a fool. “Yep. We found out last week.”
“What?” Lena demanded. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
Shelly looked at Rachel and chuckled. “Well, there were other things going on. Josh and I were going to tell you all on Monday, but—”
“Oh shit, Shelly. I feel terrible,” Rachel muttered.
As Shelly stood, Lena moved forward and pulled her best friend into a tight hug. “I’m so very happy for you and Josh. I know you both want children so much.”
Shelly hugged Lena back, thanking her, before she turned to look at Rachel.
“Don’t feel bad. When we turned up on Monday night and Josh found out about you and Cole, I don’t think he really wanted to bring this up right then. Not to mention, Mason was freaking the hell out. So, we just decided it was best to tell you guys on our own. Josh took Mase out for beers,” she added with a wink.
Rachel stepped forward and hugged Shelly tightly. “I still hate that I ruined your moment. You and Josh mean so much to me.”
“Oh, stop it. You didn’t ruin it. You gave us one of the most interesting nights of our lives. Not to mention, we were all blown away. You mean a lot to all of us, Rachel, and you caught us all off-guard. No matter how much fun I poke at it, I’m happy if you’re happy. Are you sure this is what you want?”
Rachel moved back and looked at Lena and Shelly before nodding and reassuring them both, “I know it’s crazy, but I don’t think normal applies to me. I love him. He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met, and honestly, he has shocked the hell out of me.”
Shelly leaned down and lifted the glass of wine, handing it back to Rachel. “Well then, how about you two celebrate my amazing news? A baby out of wedlock. I love following the rules. My mother will probably die! Raise your glasses and congratulate all of us on our good taste in men. Damn! How did we get so lucky?”
Lena and Rachel laughed as they clinked their glasses.
“Because we are completely awesome of course!” Rachel decided as she took a sip of her wine and saluted them all.
Two hours later, Lena and Rachel were on their second bottle of wine, and Shelly was pumping for information on Josh.
“So, come on, tell me,” she coaxed as Rachel continued shaking her head. “I bet he was such a cute teenager, all of that floppy brown hair and big brown eyes.”
Lena giggled as she brought the glass to her lips. “I bet they both were, Mason and Josh. How weird that you knew them back then.”
“Well, one is my brother,” Rachel reminded dryly. She didn’t think it was weird at all. It was just part of her life, her history.
“Were they good boys? I bet they were always in trouble.” Lena asked with a grin.
Rachel chuckled at that. “Oh, as teens, they were always in trouble. God, Mom and Dad were forever looking for creative ways to punish Mase. They were also good guys though.”