Ellie smiled that smile only she can give me, and I was calmed within seconds.
“Baby, you’re getting married in two days to the love of your life, and you’re carrying his baby. Smile, baby girl. You’re going to be the most beautiful bride ever. You won’t even need makeup because that pregnancy glow fits you perfectly.”
I slammed my body into Ellie and hugged the shit out of her. “I love you, Ellie Mathews. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too, Ari. Come on, let’s go have some fun. By the way, I sent Gunner a text a little bit ago. They’re staying at the lake house and playing poker. He promised that there will be no women, so don’t worry. They’ll probably behave better than us.”
***
We headed out to dinner first, and I never laughed so hard in my life. It was so nice to be with my three very best friends.
“Oh god, I love Maudie’s so damn much. I could eat here every day.” Amanda said as she leaned back and put her hands on her stomach.
I smiled at her because she truly looked happy. As much as she had bitched about her monster-in-law she was so incredibly happy with Brad.
I thought back to the night of her wedding. It was the first time Jeff and I had made love. The memories flooded my brain, causing me to drift away from everyone.
Setting my hands on my stomach, I closed my eyes. I was getting married in two days, and I was fifteen weeks pregnant. Although I was barely showing a bump, my wedding dress had to be altered just a little.
I looked up at Ellie, and she smiled at me. My heart was breaking for her because I knew how much she wanted to have a baby. She was such a damn good friend because she never showed how sad she was.
Just then, I felt a flutter in my stomach. Butterflies? There it went again. Could it be?
“Holy fuck!” I shouted out.
Ellie stood up quickly spilling her water all over Heather. Heather jumped and hit the table, her tea spilt everywhere. Amanda pushed back her chair, as she laughed her ass off, and I just sat there.
“Fuck a duck, Ari, what the hell is wrong with you?” Ellie said. She was trying to wipe water off of her while staying out of the way of the poor waitress cleaning up the rest of the spilled water and tea.
“I think I just felt the baby!” I said. I just sat there with my hands on my stomach.
“What?” All three of my friends, and our waitress shouted out at once.
“But you’re only fifteen weeks pregnant. I thought that didn’t happen until after sixteen weeks.” The ever-accurate Heather pointed out.
I just stared at her.
Ellie came running over and got down on her knees.
“Oh my god…oh my god…oh my god. Move your hand, I want to feel my niece…or nephew!”
Amanda started laughing. Brad’s mother was an OB, and Amanda had started working for her part time, helping out on days she didn’t have classes.
“Ells, I hate to tell you this, but you’re not going to be able to feel the baby yet. Only Ari can at this early stage.”
Ellie shot Amanda a look that should have brought Amanda to her knees. “Well, shit, I want to feel it. What does it feel like?”
“It felt like fluttering or bubbles in my stomach. You know like when you have gas moving through your stomach.”
“Oh Christ, how romantic, Ari,” Amanda said as she rolled her eyes.
“It’s the only way I know how to describe it.” I reached for my phone and hit Jeff’s number.
“I’ll be right back,” I said as I got up and headed outside.
“Hey, baby, you having fun?” Jeff asked.
“I miss you,” I said in as much of a seductive voice as I could.
“Hold on a second.”
I heard Jeff say he was going outside for a second, and I had to smile.
“Jesus, Ari, only you can make me go hard in an instant. Want to sneak away and meet somewhere?”
“Yes!”
“Where are you?”
“Maudie’s on Lake Austin Boulevard.”
“Give me fifteen minutes, baby, and I’ll be there.”
“Okay, hurry, but be careful driving.”
I walked back into the restaurant. The spilled drink mess had been cleaned up, and the girls were all eating from a giant piece of chocolate cake.
When I sat down, and all three of them looked at me.
“He’s coming to get you, isn’t he?” Heather said with a wink.
Damn, these girls know me too well. I just smiled and took a sip of my water.
“Ugh, you horny-ass bitch. If pregnancy does this to you, sign me the fuck up,” Amanda said as she smiled at me.
“Are y’all mad?” I asked.
Amanda let out a sigh and sat back. “I’m actually kind of relieved. I know I was all wanting a guy to grab my ass while I danced the night away. Honestly though, with Brad being at his parents’ lake house, there’s a really good book I want to read, and I would so love the peace and quiet in the house.”
“I really am so exhausted from finishing up this semester. All I really want to do is go home and soak in a hot bath,” Heather said as she winked at me.
Ellie was staring at her cell phone with a huge-ass grin on her face. When she looked up, we were all staring at her.
“What does that overly romantic-bastard husband of yours have planned?”
Ellie smiled. “He said he’s right behind Jeff, and he wants to take me on a carriage ride downtown.”
“Good god, where did this man come from? I mean really, he needs to teach a damn class on this shit,” Amanda said as she fanned herself.
Ellie and Amanda laughed.
Amanda looked down at her phone and grinned. Heather, you feel like dropping me off at the lake house? Looks like Brad’s feeling a little lonely.”
Heather giggled as she dug out her keys. “No problem.” Has everyone left him all alone?”
“I guess so. He said Gunner and Jeff just left, and Josh was outside on the deck, probably making plans to leave as well.”
Heather’s smile faded for one brief second before it she smiled again.
“Okay. Well then, let’s head out, and I’ll drop you off. Are you girls okay with us leaving you until your men get here?” Heather asked.
She and Amanda both stood up and started to hug and kiss Ellie and me.
“We’ll be fine. They’re only a few minutes away, and we can talk wedding stuff,” Ellie said as she looked over at me and winked.
***
After Heather and Amanda left, I looked over at Ellie, who was smiling at me like a damn fool.
“What has you so full of glee, except for the fact that your hubby is taking you on a carriage ride?”
“You. I’m so glad to see you and Jeff finally happy.”
I let out a small laugh. “It sure has been a long bumpy-ass road.”
“Yep.”
I sighed as a wedding detail crossed my mind.
“Oh shit! I forgot to call Jenny about the bouquets.” Panicking, I reached for my cell phone.
Ellie reached over and grabbed my hand.
“She called me earlier. I took care of it. That’s what the maid of honor does, you know. Don’t worry. It’s all taken care of, and they’re going to look beautiful.”
“You know I would be lost without you, don’t you?”
Ellie smiled at me and squeezed my hand. “I would be lost without you, too. I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too. In case I haven’t told you in a while, that nose piercing is really adorable on you!”
Ellie threw her head back and laughed. Then, she stopped laughing and looked at me.
“Oh my god, you’re piercing!”
“Yeah, I know. Dr. Wyatt said I need to have it out no later than twenty weeks, but I already took it out. I actually thought Jeff was going to cry when I told him I was taking it out.”
Ellie let out a giggle and rolled her eyes. “He really liked it, huh?”
“Oh yeah, he loved it.” I said, moving my eyebrows up and down.
“Eww. Okay, I don’t need the visual in my head, thank you very much.”