Page 111 of Unstitch

Maddy’s pregnant, too. Apparently she and Zach knew at their wedding that she was a few weeks along, but didn’t make the news public until last month when they went for their twelve-week scan. They’re finding out next month what they’re having, unlike Belle and Rafe, who are keeping it a surprise. I’m so excited for both of them I can barely stand it, but to say I’m distracted tonight is an understatement.

‘Ugh,’ I say, slumping on the banquette. ‘What a week.’

‘Too much dick?’ Maddy asks with phony sympathy, and we all cackle. The holy states of wedlock and pregnancy haven’t changed her one iota, as far as I can tell, except for making her even happier than she was and even more gossip-hungry.

‘That’s the least of my problems, believe me.’

‘Give one of them to Nat,’ she says. ‘It’s plain rude, keeping both of them.’

‘Nah.’ I smile smugly. ‘I’ll keep them both.’ Because they’re both so fucking adorable. And we love each other. Even if we haven’t yet worked out how that love will look.

‘So not too much dick,’ she presses.

Belle groans. ‘Please stop referencing my brother’s dick.’

‘Not a chance. Darce? Details, babes.’

‘Fine. I’m getting exactly the right amount of dick, but thank you for your concern. It’s just… well, Max kind of threw down the gauntlet to Dex over the weekend.’

Belle’s eyes grow wide with concern.

‘Has anyone ever wondered what a gauntlet actually is, though?’ Maddy muses aloud.

‘It’s a kind of fortified glove that medieval warriors wore in battle,’ Nat offers.

We all swivel our heads so we can gape at her. She shrugs.

‘What? My brother’s a huge D&D fan.’

‘I’m sorry, but can we go back to my brother?’ Belle asks. ‘What do you mean, exactly?’

I hesitate, because all of this is a major infringement of Dex’s privacy, especially in front of Nat. But, honestly, this is my relationship too, and I desperately need advice. Anyway, Nat’s already heard snippets about our little ménage.

‘So, we had a big conversation on Friday night. Dex kind of blurted out that he loved me, and then we all said it.’

Maddy bounces up and down in her seat and squeals. Belle clamps her hand over her mouth. And Nat looks so genuinely delighted for me that I vow here and now to find her a good man. Because that’s what people do when they’re obnoxiously and smugly in love, right?

‘Oh my God!’ Belle says, removing her hand. ‘You and my brother are in love!’

‘Yep,’ I say, and we share a moment of happy grinning, because this is big. ‘He’s so amazing.’

‘He really is.’

‘And the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen in my life.’

‘I suppose so,’ Belle grits out as Maddy raises her mocktail. ‘Truth.’

‘And he actually told Max he loved him?’ Belle asks incredulously.

I nod. ‘Yeah. He really did.’

‘Holy crap,’ she whispers. ‘That’s unbelievable.’

‘So back to the gauntlet bit,’ I say. ‘Max basically went all funny. He told us he’d fallen very deeply in love with us both, or something just as romantic, but then he went full TED Talk on Dex. He gave him this heavy spiel about how special our relationship was, and how it deserved oxygen, and the bottom line was that he’s not prepared to hide in the shadows forever if Dex can’t get his arse in gear to come out of the closet.’

Belle puts her head in her hands. ‘Oh my God.’

‘It makes sense, right?’ Maddy asks, putting her arm around Belle. ‘That’s obviously going to be a source of tension between them.’

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