Page 87 of Pucking the Enemy

“Don’t tell me you’re still in bed!”

I glanced at the time on my phone screen, grimacing. “It’s not even seven, so, yes, I was still in bed.”

“We need to have a conversation.”

I sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. “Yes?” What gala or event was she going to try and rope me into this time?

“We are hosting a small dinner next week, and we would like for you to attend—and before you say anything, I know you’ve been busy with classwork, but this is important. After you brushed us off over Christmas, it’s the least you can do for us.”

I took a deep breath. My stomach was rapidly growing as Peanut got bigger by the day, so if I wanted to see my family before I explained to them my predicament, the sooner the better.

“I think I can make that work.”

“Good. Now, I’m going to send over a few dresses because I want you to wear something appropriate.”

My eyes rolled into the back of my head, and I looked to the heavens for help. “I can assure you, Mother, I am perfectly capable of picking out a dress.”

I highly doubted I would fit into anything she sent for me. My bump, while small, was starting to show. In the right dress, it would be concealable, but knowing my mother, she would not send the kind of dresses that would skim over my figure.

She genuinely believed a woman’s greatest asset was their figure, not their brain. It was kind of depressing, honestly.

“Well, if you pick up the dress, will you send a photo to me for approval?”

I winced. Usually, I would say no, but I really needed her to let me choose my own dress so I could ensure my bump was concealed.

“Sure, I’ll have a photo to you by the end of the week.” I kept my voice chipper, even though I was grinning through the pain.

Next to me, Sebastian had woken up and was watching me, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Good. See how easy things can be when you’re amenable? Okay, I must dash, I have a meeting. Bye!”

The call cut out, and I took a deep breath, throwing my phone toward the end of the nest and flopping back, staring at the ceiling.

“Has your mother ever relaxed in her life?”

I turned my head to face him, eyebrows raised. “You know full well the answer to that question.”

Seb snorted. “Yeah, she’s always had a stick up her ass. She was probably born with it already inserted.”

“For sure,” I agreed.

“You know what this means? You need to go shopping.”

“Usually that prospect would excite me, but I’m just so tired,” I grumbled. “And don’t you have class today?”

“I have practice, but the others don’t.”

“I’m pretty sure that the last thing they want to do is be dragged around, shopping, for a day.”

“You have so little faith in them.” Seb laughed, grabbing his phone off the bedside table.

A second later, my phone buzzed. Seb had messaged the pack group chat.

Seb:

Hazel needs to go dress shopping today, and I have practice. Who wants to go with her?

“When were you added to the pack group chat?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

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