Page 100 of How to Catch a Rockstar

We gather at a large table in the corner. Elder slaps some menus on the table before departing.

“Five, four, three,” Indigo counts down.

“What are you counting down for?”

She points to the other side of the room where the gossip gals are making their way toward us. “They’re here.”

“Happy New Year,” the gossip gals greet in unison when they arrive. They’re wearing bright pink t-shirts with the words Drop it like it’s hot printed on them above a picture of a disco ball.

“Happy New Year,” Cash greets. He’s the spokesperson for the band. There’s a reason the band is named Cash & the Sinners after all.

Sage addresses Virginia. “Is there any chance we could measure your belly?”

Virginia’s eyes widen as she slowly inches away from her. “Um…”

Dylan growls at the women while placing a protective arm around his pregnant fiancé. “You are not betting on the size of my woman’s belly.”

Geez. Jett wasn’t kidding when he said these women will bet on anything. Baby names I get. The size of a pregnant woman’s belly? No.

“Okay.” Sage switches her attention to me. “What about you?”

I place a hand over Little Bean. “In your dreams.”

“Come on, neighbor,” Feather coaxes. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

I’ll play. “How?” I ask.

“How what?”

“How will you make it worth my while? Are you going to drive to the next town to buy me pickles in the middle of the night? Or maybe answer the phone for me? How about doing my laundry for the next year?”

Petal giggles. “Feather doesn’t do her own laundry.”

Feather’s lips purse. “I do too.”

Cayenne leans close to the table. “Which is why she showed up to our coffee klatsch with a big ole chocolate stain on her pants,” she whisper shouts.

“I can’t help it if I sat on a piece of chocolate right before I left the house.”

“Ah ha. Chocolate. Sure,” Clove says.

Feather crosses her arms over her chest. “I did not lose control of my bowel movements.” She glances around at her friends who are all avoiding her gaze. “I own an ice cream shop. I was experimenting with different types of chocolate in the ice cream.”

“And the chocolate just happened to end up right where—”

Feather slashes her hand in the air to cut Sage off. “Enough. Since I’m not appreciated here, I’m leaving.”

She storms off and the gossip gals rush after her.

The second they’re out of view, I burst into laughter. “This town is a hoot.”

Virginia laughs with me. “Did they honestly think Mr. Overprotective would allow them to measure my belly?”

I point to Jett. “This one isn’t much better.”

Virginia groans. “Oh no. I better go to the restroom before this little one makes me pee my pants.”

“I’ll go with you.”

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