Page 114 of The Bridges I've Burned

Marin had offered to foot the bill when she discovered we had to change plans because of her pregnancy, but I’d shut that down real quick. This was her special day—days?—and I was the best friend with the large savings account and zero attachments, so if anyone was going to splurge, it was going to be me.

“A little.” Lani bit at her the baby pink polish on her nail before adding, “Okay, a lot, but I couldn’t help it. When am I going to be able to organize another spa day bachelorette party?” She had a point. Most women hit the clubs, and Ocracoke was a little sleepy for that kind of action. “But don’t worry; I’m covering all the extras. My present to Marin.”

“Oh.” I perked up. “That’s really generous of you.”

It’s beyond generous.

She swept me into the dining room that had been closed for the luncheon part of the day, and the moment I stepped inside, my mouth hit the floor.

“Lani, this is above and beyond,” I told her.

“I know!” She beamed, clearly thrilled with herself. “I got ahold of Marin’s florist and then sort of went crazy.”

Instead of the circular tables that normally adorned the dining room, she’d created a single long table for us in the middle. Small bouquets of peach roses and eucalyptus leaves lined the center with beautiful place settings and personalized menus. There was a photo wall and a custom cake.

Ten minutes later, when Marin walked in, she cried.

Not just cried, but, like, full-on sobbed. Through snotty tears, she went on and on about how much she loved each of us and how lucky she was.

I would have laughed if I didn’t think she’d murder me.

“Stupid hormones.” She sniffled after finally settling down and taking a seat.

“They’re the worst,” Molly confirmed. “The first time I was pregnant, we kept it a secret until after our wedding. I was so paranoid and was somehow convinced people could just tell by looking at me.”

“If anyone had given that secret away, it would have been Jake,” Cora cut in. She was the nurse at the medical clinic Jake owned and married to Dean Sutherland, Jake’s best friend—Molly’s ex-fiancé. Way too much drama for one tiny town. “He had a grin plastered on his damn face for weeks. I just figured he was sneaking you in during lunch for a quickie in his office.”

Molly’s grin suggested that wasn’t totally untrue. “Well, one day, he found me sitting on the floor in my closet, sobbing because my jeans didn’t fit. I told him everyone would surely find out now if I had to buy new clothes.”

“Yeah, I doubt anyone would have noticed that, even in Ocracoke,” Lani quipped.

“I know that now.” She laughed. “But hormonal Molly was never planning on leaving that closet. So, my amazing husband dried my tears, grabbed a rubber band, and made my jeans work for another two weeks. Problem solved.”

“What a great guy,” Marin said, and I could already see more tears forming.

Ohmigod.

“Okay, subject change! Otherwise, Marin is gonna cry all over her place setting,” Lani announced, making everyone laugh.

“I want to know about Elena and Zander!” Millie said from the other side of the table.

“Oh, me, too!” her traitor of a sister chimed in.

“Yeah, because, apparently, you were having way more fun at that cookout than the rest of us,” Millie quipped, holding her champagne glass out in a salute toward me.

“I didn’t even get to go.” Cora pouted while Lani added, “Me neither.”

“Well, the food was lovely,” Molly said. “As was the company, right?”

Everyone nodded.

“Elena especially enjoyed the company of one guest in particular,” Millie teased, making me roll my eyes.

“I just want to know which one of you motherfuckers told on us.” I pointed my finger at the crowd of women. “Because everyone in the town knows. Janet at the coffeehouse seriously winked at Zander yesterday!”

They all burst into laughter.

“Maybe they all just heard you.” Marin shrugged, making my mouth fall open. She didn’t even blush when she said it.

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