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“Oh, hush.” I snap halfheartedly. “You try being the size of a house and getting into this tank.”

“Point taken.”

Once Selene gets herself settled into the passenger seat, we’re off. But when Gunnar pulls out of the parking lot, he starts heading in the wrong direction.

“Gunnar. The restaurant is in the other direction.” I say questioningly.

Selene turns around in her seat to face me. “We’re doing something a little different today.”

Her words are meant to be reassuring, but they only make me more suspicious.

When we roll up on the city’s most exclusive private country club—my father’s country club—my hackles rise.

“Selene?” I ask.

“Trust me.” She replies simply.

Gunnar pulls up into the roundabout at the front entrance, and an attendant opens the door for me.

I shuffle out of the SUV with the man’s assistance and look around, bracing myself to run into one of my father’s friends.

The club itself is gorgeous. Unfortunately, it brings back a slew of memories that are less than brilliant.

Every step I take further into the building has me even more on edge.

This is his domain, not mine. I’m not comfortable here, and yet I still shuffle after Selene and Gunnar as they lead me through the building to one of the salons that backs up against the back gardens.

Gunnar holds the door open for Selene and me to enter the room.

As I enter, there’s a chorus of “Surprise!” that rings out in the room from all of its occupants.

All around are people I care about. The room is covered from top to bottom with baby-related decor, streamers, and balloons. Gift-wrapped boxes and bags are piled high on a table against the back wall, while the table closest to the entrance is laden with snacks and drinks for everyone to partake in.

“A baby shower?” I ask, tears gathering in my eyes.

“Of course!” Selene replies with a laugh. “Marshall said you just hit 36 weeks! It’s about time we got our shit together and threw you a shower. Excuse me... stuff together.”

My eyes scan the crowd to find the man himself at the back of the room, away from the rest.

Our eyes lock, and for a second, the whole room falls away.

I want to go to him. I want him to hold me and tell me everything is okay, that this tension and distance between us that’s formed doesn’t need to be there anymore.

But I stay put.

“Come on, mama. Let’s get you settled, and we can start on the games!” Selene says.

When I’m settled in a chair at the front of the room, my shoulders relax as I take in everyone around me.

All of the Morgan family, the owners of The Playground, are here. Naomi, Bex, and Alvie are here, along with many others from the club.

I never expected such support from these people, but they’re here, nonetheless.

The next few hours pass in a blur. Baby games throw everyone into fits of laughter as people struggle to wrap baby dolls in diapers and people guess trivia questions about me and my pregnancy. I nearly cry when we go through the pile of gifts as Naomi, ever the studious one, documents each gift and who it came from. The whole party is a delight, and as time passes, I relax into the pure joy of the moment.

When everything begins to wrap up, and people say their goodbyes, a few friends stay behind to help transport gifts and food to cars.

I’ve felt Marshall’s presence all afternoon. His gaze has been on me the entire time, which is comforting and disturbing if I didn’t know him better. He’s kept his distance, though, which I’ve almost appreciated. However, there’s a part of me that still wants him to pull me close and tell me everything is going to be okay.

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