Page 108 of That First Flight

“Welcome to our gender reveal,” Thomas announces.

“Shut up!” Avery bellows. “Are you kidding me!”

Peyton giggles as she shakes her head, and her hand flies to her stomach that doesn’t look any bigger than it did a few weeks ago. “Surprise! We’re expecting!”

“Wait…” Emiline says with furrowed brows. “But we had tequila shots a couple weeks ago at girls’ night.”

“You guyshad tequila shots,” she scoffs. “We were so wrapped up in conversation that no one noticed that I didn’t actually take my shot.”

There are a few beats of silence before Emiline, Avery and I all break out into a fit of laughter as we hug and congratulate Peyton on the news.

“Congrats, brother!” Marc reaches for Thomas, giving him a brotherly hug.

“That’s amazing news!” Oliver follows and does the same.

“So are we going to find out what the little gummy bear is or what?” Logan announces.

We all take our place around the table. Avery takes her place back in Marc’s arms while Logan and Emiline stand next to each other with a matching stance of elbows propped on the counter. Oliver finds his spot on the bar stool next to me, spreading his legs and moving me to stand between them.

My heart rate picks up at the small display of affection in front of our friends. There’s no part of him that wants to hide whatever the hell we are and that alone makes me beam with happiness that he wantsmethat way.

Peyton and Thomas pick up the knife and slice the cake like it’s their wedding day, pulling a piece out on a plate.

“It’s blue!” Thomas yells. “Another boy!”

“Oh my god,” Peyton gasps. “I knew I was destined to be a boy mom!”

We all clap and scream in excitement as they embrace their own happiness.

“When are you due?” Avery asks

“Not until September,” she says. “Probably a Christmas-made baby.”

“We really don’t need all those details.” Emiline scrunches her nose.

“You don’t want to know the positions we used?” Peyton jokes.

“Please don’t,” she begs. “It’s bad enough I have to hear about my brother’s sex lives through a group chat.”

The girls start laughing and tears spill from my eyes because it’s so beautiful to be a part of this news with people who have now grown into my family, to be so happy for someone who’s become one of my best friends in such a short period of time.

“You okay?” Oliver whispers in my ear.

“It’s just so beautiful. I’m really happy for them.”

He nods. “Me too,” he says before he presses a kiss to my cheek.

“While we’re on the good news train.” Avery clears her throat to the side of me. My head snaps in her direction and I watch as her eyebrows raise in a wiggle.

“Oh, no news here.” I giggle.

Oliver wraps his arms around my waist. “Yet,” Oliver adds. “I’m just waiting for Macey to realize she’s actually head over heels for me.”

A shiver courses through me at the feel of his lips against my shoulder.

But Oliver is wrong.

I’m already head over heels for him.

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