Page 46 of Love or Tequila in Unexpected Places

But Amira’s hand was steady, as it always was between them. Allison had panic attacks, while Amira took the world by storm. If she were being honest, Allison had always been a bit jealous of her best friend for that unwavering confidence. Yet she loved her all the more for it.

“Oh my…” Amira whispered, her eyes widening as she stared at the tiny picture. She raised a hand to her mouth, her voice barely audible, filled with awe. “This is… so precious.”

Allison saw a tear fall down Amira’s face, and her own eyes grew misty in response. She’d missed this—having her best friend next to her, talking to her about anything and everything. She’d missed Amira deeply, and she realized she’d been longing for this reconnection more than anything.

She’d been the one person Allison had wanted to tell more than anyone in the world.

Besides my mom.

That thought lingered in her mind for only a moment before Allison cast it from her mind. Now wasn’t the time.

“I know it’s not much; it only looks like a tiny bean right now, but—”

“Shut your mouth about my godchild, Ali.” Amira interrupted, her tone half-serious, half-teasing, as she swiped the picture closer to her face.

Allison couldn’t help but laugh through her tears. “Okay, okay! But it really does look like a tiny bean!”

“An adorable, precious bean!” Amira shot back, her voice filled with warmth and protectiveness. “But wait,” she continued, making Allison tense up. “You still haven’t told me the most important detail.”

Allison held her breath, waiting for Amira to continue, but the little drama queen didn’t say anything for a solid thirty seconds.

Thirty seconds too many.

“When is the due date? Because I need to prepare myself for my godchild’s star sign.”

Allison rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Ami?! Don’t do that to me! Pregnant woman here; my hormones are all over the place right now, and you had me worried sick that something bad was happening,” she huffed like an angry dragon. “It’s June 18th.”

“Ooh, a Gemini? Hell yeah, babe! I knew I could count on you!” Amira exclaimed, clapping her hands together in delight.

Allison couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling the warmth of their friendship wrap around her like a cozy blanket.

I knew I could count on you, too, Ami.

Twelve

ANGELO

Where the fuck is she?

Angelo was pacing in his office, hours after the ultrasound and seconds after his last call to Allison went unanswered.

“Pick up, Allison,” he groaned into the silence, his phone clutched tightly in his hand as he pressed the call button once more.

He had texted her first, his thoughts clouded from the moment they’d shared outside her doctor’s office and distracting him from his job.

Angelo regretted the way they had parted—their stiff, business-like exchange that felt so out of place given the gravity of the situation. So, he had decided to check on her, to test the waters and see how she was doing.

But his plan had backfired immensely as soon as her last text had come in.

I’m on a date, Angelo.

“Shit,” he cursed, still pacing, feeling an unwelcome knot tighten in his stomach. The thought of her on a date, especially after their conversation, ignited a surge of jealousy he couldn’t shake.

The green monster of jealousy loomed large in his mind, but that wasn’t the only reason the blonde woman occupied his thoughts. He was definitely envious of every man who could merely see and touch Allison whenever they wanted, unlike himself. But more than that, he was worried.

Allison was just over ten weeks pregnant, in the third month of her pregnancy, and she was going through it alone. The thought of her navigating this challenging time without him made his stomach twist. He couldn’t shake the concern that she might be struggling more than she let on, and the last thing he wanted was for her to feel isolated.

Angelo ran a hand through his hair, frustration building.

---