Page 58 of First Comes Marriage

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“Would you believe those men are all in their forties?”

Sabrina followed Kyla’s amused head tilt to where Sebastian, Gavin, Jamie, and Ethan stood sizing up one of those gameswhere you threw the ball to knock over a tower of milk bottles. This was their third lap around the carnival games, pausing to discuss the likelihood that each game was rigged—highly likely—and which one of them was the most viable option for winning a stuffed animal—the consensus seemed to be Sebastian or Jamie. Halfway through their second circuit, Tessa had pulled Kyla and Sabrina off to the cluster of food stalls. Snacks procured, the women had retreated to a nearby bench to watch the men’s continued posturing as dusk settled and the streetlights came on.

It shouldn’t have been cute. Four grown men standing around a child’s carnival game and arguing over which one of them could win the most stuffed animals should have been the antithesis of cute. And yet, every time Sebastian scowled at one of his friends, each time they playfully jostled one another or burst into boisterous laughter she could feel in her bones, Sabrina’s heart cracked open a little wider, making room for Sebastian and his friends, for this town, for the two women seated beside her.

Tessa popped the final bite of her malasada into her mouth, licking the sugar off her fingers and moaning with pleasure as she ate the last of her fried treat. “God, that’s good. I swear, you’d never know this kid is only a quarter Portuguese with how much they like malasadas.”

“You don’t need to be Portuguese to appreciate fried dough,” Kyla said, tearing off another bite of her own fluffy, fried confection.

“Last week, all I wanted was chicken Mozambique. And chouriço. My God, did you know the Pizza Stone has a chouriço and French fry sandwich? Heaven.” Tessa ran a hand over her baby bump, frowning. “Shit. Now I want French fries.”

“On it,” Sabrina said, pushing to her feet.

“Sit down,” Tessa said. Then, raising her voice, “Jamie?” Her husband instantly turned his full attention to his pregnantwife. “Could you get me some fries? With extra honey mustard to dip them in?” He was moving towards the food stalls before she’d even finished speaking.

“He takes such good care of us.”

Kyla rolled her eyes, though she was still smiling. “We know, we know. Best sex of your life. You’ve told us already.”

“Just wait until you get pregnant. I’m telling you, the sex is on a whole other level.” Tessa sighed happily and rested back against the bench, her hand continuing to move over her belly with an absent-minded affection that made Sabrina’s throat feel too tight. She turned away, focusing her attention on the last dregs of frozen lemonade in the paper cup in her hand.

“Tessa and I have been talking,” Kyla’s lips curled into a smile as she glanced between Sabrina and Tessa. “We’d like to be the first to book a penis party in your new studio.”

Sabrina coughed as a chunk of frozen lemonade went down the wrong way at the phrase ‘penis party.’ “You heard the part aboutsmashingthe clay penises, right? Normally the women who book my parties have recently broken up with someone.”

Kyla’s grin widened. “We know. My friend Jo broke up with someone a few days ago and she couldn’t stop laughing when I told her about what you do. It’s the first time she’s laughed all week.”

“If you need help getting the studio set up, count us in,” Tessa said. “Well, Jamie will help on my behalf. I want to smash some pottery dicks before I go into labor.”

“We’ll all help,” Kyla agreed.

“It’s pretty much all set up,” Sabrina said. “I had workmen in the space the second I got to town.”

“Before you had your permits to open?” Tessa said with a mock gasp. “I knew I liked you. You’re a rebel.”

Sabrina laughed. “Hardly. I’d already purchased the kiln, and I figured I might as well get the studio set up.”

More like I blew every last penny I got from the divorcesettlement on new equipment and the security deposit on the storefront. More like I suddenly realized boxes of equipment and a shiny new kiln couldn’t be stored in Aunt Lucy’s guest room. I hadn’t considered that it might take a while to get the proper permits to open the damn place before I spent everything I had on start-up costs.

“Either way, sounds like you’re basically ready to open! When can we do the party?” Kyla asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Not that we want to rush you! But maybe in three or four weeks you’ll be ready? That should let us squeeze it in before the baby comes.”

When was the last time she had friends like this, real friends who immediately accepted her as one of their own? Maybe never… “Three weeks sounds great.”

“Perfect! I’ll text Jo. I know she’s got some modeling jobs lined up for the next few weeks, but maybe we can do it after those.” Kyla dug out her phone and began typing away as Jamie arrived with Tessa’s French fries.

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” Tessa asked as she settled the cardboard tray of fries on top of her stomach.

“Are you talking to me or the fries?” Jamie asked. Tessa rolled her eyes but tilted her chin up to accept his kiss. “Now watch while I win our baby their first teddy bear,” he said before striding back over to his friends.

“He’s going to be such a good dad,” Kyla said, nudging her shoulder into Tessa’s.

“He is.” Tessa popped a fry in her mouth, then turned a quizzical look Sabrina’s way. “Do you and Baz want kids? I bet he’d be adorable with a baby.”

“Oh, I—we haven’t really talked about it.” Sabrina stumbled through the answer as she got to her feet, that tightness in her throat back with a vengeance and a restless energy settling into her limbs. “I’m gonna go grab a drink. Water. Or something. Do you guys need anything?” Tessa and Kyla shook their heads,their eyes wide as they watched her freak the fuck out. “Okay! I’ll be back!” she said too brightly as she turned and walked away from the bench, away from the group of men jostling for position at the carnival game counter.

She ducked around the corner of the hall of mirrors, leaning against the wall of the vividly painted trailer and tilting her head back as she willed her heart rate to slow. Did she and Baz want kids? If onlythatwere the question.

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