Page 129 of Body Shot

“You guys are the best,” I say, my eyes filling with tears. “And don’t mind me—I seem to be doing a lot of crying lately. Hormones.”

“My wife is pregnant too,” Glen says. “I’m used to it.”

I excuse myself to the ladies’ room but not because I have to use the facilities. I just want a quick moment of privacy to call Anders since he wanted me to update him as soon as possible.

“Hey, baby.” He answers on the first ring. “How’d it go?”

“It’s wonderful!” I quickly fill him in.

“That’s great. I’m excited for you.”

“Me too. It’s such a relief. Especially the Seth thing.”

“Yeah. I swear to God, if he so much as looks at you cross-eyed, I’m going to flatten him.”

I chuckle.

I love this overprotective side of him.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“I also have a surprise for you.”

“Oh?” I lean against the counter.

“Remember that house we loved but someone had already put in an offer?”

“Yes?”

“The deal fell through. I put a down payment on it this morning.”

“Oh my gosh!” I squeal with delight. “Anders! Our house!”

“I know, baby. In the same neighborhood as Johan and Sloane, so it’ll be nice.”

“And all that space.” The house is over six thousand square feet, with six bedrooms, six bathrooms, and an outdoor area perfect for entertaining. I’ve never done any, but I’m excited to start.

“Do we have a closing date?”

“Since we’re paying cash, it’ll be the first week of January. I know that’s really soon, and I have to leave on a road trip right after but?—”

“We’re hiring movers and I’m ordering all new stuff anyway, so it won’t be a big deal. And the girls will all help.”

The girls.

Hana.

Sloane.

Eden.

I’ve already got a friends’ group, and Hana starts with the company the first week of January. Her visa was just approved last week, and she’s going to spend the holidays with her family in Bratislava and then come to Lauderdale for New Year’s. She’ll have to be in Philly for her probationary period, but my parents have graciously invited her to live with them during that time, so she has a while to come up with a plan for where she wants to be based.

Since her job is sales, she’ll be on the road ninety percent of the time, and she’s hinting that she wants to come down to Lauderdale as well. She wants to be closer to her brother and the new baby, which will be here soon, and of course, me.

“I have to run, baby,” Anders says, interrupting my thoughts. “Practice is about to start.”

“Go. I love you.”

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