Page 68 of In a Pinch

“Oh, duh.” She jokingly smacks the side of her head and pretends to bobble it. “Sam. He didn’t text Cal until the last day they were due, but he said he will be there. Now, let’s see if he actually shows up.”

Oh, shit. A trickle of nerves causes me to fidget in my seat.

“Oh, really?” This shouldn’t be news to me. Sam and I talk all day, every day. How did I not think to ask him about this? Seriously, has he banged my brains out at this point? Sheesh.

“Yeah. He has been texting Cal here and there more. I guess he got a really big promotion at work a week ago.” I throw on my best fake smile and wait for the news to drop. Surely, if he’s talking to Cal, the fact that we’re together will come up at some point.

“That’s great. I’m sure it’ll mean a lot to Cal to have everyone together.” My smile feels like stiff leather.

My brain starts to roll, and I can’t stop the train of thoughts. I can see how easily this could work. Me and my best friend, with brothers. But another little fear creeps up. If they fix things, and Sam and I crumble apart, like all of my past relationships have, how will this work? Will I be on the outs, or will Sam—who finally got back in his groove—be shoved out? Could we coexist?

I have to mentally force myself to stop these thoughts. No one will have to go anywhere. And honestly? This shit with Sam is different. I can feel it in my bones.

She nods and a guarded look flashes over her face. She’s protective over Cal, and rightfully so. “He’s been happy about it. I try not to ask too much about it and just let them work their shit out. I’ve never understood what the hell happened in the first place.”

Okay. Seriously, Addie, just say it now and rip off the Band-Aid.

Taking a deep breath, I settle myself and decide now’s as good as time as any. “On that note, I have something to tel—”

A flash crosses her eyes and she practically jumps off the couch. “OMG, did you know that Liv is pregnant?”

Blinking slowly a couple times, I let her words sink in. Okay, we can circle back to my big news because, WHAT?

Turning my head in confusion, I ask, “What, did she get knocked up as soon as we got back from the bachelorette weekend?”

Isla’s head bobs with excitement. “According to her due date, the signs are pointing to yes. I’m going to be an aunt! I am so excited.”

A dull flicker of jealousy pines through me. Another person doing the damn thing. Which is dumb, because I have no desire to get pregnant. And I am really happy with Sam. And my job. Actually, I feel like I have my shit more together than I thought. Why is it still bugging me that people are doing things I’m not? And why am I comparing myself to them at all? My mom has told me a million times that comparison is the thief of joy. It never really made sense until now.

The thought makes me think of my own sister, who is due at the end of this summer. I’m a little sad that I am going to be an aunt who only knows her nieces and nephews through the phone.

Isla’s voice becomes a dull sound in the background of my thoughts, and I think I’m having an out-of-body experience. My brain feels fuzzy and it’s like I’m looking down at myself, hearing how I sound. Like I have nothing to be grateful for?

Shaking my head, I blink a few times. I think I’m having an epiphany.

Sam’s words from when I first moved here echo in my brain. Life isn’t a freaking race. I’m not failing or behind simply by not being CEO, married, and having kids. You know what, I am going to be the fun aunt that flies down and comes from somewhere exotic and does cool things.

This is really freaking stupid to be jealous of people just living their life. It’s not like I’m freaking dead. This isn’t like me at all. I have a lot to be grateful for and it’s about time I remember that.

“Yoo-hoo. Did you hear anything I just said?” Isla asks, waving her hand in front of my face.

Plastering on a very cheesy smile, I say, “I’m going to be completely honest with you, I just zoned out. Thinking about my sister. She’s due in about a month. But that is so exciting! I didn’t know they were trying. Is Liv going to be pissed you spilled her beans?”

“Oh, no. She told me I could tell you if I saw you first.” She nods her head as she keeps talking. “Yeah, from the sounds of it, I think this was more of a happy whoops. She said they were planning to start in Hawaii, and that she was going to try to get pregnant at my actual wedding out of spite, since she caught me banging her brother in the cleaning closet at hers.”

My head rears back as I let out a shriek of laughter. I’m pretty sure Liv thrives on sarcasm and spite alone. Godspeed to her future young. Putting out an arm, I rest my hand on Isla’s leg as I gather myself.

“You will literally never live that down. I’m so sad I missed that.” But if I wouldn’t have missed that flight, Isla might not have Cal. Then, I wouldn’t have Sam, and that’s a bit depressing.

“Oh, let me show you all the stuff for the wedding.” This girl’s brain has to be part squirrel from the way she changes directions so fast. Hopefully she makes better critical decisions in life-threatening situations.

Her feet thump as she races up the stairs. Faintly, I hear drawers opening and her feet padding against the floor above me. Jumping off the last stair and making her way into the living room, she whips a whole-ass binder out. Wow. Who knew a wedding was the thing to get her organized? I’ve tried my whole life and have failed. Miserably.

The sound of plastic rubbing and papers moving fill the air as she pulls out pictures from their plastic coverings. Pointing to the pictures, she says, “The flowers are going to be plumerias and hibiscus. I think I sent you pictures of these already?” She looks to me and I nod. We’ve texted about the wedding plenty, but seeing this book adds a whole new level. “There will be some greenery woven in with the little pops of color. I think it’ll be really nice.”

She points to the color chart and the seating arrangement. “I think we are only going to have, like, a total of twenty people at the wedding, including our bridal party and parents.”

Good. So, I wasn’t missing much on the guest list. This helps ease my guilt of being a shit friend the last month.

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