Page 108 of A Lesson for Laurel

The two of them drove the ten minutes to Liam’s. “Sorry about today,” Liam said. “I feel bad that I had a class this morning.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said.

“It’s fine,” she said.

Liam taught summer classes that were more condensed and already had this date set for a special session with his students.

“I told him it was fine,” Nicole said. “And now I need to go change and we are going to be late.”

“You look great,” Liam said. “Why are you changing?”

“Because I look frumpy next to Laurel. This sucks, Easton. Thanks for doing me wrong dating a hot woman.”

He laughed but saw Nicole was serious. “I agree with Liam. You look great. You look like you amped up.”

He wasn’t sure if it was a pregnancy glow or not but didn’t think it was appropriate to say that.

“I told her she does too,” Liam said. “She bought this dress last weekend.”

“After I kept showing pictures of it to Laurel because I knew she was going to make me look bad.”

“Stop,” Laurel said. “You’re going to make me feel bad and I know that isn’t what you want. I want to look good for Easton.”

“Stop,” he said. “Both of you. I didn’t realize everyone was so insecure. Nicole, you look great and you know it. You’re going to get a lot of comments from people who haven’t seen you like this before.”

“I know,” Nicole said. “This dress is a little out of my box.”

Nicole normally wore black, brown, or navy. Sometimes tan. She never wore bright colors or patterns.

But she had a green dress on the color of emeralds. It was fitted to her body but not like Laurel’s. The top had some sleeves and lower neckline, the waist fitted and you’d have no idea she was pregnant, then the rest of it fell straight to above her knees. She even had some chunky heeled tan sandals on. Nicole never wore heels like this.

He’d bet anything it was Laurel’s influence because the two were talking fashion and shopping more than he cared for.

But he had to admit his best friend’s wife did look stunning. Stunning for her and she shouldn’t compare herself to Laurel.

They were two different people.

“And it looks awesome on you,” Laurel said. “I’m so glad I convinced you to buy that and not the black one.”

“I knew you wanted to bring home a black dress,” Liam said. “I told her not to. She has enough of them. I’m not sure how many times I have to tell her how gorgeous she looks tonight either. I guess I’ll just have to show her later.”

“I’ve got something for you too,” Laurel said. She opened her floral clutch that was in her hand. Had to be something from work. She pulled out three bangle bracelets.

“What are these?”

“A new release last month,” Laurel said. “I’ve got them on too. Mine are asters. It’s kind of the funny joke they made these for our Director of Facilities. He didn’t laugh about it but made sure his girlfriend got a set before anyone else. Yours are zinnias.”

Easton noticed the bracelets on Laurel’s arm and looked closer to see the small purple flowers on top of the silver metal. Not a lot. Just three on each.

Nicole took hers and he saw the three green flowers on each and Nicole slipped them on.

Laurel had a large flower ring on her middle finger too, but it wasn’t purple, rather a dark pink, her earrings another shade of pink, the purse all shades of pink and purple.

She was probably the most girly woman he’d ever dated. And she could change his tire if he got a flat on their way.

“What’s so funny?” Liam asked him.

“Just thinking of something.”

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