Page 53 of Your Soul to Keep

Harley opened her mouth to protest but I cut her off. “Your mom is going to want to throw you a shower. Either we manage it, or she does.”

Harley’s mouth snapped shut.

I continued with a wave toward Noelle. “As for Noelle, she already has most everything she needs.”

Bridge laughed. “What’s got you so fired up?”

I blinked then stared at her wide-eyed. “What?”

She waved a hand in my direction. “You’re not usually so impatient.”

I drew back, my gaze skittering around the others who sat looking equally bemused. “Sorry!” I blurted. I’d been down this road before. I knew well what happened when you didn’t celebrate your friends’ good news. “I thought I was helping.”

Noelle picked up her cranberry juice with a smirk. “You helped me.”

Harley wagged her head back and forth. “I have no complaints.”

Wren cocked her head to the side. “So, just Nadine on her own? You don’t think that would be too much attention on her?”

I sat back in my seat, unwilling to subject myself to further scrutiny.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Harley agreed. “She’ll know we’re there just for her. We’ll protect her like a pack of feral hyenas. She’ll be fine. And you guys can do something small for me if you want, if only to keep my mom in line. Left to her own devices, she’ll have the entirety of Sage Ridge there.”

“Feral hyenas?” Noelle murmured.

“Maybe mama bears,” Wren suggested.

Bridge’s intent gaze warmed the side of my face, but I studiously avoided looking at her as the conversation swirled on around us.

After a moment, she slid her hand into my lap and covered my tightly clenched fists.

I forced my hands to relax.

Without a word, she weaved her fingers through mine and rejoined the discussion around venue.

My lungs burned with the effort not to cry.

And the ache where I would have carried my babies echoed in the hollow.

The last thing I wanted to do was help throw a baby shower, never mind attend.

I looked across the table at Wren. If this hit close to home for me, it did the same for her.

And her soon-to-be daughter-in-law had a long road ahead of her.

Wren had no support when she got pregnant with Aaron.

I had no support when I failed to carry my babies.

Perhaps this could be healing for both of us.

I squeezed Bridge’s hand then released it. Leaning forward, I put my elbows on the table and offered, “Would you like to have it in Ayana’s private back room? It holds 25-30 people max which will force us to keep the numbers down.”

By the time I left half an hour later, I was shaking.

Bridge caught up with me. “Shae!”

I spun around and slapped my smile back on my face.

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