Page 66 of Inked Devotion

“And it’s ten a.m., and I’m not in the mood to drink,” Eliza added dryly.

“Ten a.m. means mimosas,” Paige teased.

“That is true. I think I miss mimosas most of all.” Annabelle grinned at me.

I snorted. “Mimosas are just so nice. Much nicer than morning sickness, or rather, afternoon sickness.”

“All day sickness,” Annabelle agreed.

“On that note, let’s eat some tuna fish and cupcakes,” Paige cheered.

Annabelle groaned. “I am starving, so I’m struggling to eat that, but let’s not talk about exactly what we’re eating.”

“That’s fine. We can talk about what your intentions are with our brother,” Paige said, rolling her shoulders back, but there was laughter in her gaze.

I swallowed hard. “I intend to co-parent with Benjamin and try not to stress the fuck out because we are still way early into our relationship even though we went about things in an opposite way. Please don’t ask me how I feel about him because I don’t know, and I don’t want to stress out. Can we talk about, maybe, Jacob? Yes, let’s talk about Jacob. Or Archer. Archer’s getting married. Let’s talk about that.” Again, Annabelle and Eliza met gazes, and I growled. “What is with that look?”

“It’s not a look, more of a question of what to say because it’s like you have two different relationships together,” Annabelle explained.

“What do you mean?”

Eliza sighed. “On one hand, you guys are discussing co-parenting because you’re trying to be adults and not step on each other’s toes because you’re having a baby. On the other, you’re in this new relationship where you’re starting to learn one another differently, and putting those together is difficult. You guys are going through this so well, and I love it for you, but if you need to explode, or talk to us, we’re here.”

I swallowed hard, wondering how I could have thought they wouldn’t have seen where I was standing. They were far too observant when it came to their friends. Hell, I was usually on the other side of that aisle.

“We don’t want to pry.” Paige grimaced. “I mean, we do want to pry because we love you, and he’s our family, and you’re our family, and we want to know everything. As someone who is also in a relationship, like everybody else here, sometimes we don’t have answers. And that’s okay that you don’t have answers. Do your thing. We’re excited for you.”

“I love you guys too. Now let’s talk about Archer and Marc. Are we throwing them an engagement party?”

“We will allow this change of conversation because, yes, we are throwing Archer an engagement party.” Annabelle picked up her phone. “Archer has already talked to us about a few things, and I’m excited for him. Our baby brother’s getting married.”

“Everybody’s changing and growing up. I love it.” Paige clapped her hands.

“I wish Archer would have been able to come today. Then we could start planning,” I added.

Paige smiled. “He can come next time, and we’ll make a huge plan because you know he’ll want to go big.”

“Does Marc want that?” Eliza asked as she bit into a tea sandwich.

Annabelle nodded. “I think so. Archer said that Marc told him that whatever Archer wants is going to happen.”

I met Annabelle’s gaze. “They seem nice together.”

“They do. Marc is just a lot more reserved than anyone I ever thought would be with Archer.”

“It’s hard for people to marry into the Montgomerys,” Paige muttered.

I had to wonder why it was her saying that and not Eliza and me. Then again, I wasn’t getting married, and Paige was the one bringing somebody else into the family, even if they weren’t engaged yet.

We talked about a few ideas for Archer, and then baby showers, and work and life and TV and just everything. It was a wonderful lunch, and by the time they left, I was exhausted. Yet energy shot through me because I was on my way to my sonogram. I quickly got ready and headed towards my OB, nervous as hell.

Normally I wouldn’t have told the Montgomerys about the pregnancy so quickly. I was only nine weeks along, and that wasn’t enough time for most people to feel comfortable doing so. I had needed to tell Benjamin, and we hadn’t wanted to keep secrets, so that meant we were doing things out of order. That was the label on my relationship with Benjamin. Completely deformed and out of order.

I pulled into the parking lot, and Benjamin was already standing outside, looking down at his phone as he typed quickly. I got my bag and made my way to him. He looked up at me then, his eyes warming for just a second.

My stomach clenched as I looked up at him, and I knew I was in trouble. Just that one look, and I was gone. Damn it, I needed to hold back, rein it in, and yet possibly we’re not letting that happen.

“I got here a bit early since I finished up at one location, but I need to head to the other job right after this. Water main break and the next neighborhood is screwing things up for us.” He leaned down and kissed me softly. “You look pretty. And taste like mint and lemon?”

---