Page 96 of Where We Met

"Has she been getting sick a lot?" Alexis asks.

"Every day for weeks now. I just want it to be over so she can enjoy this pregnancy."

"How far along is she?" Gabe asks.

"Eleven weeks."

"Well, it should be over soon," Ma offers.

"That's what the doctor said," I tell her. "I'm hoping."

"Well, I say we offer up a toast," Pa says as he holds up his wine. "To our newest addition to the family. We'll be waiting anxiously to meet you."

"Hear, hear!" Marcus shouts. "To Savannah and Luke."

We clink our glasses together. It feels good to finally get the news out to the family. Savannah has been struggling at work to keep on an act, pretending to feel fine when she's been anything but.

"This makes sense now," Mia says. "I thought she has had the stomach bug or something with all the time she's been spending in the bathroom at work."

I wince. "Yeah, work's been rough for her."

"You need to tell her she is to stay home for the next week and get some rest," Gabe interjects authoritatively. "I don't want her pushing herself too hard."

"I tried. Maybe now she'll listen since the news is out."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it," he says like it's a done deal.

Gabe does know how to get what he wants. If he tells Savannah she needs to rest, she's going to rest.

After we finish dinner, we help Ma load the dishwasher and then file into the family room where Savannah is resting. She seems a little better now, though she still looks tired.

Alexis and Ma join her on the couch while Pa and Marcus play with Joey and Sienna on the floor.

"Did Mia tell you what Mr. Hansley said?" Gabe whispers over his shoulder.

I tense up at the mention of his name. "Fucking Marcus needs to learn to keep it in his pants. I can't believe he slept with Mr. Hansley's friend's daughter."

Mr. Hansley is a large client of ours out of Chicago, who is pretty furious with what he thinks our brand represents. Apparently, Marcus slept with his friend's daughter and then ghosted her. I don't know the whole story, but I do know he's hosting a big charity event, one of our wines will be the star of the menu that night…if Marcus doesn't fuck it up somehow in the meantime.

"He said he wants to see Marcus prove to him that he's a man worth doing business with," Gabe mutters. "I don't know what the hell to do about that. This guy is acting old school, like our personal lives reflect how we do business."

"Marcus isn't gonna like this," I tell him.

"Well, tough shit. The guy needs to learn to keep it in his pants for once. Now it's affecting our business."

"I have an idea," Mia whispers, making me jump enough to almost spill the contents of my coffee all over myself.

"Geez, Mia. You're such a creeper," I mutter under my breath.

"Oh, please, you two gossips over here are less than subtle."

Gabe rolls his eyes at her. "What's your idea?"

"We tell him the truth like grown-ass adults and stop whispering in the corner about it like little children."

"We're just trying to protect him," I defend.

"Well, he's his own person. He doesn't need protecting. We just need to tell him what's going on this week. He can take it, and he might even figure out how to clear it all up on his own."

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