Page 30 of While We Waited

“She wasn’t lonely,” I insist. “She had us. What else could she need?”

Maya points to Chloe and Lucas standing with his parents. “Him. She needed him.”

Sophia sighs. “Since Chloe’s found love, there’s no one around to make fun of Maya’s romantic tendencies.”

Good. I’m glad. No one should make fun of Maya. She pretends it doesn’t bother her, but I know it does. How could it not after how her parents acted?

Paisley studies the seating chart. “Our table is over there.”

“Meet ya there. I’ll get the drinks.” Sophia skips off to the bar where Flynn happens to be.

“She’s going to be a while,” I mutter as I weave my way through the tables to ours. I read the nametags until I find my spot. I scowl when I notice who’s seated next to me. “Why is Hudson invited?”

“He’s a client,” Paisley says.

“It’s a huge account.” As the financial wizard ofFive Fathoms Brewing, Maya is well aware of how big an account the resort is.

Which is why I kept bothering Hudson to try our beers. Not to mention how much it bugged me that the biggest hotel on the island didn’t want to carry beer from the local brewery. It was an insult. An insult I had no plans to accept.

My stomach flutters and I place a hand over it. Maybe I should have accepted the insult and walked away after all.

No. I will never regret baby Sprog. A sliver of panic weaves its way through my veins but I shove it away. I refuse to panic about Sprog’s chance of survival during Chloe’s surprise party.

“Here, we go.” Sophia arrives with a bottle of champagne and four glasses.

I hold up my hand when she tries to hand a glass to me. “I’m driving.”

“And she hasn’t been feeling well,” Maya adds.

I smile to hide my annoyance. She’s not supposed to tell anyone I haven’t been feeling well. Although I didn’t make her promise to keep quiet. Maybe I should have.

Sophia hands me a glass of ginger ale. “Here you go, spoilsport.”

“I’m not a spoilsport.”

“No, she’s not.” Paisley points to my stomach. “She’s pregnant.”

I gasp. “How do you know?”

Sophia slams her glass on the table. “It’s true? Why does Paisley know and I don’t?”

Maya holds up her hand. “I didn’t know either. I mean, I suspected. But I didn’t actually know.”

Sophia narrows her eyes on Maya. “You suspected?”

Maya motions to me. “She’s been throwing up every morning at work. Haven’t you noticed?”

And here I thought I was keeping my morning vomiting sessions a secret. I guess not.

“I have,” Paisley says. “I also noticed she hasn’t been drinking. Not even champagne to celebrate our friend’s marriage, which could only mean one thing.”

I might as well admit it. “I’m pregnant.”

“Yes.” She nods. “The question I want to know the answer to is who is the father of your baby.”

“You’re pregnant! Who the fuck is the father?” Hudson shouts, and I cringe. Where did he come from? “Were you fucking him when we were together?”

I stand to face him. “Can you please stop shouting the f-word?”

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