Page 74 of While We Waited

“This is a new non-alcoholic beer. It’s a New England IPA. Since a NEIPA has a fruitier profile, it lends itself to a non-alcoholic variant more than a regular IPA.”

“And now you know why I allowed Paisley behind my bar,” Chloe mutters.

Sophia elbows her. “It’s not your bar. It’s our bar.”

“I don’t go on our Instagram account and post stuff, do I? Because you’d go mermaid on my ass.”

“I wouldn’t go mermaid on your ass.”

“Really?” Chloe raises her eyebrows. “You didn’t threaten to steal my phone when I posted a picture before?”

“You posted an image of you trying to pole dance while you were drunk. Drunken shenanigans is not the esthetic I’m going for.”

“Your images are boring.”

“Because no one’s falling down drunk?”

“Yes!” Chloe cheers. “Exactly.”

“Poor Lucas,” Sophia says. “I don’t know how he deals with you.”

Chloe grins. “He loves me.”

“Speaking of love.” Maya points to me. “Someone is freaking out because she just realized she loves Hudson.”

Crap on a rumrunner. I thought they’d forgotten all about me. I should be so lucky.

“This beer is good,” I tell Paisley.

She pushes her glasses up her nose. “You haven’t even tasted it yet.”

I try a sip. “Yum. It’s fruity but not too fruity. It still tastes of beer.”

“It’s cute you think you can change the subject,” Maya says.

I purse my lips. “The subject is the beer. We’re here to taste test Paisley’s latest creations.”

“No. We’re here to make sure you aren’t freaking out after you realized you love Hudson.”

“I’m not freaking out.”

“You aren’t? You’re not already packing your suitcases in your head?”

“As long as I’m carrying his baby, Hudson will follow me wherever I go.”

Maya sighs. “I never thought the big, bad football hero would be romantic.”

I wish I was her. Excited for romance. But I’m not. I’m too worried about what my loving Hudson means for him.

I’m going to lose him. I lose everyone I love.

I’m sorry, Hudson.

Chapter 25

Bribery – is A-OK with Nova as long as she gets what she wants

Nova

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