Page 49 of If the Ring Fits

She smiles. “That should give us plenty of room to accommodate all your wishes.”

The following question is what those wishes are, prompting me to be careful not to replicate my ideas for the actual wedding. At my blank expression, she inquires if I have a wedding planner and gets hired for the job immediately. Next, Sophie rolls me through options for both the wedding and the engagement party. We agree on a sunset event at the beach on 12 July for the party. And for the wedding, I give in to all myGossip Girlfantasies and ask for a Central Park ceremony on 20 September.

Sophie assures me she has the perfect location at the Hamptons already in mind and a backup in case that one is taken and that she’ll apply for the ceremony permits through the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation right away to secure the best spot.

From venues, we move on to the invitations. Sophie tells me not to stress and that from the past parties she threw for the Harrises she has a list of all the important banking people that must be included in the participations, but to give her an additional list of family and friends on both sides.

That last statement leaves me in a slight panic. I’m not sure what to do with my family. Do I tell my parents the truth? No, I can’t. It’d be better for them to think that I got married, had a baby, and got divorced than to know I’m faking the whole thing and the baby daddy is not even in the picture. Liam. Just like that, another thought I’ve been shoving at the back of my mind barrels down on me.

Cold sweat pools under my armpits as another thought Ican’t cope with creeps in. Sophie leaves the house with a promise that we’ll start planning the wedding soon. As soon as she’s gone, I text my best friends to see if they can meet me after work. We’ve texted a few times since I moved in with Adrian, but I’ve been kind of avoiding them. Sometimes it’s easier to fully get on board with this new life and pretend even with myself that I’m happily engaged.

Hunter is the first to reply.

Hunt

If you’ve changed your mind, we can kick Dylan out of the third bedroom, he hasn’t set up the office yet

Right there. It’s difficult to be around people who try to be supportive but who clearly disapprove of my choices. I text back that I haven’t changed my mind but still need to talk to them.

A few hours later, I stare at Adrian’s buzzer, finger hovering over the lobby button. Asking his personal driver to chauffeur me around Manhattan feels so pretentious. But exhaustion drags at my limbs and the lingering morning sickness that gets past the new medication makes the idea of navigating the subway seem insurmountable. Sighing, I buzz for Sam to bring the car around even if I feel like an impostor putting on airs after a mere week into this extravagant life of luxuries.

I grab my purse and a light cardigan—for the air conditioning in the car, which Sam keeps to polar levels. He is already waiting by the curb by the time I get out, dapper asalways in his black uniform. Sam opens the rear door with a smile. “Good afternoon, Miss Taylor. Where to?”

“Please, Sam, just call me Rowena.” I slide into the backseat, rattling off the cross streets.

As we weave through traffic, I stare out the darkened window and let my mind wander. It’s been only a week since I’ve seen Nina and Hunter. But after years of sharing a house, it feels like an eternity. I miss the easy intimacy of our friendship, the way we used to talk about anything and everything curled up on the couch with ice cream and wine. Now there’s this huge, invisible barrier between us. And it’s my fault. I’ve barely texted them, and only to give them proof of life. My excuse has been that between the ring shopping and the weekend at the Hamptons I’ve been too busy. But really, I sense their disapproval and it makes me pull away.

“Here we are,” Sam announces, pulling up to the curb. “Just call when you’re ready to be picked up.”

“Thank you so much, Sam.” I open the door myself before he can come around and do it for me, and exit.

A heartbeat later, the car merges back into traffic. I watch it disappear from the sidewalk, suddenly feeling awkward and out of place in my old neighborhood. The summer weather is perfect—hot and sunny but dry for once and not sticky. I should enjoy it, be excited to see my best friends and catch up. Instead, nerves twist in my stomach.

Tugging self-consciously at my skirt, I make my way around the corner.

Nina and Hunter are already seated at one of the small outdoor tables of our favorite café, heads together as they talk. At the sight of them, looking so wonderfully familiar, a bit of the tension eases from my shoulders. I’m still me. They’re still them. We’ll figure this out.

“Rowena!” Nina spots me first, leaping up to envelop me in a tight hug. “Oh my gosh, look at you! You’re glowing!”

“Hey mama.” Hunter grins, stepping in for her own hug as soon as Nina releases me. “Growing a tiny human looks good on you.”

My eyes mist over at their enthusiastic welcome. For a moment I just cling to Hunter, so damn grateful to have them in my life.

“I missed you guys,” I mumble against her shoulder.

“Missed you, too,” Nina says, guiding me into a chair. “We want to know everything. How are you feeling? How’s the baby? And Adrian?”

I draw in a lungful of steadying air, letting it out slowly as I answer in the cheeriest voice I can muster. “I’m good. Better. Adrian got me the best OB in the city, so that’s been great. I’m just tired a lot. But less… stressed, I guess?”

They frown at my interrogative tone so I reassure them that the pregnancy is going well and that Adrian has been nothing but considerate and helpful. I’m purposely leaving out the part where my pulse skyrockets out of control whenever I’m near him.

Once the typical catch-up chatter dies down, I broach the subject I’ve been both dreading and desperate to discuss. “So, I wanted your advice on something.” I fiddle with a paper napkin, not quite meeting their eyes. Still feeling their expectant gazes on me. “Do you think I should tell Liam about the baby?”

Nina’s eyebrows shoot up and Hunter makes a choking sound.

“Absolutely not!” Nina declares. “That jerk lost all rights to know anything about your life the second he started manipulating and gaslighting you.”

Hunter nods in fervent agreement. “Winnie, that guy is bad news. All he ever did was make you doubt yourself and feel small. What if Liam were the same with the baby? Don’t invite that toxicity back in.”

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