Page 52 of The Man I Love

“Me?” she stopped innocently. “Or do you mean Samantha?”

Samantha paused with an apple slice halfway to her mouth.Why in the world would Renee call her out when their mission had been damage control?

“Pregnancy bladder,” Renee blurted out.

What the hell?Sam’s eyes widened.

Renee took a chip from Tristan’s plate and popped it into her mouth. “You think you have everything under control, then BAM! They kick you in the ribs.” She dug a finger into Tristan’s side. “Just about there.”

Phin grinned and smothered his mouth with his hand to hide his amusement.

Renee began filling her own plate with food, and Sam turned to the refrigerator, wanting to crawl into it and hide.

“I once peed my pants in a grocery store parking lot,” Renee began. “One sneeze is all it took.

Sam coughed, knowing Renee was trying to be helpful, but she wanted to strangle her!

Phin stood from his seat, hoisting Sophia higher onto his shoulder as he stared at Tristan with an amused, yet sympathetic expression. “Welp,” he said as he patted Sophia on the back. “You done? Want to go see my garage?”

Tristan still had a full plate of food in front of him but was suddenly on his feet. “Sure,” he said. “Lead the way, brother.” But as he passed Samantha by the refrigerator, she swore his eyes shifted down to her crotch.

Samantha waited until they were alone, then slammed the refrigerator door closed and turned to Renee. “I’m going to kill you!”

Renee covered her mouth, barely able to suppress her giggles as she bent at the waist. “Oh my God, did you see their faces?”

Sam walked toward the counter, leaned her back against it, and slinked down to the floor. “He thinks I peed my pants,” she said in disbelief. “He totally thinks I wet myself.”

Renee folded on the floor, her arms gripping her stomach as she laughed with hysterics.

Sam was unsure if she wanted to murder her best friend, disown her, or laugh along with her.

“They just...” Renee stammered out. “Then you…”

“You planned that,” Sam said in exasperation. “You had me change into this dress knowing you were going to tell them I peed my pants.”

Renee wheezed, gulping in air. “I swear I didn’t!” she sucked in another breath. “It just came out! I had to come up with something. Are you mad?”

Sam crossed her arms at her chest, but Renee’s manic giggles became contagious. “I’m glad you find this so amusing.” Shesmiled, then a giggle escaped her, even though she tried her hardest to hold it in. She had to admit, the sight of Phin and Tristan so flustered had beenquiteamusing.

Renee rolled to her back, her eyes locking on the ceiling as she held her aching stomach. “Phin says I only laugh like this when I’m with you.”

Sam smiled, then stretched her legs out in front of her, and Renee adjusted to lay her head in Samantha’s lap. It was true. They always laughed––a little harder, and a little sillier––than with anyone else in existence.

“Damn I’m going to miss you.” Renee sobered, turning to her side to put her hand on Sam’s belly.

They stayed like that for hours, talking about everything and nothing until it was time to leave. Sam cried the entire way back to the highway––knowing it would be months before she saw Renee again.

Tristan gave her space. Not commenting on her emotions, even when her tears became audible blubbers. With a tissue to her nose, Sam grabbed the binder out of her bag, and flipped to her TBR list in the back, and picked out her next audiobook: Ina May Gaskin, Guide to Childbirth.

They’d left not even thirty minutes before, yet Sam was already feeling miserable. In the short drive back to the highway, her lower back had already adhered to the vinyl seat, and the space between her boobs and belly had begun to sweat.

She placed her earbuds in her ears, closed her eyes, and pressed play on her book.

“You okay,” Tristan asked, when she picked up the binder and began fanning herself with it.

She peeked one eye open and looked at him. “I’m hot.”

He reached toward the dash, directing his airflow in her direction. “I can see that.”

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