Page 82 of When Hearts Awaken

Belle

Well, she’s in for a surprise then.

Belle

Ah crap, I wasn’t supposed to say anything. Dang it, pregnancy brain! Millie, act surprised when someone rings your door in an hour. *wink wink*

She sends a photo of her and Maxwell at the Anderson Estate with the entire gang minus Ryland. Belle is a picture of radiance in her navy dress, her hands cradling her cute baby bump. After experiencing some fertility issues, she and Maxwell went through IVF and got pregnant.

Grace

You are glowing, Belle! OMG I can’t wait to find out if it’s a boy or a girl! Auntie Grace will pamper the shit out of him or her!

Belle

You’re next, Grace. I’m saving all the cute stuff I buy for you guys.

The girls talk about Belle’s pregnancy and baby showers. I’m reminded of the hollow loneliness I felt at Grace’s wedding, akin to standing in the middle of a busy street, feeling lost while everyone dashes toward their next destinations.

My fingers hover over the keyboard, and I swallow the lump in my throat.

Taylor

Happy Thanksgiving, girls. Wish I was there with you guys. I’m partying it up though!

I attach a photo of my drink and the club, hoping they won’t worry about me.

“Is this seat taken?”

Startling, I glance at the guy standing next to me. He looks a few years older, medium build, kind eyes, floppy brown hair. He smiles, looking uncertain, and waves to the stool vacated by Lisa.

My initial reaction is to reject him, to tell him my friend is sitting here, but then I look at my texts again—my friends happy and moving on with their lives at home—then I glance at Dev and Lisa, who are all over each other on the dance floor. I eye the guy, taking in his appearance again. Button-down dress shirt and jeans. A casual messenger bag. He looks friendly enough. A decent-looking nerd.

Nonthreatening.

My body doesn’t heat in his presence, my heart doesn’t skip a beat.

Unlike how it reacts to a certain god of thunder.

Maybe this is a good chance for me to put myself out there with someone who doesn’t make me feel too much.

“It isn’t taken. Go ahead,” I reply.

“Great.” He sits down next to me and extends his hand. “I’m Jan. I haven’t seen you around here before.”

I arch my brow, a frisson of discomfort flowing through me. “Tammy.” No way I’m giving him my real name. “You come out here a lot?”Appearances can be deceiving.Charles’s words before he danced with me at Grace’s wedding echoes in my ear. What if this guy is just like the businessman from all those years ago? That guy didn’t look threatening, but look what happened?

Breathing in, I push the thought away. I’m not inebriated. My friends are here. I’m in a public place. I can handle this.

Jan chuckles. “It’s a popular spot to decompress. What’s the saying? ‘Work hard, party hard?’”

I smile, setting down my drink on the table. He’s leaning toward me, a charming grin on his face. Shaking my head, I reply, “It’s actually ‘work hard, play hard.’”

“Ah, sorry. My English is so so.”

“I understand you just fine.” Something occurs to me and I frown. “Hold on, how come you know I speak English? You didn’t speak to me in Czech first.” The unease flares up in my gut again.

“Ah. I have to confess, I was looking at you for a long time. You stand out, you know? You have a beautiful aura.” He waves his hand over my face. “I heard you and your friends speaking in English.”

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