Page 29 of Seven of Hearts

“Knock, knock!” The front door opened and closed with the greeting of a familiar voice as Kylie let herself in.

“In here,” I called out.

Kylie poked her head in. “How’s it going, Mama?”

“Shush!” I whispered, with my finger to my lips.

She raised her eyebrows. “The kids don’t know?”

“I think they’re getting suspicious. I’m trying to hold out a little longer.”

Kylie joined me at the kitchen table. “You still haven’t told anyone else?”

I told your brother.But I didn’t say that out loud. Then again, Kylie was technically the one who had told Logan. I had simply confirmed it.

The secret was eating me alive. It turned my insides to stone every time I saw Kylie. Every time she asked how I was feeling or offered her help. The guilt was crushing me. But considering she was still speaking to me, I guessed that Logan and Will hadn’t told her yet.

“No, there’s no reason to. I’ll tell the DeRossis and the Lawsons when it gets a little closer so we can work out the schedule for my maternity leave. I go to doctor’s appointments while the kids are at school, so it doesn’t mess with my day-to-day.”

She cocked her head. “You haven’t told your parents?”

I glared at her. “You know damn well why I haven’t told them yet.”

Kylie sighed. “Maybe they’ll take it well.”

“And maybe pigs will sprout wings and fly,” I countered.

Neither of us said anything else about it. We both knew my mother would lose her mind, and my father would hem and haw about me ruining my life. And heaven forbid they find out who the father is...That would be World War III.

“What brings you by?” I asked, changing the subject.

Kylie glanced around. “Hannah Jane has a set of swatch books she’s letting me borrow for a client. She said she had set them out for me.”

Under Hannah Jane Lawson’s tutelage, Kylie had also gone into luxury event planning. They were competitors, but often collaborated and shared resources.

“I think I remember seeing them in the living room,” I said as I eased out of the chair and let out a breath.

A clatter rose up from the kitchen. It sounded like pots and pans banging around.

“Everything okay in there?” I called out.

“We’re fine!” Gio and Ellie said in tandem.

Kylie snickered. “They’re so cute.”

“Literally the best kids ever,” I said as I rested my hand on the bump that had seemingly popped up overnight.

It was still small, but with the weather still leaning toward summer and t-shirts and tank tops being the only climate-comfortable options, it was a little more evident. Hopefully, the temperatures would drop before I really started showing. I could hide the bump a little longer beneath chunky sweaters and coats.

“I bet yours is going to be just as awesome,” Kylie said as we walked into the foyer. “You do such a good job with kids. I need you to give me pointers when the time comes for Bryan and me.”

I laughed. “You’ll be fine. But y’all will have to hurry up the baby-making if you want our kids to grow up together. You’re a few months behind.”

“How cool would it be if you had a boy and I had a girl and then they grew up together like Gio and Ellie and fell in love?” Kylie said wistfully.

Not cool at all. They would be cousins.

“Don’t rush it,” I squeaked out in a panic. “Enjoy newlywed bliss.”

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