Page 90 of Wicked Rockstar

I held up the paperback as though that was proof I read it and giggled. “Oh. Yeah. Sorry. I’m nervous and trying hard not to be weird. I loved it.”

Ruby picked up both glasses and leaned in conspiratorially. “Can I share a secret with you?”

“Uh, sure,” I whispered back, not even sure why since Ruby was talking at a normal volume.

“All the best people are.” She had the greatest smile. It put me at ease.

“Are what?” I frowned.

She chuckled. “Weird, of course.”

I laughed with her. “You’re right.”

We made our way back to the group. I chose the seat on the other side of Ana and gave a tiny wave to the ladies at the table.

“This is Trissa,” Ana introduced me and then pointed at each woman around the table as she said their name. “You know Lexi and Ruby, that’s Ashlyn and Harper. Jenn, Lily, Wren, and my sister Elsie couldn’t make it. We’re just waiting for?—”

As though they timed it just right, the door flew open and bounced on the wall behind it. The furious ringing of the bell filled the room, chastising the newcomers.

“I’m here. The party can start,” a honey-sultry voice announced. Everything about this newcomer screamed money and class. Her raven-colored beach waves framed her face and contrasted with the pastel minidress that fit her curvy figureflawlessly. She grinned. I wondered if Lexi had a hand in choosing her wardrobe.

“Jess, you’re ridiculous.” Hazel slipped in after her and stopped short. “Tris?”

“Hi, Hazel.” I loved that I had another friendly face I knew here.

Jess tossed her coat and purse on a chair before making her way to the beverage table. “Ha! Got to love the two degrees of separation in Little Rhody.”

Jess wasn’t wrong. While I agreed with her that this was beyond crazy, out of all the people I’d met when I returned to the state, three of them were in this book club. It was like someone had a hand in my life and was creating ways to put these amazing women into it.

Maybe our friendships were meant to be. And maybe my fanciful thoughts were better reserved for fairytales, but I couldn’t deny that this gathering zinged with something magical.

“Jareth had a meeting tonight with Killian. If I’d known you’d be here, I’d have offered to pick you up.” Hazel sat beside me and rubbed her little baby bump. “Hey, Jess, can you bring me a glass of water, please?”

I frowned. “A meeting with Jareth? He just said he was hanging out with the guys we grew up with.”

Hazel froze for the barest second, then gave me a forced smile. “Yeah, he started hanging out with them a few years or so ago at their monthly meetups.”

Monthly meetups?That was more than what he’d told me. “That’s weird. He’s never mentioned knowing Jareth personally outside of work.”

Hazel shrugged, suddenly fixated on the water Jess had brought her and gulped it down. “I’m sure he doesn’t want people to think he’ll get special treatment, since they’re friends.”

It was weird to think Jareth had friends. He was so closed off, and honestly terrifying at times. “I guess.” I ran my fingers absentmindedly over the bracelet Killian had given me. One I hadn’t taken off since it arrived.

“How are you feeling?” Jess asked Hazel in between sips.

Hazel gleamed radiance. The smile that was always quick to burst across her face returned. “Good. I’m not as nauseous now at fifteen weeks, but having to get up and pee all night isn’t helping. Why doesn’t anyone tell you the second you test positive this happens? I seriously thought it was later in pregnancy.”

Jess rubbed Hazel’s belly. “I need my godchild and their mama to be treated like the royalty they are. Do I need to talk to my BFF about not pampering you enough?”

A wry smile twisted Hazel’s lips. “Trust me, pampering isn’t the problem. I’ve had to remind Jareth that I can do things for myself almost every day. You know him. He’s overprotective times a million.”

Harper, the pretty redhead across the table, laughed. “How shocking.” Her tone told me it wasn’t, and that everyone at this table likely had Jareth’s number and knew how he felt about Hazel. “I said the same thing when I was pregnant with Harmony about peeing all the time.”

“Not what I wanted to hear.” Hazel grumbled in sympathy before asking, “How old is she now?”

“She just turned two. When they say time flies, they’re not kidding. It feels like I just had her yesterday.” She pulled out her phone and showed us pictures of the most adorable dark-haired toddler. “She’s got her daddy and my whole family wrapped around her little finger. So much so that Lincoln has been hinting we should try for another one.”

It wasn’t until she mentioned her partner’s name that a wriggling began at the back of my mind. Did she mean—? Thenshe stopped on a picture of her daughter with a gorgeous man that I put two and two together. “Lincoln Erickson.” I couldn’t mask the awe in my voice. “He’s gorgeous.” Well, crap. I hadn’t meant to blurt that out. I’d decided a long time ago that the now local movie star was my free pass. Now sitting across from his partner I felt like I might need to find a replacement.

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