“Last time I was at this bar, I’d just been left at the altar,” she said. It was the truth, and she felt like naming it. It had been only a week since that day, but it felt like she’d lived a lifetime in the interim. “And today I delivered Dax Harris’s sister’s baby,” she added.
“Holy crap,” Emma said, one of the advertising women. “I’m not sure I’m cool enough to be hanging out with you.”
Amy grinned. “Nah. Those are the two most dramatic things that have ever happened to me, and they happened within a week of each other.”
“Well, I think you might deserve a drink more than anyone else on this planet,” said Misty, the other woman.
“Yeah,” Danny said, sliding his own margarita toward Amy. “Drink up, and tell us all about this asshole.” He signaled the bartender for another round. “The ex-fiancé, I mean, not the baby.”
Several margaritas later, Amy and her new best friends, having dispensed with Mason rather quickly, had also settled the question of what neighborhood Misty should move to—Amy had signed up to take her condo-hunting. Then they had moved on to flipping through their Pinterest boards, tipsily making cases for certain decor decisions over others for Misty’s hypothetical new place.
Amy’s phone beeped an incoming text in the middle of a monologue from Danny on how black accent walls were the new black.
“Oh!” she exclaimed reflexively. “Look! Here’s the baby I told you about!” It was a picture from Dax along with a text.
Gloria Amy Harris, 6 lbs, 2ozs. Mom and baby at home and doing well.
“Oh my God, her middle name is Amy!” she shrieked. “Do you think that’s after me?”
Cassie snatched the phone out of her hand, and everyone crowded around to study the picture.
“No,” Danny said. “It must be after the other Amy who ushered her safely into the world in the midst of an emergency birth.”
“One thing I would like to know,” Cassie said, setting the phone down on the bar and narrowing her eyes, “is what were you doing at Dax’s house on the island on a Saturday? I thought you two hated each other. That’s one detail you left out of this whole story.”
“We were, ah, paddleboarding.”
“Is that a euphemism for something?” Emma cackled at her own joke.
“What?” Amy said, defensive. “We did kind of hate each other. But we’re friends now. Sort of.”
“I see,” said Cassie, who was looking at Amy’s phone again. “That’s why he wants you to come for family dinner tomorrow night? Meet the parents and all?”
A stupid little thrill ran through Amy as she snatched her phone back. There was indeed a text inviting her to dinner at Kat’s place tomorrow.
Another text arrived. “They just want to thank me,” she said, holding up the phone to show them a text that said as much. “His sister is super…persuasive.” She shrugged and dropped her phone into her bag. She’d reply later. “Anyway, I’m not going.”
“Why not?” Cassie protested, with more vehemence than seemed appropriate for the situation.
Because an evening lusting inappropriately over Dax while surrounded by his happy family feels like torture? “I dunno. Dax and I don’t really get along. Probably not a good idea.”
“You just said you were friends,” Misty said.
“Yeah, well, we’re experiencing a truce. But no need to push it.” Amy hopped off the stool. “I’ve got to go to the ladies’. Back in a sec.”
“Leave your bag on your stool to reserve it,” Danny said. “It’s crazy-crowded. I’ll watch it.”
Apparently “a sec” was too long because when she arrived back at the bar, she found the group huddled over something, whispering.
“Hello?” she said, startling them. “Hey!” she added when she realized the thing they were so intent upon was her phone. “What are you doing?”
Cassie clamped a hand over her mouth and shot Amy a guilty look. Danny bit his lip like he was trying not to laugh. Then he dropped her phone back into her bag and brushed his hands together. “Oh, you know, we just RSVP’d you to dinner tomorrow.”