Page 69 of 5+Us Makes Seven

“It was, yes.”

“And you’re not going back.”

“I’m not,” I said.

“Does this have something to do with Carter?” she asked.

“It does.”

“Natasha, you can’t throw this opportunity away on some guy. I’d never seen you happier than when you told me they had contacted you for that position.”

“I know,” I said. “And I’m going to miss them. But some things are more important.”

“Like what?” she asked.

“Like family.”

A grin spread across my cheeks as Emma’s face dropped. I watched her jaw drop as a big grin spread across my face. She leaned over, her eyes dropping to my stomach as I placed my hand over my belly button.

Then, she began to squeal.

“Oh my gosh!”

“I know, right?”

“You’re pregnant!”

“I am,” I said with a smile.

“With Carter’s child?” she asked.

“About two and a half months or so along,” I said.

“Stand up.”

“What?”

“Stand up. Right now,” she said.

I stood from the booth and Emma wrapped her arms tightly around me. She picked me up off my feet this time and twirled me around. People were staring and it looked like a manager was about to come over and tell us to shut up. But I didn’t care. I was pregnant with the child of a man I’d come to care for deeply and my best friend was as happy as she could be for me.

She set me down on my feet before the two of us took our seats again.

“Holy hell, Natasha. You’re going to be a mom.”

“I am,” I said.

“How do you feel about that?”

“It’s not the plan I had for myself, but it’s still a good one.”

“Have you told Carter about it yet?”

“That was the first place I went after I got back into town yesterday. I went and sat on his porch until he and the kids got home.”

“Holy shit. The kids. Do they know?”

“Not yet. We’re waiting until I move in to tell them,” I said.

---