Page 7 of Knock Me Up

“It kind of is, and it’s hard to explain. I’m thankful that you’re here, though. I need a dress and I was hoping you could help.”

Arnold looks me up and down again. “Yeah, you’re not dressed like someone about to get married.”

“You have dresses at your studio right? For people to wear during photoshoots?”

“Yeah. Isn’t the finest stuff, but it gets the job done.”

“No bride of mine will have to resort to secondhand gowns,” Luke declares. “I’ll arrange for you to have one properly fitted.”

“Doesn’t that take weeks or months?” I question Luke.

“Not if you grease the wheels in the right places. I’ll make some phone calls. And I want you to make some phone calls too. We need to fill this church by tonight if we’re going to do this wedding justice.”

I let out a long breath. “Are you sure you don’t just want to do a quickie and keep it between us?”

“No. If I’m getting married, Piper, I want the world to know. No secrecy. I’m calling my people, and I want you to call yours.”

I nod. I guess that's what he wants. It’s only slightly more absurd than Olivia’s wedding. She got married in a courthouse and then invited everyone out for a ceremony a month later. Why not just have the ceremony on the same day and save time?

“Go ahead and do your preparations, Arnold. We’ll be back sooner rather than later.”

“Can’t believe you’re getting married just like that. But hey, congratulations.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

After a little conferring with Luke and listening to him call a designer, I go outside the church and sit on the bench. My ride to the designer’s studio will be here soon, but I still have to call up my friends. I figure I’ll start with Olivia, since her bad influence is why I’m in this delightful mess in the first place.

She picks up immediately. “Piper? How’ve you been?”

We’ve spoken less since she got married. Her new husband has been running her ragged, spoiling her and giving her lots of... let’s just call it exercise. “Uh, I’m fine. How about you?”

“Just got the results back from the doctor. I’m pregnant!”

“Oh! That’s wonderful!” I say. “And thus, you’re on the road to fulfilling your half of the pact.”

“Yeah, I’m both surprised and not that it happened so quickly. We’ve been going at it like rabbits, but at the same time, I worried it might take forever to get knocked up.”

“Guess you got a long nine months ahead of you.”

“Nothing bad yet. Just some queasiness. A little Pepto clears that right up. I honestly wouldn’t have known this early if I wasn’t taking regular tests.”

Translation: she and Cameron have been fucking like it’s going out of style.

“Well, I guess you’ll be abstaining from the celebratory champagne tonight, then.”

“Hmm? What are we celebrating?”

“I’m, uh...” I nibble on my lips. Despite her literally doing the same thing two months ago, I’m hesitating because I still feel foolish. “I’m getting married, Olivia.”

She squeals in delight. “That’s fantastic! Who’s the lucky man? Is it that Arnold guy?”

“Ew, no. Dating Arnold would be like dating my brother. Plus you know he’s going to pop the question to Angela any day now.”

“Yeah. Had my doubts, and you’re no homewrecker. Then who?”

“Luke Black.”

“Never heard of him.”

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