Bella nods. “Exactly. We’ll do it today, after lunch. Unless you want to leave?”
My burger sits half-finished on the table, but now that I’ve emptied my stomach, I’m feeling hungry again.
“No, actually I’m really hungry. Is that weird? I mean, I just vomited up my breakfast, so I guess it makes some sense?”
Bells merely laughs gently.
“Eat as much as you want, honey. Take your time.”
With that, I take a huge bite of the burger and groan as delicious juices squirt all over my tongue. This really is one of the most delicious burgers I’ve ever had, and for good measure, I pop a couple fries into my mouth too.
“I could always eat a lot after I got sick, too,” Bella says, a bit enviously. “But now I’m trying to lose the baby weight.”
“No!” I exclaim. “Bells, you look amazing! Is my dad …?”
My friend shakes her head ruefully.
“No, Marcus loves that I’ve put on thirty pounds, and he says that I should keep the extra weight, actually. But when I look on Instagram, there are so many fit mom accounts where the women have six packs mere months after giving birth!”
I snort derisively.
“Photoshop. That’s all I’m going to say.”
My friend laughs, a little ruefully.
“I hope so.”
But then I grow serious.
“I’m going to need you if I really am pregnant,” I admit in a low voice. “Especially if Hunter doesn’t want the child. I think I want to keep the baby, and I can’t do this on my own.”
Bella reaches over to squeeze my hand once again, eyes full of emotion. “I’m not going anywhere, Faith. You’ve got me, and you’ve got your dad. I’m going to be the best aunty.”
I think for a moment.
“You know, technically you’d be the grandmother, not the aunt.”
Bella tosses a fry at me. “Oh, shut up.”
I giggle. “I’m just saying…”
“I swear if this child calls me Grandma I might have a heart attack. I’m only twenty, girlfriend!” my friend protests.
I laugh. “Okay, okay. I’ll make sure the baby calls you Aunty Bells, just like we always talked about.”
“Thank God,” she grumps.
We continue with our lunch and talk about anything and everything under the sky, but the entire time, my mind keeps wandering back to the potential pregnancy. What will Hunter say? What will he do? There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to ask.
8
Hunter
* * *
I kiss Faith on the cheek. “You look beautiful, darling.”
I put my hand on hers to stop my girlfriend from fidgeting with her dress. She’s been doing this since we left my house, and now we’re sitting in my truck in front of the Medina Grand Hotel.
I know Faith is nervous about her mother’s wedding, and I get it. Samantha seems like a handful, but my girlfriend is over-the-top nervous. Is there something else on her mind?
Thankfully, the beautiful brunette is getting a lot better with her confidence. I think she believes me when I tell her how great she looks, and when I compliment her curves. I’m glad, because I’m telling the truth, especially on today of all days. The light pink, low-cut dress she’s wearing has my cock twitching and my fingers dying to take it right off her.
“Thank you, Hunter,” Faith says quietly. “I’m sorry for being such a wreck. I guess my mother still does that to me,” she says in a trembling voice.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I get it. Today’s going to be a challenge, but that’s why I’m here by your side.”
Faith sighs, blowing out air between her plush lips.
“I know, and thank you again. But my mom – well, Samantha’s still crazy, let’s put it that way. I can’t believe she rented out such a huge ballroom for such a tiny wedding. If I’d known it was only going to be us, the bride and groom, and one of the groom’s friends, I never would have accepted the invitation. Ugh.” We’ve gone over this a few times since Faith found out about the minuscule guest list. “I should have guessed,” my girlfriend continues. “My mom doesn’t have any friends, and as a result, there’s no one to invite. It’s a miracle I’m even here, and I’m her daughter.”
“This will be good for you,” I rumble in a low voice, squeezing her hand again. “Challenges make us stronger.”
Faith sighs. “I hope so. But I wish my dad were here, just to have someone else. Anybody else!”
I chuckle low in my throat.
“Yeah, but it would’ve been awkward for an ex-husband to show up today of all days, don’t you think?”
Faith lets out another exasperated sigh.
“I know, I just would feel better with another target to take some of Samantha’s fire. This is going to be awful.”
I squeeze her hand. “Don’t worry, you’ve got me. I’ll be there.”
Faith finally looks up at me, a small smile on her lips. “I’m lucky to have you, Hunter. Thank you for coming, even after everything I’ve told you about my insane family.”