She snorted. “I’ll never be able to say all those words.”
“I can teach you.” I shrugged. “We grow up knowing that song. It’s a dance and everything.”
“Maybe he’d like me to learn that as well. Pre-nap entertainment,” she said wryly, watching as Jacob settled against me, his fingers twining in the star pendant I wore, seemingly content to just play with it for now.
“Better than Netflix,” Inessa agreed with a laugh. “He’s got taste. We might do things oddly to you in the West, but I think we’re pretty cool.”
Innie and I shared a grin, but I just said, “We have to be when it drops to below freezing in the Fall.”
She rolled her eyes. “Har-Har-Har.”
I smirked at her. “I really need a coffee after that. I didn’t expect to start singing today.”
“You never know what’s going to happen when you’ve got kids. Be prepared for every eventuality,” Aoife joked.
Aela nodded. “You’re not wrong. I remember when Shay was that age. Jesus, he kept me up through the night and slept all day. Little monster.” She smiled a little, then patted her stomach. “Speaking of babies, I have news, ladies.”
“No way!” Inessa blurted out. “You’re pregnant? Already?”
Aela shrugged. “The timing is terrible, but is there ever a right time in our world?”
I shook my head because truer words had never been spoken. “Congratulations, Aela.”
She grinned at me, her smile lighting up her eyes. “Thanks.”
Aoife reached over. “Congrats, honey. I bet Declan’s thrilled.”
“He is.” She pulled a face. “It’s not ideal but I’m actually happy about it. I just need to tell Shay. That’s something I’m not looking forward to.”
“There’s almost a ten-year gap between me and Victoria,” I told her softly. “It won’t be easy. I remember being pretty jealous.”
“Well, Shay’s at that stage now where he’s too cool for everything and anything. Especially now he’s at this new school and Brennan and Conor are taking so much interest in him. I’m not fascinating enough anymore,” she grumbled, but she was laughing too. “I’m hoping he won’t be that upset.”
“If he is, he is. At least he can beat the crap out of Brennan if he has to,” I teased.
Aoife waggled her brows. “I still can’t get over the fact our Brennan’smarried. Sheesh. We never saw that coming, did we?” She pointed a finger at Inessa. “And you, not saying a damn thing about it? Girl, what’s that about?”
“I didn’t know!” Inessa defended herself, raising her hand to wave over the waiter.
“We kept things on the downlow,” I demurred as the server came and handed us menus. After we put our orders in, I carried on, “It was all very spontaneous, you know?”
“More romantic than I’d have thought Brennan was capable of,” Aela teased.
“They’re all romantic in their own way,” Aoife argued. “You just have to learn how to see it.”
“You won’t hear me complaining,” Aela retorted. “Just saying it how it is.”
“Look at those rings, though.” Aoife whistled under her breath as she stared at the hand I’d wrapped around Jacob’s belly.
I flushed as Innie teased, “Brennan’s version of a big stamp of ownership.”
“Well, that’s one way of doing it,” Aela said wryly, before she leaned forward. “Forgive me, Camille, but I knew one of Brennan’s girlfriends when I was still in school. She said...” She leaned over the table some more. “...he was really big.”
“Aela!” Aoife chided, but her interested gaze turned my way.
Inessa snorted when I shot her a pleading look. “Well, Cammie, is he?” she teased. “Is he rocking a Hulk dick?”
“It’s not bright green,” I grumbled. “What do you want me to do? Pull out a ruler and measure him?”