“Carter and I have an announcement to make.” I set my eyes on Penelope. “In light of the upcoming events tomorrow and not wanting to take away from your special day, we didn’t want to do this tonight, but I also wanted to do it when Taylor was here. Unfortunately, we’ve got no choice but to do it now.”
I look at Carter, my lips curving into a small smile, before looking at each person in the room.
“We’re pregnant.”
I expect everyone to be shocked with the news, but that’s not what I get. It’s actually the opposite.
“It’s about time you told us. Keeping that secret has been hard,” Camila says, grabbing her glass and taking a sip of her wine.
“I know right,” Jersey inserts. “There’s been so many times I almost slipped up.”
Camila nods. “Me too.”
I look at everyone else, and no one seems to be surprised, except Taylor and Asa. Asa doesn’t really count, because he’s a man and men don’t get excited over things like this, unless it’s their own child.
“How am I the last person to know?” Taylor complains.
“Because you weren’t here,” Penelope answers. “And you can’t keep a secret to save your life.”
Taylor pouts and flips Penelope the middle finger.
“Real mature,” Penelope responds.
I sit there with my mouth hanging open, unsure what in the hell is going on. I snap my teeth together.
“Wait a minute,” I say, my brows forming a crease. “You guys knew?”
Everyone nods, except Taylor, who grumbles, “I didn’t.”
“How in the world could any of you know? We haven’t told anyone.” I look at Carter. “You haven’t said anything, right?”
“No.”
Penelope gets up from her side of the table and walks around to mine. She’s a few weeks further along than I am, and you can see the roundness of her belly through her cream-colored top. Once she’s in front of me, she grabs my hand.
“We knew because you make it so obvious. You’re constantly touching your stomach, and only a woman who is growing a baby does that. I know because I do the same. And we didn’t say anything because we figured there was a reason why you hadn’t told us. We were giving you the chance to tell us yourself.”
“And it sure took you long enough,” Camila says.
Penelope continues, ignoring her. “And you know better than to think I would mind you announcing you were pregnant the day before my wedding. I wouldn’t care if you stopped the ceremony to announce something like that.”
I laugh. “And you know better than to think I would do that.”
“I’m just excited that we’ll be having our babies so close together.” Penelope’s smile is big and lights her whole face.
We both look over at Camila and Taylor, our thoughts moving in the same direction.
“Do you remember when we were little what we said we were going to do?” I ask our sisters.
Camila’s eyes widen and she shakes her head rapidly. “Nope. Sorry. Not happening. At least not this soon.”
“I’m with Camila. Morning sickness and living on a bus don’t mix well. Maybe when you two have your second child.”
When we were kids, we made a pact that the four of us would get pregnant at the same time so our children would be close. Realistically, I now know the chances of that happening are slim, but I still hope one day to make it possible.
“Fine.” I point at the two of them. “But you better be ready by then. I want all of our babies to grow up together and be best friends.”
Penelope pulls me in for a hug, and I get the same from Camila, Taylor, and Jersey. The men shake hands with Carter and offer their congratulations.
I’m still surrounded by my sisters when I overhear Wesley ask Carter, “When are you and my sister getting married?”
His question surprises me, and kinda ticks me off. Not that marrying Carter is a terrible idea, but the last thing I want is for him to feel like he has to marry me. I would only accept a proposal from him if I knew he was asking because he loved me and wanted me for myself, not because of the child I’m carrying.
I keep my eyes on my sisters and smile absently at whatever they’re saying. I’m dying to hear Carter’s answer, and just as I hear the rumble of his deep voice, Taylor laughs loudly at something somebody says, blocking out whatever he said.
I swear I could strangle the woman.