Tessa's brows lift. “You look ready to vomit because you’re super hungry?” she asks.
I shrug and let my eyes fall away as I struggle to chew. Do I look ready to vomit? I mean, I don’t feel sick, but okay, if Tessa asks me how CJ’s dick rides, I just might throw up a little.
She’s Reed’s best friend. She’ll definitely tell him what I did.
“Riley, Riley, Riley.”
The sound of my name being taunted lifts my gaze. I look at Tessa, watching the shake of her head and that all-knowing smile twist into something that makes me want to squirm in my seat, but she cuts me a break and shifts her attention to Beth. “So, what’s up with you?” she asks, leaning forward and dropping her elbows on the table. “Your text to all of us made it seem like you had big news to share. Spill it, Tennyson. We’re all here now.”
Beth smiles big at Tessa, and I know it’s in reaction to hearing her new last name. She’s so happy being Reed’s wife. “It did?” she questions, head cocked and lips pressing together.
“You used shouty caps, Bethie. And like, four exclamation points,” Tessa explains. “I know you have news.”
“I was just really wanting us all to hang out, that’s all.”
Straight-faced, Tessa looks from Beth, to myself, to Mia, and then back to Beth. Her eyes narrow. “Everyone at this table is a liar,” she mumbles before reaching for another chip.
“I sort of have news,” Mia throws out, then waves off Tessa when she shows an interest. “You already know about it. Nolan and his girlfriend?”
Tessa rolls her eyes through a smile. “Six-years-old and already pussy-whipped.”
“Stop it,” Mia scolds, giggling. “It’s really sweet.” She gives me her eyes then. “Nolan met this little girl at that wedding we went to a couple of weeks ago. He followed her around the whole time, and now he’s like, completely obsessed. He calls her his princess. Princess Ryan.”
“Aw.” I smile. “That’s so cute.”
“Is he still sending her pictures he draws?” Tessa asks.
“Yep.” Mia nods. “Everyday. I told him to space them out a little, but he won’t. He’s using up all of my stamps.”
“They were adorable together at the wedding,” Beth throws out. “Do you remember her dad? I thought he was going to have a heart attack. He kept giving Nolan looks.”
“Smart man,” Tessa says, a wicked gleam in her eye. “Those Kelly boys are trouble.”
Mia gives Tessa a playful shove, then she turns back to me, keeping her smile. “Did Reed tell you about the party we’re having? We planned it that weekend. Have you spoken to him?”
I shake my head. “No. Not recently.”
“It’s the last Saturday of July at our house,” Mia shares. “Just a little get-together. All of us and our boys. I’d love for you to come.”
“Really?” I ask.
Mia laughs at my shock. “Of course.” She squeezes my hand that’s on the table and leans closer to me, holding all kinds of meaning in her eyes. “You’re one of us now,” she says.
I’m one of them. A fourth to their girl’s night. Part of their tight group of friends.
Finally.
I smile at her, loving how that sounds. “Okay. I’ll definitely be there.”
“Great.” She gives my hand one last squeeze before releasing it.
“McGill’s can provide the food, if you want,” Beth announces. “I know you’re not having a huge party or anything, but still. I can talk to my uncle about it.”
“Really? That would be great. We could do like, a bunch of sides with burgers,” Mia suggests. “Thanks, Beth.”
“No problem.” Beth takes a sip of her water, sets it down, and looks around the table, keeping her hand wrapped around her glass. “So, I sort of have something to share.”
“I knew it.” Tessa rolls her eyes. “Let me guess. Reed is allowing you to tie him up now. His kink goes both ways, doesn’t it?” She rests her chin on her hand and wiggles her brows.
“Gross,” I mumble, scrunching up my face.
Maybe hanging out with this group wasn’t the best idea. I don’t want to hear about my brother like that. When I joke about it, it’s one thing. I don’t talk specifics. And I sure as hell don’t want any.
“Pipe down, missy,” Tessa directs at me. “We’ll get back to you in a minute.”
My eyes widen. Hers twinkle with the promise of dick discussions.
I reach for another chip and stuff my mouth full.
“No. That’s not it. Well, he’s not not allowing me to tie him up.” Beth tilts her head, thinking hard. “We haven’t really gone there. And, I don’t know. Honesty? I’m not really sure I want to. I like the way things are.”
“Don’t knock it `til you try it,” Tessa utters.
“Luke lets you do that?” Mia questions. “I find that hard to believe.”
“He doesn’t really have a say when he wakes up handcuffed to something.” Tessa’s smile is full of mischief.
The girls all share a laugh, while I picture hard-edged Luke Evans waking up cuffed to the bed.
He always looks so angry. I can’t imagine him letting Tessa get away with that.
“Well, anyway, Reed’s kink is not my news,” Beth continues.
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”
Mia laughs. Tessa shoots me a challenging look, then puts her attention back on Beth. “Well, if that does happen, please, ignore Riley and let that be news,” she says.
Beth smiles. Her shoulders rise and fall with the breath she takes in. “I’m pregnant,” she reveals.
My eyes widen.
“WHAT? Oh, my God! Really?” Mia asks, leaning over the table. “You’re pregnant?”
Beth quickly nods her head.
Mia squeals, jumping out of her seat and rushing around me to deliver hugs. “That is the best news you could ever share, Beth! Congratulations!”
“Thanks. We’re really excited,” Beth says through a grin, staying in her seat and propping her chin on Mia’s shoulder as she reciprocates the hug.
“You should be! Daddy Reed. Oh, my God, I am so happy for you guys.”
I shrug and let my eyes fall away as I struggle to chew. Do I look ready to vomit? I mean, I don’t feel sick, but okay, if Tessa asks me how CJ’s dick rides, I just might throw up a little.
She’s Reed’s best friend. She’ll definitely tell him what I did.
“Riley, Riley, Riley.”
The sound of my name being taunted lifts my gaze. I look at Tessa, watching the shake of her head and that all-knowing smile twist into something that makes me want to squirm in my seat, but she cuts me a break and shifts her attention to Beth. “So, what’s up with you?” she asks, leaning forward and dropping her elbows on the table. “Your text to all of us made it seem like you had big news to share. Spill it, Tennyson. We’re all here now.”
Beth smiles big at Tessa, and I know it’s in reaction to hearing her new last name. She’s so happy being Reed’s wife. “It did?” she questions, head cocked and lips pressing together.
“You used shouty caps, Bethie. And like, four exclamation points,” Tessa explains. “I know you have news.”
“I was just really wanting us all to hang out, that’s all.”
Straight-faced, Tessa looks from Beth, to myself, to Mia, and then back to Beth. Her eyes narrow. “Everyone at this table is a liar,” she mumbles before reaching for another chip.
“I sort of have news,” Mia throws out, then waves off Tessa when she shows an interest. “You already know about it. Nolan and his girlfriend?”
Tessa rolls her eyes through a smile. “Six-years-old and already pussy-whipped.”
“Stop it,” Mia scolds, giggling. “It’s really sweet.” She gives me her eyes then. “Nolan met this little girl at that wedding we went to a couple of weeks ago. He followed her around the whole time, and now he’s like, completely obsessed. He calls her his princess. Princess Ryan.”
“Aw.” I smile. “That’s so cute.”
“Is he still sending her pictures he draws?” Tessa asks.
“Yep.” Mia nods. “Everyday. I told him to space them out a little, but he won’t. He’s using up all of my stamps.”
“They were adorable together at the wedding,” Beth throws out. “Do you remember her dad? I thought he was going to have a heart attack. He kept giving Nolan looks.”
“Smart man,” Tessa says, a wicked gleam in her eye. “Those Kelly boys are trouble.”
Mia gives Tessa a playful shove, then she turns back to me, keeping her smile. “Did Reed tell you about the party we’re having? We planned it that weekend. Have you spoken to him?”
I shake my head. “No. Not recently.”
“It’s the last Saturday of July at our house,” Mia shares. “Just a little get-together. All of us and our boys. I’d love for you to come.”
“Really?” I ask.
Mia laughs at my shock. “Of course.” She squeezes my hand that’s on the table and leans closer to me, holding all kinds of meaning in her eyes. “You’re one of us now,” she says.
I’m one of them. A fourth to their girl’s night. Part of their tight group of friends.
Finally.
I smile at her, loving how that sounds. “Okay. I’ll definitely be there.”
“Great.” She gives my hand one last squeeze before releasing it.
“McGill’s can provide the food, if you want,” Beth announces. “I know you’re not having a huge party or anything, but still. I can talk to my uncle about it.”
“Really? That would be great. We could do like, a bunch of sides with burgers,” Mia suggests. “Thanks, Beth.”
“No problem.” Beth takes a sip of her water, sets it down, and looks around the table, keeping her hand wrapped around her glass. “So, I sort of have something to share.”
“I knew it.” Tessa rolls her eyes. “Let me guess. Reed is allowing you to tie him up now. His kink goes both ways, doesn’t it?” She rests her chin on her hand and wiggles her brows.
“Gross,” I mumble, scrunching up my face.
Maybe hanging out with this group wasn’t the best idea. I don’t want to hear about my brother like that. When I joke about it, it’s one thing. I don’t talk specifics. And I sure as hell don’t want any.
“Pipe down, missy,” Tessa directs at me. “We’ll get back to you in a minute.”
My eyes widen. Hers twinkle with the promise of dick discussions.
I reach for another chip and stuff my mouth full.
“No. That’s not it. Well, he’s not not allowing me to tie him up.” Beth tilts her head, thinking hard. “We haven’t really gone there. And, I don’t know. Honesty? I’m not really sure I want to. I like the way things are.”
“Don’t knock it `til you try it,” Tessa utters.
“Luke lets you do that?” Mia questions. “I find that hard to believe.”
“He doesn’t really have a say when he wakes up handcuffed to something.” Tessa’s smile is full of mischief.
The girls all share a laugh, while I picture hard-edged Luke Evans waking up cuffed to the bed.
He always looks so angry. I can’t imagine him letting Tessa get away with that.
“Well, anyway, Reed’s kink is not my news,” Beth continues.
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”
Mia laughs. Tessa shoots me a challenging look, then puts her attention back on Beth. “Well, if that does happen, please, ignore Riley and let that be news,” she says.
Beth smiles. Her shoulders rise and fall with the breath she takes in. “I’m pregnant,” she reveals.
My eyes widen.
“WHAT? Oh, my God! Really?” Mia asks, leaning over the table. “You’re pregnant?”
Beth quickly nods her head.
Mia squeals, jumping out of her seat and rushing around me to deliver hugs. “That is the best news you could ever share, Beth! Congratulations!”
“Thanks. We’re really excited,” Beth says through a grin, staying in her seat and propping her chin on Mia’s shoulder as she reciprocates the hug.
“You should be! Daddy Reed. Oh, my God, I am so happy for you guys.”
