49. My Girls
MY GIRLS
Ivy
Ember brought in a bunch of champagne flutes filled with mimosas, a smile on her face. The deep emerald green of our bridesmaid dresses looked phenomenal with her red hair.
“How’s it going in there, Aspen?” she hollered through the bathroom door. “I brought drinks!”
“Ugh! Are you guys ready out there?” she hollered back.
Ember took a seat on the couch between Payton and I, handing us each a glass.
“Born ready! Let’s see it!” Payton answered
The bathroom door crept open, as if it too was holding its breath, just waiting to lay eyes on her. But we didn’t have to wait long, because there she was. My best friend.
“Holy shit,” I mumbled.
“Seconding that one,” Ember said.
“That doesn’t even cover it, honestly,” Payton added.
“The fuck does that mean?” Aspen asked, the nerves spiking through in her tone.
The dress was floor length with thin straps over her shoulders. Layers of white and cream tulle with floral lace cutouts made up the skirt, and the bodice was pure white with a low cut between her breasts. The floral cut-outs continued up the entirety of it.
The dress was everything that said Aspen is getting married in a pure artistic and elegant form.
I set my glass on the side table, the scent of champagne making my stomach churn, and stood.
Taking her hands in mine, I said my next words with the utmost confidence.
“If Rowan doesn’t cry when he sees how absolutely fucking stunning you look?
I’ll be incensed. I’ll rage. I’ll—I’ll—Well, I don’t even know.
My brain isn’t firing on full cylinders right now. ”
She went to bite her bottom lip, and I shook my head. “Don’t fuck up your makeup, or I’ll go crazy. I worked hard on that shit.”
She threw her hands up in surrender and smiled. “You’re right. Okay. Ember said something about a drink. Please give me that shit pronto.”
I handed her my glass before I could think better of it, which she took happily and downed, only to find Payton and Ember staring at me, eyes wide.
“Oh. My. God.” Payton smiled. “Oh my God. OH MY GOD!”
“Payton, stop it. Shut up. I haven’t told him yet!” I whined, the anxiety rising over how he’d feel about it being a fact now.
“You’re pregnant?!” Ember exclaimed as she started bouncing on the couch with Payton. “Oh my gosh, is that why you haven’t been in the shop?”
I nodded. “The smell of coffee is sending me over the edge at the moment.”
“Damn, you didn’t keep that in for more than thirty-six hours.” Aspen giggled. “You handed me your glass? Wild work, babe.”
“I’m only not smacking you because it’s your wedding day.”
She shrugged and turned to find her glass, taking a sip of it and handing me a bottle of water.
“Here. Tell him soon or he’s absolutely going to know.
The fact that you’ve been telling him you already had coffee will only work so long.
I have the fancy sparkling apple juice shit behind the bar for you during toasts, so no one else will be curious. ”
“I’m going to be an aunt again! Oh my gosh, I need another drink. This is amazing.”
Ember shook her head as I sipped my water. “Change of topic. Who’s your date, Payton?”
Payton’s mouth opened, only to stop. “Um?—”
“Do you not know the name of the dude you brought to my wedding?” Aspen’s hands were on her hips as she stared at her soon-to-be sister-in-law.
Payton blushed. “Dan? Daniel? Danny?”
“Well, those are close to the same name. Guess I’ll ask at dinner what his name is.” Shaking my head, I grabbed Aspen’s jewelry to finish helping her get ready.
“So where did you meet good ol’ Dan?” Ember asked. The feisty redhead clearly had one goal in mind with this interrogation.
Payton answered while she slipped her shoes back, refusing to look up at us. “Um, out and about. You know. Work, whatever.”
Aspen let out a hum. “Work, right. Makes sense. You do work a shit ton these days.”
“Is he a doctor?” Ember continued.
“I mean, he…wears white sometimes?”
I couldn’t hold back my laugh. “Payton. Bitch. He wears white sometimes? Who is this guy?”
She groaned, finishing with her other shoe and standing, hands on her curvy hips, her long blond hair swaying with the movement.
“I met him at the club, okay? I’ve been doing some side work there to pay off student loans.
I had the idea when Wyatt told me about it, and Julian was cool with me doing it all anonymous.
I went in to do some fun side project Julian’s planning and met him there.
He’s tall, dark, and handsome. He’ll…um… never mind. He’s here.”
All of us stared in shock over this bombshell. “Okay, well, congrats on the side job. Sounds fun as fuck,” Ember began, breaking the silence. “But be real. I saw him out there. You picked him to drive Damien insane.”
“Wait, what does he look like?” Aspen asked.
Payton arched a brow, staring at Ember. “I’m not saying it.”
“You’re not going to say the obvious? That he looks like he could be Damien’s cousin? Half-brother?” Ember laughed. “Payton, that man is going to snap and just throw you over his shoulder, leaving good ol’ Danny here alone and confused.”
“Maybe that’s what she needs.” Aspen gave Payton a knowing smile.
“All three of you suck, and I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Payton mumbled, sitting back on the couch and crossing her arms over her chest.
“Yeah, sure, babe. I’ll get the camera ready for Damien’s caveman act,” Ember said from next to her.
“Fine. You do that. Let’s get Aspen married until then.”
The rest of us cheered, my best friend finally appearing excited, the nerves melting away with what was to come.
Oliver’s hand sat on my lower back. It seemed that the lack of backing on my maid of honor dress pleased him greatly, as his thumb swiped back and forth along the skin there.
“You look amazing this evening, baby doll,” he said as we spun once more.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.”
He looked better, if I was being honest with myself. His hair had grown out a bit, the ends curling slightly like Sunny’s did. He’d trimmed his beard back. Dressed in a tux, his forest-green tie, and with his tanned skin, he looked downright delicious.
“They seem happy.” I followed his line of sight to find him watching Aspen and Rowan.
Their arms wrapped around each other as they danced in the middle of the floor, their eyes locked and smiles etched almost permanently into their faces.
“They are. They’ve come far in the last year, earning every moment of this,” I told him quietly.
“I agree.”
Payton spun by us. The guy she’d brought—still didn’t know his name—was smiling as she spoke, but his smile dropped as Damien stormed across the floor towards them. Payton and the guy stepped apart as Damien said something, his hand sliding into Payton’s as he pulled her from the dance floor.
Everyone stared for a moment and then went back to dancing. Oliver and I said nothing, but we did exchange a smile.
Clearing my throat, I turned my gaze back towards him. I’d been trying to find the right time to tell him—not because I didn’t think he’d be happy, but just because him knowing meant it was official and out in the world.
Which was a good thing, when I thought about it, but I also felt like I needed time to process before I made it that official. Mentally, I shook my head at myself, because I knew I was talking in circles like I had been for days.
My anxiety had been spinning wild stories within my own mind.
Like maybe when Oliver told me about the birth control, he did so hoping I’d start taking it again.
Or maybe he’d change his mind. Maybe he didn’t want this thing between us to be long term.
Maybe seeing me get massive wouldn’t be his cup of tea, after all.
“You’re deep in thought down there,” he whispered, his mouth pressing chaste kisses along my jaw. I couldn’t hold back the smile if I wanted to.
“I, um, needed to tell you something.” He stood back up straight, his eyes intent now. “Do you remember when you swapped out my birth control?”
A chuckle was his response until he nodded.
“Okay, well, once you told me I stopped taking the stupid sugar pill shit you’d given me and um, I just didn’t start back on the regular pill again either.”
“I know,” he shot back without hesitation, seeming completely unfazed by the turn of topic.
“Right, well, yeah. So, I found out that I’m pregnant.” He stopped swaying, his eyes wide as he stared. “Due in April. Spring baby,” I added, my mind now truly racing as he just stared.
Call it hormones, call it insanity, but I was damn near ready to cry when a small smile grew on his face.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Literally.”
The smile grew as one hand moved from my hips across my navel. “I’m going to act casual right now, because I can’t be the guy who makes his brother’s big day about him, but holy fuck, Ivy. Holy fuck.”
He shook his head, his hands going back to my back as he stared swaying again, the smile that I loved so much now feeling permanent.
“Is it too early to just leave? Take you home and show you how I’m really feeling?” he questioned, his thumb brushing slow strokes along my back.
“Um, probably. They haven’t even cut the cake yet,” I said with a laugh.
“Ugh, fine. If my girls want cake, we’ll wait.”
My eyes widened. “Girl? We don’t even know that yet.”
He shrugged. “I know. It’s just a feeling. My girls. You and her, me and Hudson. Perfect.”
He shook his head, the smile still there as he pulled me close and kissed the top of my head once more.
“Fucking perfect.”