Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Just as I’m plating up the eggs, Forrest walks into the kitchen. His hair is rumpled, and there’s a line across his right cheek from where he was sleeping. “Morning, Mo,” he mumbles.
“Morning, sunshine. How did you sleep?” I’ve always been a morning person. It helps that I only had a couple of drinks last night and stopped earlier in the night so I could drive home and I still ended up staying over.
“Good. Too much celebrating,” he replies.
“Ah, the dreaded hangover. Nothing some breakfast and a little caffeine won’t fix.” I slide a plate across the island to him and quickly pour him a cup of coffee—black, just like he likes it.
“You’re an angel. How long have you been up?” he asks, taking his first sip of coffee.
“Not long. Thanks for letting me crash here last night. Emerson was insistent I stay and not drive home even though I was perfectly capable. I didn’t want her to worry, and I didn’t want to crash with the newlyweds.”
Forrest shudders. “Let’s not talk about that.” He emphasizes the word, and I toss my head back in laughter.
“Come on, they’re married and having a baby. You do know how babies are made, right?” I tease.
“We are not talking about this,” he grumbles into his cup of coffee.
Silence falls between us, and I can’t help but fill it. “They’re happy, Forrest.” I know he’s accepted them, but the best friend in me feels compelled to cheer them on, just in case.
He sighs. It’s a deep, resounding sound that tells me what he’s going to say before he opens his mouth. “I know. I’m happy that they’re happy, but it still doesn’t mean I want to think about them and… that.” His face scrunches up, and it’s adorable. I keep that thought to myself. I’d hate to hurt his manly ego and all that.
“Just wait until your niece or nephew gets here. You’re going to want them to do more of that to give you another one.” I flash him a wide grin.
He shakes his head, but a small smile tugs at his lips. “Yeah,” he agrees grudgingly. “You’re probably right. This damn house is too quiet now that she’s gone.”
“She’s next door,” I remind him.
“Not the same, Mo. It’s just not the same.” He’s pouting, and my heart swells in my chest for my best friend. She didn’t have it easy growing up, but the man before me, her big brother, he stepped up for her in a big way, and I love that he’s in her life.
“Eat your eggs before they get cold.” I point to his plate with my fork, and he does as he’s told.
“Thank you,” he says a few minutes later, standing with his empty plate in his hand.
“Did you even chew?” I ask, looking down at my still half-full plate. He laughs and ruffles my still wet hair on top of my head.
“I’m going to shower. Are you sticking around?”
“I need to text Emerson and see if it’s safe to go over. I told her I’d come back today and help clean up.”
“Wait for me, and we can go over together. I’ll be quick.” He dashes up the stairs while I sit and enjoy the taste of my eggs instead of swallowing them whole.
Twenty minutes later, Forrest and I are knocking on the newlyweds’ front door. Roman pulls it open, wearing the same grin he’s had on his handsome face since he found out that Emerson was pregnant.
“Come on in.” He steps back, allowing us to enter. “Em’s on the couch.”
“Because he won’t let me get up!” my best friend calls from the living room.
“Spoiling her again, I see?” I chuckle, making my way to the living room to Emerson.
“Is there any other way?” Roman calls back.
I’m shaking my head, but my smile is genuine when I see her with a blanket and a bowl of fresh fruit in her lap. “Being held hostage again?” I tease.
“He’s ridiculous. He won’t let me do anything.”
“He loves you.”
“I love him, too, but come on. I can put some fruit in a bowl for breakfast.”
I tilt my head to the side to study her. “He wants to take care of you, Emerson. You and your baby.”
“I know, but I want to be his partner in life. Not an obligation or responsibility.”
“You’re not,” a deep voice says from behind us. We both know without looking that it’s Forrest. He steps into the room and bends over the back of the couch to kiss his sister on top of her head. “What makes you think that?”
“I don’t know.” Emerson stares down at her bowl of fruit.
“Spill it, Em.” Forrest rounds the couch and takes a seat on the coffee table facing her.
“I just…. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that this is my life, you know? It’s all I ever wanted, and now here I am, living my dream. It all happened so fast. We found out about the baby, and then I moved into my dream house next to you, you found out about us, the wedding. I just…. I don’t want to give him any reason to change his mind.”