“Oh, you guys, I’ve missed this so much,” Summer cried as we all held up our various cocktails to toast the return of our weekly Jilted Wives Club dinners. Of course, Summer wasn’t only talking about the dinner itself, but her ability to indulge with us now that she was no longer pregnant.
It had been a few months since we’d gone out to our Thursday night dinners. We usually met up once a week, trying a new place each time, and catching up on what had been going on in our lives. But with the end of Summer’s pregnancy, then Tennyson’s birth, followed by our trip to Italy, we’d been having to go without.
“We’re back,” Margo said with a grin. “And as long as no one gets knocked up anytime soon, we’ll be good to go for a while.”
“No plans for babies here,” Summer said happily. “Not for another two years, at least.”
“Unless the Immaculate Conception comes around, I won’t be having any kids,” Andi said with a pout.
“Not right now,” I agreed with a wave of my hands.
“And you bitches know there aren’t any in my future,” Margo added.
When Whitney didn’t immediately add her comment, all eyes turned to her.
She gave a small shrug and said, “Well, you don’t have to worry about me missing out on any Cosmos, but there will be a child in my future. Luca and I have decided to adopt!”
“What?”
“Oh my God!”
“This is wonderful news!”
“How did this happen?”
Whitney laughed as we all talked over each other and once we were quiet, she said, “We’ve been talking about it for a while. We reached out to a couple places and finally found an agency we like and started the paperwork. It can be a lengthy process, so there’s no telling how long it’ll take, but we’re pretty excited about it.”
“I’m going to be an auntie again,” I cried, getting up to go give my sister-in-law a hug. “Congrats. I bet Luca is over-the-moon excited.”
“He is,” she agreed happily.
“Awesome, Whit,” Margo said, then looked at each of us and added, “Well, to add to the good news train, Aiden and I have decided to have our destination wedding in Honduras. It’s an all-inclusive resort, so you won’t have to worry about paying for anything on this trip except your plane tickets there.”
“Wow, that’s amazing. And too much. You don’t have to do that. We’re happy to come and celebrate you and Aiden, and pay our own way,” I told her, hoping it was far enough out that I’d have time to save.
“My dad won’t hear it. He’s footing the bill since his daughter’s first wedding was some Las Vegas farce, his words, and he wants to do this for us. You have about twelve months. Once I have the final dates, I will let you know so you can request time off and make plans and whatnot.”
“Honduras, how exotic. My parents are gonna flip,” Andi said. “I cannot wait.”
“I guess my good news for the train would be that Tennyson has been sleeping through the night,” Summer said, her eyes practically rolling back in her head when she took a sip of her dirty martini.
“That is good news,” I said, those first months of sleepless nights still taking up real estate in my head. “And for mine … well, Damon and I are officially a couple.”
“Yay!”
“Awesome.”
“It’s about time.”
“Damn, another good one off the market.”
The last one was, of course, said by Andi, but she followed it up with a wink and said, “Seriously, though, I’m so happy for you.”
“Luca is going to be thrilled,” Whit said.
“Will he?” I asked. I was still a little nervous about telling my family, even though I knew everyone already loved Damon. The problem was how much they loved him, and he loved them. If it didn’t work out between us, it would affect so many more people than the split between Nigel and I had.
Stop thinking negative thoughts. You and Damon will make it the distance.
I’d been working on being more positive and not comparing my current relationship to my previous one. It was difficult, but I felt like I was getting better at it.
“Of course. If you guys get married, Damon will be his brother. It’s like the greatest gift you could give him.”
I gave Whitney a grateful smile and turned to Andi. “What about you, any good news for the train?”
Andi’s eyes widened and then her shoulders slumped.
“What is it?” I asked, concerned.
“Callum sought me out yesterday.”
“The guy you had a quickie wedding, and divorce, with in Vegas? After all this time?” I asked.
She nodded. “Turns out we’re still married.”
“What?” Summer cried, horrified. “How?”
“He didn’t process the annulment papers.”
“Why not?” Margo demanded.
“That’s what I asked, and he said it was because he was embarrassed to tell his family what happened and was hopeful that maybe we’d find out way back to each other.”
“That’s crazy,” Whitney said. “Didn’t you tell us you guys are like the Hatfields and McCoys? Like family-feuding enemies?”
“That’s a really old reference,” Andi said with a sharp laugh. “But yeah. And the few times I’ve seen him since then he barely said two words to me. He certainly never said, by the way, you’re my wife. I asked him all these questions and told him he belongs in jail for what he did, but he said he needs an annulment now.”
“Now? Can you even get an annulment after like, what, six years?” Margo asked.
“I’m honestly not sure.”
“Why now?” Summer asked.
“He’s met someone, and he says it’s serious. He said he’s finally realized nothing will ever happen between us and he needs to move on.”
“He should have moved on six years ago,” Margo practically shouted. “Never let me meet this guy.”
“How did he look?” Summer asked.
“Oh, you know … tight jeans, cowboy boots, scruff … Basically hot as hell.”
“Asshole,” Summer muttered, and we all laughed.
“I’m so sorry, Andi, what are you going to do?” I asked.
“I guess first up I need to get a lawyer. Then I’m going to have to tell my parents, which I was really hoping I’d never have to do. They’re gonna kill me.”
“We’ll make Aiden go with you to soften the blow,” Margo assured her.
“Are you crazy?” Andi asked, her eyes wide. “If Aiden finds out Callum lied this whole time and we’re still married, he’s going to lose it, and Callum may not live to become a divorcee.”
“Serves him right,” Margo said, and we all nodded in agreement.