Ben would be picking Karly up in less than eight hours for the gala, and nothing Karly tried on fit right.
Her boobs were too damned big, courtesy of the pregnancy.
How was it possible to be only slightly swollen in the belly and gigantically explosive in the cleavage?
Not like she could even use this cupgrade to her advantage.
Karly wriggled out of the leopard print dress—her very last resort—and tossed it onto the bed along with the others.
Screw this.
Maybe she’d go in pajamas.
She dropped onto the foot of her bed, bringing her hands to her head.
This was ridiculous.
She was so unprepared for this pregnancy thing.
She had no idea what to expect.
Without another thought, Karly pulled on her “fat jeans,” a loose sweater, and slipped into comfortable shoes. Even her freaking feet felt fatter already.
She needed to figure out the rules about being knocked up before she screwed up even more.
She had already scheduled an appointment with an OB/GYN for next week. She had been refraining from alcohol and trying to make healthy food choices.
Everything else fell into the category of The Great Unknown.
Standing in the bookstore, Karly squinted, cocked her head, bent down, stood on tiptoes—anything she could do to try to figure out which of the hundreds of books on pregnancy would be best. When she couldn’t hold anymore potentials in her arms, she found a table to rest them on so she could consult her good friend, Google.
Karly smiled when she realized that one of the top-rated, most recommended books on pregnancy had made its way into her pile. Maybe her instincts weren’t too far off, after all.
She grabbed a pack of decorative note cards from a rack near the checkout counter, not wanting the prego book to be the only thing purchased. No need to invite unwanted attention.
Just her luck, one of the nosiest women in Healing Springs—Ava’s elderly neighbor who interfered in Cole and Ava’s courtship and wedding to no end—was cashiering.
“Are you pregnant?” Mrs. Reynolds asked. She didn’t even attempt any small talk before beginning the surgical removal of potential gossip.
“No,” Karly snapped. “Picking it up for a friend.”
“Ava already purchased this book. I can show you some other great choices,” Mrs. Reynolds offered, peering at Karly over the rim of her glasses.
Karly knew Mrs. Reynolds could see right through her lie. Didn’t matter, though, because Mrs. Reynolds sure as hell wasn’t going to be the first one to hear the news.
“Another friend.”
Karly started to regret her caustic reply, but with Mrs. Reynolds tsking as she rang up the order, Karly felt her blood pressure rise.
“Tell your friend to be sure to start on a prenatal vitamin, dearie,” Mrs. Reynolds raised her voice so Karly would hear her as she rushed out of the store.
Why did she think it would be a good idea to shop for this thing in town? She should have driven the forty-five minutes to another bookstore where she’d have some hope of anonymity.
Karly bent over to vomit in the bushes on the corner.
As soon as she made it to the privacy of her car, she looked up the inaccurately named “morning sickness” to see how much longer she could expect this episode of the vomiting horror show.
***
Ben slowed his car when he saw Karly leaving the bookstore. His heart raced at the idea of an unexpected run-in with her. As he pulled into a parking spot, he watched as she bent over a bush and started throwing up again.
What the hell was wrong with her? Cole’s baby party had been over a week ago. She hadn’t acted sick when he was with her, other than the vomiting.
This could only mean one thing.
Ben pulled out of his spot and drove down the street. He had to schedule an event for some of his biggest clients who would be visiting Healing Springs in a few weeks, so he needed to meet with Jake, owner of the local lounge and good friend, to plan the cocktail portion of the event. Ben’s usual event coordinator was on leave after having a nervous breakdown, so Ben volunteered to take charge. Besides, he could use some guy time. Between spending all of his free time with Julia and wanting to spend all of his time with the one woman who could barely stand him, he needed to clear his head of anything estrogen related.
“Don’t mind me,” Ben joked as he entered the bar and watched a woman leap out of Jake’s embrace. Ben laughed. Until he focused on the face of the woman. “Tiana?”
“Ben.” Tiana nodded, then quickly rushed out the door.
“You should be mighty glad it’s me arriving early and not Cole. He’d kick your ass for messing around with his sister.”
Jake refused to look at Ben. He was too busy watching Tiana through the window.
“Dude. She is not someone you can mess with.”
“Shut up and mind your business.” Jake gathered a notebook and pen and stormed over to a table in the center of the room.
“Touchy subject, huh?”
“Off limits subject. Got it?”
“Got it.” Ben held his hands up in surrender. Who was he to even consider dishing out advice?
“Let’s get started.” Jake poised his pen for note-taking.
Cole joined them fifteen minutes later, and ten minutes after that, they had the order all set.
“Drink?” Jake asked, walking toward the bar.
Ben glanced at his watch.
“Noontime. Good time for a beer.”
Cole agreed.
Jake delivered the bottles to the table.
“I think Karly has an eating disorder.” Ben hadn’t planned for his suspicion to spill out like that, but there it was—on the table. He needed insight.
“I’ve seen Karly put away an entire pizza by herself,” Cole laughed. “No way is she starving herself.”
Jake took a long swig. “That chick is hot. Don’t girls with eating disorders look all unhealthy and shit?”
Ben gripped his beer tighter. He didn’t like the fact that Jake—or anyone else, for that matter—had noticed Karly’s level of hotness.
“I’ve seen her puking more than natural.” Ben peeled the label from his bottle. “I don’t know what’s up.”
“Ask her,” Jake suggested.
“You don’t just walk up to a woman and ask her if she’s making herself puke to lose weight.” Ben finished off his bottle of beer and helped himself to a new one. He pointed the bottle toward Cole. “You could ask Ava.”
Cole laughed, shaking his head. “And get my head torn off and shoved up my ass? No thanks. One thing I’ve picked up on is that a man who values his sex life does not interfere in the lives of his woman and her best friend.”
“Even if you’re concerned for her friend’s health and safety?”
“I have to be concerned for my own safety first. I don’t want my baby growing up without a daddy.”
“Come on, Ava is as harmless as a bunny,” Jake said, smiling.
“Most of the time, yes.” Cole grinned. “But her patience is mostly reserved for her kindergartners. Her loyalty to Karly goes beyond anything I could even pretend to understand.”
“How do you have so much insight on Karly’s puking habits, anyway?” Jake asked, watching Ben closely.
“I’ve noticed.”
“Have you been hooking up since the wedding? I know you guys slipped away during the reception, but it’s not like you to go back for seconds.” Cole leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.
Ben rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the scrutiny. He should have kept his mouth shut.
“No. Well, yeah. Not like you’re thinking.”
“Ben is the next one to jump aboard the love train.” Jake banged the table as he laughed hysterically. “You guys are such suckers.”
Ben bit back his retort, not wanting to piss off Cole and get Jake’s lady-killer teeth punched out.
“I’m not on any fucking train. I got tickets to that gala bullshit, so I invited her since she likes art.”
Cole and Jake had matching looks as they stared at Ben.
“You’re going to the gala?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t he?” Jake mocked.
“Ava told him that Karly is into art and culture. That’s why.” Cole nodded his head and grinned like a bastard.
“You guys are assholes.” Ben tilted his head back and drained his second beer.
“What’s the matter, are we not touchy-feely enough for you?” Jake joked.
Ben was tempted to mention Tiana, but he couldn’t hit below the belt just because the guys were coming too close to the truth.
“Ava’s always telling me to use my words,” Cole said. “Maybe you could try that.”
The guys erupted into laughter.
Ben made a face at them, slammed his bottle on the table, and stormed out of the bar.