The Best Friend Problem

by Mariah Ankenman

  “Where’s Bruiser?” His mother loved the little furball as much as Finn did. He usually took her along whenever he went to his parents’ house.

  “Jordan’s home from fall break.”

  Ah, that explained it. Finn’s younger brother was allergic to pet dander. It was why they never had any pets growing up, even though she knew Mrs. Jamison loved animals. At least she got to live her pup-loving dreams through Finn like Pru did.

  “So how is he doing at Pepperdine?”

  They chatted about Finn’s little brother and his first year away from home. So far, he was the first Jamison to go to college out of state. They were a tight-knit family, oddly so, like one of those from the 1950s TV shows Aunt Rose used to watch on the late-night rerun channel.

  They pulled up to Finn’s childhood home, a pretty blue two-story with one large pine tree out front and two huge bushes that bloomed with the sweetest smelling lilacs in early May. Finn turned off the car, hopping out to come around to her side and open her door. It wasn’t unusual. He always opened her door for her—or anyone who rode with him—good manners instilled by his parents. But for some reason, the gesture made her feel strange. Didn’t matter that she’d done this with Finn a hundred times before. This time was different. She was going to a family dinner with a man she’d slept with. A man whose baby she was having.

  “You okay?” he asked when she didn’t get out of the car.

  “Yeah, of course.” She was being silly. So what if she slept with Finn and was having his kid? It wasn’t like he’d told his parents or anything. They wouldn’t know that she was arriving at this dinner with carnal knowledge of their son.

  Oh God, she had to stop thinking about it. Why couldn’t she stop thinking about it?

  Because he’s standing there with his handsome face and sexy tattoos and beautiful eyes and now that I’ve had him, I can’t stop replaying that night in my mind.

  Stupid, sexy best friend.

  And she had the result of their one night together currently growing inside her. Crap! What if his mother could tell? Flipping down the visor, she glanced in the tiny mirror. Was she glowing? She heard pregnant women glowed. Did Mrs. Jamison have that grandmother sixth sense? Would she be able to look at Pru and know she was carrying her grandchild?

  “Pru.” Finn’s soothing voice cut through her fog of panic. “Everything will be fine. They won’t know anything we don’t tell them.”

  She glanced over to him. His expression looked calm enough, but his eyes gave him away. The same tight panic she felt in her chest echoed in his bright blue gaze.

  “You sure about that?”

  He swallowed, rubbing his hands over his face before glancing at his parents’ house. “Yeah. We just act normal, focus on my mom, and everything will be fine. Later, when we’ve figured more stuff out, we’ll tell them. Everything will be fine then, too.”

  Maybe if they both said it enough times, they’d start to believe it.

  She got out as Finn grabbed his mother’s present from the back seat.

  “Finn, Pru, you made it!”

  Pru felt the smile curl her lips as she glanced up to see Mrs. Jamison standing in the doorway of the house, grey hair pulled back into a bun like always, a big welcoming smile lighting up her face. Wendy Jamison had been a second mother to Pru.

  “Wouldn’t miss it, Mom.” Finn moved up the front porch steps and placed a kiss on his mother’s cheek. “Happy birthday.”

  “Thank you, dear. And you”—Wendy held her arms out—“get over here.”

  Pru happily stepped into the loving embrace. “Happy birthday, Wendy.”

  “Well, come on. Everyone is already here, and the grandkids are starving. Or so they keep telling me.”

  Right… Pru would bet their grandmother had been sneaking them cookies behind their parents’ backs all night. The perks of being a grandma, Wendy always told her with a wink.

  They sat at the table, exchanging hellos with everyone as they settled. No one mentioned whether she looked any different or acted like anything was off between her and Finn. Perhaps they could pull this off. For a little while. Once she started to show, they’d have to tell Finn’s family. She didn’t want to keep it a secret from them, anyway.

  A small spark of joy burned deep in her chest as she realized her baby would be getting a family beyond her—grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins.

  A family.

  Her eyes misted over with the knowledge. Damn hormones! She couldn’t cry. Not now, everyone would know something was up. Blinking back the tears, she grabbed the dish of mashed potatoes Finn’s niece handed her.

  “So Pru,” Wendy said as they all dug into the delicious dinner. “Tell me what’s new in your life? Any handsome men you’re seeing?”

  Finn choked on the sip of water he’d just taken. She squeezed his leg, trying to silently tell him to keep his cool, but it had the opposite effect. He gasped, his sputtering increasing. Jordan, who sat on his other side, started patting Finn’s back as he cleared the liquid from his throat.

  “Finn, dear.” Wendy held a hand to her chest as she stared with concern and confusion at her son. “Are you all right?”

  Crap! She had to deflect so Wendy didn’t start to suspect anything from Finn’s panic.

  “Am I dating? No, sadly the men in Denver are…lacking.”

  Wendy’s gaze came back to her, and the woman chuckled at her statement. Finn, however, didn’t seem to find it as amusing. His eyes narrowed, but she ignored his glare and asked his mother about her upcoming cruise.

  The rest of the evening went by nicely. Wendy loved her gifts and sent everyone home with an extra birthday cupcake.

  Once they were in the car and on the road back into the city, Finn glanced toward Pru.

  “Lacking, Pru? Seriously?”

  She chuckled. “Well, what did you want me to say? ‘Oh, yes, Mrs. Jamison, I had a lovely time the other night doing the naked tango with your son. Oh, and by the way, I’m now carrying his unborn child. Surprise!’”

  He gave a defeated sigh. “No. I guess you couldn’t say that. Unless we wanted to spend the rest of the night explaining in detail how this all happened.”

  Not too much detail, she hoped. She couldn’t imagine a mother wanted to know the exact details of how her son knocked up his best friend.

  And now it was in her head again. Every delicious moment, every exquisite detail. Finn’s rough hands touching her so softly, the contrast driving her wild. Her body started to heat with the memory of what he could do with those hands, his tongue, his—

  Whoa!

  She needed to stop thinking about that night. They weren’t going there again. Things were weird enough as it was.

  The rest of the ride was silent except for the soft music filtering in from the car’s speakers. Finally, they arrived at her apartment. She’d never been so glad to be home, which was strange and a little sad. She loved hanging out with Finn and his family, but tonight had been stressful. She hated keeping secrets, especially from someone as sweet as Wendy Jamison.

  “Thanks for the ride.”

  “Thanks for coming. I know Mom loves seeing you.”

  “Your mom’s the best.”

  He smiled. “I agree.”

  She smiled back, and there was a moment, a single second when she could have sworn she saw something in his gaze—heat. A heat she remembered.

  The last time she’d seen it in his eyes, she’d ended up pregnant.

  She found herself swaying forward, toward him. His gaze flitted down to her mouth, which opened of its own accord, her tongue coming out to graze her suddenly parched lips.

  He was going to kiss her again. She knew it. She could feel it.

  But then, he shifted back against the seat, head turning to face the windshield. His fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly.

  “Night, Pru.”

  Shaking herself out of whatever stupor had fuzzed her brain, she opened the car door. “Good night, F
inn.”

  She hurried to the front door of her building, practically running. What the hell had that been? They’d almost kissed. Again! Maybe it was just baby hormones. Yes, that was all. They just had some weirdness going on right now because of this odd situation.

  This would all blow over soon. Things would get back to normal again.

  Except there was this tiny doubtful voice whispering in the back of her mind, causing her to tense with the fearful knowledge that one night with Finn hadn’t been enough to sate her. Why did her body crave what her mind knew was a bad idea? And was she strong enough to deny herself?

  Chapter Ten

  Pru woke up clutching the oddly long U-shaped pillow Finn had delivered to her place a week and a half ago after she complained about her back hurting like she was an eighty-year-old who’d worked hauling bricks her entire life. He had offered to find a solution for her, and the next morning he’d shown up with the heavenly cushion, saying it was the same kind that his sister-in-law swore saved her back during her last two pregnancies. He texted every day, checking in with her, seeing if she needed anything, dropping by at random times to give her pillows and morning sickness lollipops. Which she very much appreciated, since the term “morning sickness” was a big fat lie. More like “any time of the day or night sickness” and especially when Lilly drank her disgusting-smelling spinach and mango smoothies after working out.

  Finn had gone into caring overdrive. Though he’d stop purchasing anything for the baby since the disastrous crib incident, he said taking care of her was just what a best friend was supposed to do. Since every day she felt crappier and crappier, she had no problem with him pampering her. As long as he didn’t try to take baby decision out of her hands again, they were good.

  She laughed at herself, the chuckle turning into a groan when her stomach pitched and rolled.

  “Oh, come on, Peanut.” She rubbed her flat belly. “Mommy hasn’t even gotten out of bed yet. Can we hold off on the hurling for five minutes?”

  The acid working its way up her throat said no, no they could not. She tossed back her blankets and raced for the bathroom. Luckily, their apartment had two, and the moment she started puking twice a day, Lilly and Mo insisted she take the front bathroom while they shared the back. She made it just in time to heave up…nothing, mostly, but some water and the remnants of the late-night ice cream binge she’d snuck when she woke up at midnight craving rocky road.

  “This baby-making is hard work.”

  She clung to the toilet bowl, letting her stomach settle before she flushed and stood to thoroughly brush her teeth. A soft tap sounded on the door.

  “Yes?”

  “I come bearing special candy.” Mo’s voice filtered through the closed door.

  Feeling slightly better after her new morning puking ritual, Pru turned the knob, opening the bathroom door a crack.

  “You better mean my nausea lollipops and not the special candy in the goody bags from the ‘Marriage of Mary and Jane’ we did last spring.”

  The two brides thought it would be hilarious to combine their love of a certain plant now legal in Colorado and the fact that their first names were slang for said plant. Since their wedding had been twenty-one and over only, they’d given each guest a goody bag with a sample of Colorado’s newest economy-driver with the strict instruction that the contents could not leave the state.

  “Hey, I might have been raised by a couple of hippies, but even I know you don’t give a pregnant woman weed.” Mo lifted the small bag Finn dropped off last week. “Lollys to the rescue. And you really need to keep these by your bed for the mornings.”

  She should, but she kept forgetting. “Thanks, Mo.”

  “You’re welcome. Oh, and Lilly already made her smoothie and promises to finish it while you shower so the smell doesn’t bother you.”

  Bless her understanding and thoughtful roommates.

  “Want me to make you some toast?”

  She moaned. “Yes please. I don’t deserve you two. You’re too good to me.”

  “You deserve the best, Pru, because you are the best.”

  Mo blew her a kiss, avoiding stepping any closer to the bathroom and the lovely smell of vomit wafting in the air.

  “Here.” Mo handed over one sucker. “I’ll put the rest in your nightstand.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Welcome. Oh, and Lilly wants to have a meeting to check in on how the Franks-Sharma wedding is going.”

  “Okay, I’ll be out in a few.”

  They only had a few weddings left this year. The fall frenzy had tapered off, and the winter season was never very busy. A few Holiday Wonderland themes here and there, but most of the Colorado snowy weddings were destination affairs held at the ski resorts. They’d worked with a few in the past, but a lot of the resorts had their own wedding coordinators.

  That was fine. There was plenty of wedded bliss to go around, and they tended to handle clientele on a slightly smaller budget than the big, fancy resort weddings allowed. Pru could handle large sums of money, but the type of service the six-digit brides and grooms required wasn’t quite what Mile High Happiness provided.

  She brought the lollipop into the shower with her, scrubbing her hair and body all while sucking whatever miracle ingredients were in that semi-delicious candy that settled her stomach. Once she’d finished, dried off, and gotten dressed, she went to the kitchen to see her toast waiting with a note indicating the others had gone into the office and she should meet them there.

  Now that her stomach was settled, her appetite returned with vigor. She practically inhaled the first piece of toast, grabbing the second to munch on her ride down on the elevator to their office on the first floor.

  “Good morning,” she called to her friends and business partners as she pushed through the flower-etched glass door of their office.

  “Feeling better?” Mo asked, sitting in one of the plush chairs they had for clients.

  “Much, thank you.”

  “I made some peppermint tea for you.”

  Lilly nodded to a mug on the desk in front of her. Steam and the pungent aroma of mint rose from the cup, hitting Pru’s nostrils and settling her stomach even more.

  Seriously. Best. Friends. Ever.

  “Thanks.”

  “We received a request from a couple who wants to have a February wedding at Union Station.”

  “February?” That was four months away. “That’s cutting it close.”

  They normally required six months of lead-time on a wedding before they accepted.

  “I know,” Lilly said, shuffling some papers in front of her. “But they’re willing to pay extra for the rush.”

  Pru noticed the slight tightening of her friend’s fingers. She put down the tea she’d just picked up and placed a hand over Lilly’s. “Lil, we’re doing fine. We don’t need to take every job that comes our way anymore. I do the books, remember? We’re in the black.”

  Green eyes gazed up from behind black-rimmed glasses. “I know. I just…”

  She just felt guilty for the thing that happened five years ago. The thing they never spoke of. The thing that almost ruined their business. Almost, but not quite. Lilly still blamed herself even if Pru and Mo didn’t.

  “Let’s see what they want,” Mo said with a smile. “Maybe it won’t be too hard. We’re in our slow season, and everyone deserves their dream wedding.”

  Lilly gave them both a grateful smile, and Pru realized she wasn’t the only lucky one in this friendship. They might gripe and snap at each other from time to time, but she loved these women and they loved her. They all came together to support one another, no matter what struggles they were facing.

  And speaking of struggles…

  “I’m in, but I need to leave after lunch. Finn’s picking me up for my appointment.”

  Her friends grinned.

  “Finn’s taking you?” Mo asked.

  “Yeah, he, um, wanted to come.”

  “G
ood.” Lilly nodded. “He should be pulling his own weight in this.”

  “I don’t need his help. I just don’t want to block him out if he wants to be involved.”

  “Sounds reasonable. I think you should involve him.”

  “I think you should jump him again.”

  “Mo!” Her cheeks heated. “We’re friends.”

  The chipper woman snorted. “Friends who had sex and are now having a baby together. The barn door’s open, Prudence. The cow’s already out. Enjoy the milk!”

  “I don’t even know what that means.”

  Lilly pushed her glasses up her nose, staring at her papers. “Something about sex, I imagine.”

  No way. She wasn’t going there again. Look what happened the first time.

  Sure, it’d been the most amazing sex of her life, but they were having a kid. She was having a kid. She was having his kid… Whatever, it was complicated, and sex would only complicate it further. They could absolutely not fall back into bed together. No matter how many hot dreams she’d had since that night.

  Nope.

  She wouldn’t do it.

  Not again.

  They worked all through the morning and into lunch. Mo ran out to pick up sandwiches and another bag of anti-nausea lollipops, for which Pru was eternally grateful. Though she still insisted they didn’t need to cover it for financial reasons, they all agreed to accept the February rush wedding.

  Before she knew it, there was a knock on their office door, and Finn’s head popped in.

  “Ladies.”

  “Oh, hey, Daddy.”

  Finn’s smile fell, looking like he tried to keep it but just ended up with an awkward grimace.

  Pru elbowed Mo.

  “What? Are we not joking about this yet?”

  How Moira could laugh off everything in life was beyond her. The woman could see sunshine in a hurricane.

  “You ready to go?” he asked, smile now completely gone.

  “Yeah. I’m ready.” She gathered her jacket and purse. “See you in about an hour or so,” she called to the other women, following Finn out the door and into the parking lot.

  He opened the car door for her, and she shook her head with a smile. “What? No bike?”