Cake Walk
Page 6
“I love you, Mrs. Brennan,” I say.
“I know!” Cara shouts, then turns to Mrs. Hurley. “Did you hear that? Mr. Brennan loves me, and I love him! Isn’t it wonderful?”
Mrs. Hurley splutters, then pulls out her phone to call…who, I wonder? Security?
Her door slams as she goes back inside the house, and Cara turns to me. “You know, we might have to move,” she says.
“One hundred percent,” I say in agreement. “Anywhere, as long as you’re with me.”
Epilogue
Cara
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Five years later
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I’m nervously pacing the floor on Christmas Eve. I’m praying everything is okay with baby number three, but honestly, I’m worried.
Because we all spent last year’s Christmas at my brother-in-law’s castle, the Williams clan has decided to gather for this year’s holiday weekend at Michael’s cabin in the woods. Being the one five months pregnant this year, everyone agreed not to put me on an international flight.
“Bit Unabomber out here, isn’t it?” asks Diana, who’s as snarky as ever, but I’ve missed getting my chops busted by her on the regular. She’s quite tied up lately with her new husband. As for Cherise and Cecily, we’re all wondering when their beaus will pop the question. Cherise has been very secretive, and nobody has met her boyfriend yet. Cecily has somewhat followed in Chloe’s footsteps with a celebrity chef at her beck and call; the only difference is that A-lister chased her down and sort of stalked her. Yes, she’s eating all her words from the time she accused her sisters of gold-digging.
“You should talk,” Chloe teases. “You and Leo holed up in your pizza mansion with more security than a military base.”
“Runs in the family,” Leo says, holding out a slice of Phillip’s fruitcake to Diana. Suddenly her eyes go wide. “Wow, that’s pungent, no thank you.”
Leo snuggles her in close. “None for you, then. I don’t want you feeling nauseated on Christmas.”
I wonder why Diana’s suddenly so snuggly, but I quickly forget as my hand goes to my tummy.
I sip my herbal tea and watch the snow fall gently in the trees.
Suddenly, I feel my husband’s warm brick wall of solid support behind me. He slips his arms around me and rests his hands on my tummy. “What’s going on in your head today?”
Michael. He always knows when I’m preoccupied.
“I just worry about the little nugget. With Grace and Mikey Junior, I felt them kicking almost like clockwork at five months.”
“I’m sure everything is fine, but do you want me to call the doctor?”
I shake my head. “No, not tonight.”
“When was the last time you ate?”
I have to think about that for a minute. “Um…”
“There’s your answer. Here.” He hands me a slice of fruitcake, kisses me on the neck, and says he will be right back with some real food.
I sit down in the comfy chair by the window and sip my tea, then set the suspicious-looking fruitcake aside. I’m pretty sure it’s the exact cake from last year that nobody touched.
The brandy aroma alone is enough to make my eyes water. And suddenly, I feel it—the little nugget kicks. I rush from the room to find Michael. “Babe!”
He pops out of the kitchen carrying a tray of dishes. “What? Sweetheart, are you okay?”
I nod vigorously and wave him over. “He’s kicking! Baby Will says hello!”
I’m so relieved, and I can tell that Michael is too. “Oh, thank god,” he sighs.
Staring at my husband, I say, “I thought you weren’t worried?”
Michael kisses my forehead while resting one hand on my tummy, laughing at the little knees, feet, and elbows responding to his voice. “Cara, wife of mine, I worry all day every day whether you’re pregnant or not. It’s my only job since the day we fell in love.”
Diana groans, but everyone eventually sprints over to feel the baby kick. Even Dad.
I look down at all the hands on my tummy, and I’m so happy that this little one is going to join this crazy family soon.
I look up and see Dad and Michael, still friends, having adapted to the new normal.
The truth is, there’s nothing normal about our family, and that’s just fine with me.
About the Author
Abby Knox lives a dual life. Fantasy Abby would love to live on a farm with goats, bees, chickens, donkeys and alpaca, making her own soap, yarn, honey and cheese. Reality Abby has no desire to do actual farm work. So, the ever-pragmatic Reality Abby keeps Fantasy Abby happy by putting her into adorable little works of romantic fiction with her pretend hobbies. Both Abbies hope you enjoy her sweet, sexy — sometimes a little over the top and weird — storytelling.
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More by Abby Knox
Don’t forget to check out Cara’s older sister Chloe’s story! Judge Me is available now on Amazon!
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Need more stand-alone short reads and novellas?
Check out Abby’s other titles!
511 Kissme Lane (book 19 in the multi-author Cherry Falls series!)
Not the Rebound Guy
Butter Queen
Pumpkin King
Fighting For Dylan (book four in a six-author MMA series!)
Hot Off The Press
The Halloween Bet
The Christmas Pickup
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Like something a bit longer? Abby’s bouncer series, Crow Bar Brute Squad, is available now on Amazon. Each title is a stand alone story about a separate couple. No cliffhangers!