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I chuckle. “You look tired.”
She turns her head up and tosses her blonde hair to one side. “I feel tired.”
“Everything okay at the bar?” I ask.
“Oh, yeah. It’s the cold and rainy season, which always fills stools. Just hired a few new bartenders who are working out so much better than I thought they would.”
I nod as I sit down across from her. “That’s always nice.”
“Just trying to get the place running like a well-oiled machine again in time for…”
Her lips press together. Evey’s almost as bad at keeping secrets as Vincent is.
I play dumb. “In time for what?”
Vincent walks in with a small tray of dinner rolls and sets it down in the middle of the table. “About ten more minutes on the main course.”
I wince teasingly. “Check it in five.”
He takes the seat next to Evey and glares at me.
Evey smiles and takes his hand. “Now?” she whispers to him.
He shrugs. “If you want.”
“Okay.” She turns toward me with a long grin and wide, happy eyes. “Anna, we have something to tell you.”
“Okay.” I set my wineglass down. “What?”
“We’re pregnant!” she says, her voice a high-pitched squeal.
I feign a gasp. “Oh, my god! That’s amazing!”
Her face falls. She glares at Vincent. “You already told her.”
“What?” He jerks back. “I did not.”
“Oh, please. That was so fake.”
I nod. “She’s right. I can’t fake surprise. Sorry, little brother. I’m really happy for you guys, though.”
Evey grins. “It’s okay. I’ll just have to get to you first for the next one.”
Vincent chokes on his water. “The what?”
“Have you seen the ultrasound yet?” she asks me.
“I caught a little peek of it,” I say.
She slides off her chair to rush into the foyer for her purse while Vincent’s face slowly recovers its color.
Two pairs of tiny feet come rushing back in from the hallway. I pull out the chair beside me for Charlotte to hop up on while Zachary slides out his own chair by his dad and takes his seat. I feel a surge of excitement. This time next year, the kids and adults will be even. The year after that? If there really is a “next one,” we’ll be outnumbered.
I scoop some salad into Charlotte’s bowl. She slowly pecks away at it. I split a piece of bread with her, happy to finally soothe my empty stomach.
Evey comes back and hands me the ultrasound photo.
“Beautiful!” I say, excited to see it again.
