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ONE

CHESSY Morgan pulled into a parking spot at the Lux Café in Houston, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw both Kylie’s and Joss’s cars parked short distances away

Kylie being there didn’t shock her Kylie was always punctual But Joss? Joss was perpetually running late Chessy and Kylie ally inside the restaurant where Chessy and Kylie waited, an unnecessary apology always on her lips for her tardiness

And, well, who could ever get nificant as being habitually late Joss was just someone who lit up a roorievingafter losing Carson to where she was now Happy In love Married to Dash, her forenuinely thrilled for both her friends Joss and Kylie had both found love For Kylie, this was huge She’dable to finally overcome the de

Kylie had more than met her match in Jensen and they le moment that Jensen was absolutely perfect for Kylie

If only Chessy could say her own love life—her e—was as perfect as her friends’

She let out a sigh and cli ruefully back at the seven-passenger vehicle When Tate had surprised her with it, she’d wondered why on earth he’d gotten her so, devilish twinkle in his eyes and told her that it was the perfect car to hold their children The children they used to talk about having—it had been a frequent topic early in their e fahter Butto broach the subject of having children

He was still building his business after going out on his own and having his partner bail on his werechildren But Chessy wondered quietly if that day would ever coe to broach the subject in the last year

She felt as though Tate was slipping further and further away fro over, and she was second or even third or God only kne far down his priority list she currently was

“For God’s sake, Chessy Quit being a drama queen It’s not that bad Tate loves you You love hih Everything ork out,” she scolded herself aloud

She braced herself to greet her friends as she entered the restaurant and hts The last thing she wanted was to worry them more than they already were They’d known for s weren’t as they should be She saw the looks passed between the Not the worried looks Not the doubt in her friends’ eyes She knew they were deeply concerned about hers and Tate’s relationship But both wo them down into the mire of her own unhappiness

She was the “bubbly” one of the group The one everyone always counted on for good cheer, the happy spark Except she was absolutely horrible at concealing her emotions Good or bad, she was utterly transparent When she was happy, she was really happy Exuberant Bubbly Sparkling even, as her friends often told her The problem with that hen she wasn’t happy, she was an open book for her friends to see right through any sort of façade, and no a ever fooled them for a second

Still, she gathered herself and pasted on her brightest smile, which made her cheeks ache with effort as she walked up to the booth Kylie and Joss already occupied

“Thank God you’re here!” Kylie exclai her into the curved booth beside her “Joss is practically glowing and she has that ‘I’ve got a secret’ look in her eyes, but she refused to spill until you arrived”

Chessy plopped down, having been yanked into the seat by Kylie, and grinned at Kylie’s outrage that Joss would hold out on her until Chessy arrived Some of her earlier ache dissolved, because how could it not when she ith her two best friends in the world? Just being in their presence lifted some of the sadness that seemed to have become a permanent fixture in her life lately

“Ah okay, I see what Kylie’s talking about now, Joss,” Chessy said, studying her friend “You’ve got a definite ‘cat who got the crea So spill The sisterhood is together and accounted for Don’t uarantee Kylie will be with et here We’ll sit on you if we have to, so spill already!”

Kylie nodded fervently and all eyes were glued to Joss’s radiant s up every delicate feature It was a sucker punch to Chessy’s stomach Joss did look radiant And so happy that it al way she’d ruin her friend’seven a hint of her own unhappiness to cloud the gathering of best friends

“Dash and I are pregnant,” Joss said with unconcealed joy “I’ with love and happiness “We’re having a baby!”