Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
“Of course, you can,” Corie tells her. “You have us.”
“And me,” I speak up. “I know you all don’t know me, but I’m here to help or babysit. I only work three days a week at my job, so I have some extra time if you need me.”
“Thank you, Eden. I might take you up on that—all of you. I’m going to need you. They say it takes a village, right?” Amanda asks, smiling through her tears and heartbreak.
“You’ve got this, Momma,” Sloane says, but it only makes Amanda cry harder.
“I never thought this would be my life. I was so naïve, and now look at where I’m at. Adopting a baby on my own and getting divorced.”
“He’s a dick,” Bellamy tells her. “These ladies have never even met him because he never comes around. It’s as if the two of you have been married but living separate lives,” Bellamy says gently.
“I know. I should have seen the writing on the wall.”
“Sometimes, we’re too close to a situation to see it clearly,” Corie tells her. “This sucks, and I hate it for you, but we’re here for you.”
“You’re going to divorce his ass, raise your baby, and one day, a man is going to come along and he’s going to cherish you. I know it will happen because it happened to me. He’ll pop up when you least expect him. You’re going to get your happily ever after, Amanda. I can feel it,” Bellamy says fiercely.
“Yeah, what she said,” Rowan says, and we all laugh. Even Amanda.
“Thank you. I’m sorry to dump this all out, but I’m happy and sad and so damn angry.”
“Never apologize,” Corie tells her. “We’re your friends. We might not have the history that you and Bellamy have, but we’re here for you. Whatever you need to get through this, we’re here for you.”
“And me.” I raise my hand, feeling awkward, but my heart breaks for her and all that she’s gone through, and I just got the evening's CliffsNotes version.
“Your turn,” Amanda says, nodding toward me.
“Oh, um, I don’t know what to say,” I admit.
Sloane shrugs. “Anything. This is a judgment-free zone, and this circle is sacred. We won’t even tell our husbands if you don’t want us to.”
“I’m in love with him,” I whisper, then quickly slap my hands over my mouth. Shit. Shit. Shit. I just told his friends and his family that I love him. He’s going to find out and send me packing. I’m starting to panic, and they must read it on my face because Corie comes to sit next to me, wrapping her arm around me.
“I know you don’t know us, but we know him, and we love him, too.” She smiles. “There’s a connection between the two of you, a special one, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the two of you. I can see the fear in your eyes, and it’s okay. I don’t know if it’s because you confessed it out loud or because of the feelings themselves, but either way, it’s going to be okay. We won’t say anything.”
“We will help you, though, if you need it,” Rowan says.
“Help me how?”
“Oh, we have our ways.” She grins. “We can get information from the guys.”
“No, please don’t do that. This is just us hanging out. I wasn’t supposed to catch feelings.”
“Eden, babe, I hate to break it to you, but you’re not the only one. I’ve never seen Foster with a woman,” Bellamy tells me.
“He’s got that look when his eyes are on you,” Amanda says. “It’s the way all their husbands gaze at them. Trust me, I know, because mine never looked at me that way, and that explains a lot about the situation I’m in now. He feels it, too.” She nods, as if she needs me to see and hear what she’s saying.
“Please don’t tell him,” I say, my voice wavering with emotion.
“We won’t,” Sloane assures me as the back door opens.
I exhale a deep breath and place a smile on my face.
“Ladies, are you done yet? We miss you,” Landry says, moving to where Rowan sits, helping her stand, taking her seat, and pulling her onto his lap.
The rest of the guys file in and do very similar things. Foster is last, and he moves to stand in front of me. He offers me his hand, and I take it, allowing him to help me stand. He sits, tugs me onto his lap, and wraps his arms around me, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world in front of his people.
Corie winks at me, and my face heats. I look down at my hands to hide it. Once I feel like I’m under control, I don’t make eye contact with anyone for fear I’ll give away how much I feel for this man holding me.