I tossed her drink out onto the ground and eyed the other two girls. “Do you think you guys can keep her out of trouble for a little bit?”
“Sure,” Ashley spoke up, but I didn’t know if I really believed her considering Rebecca was clearly already wasted in the short time she’d been out there. The poor girl obviously didn’t have much of a tolerance for alcohol.
I slipped away, heading for the food table. I saw that pizza had been ordered and different kinds of chips and dips littered the table. It was true birthday party fare. I grabbed a paper plate that was emblazoned with Happy Birthday in some swirly purple font. I shook my head at it, fighting a grin, as I grabbed a slice of pizza and some chips.
“Wise girl not to grab my Cheetos.”
Ollie appeared behind me and swiped the bright orange bag off the table.
“I would never take your Cheetos.” I shook my head at him and pursed my lips; trying to feign that I was offended he’d suggest such a thing.
“Come on, join us.” Ollie slung his arm over my shoulders and dragged me over to where Talia, Liam, Brady, and Jeremiah stood. “Found your girl, Liam; you should really keep a better eye on her.” He let me go and slid into place beside Talia. She rested her back against his front and smiled up at him.
Liam smiled over at me, laughing at Ollie’s words before taking a sip of beer.
“Liam’s girl, huh?” Brady’s eyebrows lifted as he looked between the two of us.
Jeremiah’s lips lifted into a pleased smile and he shook his head. “We all knew it was a matter of time. Don’t act so blindsided, dude.”
Brady hung his head and scrubbed his hand over his mouth. “Nah, it’s okay. No hard feelings, Ari.” He lifted his head and winked at me.
Neither Liam nor I corrected them on the fact that I wasn’t his girl, because in a way, I felt like I was. Not in a possessive, object sort of way—like Blaise made me feel—but like we sort of completed each other. I felt like he was mine as much as I was his, as stupid as that sounded.
I didn’t know what to say in response to Brady’s comment; I took a bite of pizza so I was saved from having to say anything.
“Talia and I have an announcement to make!” Ollie exclaimed suddenly, further diffusing the attention away from me. “I know this is your party and all, but—”
“All right, Kanye.” Liam snorted.
“I’m far better than Kanye,” Ollie defended, puffing his chest out and flexing his arms.
“Baby,” Talia scolded lightly, unable to hide her grin at Ollie’s antics.
“Oh, right.” He let his arms drop. “Back to my original mission… Everyone! I would like to have your attention,” he shouted, causing everyone at the party to cease their conversations. “Excellent,” he grinned at everyone, “you’re great listeners. There was this one time—”
“Babe,” Talia said in a warning tone.
Ollie shook his head, sending his blond curls bouncing everywhere. “There I go again getting side-tracked.” He let go of the Cheetos he’d been holding the whole time and let the unopened bag fall to the ground—he’d probably apologize to it later—and wrapped both hands around Talia’s waist, resting his hands on her stomach so his thumbs and forefingers formed a heart shape. “I would like to announce that I, Oliver Malcolm McGruff, am about to become?
?Daddy McGruff or Ollie-D—I haven’t decided what I like best yet,” he mumbled the last part. “Yes, folks, you are hearing that right. I am, indeed, going to be a dad. A DILF, to be more accurate. It’s going to be fabulous. Oh yeah, and Talia’s the mom, obviously, but that’s not as exciting as me being a dad! A dad.” He kept rambling on and on as no one said anything. I think we were all in shock.
Talia raised her hands and shook them awkwardly in the air. “Surprise?”
Liam was the first to recover. “For the love of God tell me you’re not naming the kid Cheeto.”
Ollie snorted. “Of course not. I was thinking Mary Jane for a girl.”
“Oh fucking—”
“Kidding,” Ollie interrupted Liam. “I kid, I kid. We haven’t talked about names yet, but I think Oliver Malcom-Cheeto McGruff Junior is a most fantastic of names.” Ollie beamed at everyone.
We all only held it together for a millisecond before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
“You suck, you suck, and you suck!” Ollie spun around, pointing at different people. “You all suck.” He said it in jest, though, and soon joined us all in laughing.
“So, yeah,” Talia began, “we’re having a baby!” She giggled, and the happiness was evident in her eyes. I set down my plate on a nearby table and went over to hug her.
“Congratulations,” I whispered in her ear. “I’m happy for you guys.”