“Thanks.” I smile back at her, touching my fingers to my growing belly. I’m still in that awkward stage where people can’t quite tell if I’m pregnant or just gaining weight—but another week, and I’ll be completely rounded and there will no longer be any way to deny it.
This is happening.
“Xander’s going to be a great dad,” Rae adds. “He’s going to be crazy about that kid.”
Nova nods along with her. “You find out the gender at your next appointment, right?” she asks, munching on a piece of pita bread and hummus.
I nod, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. “Yeah, I can’t wait. That’s probably the most exciting thing about this whole process.”
“Are you going to find out at the appointment or wait and do a reveal?” Nova asks, wiping some crumbs on a napkin.
“Uh …” I pause. “We hadn’t really talked about it. I’m not sure I have the patience to wait. This has already sucked enough.”
“So,” Rae begins, “what do you want? Boy or girl?”
“I haven’t really thought about it,” I answer honestly. “I’m super girly, so a girl would be fun, but a boy would be fun too. I’d love to see Xander teaching him to play foo
tball, but he could teach our daughter too.” I shrug. “It doesn’t really matter.”
“Are we allowed to take bets?” Nova asks.
I laugh, taking a sip of my lemonade and shrug. “Sure, I guess.”
“I vote girl,” Nova chimes, raising her hand.
“And I vote boy.” Rae raises her hand.
I shake my head. “I wonder what the guys think it is.”
“We’ll ask them.” Nova laughs softly and shakes her plastic coffee cup. It’s almost empty and her ice jingles against the sides.
“I’m curious now what Xander thinks it is. I don’t really have any sort of maternal instincts that are telling me, oh it’s a boy, or, oh it’s a girl.” I shrug, and pick up my cup. “Maybe I’m broken.”
Rae laughs and shakes her head. “If I was pregnant I doubt I’d have any sort of idea on what I was having. Stop trying to make something out of nothing.” She reaches over and pats my hand like a mother would.
Changing the subject, I say, “Did you and Cade like any of those wedding venues I emailed you?”
She sits up a little straighter in her chair. “We both liked the rooftop idea, but then we remembered the wedding’s in December.”
I smack my forehead. “In my defense, pregnancy brain is totally a thing.”
She grins at me. “We both got quite a laugh about it.”
I shake my head. “I’m such an idiot.”
“It’s okay. The historic hotel downtown you suggested is probably the best fit, if the date is still available.”
“I’ll check when I get home, if you’re sure?”
She nods. “Yeah, go for it.”
“I can’t believe my big brother is getting married after me. I never thought that would happen.” I shake my head.
Rae laughs. “That’s what happens when you get drunk in Vegas and wind up asking your crush to marry you.”
I blush. “You guys are never going to let me live that down, are you?”
She grins back. “Nope, never.”