“No, not telling. It’s a surprise.” Piper grins, rubbing her belly affectionately.
“Tease.” I glare playfully, a grin pulling at my lips as I hold her little belly in my hands. She isn’t showing much, but I know it’s in there.
She smiles, but then her brows come together and she eyes me slowly. “Something is different about you.”
“You losing weight?” Harper asks and then Elli nods.
“I was gonna ask the same. You look thin, Claire. Make sure you eat. I know it’s stressful with school, but you have to eat.”
I roll my eyes, dropping my hands from Piper’s belly. “I’m eating guys, I promise.”
“It’s her glow that’s throwing you guys off,” Reese says, wrapping her arm around my waist. “She’s dating.”
All of them grin and make little noises of delight as I glare up at Reese. “Thanks.”
“Anytime,” she says with a wink.
“Who is he?” Harper asks.
“How old is he?” Audrey asks next.
“Is he hot?” Fallon asks with a wag of her eyebrows.
“Does he treat you right?” Piper asks.
“Does he play hockey?” Elli asks and I shake my head, even though I knew this was going to happen.
“His name is Jude, he’s twenty, he’s hot, he treats me like a princess, and, yes, he plays hockey,” I answer, and they all seem pleased.
“As long as he plays hockey, he’s good for ya,” Elli says with a wink before standing by her pole and kicking off her shoes.
“You know there is more to life than hockey? Right?” Audrey asks her, but Elli shakes her head.
“No, hockey is life, and a guy who plays hockey is the best kind of guy. Hockey players are the best, in my opinion, and all of you agree ’cause y’all are all with one,” she says with a grin and I laugh.
“She’s right. Hockey players are hot,” Reese says and then takes her shirt off.
I agree completely, especially after seeing Jude kill the ice, but I don’t say that because I notice my aunt has a gut. Something she doesn’t have unless she stress eats, which happens a lot when Phillip is gone. Poking her in the stomach, I ask, “Stress eating before the wedding?”
Glaring at me, she pulls back and smacks my arm, hard. “Shut up, I am not.”
“Ow!” I complain, holding my arm where it stings.
“You are looking pudgy, Reese, but I mean that with all the love in the world,” Elli says when Reese sends her a dark look.
“I don’t. You’re getting fat. What’s wrong with you? It’s a wedding that you wanted, remember?” Harper says, always the blunt one out of the bunch.
“You did,” Piper says. “I was there when you told Phillip that y’all are getting married as soon as possible.”
Reese reaches for her shirt and throws it back on. “Screw you guys,” she mumbles as she goes by her pole.
“I mean, you’re still so hot,” I say, feeling bad, but then she looks at me, fighting a grin, and I know she isn’t mad.
“Don’t suck up to me now.”
I laugh along with everyone else and then walk to the stereo. I’m not a fan of the sound quality in this room, but Reese guarantees me that she’s getting that fixed before we start real classes. The room used to be Reese’s old apartment, but we turned it into a studio. I used to do solos up here, but now we’ve turned it into the “Get Sexy” room.
Turning around, I look at everyone and smile. All of them so different but the same. They are all extremely successful women and are all so beautiful, but each one of them is her own person. I love these women. They are my people – my family, my foundation – and I am thankful for that. As I stand here, I can’t help but think what Reese said is true. I want to believe her, know that I don’t need the security of money when I have all this love, but it’s so hard to do. It’s like I’m programmed to make sure I have a security blanket, and maybe it’s smart but dumb at the same time because at any second, I could lose two people I care for. Phillip could turn his back on me like he did my mother and his sister and so could Jude.