Small Town Curves: A Pregnancy Romance

“It’s true,” she insisted at Grant’s laugh.

“I don’t know,” Brenna said, a skeptical expression on her face. “I’m looking pretty hot tonight, if I do say so myself,”

“You do,” Grant chimed in.

“Thanks.” She shot him a sexy smile before turning back to us. “But you didn’t even spare me a proper ogling. You only had eyes for this one,” she said and pointed a blue and white nail at Shannon. “Not that I blame you, she’s stunning. But friends? Hardly.”

“Brenna,” Shannon groaned and for the next fifteen or so seconds, I watched them have a silent conversation.

“Okay, fine. Just friends,” Brenna said with a slow nod. “We all believe you.”

“Totally.” Grant folded his arms to mimic Brenna and nodded slowly, smiling wide when Shannon flipped them both the bird.

“Ignore them,” I whispered. “Grant thinks women were put here solely for his pleasure.”

Shannon turned to me, a beautiful bright smile on her face. “So does Brenna.”

“Two of them? Help us all,” I groaned.

Shannon let out a laugh and shook her head. “Maybe you should get in on the town-wide matchmaking thing. I think you have a natural gift.”

“Hey,” Olive said, pretending to be offended. “This town has the best matchmakers around, thank you very much.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t want the job and I have no interest in matchmaking. If you want to blame anyone, blame Liam.” I barely had a handle on my own love life and the last thing I needed was to involve myself in other people’s romance. “He invited Grant.”

“I’m glad he did,” Brenna added. “Didn’t wanna play fifth wheel to two couples all night.”

“We’re not a couple.” Again, Shannon and I spoke at the same time.

“Aw, honey, look,” Liam cooed to his wife, a playful look in his eyes. “They even have the same exact thoughts.”

Olive laughed at her husband’s joking and turned her own playful gaze towards me and Shannon. “None of my male friends have ever brought me soup. Or mashed potatoes.”

I turned to Shannon. “You told her?”

She shrugged. “Those mashed potatoes were really good.”

“Dude you brought her food when she was sick?” Grant shook his head, a pitying look on his face. “This is worse than I thought.”

“What’s that mean?” Shannon planted both elbows on the table and glared at Grant. Luckily the waitress showed up at that moment to take our orders, giving Grant a chance to reconsider his words.

In typical Grant fashion, he picked up right where they left off as soon as the waitress left the table. “It means that you are both in denial about your feelings.”

“Because men and women can’t be friends?” I heard the challenge in her voice and I motioned behind her, for Grant to proceed with caution but he enjoyed a good verbal sparring as much as Shannon did.

“Well yeah, but no. Because you two are basically a couple but you’re pretending that it’s just friendship, which means this is going to get messy before it gets better.”

“And you don’t like messy?”

Grant shrugged. “It’s not my mess, but we work together and I like to keep my workplace nice and neat. Mess-free.”

“Amen,” Brenna added with a wide grin.

“Oh please,” Shannon said on a bark of laughter. “Your salon is the hub for at least half the gossip in town. Your work place is the opposite of mess-free.”

“Yes,” Brenna agreed with a proud smile. “But that’s not my mess and it doesn’t affect my ability to run my salon. I’m just an innocent bystander in the messiness.” Her gaze slid to Shannon and they had another one of those silent conversations, which made me even more curious what it was about.

“For now. I have a feeling that’s about to change.” Shannon laughed to herself and stole her menu back from me. “Better take advantage of being able to eat again.”

I frowned at her words. “You’re still sick? Maybe you ought to go see someone.” I whispered the words because I knew Shannon wouldn’t want anyone to worry about her. Not even me.

“It’s just a bug and it’s taking forever to pass because I’m working in the bakery every day.” Her words made sense but I didn’t believe her and I couldn’t explain why. “Germs are everywhere.”

“But if you’re having trouble eating, it could be something serious. What if it’s the flu? Have you had your flu shot?”

“It’s not the flu,” she insisted out of the side of her mouth, and glaring at me. “I’m fine, Miles.”

“You don’t seem fine. You’re still pale,” I told her. “Pretty but pale and you look like you’ve lost weight.”

Grant snorted. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I tell my friends. Only when I do, it usually earns me a slap.”

Brenna turned to him with wide blue eyes. “You don’t tell your friends they look pretty?” She smacked her lips. “Such a shame when you have such pretty friends.” Her gaze landed on Liam’s scowling face first, which made Olive laugh. And then me. “Especially you, so very pretty. It’s a pity you’re Shannon’s man.”