Heartthrob (The Bennett Brothers 3)

I walk into the break room and pivot, ready to bolt until I’m caught by four firm hands dragging me back.

“I’m not speaking to either of you!” I hiss.

“Yes, you are, it’s been almost a week.” Bizzy shoves me inside. “You’ve had enough time.”

“You’re traitors.”

“You should have known this was coming.” Grace raises an eyebrow. “We’re not traitors; we’re interventionists. You know all about that.”

“You told him where I was!” I argue.

“No, I didn’t. I took him to you. There’s a big difference.”

“Tit for tat. I’m still pissed.”

“I’m not concerned with you being pissed. I’m having a baby. My parents and Grandpa Roy are coming in soon. You can’t stay away for long.”

Well, shit. I love Grandpa Roy.

“She doesn’t have to say much. Look at her; she’s glowing.” Bizzy eyes Grace knowingly.

“Oh, I see it.” The syrupy sweet response makes me want to scream.

“I’m not glowing! I’m exhausted, dead on my feet. Twelve hours on shift, one nurse out, and a reminder why I prefer to work nights,” I shoot back.

“Glowing,” Bizzy repeats. “Love, commitment, devotion, not to mention sexually spent. Been there, done that.”

“Me too,” Grace agrees.

I heave dramatically, pretend to gag, and glare at them.

“What?” Bizzy asks. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I’m not ashamed, but it sounds girlie when you say it that way.”

“How would you like us to phrase it?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Regardless, you forgave him. You worked things out, and did you apologize for your part in this?”

“Kinda.” I shrug. “There was a lot of apologizing on both our parts.”

“Thank God, I never want to go through that again. It was stressful.” Grace places her hand over her stomach.

“Stressful doesn’t cover it. I was a wreck,” Bizzy adds.

I glance at my two best friends, and the love inside me explodes even more than I thought possible. They were worried, and I can relate, remembering their journeys to fairytale land. This was expected, but I thought I had at least one more day before facing them. It’s time to drop the act and let them off the hook for meddling.

“I owe you a huge thank you for being my friends and caring enough to make me face what I buried long ago. It wasn’t easy, and my heart has never felt that much pain, but it’s mending now.”

They look at each other in shock at my uncharacteristic confession.

“Man, Mathis really did a number on her,” Grace says softly. “She used the word mending.”

“I wonder if it’s a total transformation? Maybe it’s an overload of sexual endorphins?” Bizzy poorly whispers back.

“Shut up, bitches, I was trying to be nice!” My eyes narrow in warning.