Final Ride (Lords of Mayhem 4)

“She says no, he gives me the glare of death which means drop it, so I’m thinking, yes.” Joey laughed.

“Wow. How do you feel about that?” Juliette said.

“Honestly, it’s about time. It’s obvious they never got over one

another. Who am I to deny them happiness?” Joey shrugged.

“How are you and the little one doing?” Ariel asked Joey.

“Good, most of the time. Morning sickness is really any time, any place sickness though.” Joey grimaced. “I’m also craving things I know I hate. Garlic.” Joey wrinkled her nose.

“How’s Daddy seem to be taking it?” Ariel said. Moose had a way of being terrifying when he wasn’t joking.

“Like a champ. Late night craving trips and all,” Joey said. The silly grin on Joey’s face made Ariel smile. Joey was thriving. All her friends were. Despite the shit they’d been dragged through, good things prevailed.

“When we made that deal at Cork to start living our lives and take risks, none of us bargained for even a fraction of what’s happened,” Ariel said.

“Understatement,” Evonne said.

“How much longer until you find out what you’re having, Joey?”

“Another month and half. I’m so ready,” Joey rubbed her still-flat belly and beamed.

“Do you want a boy or a girl?” Juliette said.

“Either as long as they’re healthy. I figure either way they’re guaranteed to be awesome, ’cause you know, like mother, like children,” Joey said in a sing-song voice that set them all off into peals of laughter. “Hey, I’m serious you guys,” Joey said.

Ariel laughed harder and placed a hand on the muscles protesting in her belly.

“We love you, Joey,” Juliette said.

“Don’t patronize me,” Joey scoffed.

“Don’t get her riled up. She’ll sic Moose on us,” Evonne mumbled.

“Yes, and trust me, you don’t want to be on the receiving end of that ass chewing,” Juliette said.

“Did I miss something?” Hil said.

“Oh yeah, Pregnancy Polly over here had a crying jag. Moose walked in, thought we caused it, and let us know exactly what he thought about it,” Juliette said.

“Hey, I told him you guys didn’t cause it,” Joey mumbled.

“Yeah, we know to proceed with caution, Pregzilla,” Evonne said.

“Yeah, he’s a little overprotective right now,” Joey said.

“Look at that grin; she’s loving it,” Ariel said.

“Well it’s been oh, never since I had a man I loved taking up for me. Plus it’s one of the few lovely side effects of pregnancy so far,” Joey said.

“Once you hit the second trimester I hear the sickness eases up,” Ariel said.

“I sure hope so.” Joey sighed.

“Are you climbing the walls yet?” Evonne asked Ariel.

“Honestly no. I do my edits when they come in, I read, and I go with the flow. I think I needed the break and didn’t realize it. Not being caught in the mess my parents made lifted a weight, and the absence of a deadline looming over my head is nice.”