She nodded. “Tell him I said hi.”
Nick kissed the side of her face and then walked by me, ruffling my hair like I was a five-year-old. I shot him a look, but his expression said he had no regrets as he swaggered off.
Calla popped up from her seat and we exchanged a quick hug. “It’s so good to see you,” she said, drawing back with a soft smile. “It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, a couple of years.” I glanced around. “The place seriously looks amazing.”
“Thank you.” A proud look filled her eyes. “It’s been a long process, and there are a few things Jax and I still want to work on. We got the kitchen upgraded, but we really want to do some sort of expansion. There’s room to build out back, but we’d have to close down while that takes place, so we’re trying to figure out a good time to do that.”
“Wow. That sounds amazing,” I said. “What are you planning to do with the expansion?”
Calla glanced at Roxy with excitement in her eyes. “We’re thinking about adding some more tables, enough room for a couple of more pool tables, but we want to add a stage.”
“That would be awesome,” I said.
Roxy nodded. “Hell’s yeah it would be.”
“Take my seat.” Calla stepped aside. “I’ve got to get back to the bar, because someone is on their lunch.”
“That’s me,” Roxy chirped.
I sat down next to Abby, finally getting to hug her. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said and then into my left ear. “And you are so going to have to fill me in later on what is going on with you and Brock.”
“I will,” I promised.
Smiling at me, Abby leaned back and said, “You know, she’s not the only one having a baby.”
My gaze darted between the three remaining women. “Which one—”
“Not me.” Calla held up her hands. “Jax and I are happy being the cool aunt and uncle right now.”
I looked at Abby and her brows knitted. “Don’t you think I’d tell you?”
“I’d hope so, which leaves you . . .”
Roxy laughed, shaking her head.
“Then who?” I asked.
Steph laughed. “Your answer is right in front of you and she’s lying.”
“All right, it’s me.” Roxy straightened her glasses. “I’m about two months along.”
My mouth dropped open.
“I still don’t really believe it myself,” she said, patting her practically non-existent stomach. “We weren’t exactly trying, you know?”
“In other words, she forgot to take her pills one too many times,” Calla explained, laughing when Roxy smacked her arm.
Abby shook her head. “I honestly worry about drinking the water here. It’s like everyone is waking up pregnant.”
“I heard you can catch it on a toilet seat,” Steph commented.
I laughed, relaxing back against the booth. “Note to self. Do not use the restroom here.”
“Yeah, but a Brock and Jillian baby would be so cute,” Abby said.
“Shut up right now,” I said, holding my hands up like I could ward off pregnancy that way. Not that I had anything to worry about at this point. I was on the pill and we hadn’t even had sex yet. “Do not jinx me.”
“Oh, look who’s here,” Calla said. “I told her you were coming by tonight.”
Twisting in my seat, I looked across the bar and my mouth dropped open. At first, I wasn’t sure my eyes were functioning correctly, but then I blinked, and I still saw her, and I knew it wasn’t someone who time-warped out of the seventies.
“Katie!” I shrieked.
The blonde hadn’t changed one bit since the last time I’d seen her. Her hair was pulled back in a tight, high ponytail. She wore sparkly pants that looked like bell bottoms. Pretty sure she was wearing platform heels, and the bright fuchsia shirt she wore kept sliding off her shoulder. She had to have at least a dozen bangles stacked from her wrist to her elbow.
“Hey, girl, hey!” She had a shot glass in one hand and a glass of dark liquid in another. “For you. It’s Coke. Because I know you don’t want to drink tonight.”
I stared as she placed the fresh Coke down in front of me, slightly unnerved by the fact she knew I wasn’t going to drink. “Thank you.”
She grinned as she reached down and hugged me tightly. “I got something to say to you, Jilly” she said, and everyone at our table quieted, because when Katie had something to say, you listened. “Hopefully you listen to me this time.”
Every muscle in my body tensed, because I knew what she was referencing and I should’ve listened to her last time.
“Still going to be rough at times, but he’s worth it now,” she said, holding my gaze with eyes the color of the ocean. “You just had to wait to discover that.”
Um.
I didn’t know what to say.
She was obviously talking about Brock. She had told me once that he hadn’t been worth it yet, and I thought she had been telling me that he simply wasn’t worth it at all.
“Holy shit,” Steph exploded, leaning back in her seat. “Is that a wedding ring on your finger?” Her hand darted out and she snapped up Katie’s arm. “That is a so a wedding ring.”
“What?” Abby demanded. “When did you get married?”
“Who did you marry?” Roxy asked.
Calla, who hadn’t headed back to work, shook her head in wonder. “And do we know him?”