Plan B (Best Laid Plans #2) - Jana Aston Page 0,60

long as you like! Jennings won't mind a bit. And think of all the blogging you could do!"

"The guy who just fired me won't mind if I were to set up residence in his guest house?" I smile because honestly, the entire thing is funny to me. Also I know it's gonna rile Violet up a little.

"You said you resigned!"

"Yeah, yeah. But what if I hadn't, Violet? Then he was going to fire me. Your own dear sister."

"You sent a busload of tourists on a trip with an imposter tour guide," she says drily. "We're probably lucky he's not pressing charges."

"Fair enough. So tell me about your engagement to my old boss’ boss’ boss’ boss’ boss. Are you happy? And why did you turn the job down?"

"I'm deliriously happy. And I turned the job down because I don't want to work for my fiancé, it just feels weird to me. Actually, his mother heads up the department I'd have been reporting to, which might have added an extra layer of weirdness. I just want to find my own thing here."

"He's his mother’s boss?"

Violet laughs. "Sort of, yeah."

"Awkward," I singsong.

"Possibly. It's a family-run company so there's an entire host of relatives working at the corporate office and spread across the world. He's got a cousin heading up a new casino in Las Vegas.”

"Oh, which one? I was just in Vegas eloping."

"Hardy har har. I still can't believe you got married without me."

"I'm sorry!" I tell her, and I am. But also, it was the right choice for the circumstances. For me. Besides which, I've never been a huge wedding girl. When we were kids Violet used to marry her Barbies at least once a week. Mine went on vacations and spent a lot of time swimming naked in exotic locations recreated in our bathroom sink.

"It's called the Windsor, but it's not open yet."

"I saw it! We drove past it. When does it open? It looked nearly done."

"Soon! In a few months, I think. I'm sure we'll go for the grand opening. You and your husband should meet us there!"

My husband. It's insane hearing her say those words. I wonder where we'll be at as a couple by the time that grand opening occurs.

"Oh, wait, how pregnant are you? You can't be that far along, I just saw you a couple of weeks ago."

"Fourteen weeks. So try to schedule that grand opening for my seventh month so I can come and waddle around in a sparkly maternity dress."

"I'll put in my request."

"Please do." I grin into the phone, happy that Violet is happy. "I love you, Violet. You're my popcorn."

"Love you more. And you're my extra butter topping."

We hang up and I bury my face in Tubbs-McGee's fluff. I think maybe, just maybe it's all going to work out. For everyone.

21

Daisy

"I have a doctor's appointment next week." I'm lying in bed with Kyle. Tubbs-McGee is on the chaise that no one uses except Tubbs-McGee, which makes me wonder if it's actually just a really fancy cat bed. He's pissed off because we're reading in bed and refused to turn off the light for him. He did a lot of sighing and meowing and tried to knock Kyle's iPad out of his hands with his giant furry paws. Then, when he didn't get his way, he sulked over to the lounge chair and now he's glaring at us like he doesn't manage to take an eight-hour nap every afternoon in full daylight.

Kyle drags his attention away from his iPad with a slight head turn in my direction.

"If you want to go," I continue. "It's no big deal, if you don't. You don't have to. It's my first appointment with the new OB/GYN your cousin recommended and whatever happens at a sixteen-week appointment, which is probably nothing. If you're busy it's no big. You were just at the last appointment. Never mind."

I inhale because I just said all of that without breathing, because maybe it's a bigger deal to me than I'd care to admit. Maybe not doing this by myself is more important to me than I'd like to admit, too.

"I'd like to go."

"Okay." I turn my attention back to my own iPad.

"If you don't mind."

"I don't."

"The baby might be sucking its thumb already," Kyle says a moment later.

"What? How do you know what it's doing in there?" I place a hand over my tiny bump and rub it. I'm not sure why, it's not like it's a genie and it's gonna pop