Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
She dialed Lauren.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Lauren said.
Jade managed a smile. “Not such a good one. I’m not feeling well. Think you can handle the floral appointment with Holly today?”
“Of course. What’s wrong?”
Her stomach twisted uncomfortably and she moaned. “I’m nauseous. I think I’ve picked up a stomach bug.”
“You’ve been exhausted for over a week. Take today and tomorrow off. This weekend’s event schedule is light. You don’t need to be hands-on for every party. The girls and I can handle it. I’m ordering you to rest,” Lauren said.
Jade managed a laugh. “So, you’re the boss now?”
“No. I’m the boss’s best friend. So please listen to me? I’ve been worried about you. Even a bad migraine never hits quite this bad, and for so long afterwards.” Lauren’s voice was filled with concern.
Jade blew out a long breath. “Okay. I’ll take a few days off.”
“Good. Now, as your best friend, I need to ask you something, and you aren’t going to like the question.”
She lay on her side and stared at the photographs on her dresser. There were a few of her family and one of Jade and Lauren at the beach. The people who mattered most to her.
“Go on,” Jade said warily.
“How long ago was the first time you were with Knox? The night of the fundraiser?”
“Umm…”
“Three weeks,” Lauren said, answering for her. “And have you gotten your period since then?”
Jade groaned. “Shut up. I can’t be pregnant.”
“Did you get your period? Because I’m pretty sure we’re synced up, and I didn’t see you running to the ladies’ room with your purse last week. You’ve been exhausted, dizzy, and now you’re throwing up…”
She squeezed her eyes shut tight. “Don’t do this to me. I can’t be pregnant,” she said. But apparently, she might very well be. “Hold on.”
She took her phone away from her ear, opened the browser, and did a search. Then she returned to her phone call. “Condoms are ninety-eight percent effective. Google said that means two in every one hundred women who’ve used them as birth control will become pregnant. The odds are in my favor,” she said to Lauren.
“Who are you trying to convince? Yourself? Or me? Listen. Stay calm. How about I cancel today’s appointments, stop at a drugstore, pick up a test, and then come over? You don’t have to do this alone.”
Jade pulled in a deep breath, which did nothing to calm the rapid, panicked beat of her heart. “No. You have to meet with Holly. But promise me you will not say a word to Knox. Nothing more than I wasn’t feeling well. Got it?”
“Got it. You know you can trust me,” Lauren promised.
“I do and thank you.” Lauren was like a sister to her. She’d protect her secrets.
“Now, you swear you’ll let me know if there is any news to share?”
“I promise.” And with a little luck, there would be no real secrets to hide. Just a false alarm.
She never thought there’d come a day when she wished for a stomach virus. But today was that day.
* * *
As much as Knox loved his sister, he couldn’t give two shits about which flowers she picked for her wedding. Once again, he wished her mother was here to help her, but given the situation, there was nothing he could do but grit his teeth and deal with it. Her fiancé couldn’t make it today, so Knox had to step up his game. The upside was that he’d finally see Jade again. He was hoping to have some alone time with her, to tell her how much he’d missed her.
When he and Holly walked into the florist, they were immediately surrounded by multicolored blooms and fragrant scents. He looked around for Jade and was surprised when Lauren walked out of the back room with a woman who was untying a heavy and well-pocketed apron from around her neck. She said something to Lauren, then walked behind the main counter, while Lauren headed their way.
“Holly! Knox! It’s so good to see you both,” Lauren said, smiling at them.
“You, too! Is Jade coming?” Holly asked before Knox could phrase the question more delicately. His sister was as enamored of Jade as he was.
Lauren glanced from him to Holly. “She’s not feeling well and sends her regrets. But I promise you’re in good hands with me. And I’ll run everything by Jade later on.”
“What’s wrong?” Knox asked, concerned. Last week she’d had a migraine and now she was missing what he knew she’d consider an important appointment. That wasn’t like her. Even if she wanted to avoid him, he knew she wouldn’t disappoint his sister on purpose.
“Stomach bug,” Lauren said, then turned toward the counter. “Devon, are you ready?” she asked.
Knox ground his teeth in frustration. What was going on? Just then, Devon walked over and introduced herself, and he had no choice but to sit down and talk about flowers.