Total pages in book: 188
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
“Hey, none of that. Making you gorgeous won’t be hard,” Raine announced, diving into her kit and immediately circling. “You’re always gorgeous. But not if you have swollen eyes and a red nose. I want your grooms speechless at your beauty when they see you, not wondering who to beat the crap out of for upsetting you.”
Gloria chortled. “Ken speechless? I’d pay money to see that. He’s always got something to say.”
Grace joined in. “The more I’ve gotten to know him, the more I’ve realized you’re right.”
“It’s okay; you can say it,” Gloria encouraged. “He’s a smart-ass.”
Her mother-in-law-to-be sent her a searching stare, and Heavenly had to laugh. “He really is, and he’d be the first one to admit it.”
“True, but I love that about him.” Grace both laughed and grimaced. “And believe me, Seth isn’t perfect.”
Raine almost spit out the tea she’d been drinking. “Um…not even a little.”
Heavenly giggled. “I love him, but…no.”
Quiet descended as Heavenly watched her bestie prepare for beauty battle.
“Ready to be a bride?”
“Beyond.” She reached up to squeeze Raine’s hand. “Thank you.”
“Oh, sweetie. Of course.”
After a shared hug and more tears, Raine got down to work. “Two hours until showtime, ladies. We got this.”
“As far as I’m concerned, she’s already perfect,” Grace said softly, her eyes already misty as she smoothed Heavenly’s hair back from her face.
She smiled at Grace, who had been more of a mother to her in the last few months than her own had ever been. “I just don’t want to look pregnant in my pictures.”
“You won’t,” Maggie assured her with easy confidence. “First babies take forever to show. I didn’t pop until almost six months with Anna. With this one?” She patted her own still-flat belly. “I’m only five weeks pregnant now, and I swear my clothes are already getting tight.”
“OMG, right?” Raine agreed, sectioning Heavenly’s hair for hot rollers. “I’m showing much earlier with this pregnancy than I did with the twins. Either Hammer’s son is massive or my body’s a mess. I’m hoping for the latter.”
Everyone busted out laughing, then quiet settled as the preparations continued.
Heavenly watched as the four women moved around her with purpose. Grace fluffing her veil and making sure her shoes were pristine. Gloria fussing with jewelry and slipping X-rated lingerie into Heavenly’s suitcase when she thought no one was looking. Raine pulling out brushes and palettes with the hand of an artist. Maggie handing her crackers and a can of ginger ale with a contented smile.
These women were her family now. Her girl posse. And her heart was beyond full.
As Raine attacked her hair—curling, pinning, creating something elegant and soft—Maggie shifted on the bed. “Hudson seems to be doing great. Everything went well—the move, the coming baby, his visit with Laura over the holidays?”
Heavenly’s smile softened, thinking of the teenager who’d become such an unexpected blessing in their lives. “It was a lot of change for a sixteen-year-old. He wasn’t happy at first, especially about the baby. He thought things would be a repeat of his old life with Laura, that he’d get shoved aside.”
Grace made a sympathetic sound. “He told me that you assured him that he was irreplaceable.”
Heavenly teared up, earning a scowl from Raine. She sniffled. “It took some convincing, but he finally understands that this baby will never take anything from him, especially our love and attention. We’re just giving him more family.”
“What about the move?” Maggie prompted.
“He understood the need for a bigger house. Luckily, we found this place. It’s perfect for our growing family, but he didn’t have to start over at a new school.”
“He loves it here. He told me,” Grace murmured.
Maggie grinned. “I’m sure the huge pool, game room, media room, weight room, and sauna helped to soften the blow.”
They all laughed, and Heavenly felt warmth spreading through her chest. “So did the car Seth gave him when he came home from spending Christmas with Laura last week. It’s kind of extravagant, but we wanted him to be able to drive himself to and from school. And he’s ready for the responsibility.”
In truth, their lives were falling perfectly into place.
“Speaking of new houses…” Grace cleared her throat, her expression shifting to something more somber. “Carl and I are putting both our houses on the market. We were always going to sell Carl’s but…”
The room went still.
“Really?” Heavenly blinked. “That’s where you raised the boys.”
“I know. But now that place is just…haunted. Not by ghosts, but by the day I nearly lost all of you.” Grace’s voice wavered. “Every time I walk into that family room, I see Carl lying unconscious on the floor, Beck bleeding, and that monster pointing a gun at our heads. I’ll miss all the memories of the boys growing up there, but I can’t—I can’t live there anymore.”
Gloria moved to Grace’s side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Oh, honey. Of course you can’t.”