My face falls, and the girls burst out laughing. “Spencer, stop it,” Lottie says.
I put my hand on my chest in relief. “Oh my God, don’t tease me. I’m nervous enough,” I admit.
Sebastian rolls his eyes. “Don’t be nervous about these fucking idiots. Nobody to impress here.”
“Hey!” Brielle chimes in.
“Watch your mouth.” Lottie laughs.
“Two jugs of sangria,” the waiter says as he puts two huge jugs of some exotic looking red drink on the table.
“Yes, thank you.” Brielle smiles. “Keep them coming.”
Charlotte rolls her eyes. “Oh, this is just great.”
“Just keep making babies for me, babe.” Spencer gives her a sexy wink as he rubs her pregnant stomach.
She fakes a smile at him and fans herself with a paper fan. “When I have this baby, Spencer, I’m going on a bender for a week, and you’re babysitting the entire time. Breastfeeding and all.”
Spencer raises his glass to her. “Yes, dear.”
I can’t help but smile as I watch them. He adores her, it’s obvious. He has a likeable, naughty boy charm about him.
“How long have you got to go?” I ask.
“Ten weeks.” She smiles.
“First baby?”
“No, fourth.”
My eyes widen. “Wow.”
She seems nice and has a real toffy English accent. I wonder where she’s from.
I turn my attention to Brielle. “Do you have any children?”
“Yes, five.”
“Five?” My eyes widen, unable to hide my shock. God, these women are full on breeders.
“Three are ours, and two are my step kids.”
I think I pick up an accent.
My eyes drift to Julian. He must have had kids with someone else before.
“Although they like Brielle more than me,” Julian mutters dryly.
“We all do,” Spencer replies casually against his glass of sangria.
“Am I picking up an Australian accent?” I ask.
“Yes, I’m an Aussie. Tell me about you?””
Julian smiles as he watches her. It’s obvious he’s smitten, too.
“I’m American.” I smile. “Lawyer.”
They all hang off my every word. I shrug bashfully.
“How did you two meet?” Charlotte looks between us.
“Ah.” My eyes find Sebastian. He’s sitting back, enjoying the show, not a word to be heard. Cut in any time, fucker. “We met in a café about six years ago. We dated briefly then but it didn’t work out.”
Sebastian, Julian, and Spencer’s eyes meet, and I know his friends know the real way we met.
Screw it. He wants to be honest with his friends, so do I.
“Actually, that’s not all of it. After we met in the café, I worked in a strip club and Sebastian came in.”
A broad smile crosses Julian’s face, and he glances over to Spencer who is also wearing a goofy grin.
“Steady on,” Sebastian chokes.
The girls’ eyes widen.
“I’m telling you two the truth because I can’t lie, and I know that Sebastian has already told the boys. I want to be honest with you both right off the bat.”
Charlotte slaps Spencer’s arm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Brielle’s mouth falls open when she turns to Julian. “You knew this?”
Sebastian holds his hands up in surrender. “It was the one time I went to a strip club, and she was working behind the bar to put herself through law school.” He stammers.
I look over to see Julian is smirking into his drink, his eyes holding mine.
He’s impressed that I told them the truth.
So am I.
“Oh, I like you.” Charlotte gasps. “Somebody pour her another drink. I want to hear all the strip club stories.”
Spencer playfully puts his hand over my glass. “Let’s not.”
“So how did you girls meet your lovely men?” I ask.
“Well I was actually Julian’s nanny,” Bree responds with a smirk on her face. “And Charlotte is the rich daddy’s girl that Spencer couldn’t have”.
We all laugh. Maybe this night won’t be so bad after all.
They actually seem nice.
Sebastian
I watch as April chatters and laughs with the girls at the other end of the table. This is so weird.
The girls never like anyone I date. Not that I ever bring them to anything like this, I guess. I’ve taken dates to black tie balls before, but Brielle and Charlotte have always been guarded and not overly friendly.
They’re different tonight. Or maybe it’s just that it’s April.
Unassuming, and pretty, she oozes warmth and kindness. But most of all, she’s intelligent.
“So, what’s the plan if you go into early labor while we’re here?” April asks.
“I don’t know.” Charlotte looks over to her husband. “What’s the plan, Spence?”
He shrugs. “Freak the fuck out.” He puts his hand over his mouth so the girls can’t hear. “And then getting rolling fucking drunk,” he mutters under his breath.
Julian and I laugh. Spencer is hardly drinking due to Charlotte’s condition in case he needs to drive somewhere in an emergency. He wants the baby to come more than anyone.
“You can call me and Sebastian,” April slurs in her ‘I’ve had way too many sangrias’ voice. “I’m good in emergency situations, and Seb always knows what to do.”
I smile against my wine glass. When do I always know what to do?
Never.
“And besides, my cat had kittens,” she continues.
“Trust me, this pussy is a lot bigger than yours. We need back up,” Spencer mutters dryly.
We all burst out laughing.
Charlotte slaps him on the arm. “Spencer.”
Brielle goes to stand and stumbles back on her chair, crashing spectacularly backwards into the garden bed.
“Fucking hell,” Julian mutters, jumping up.
April bursts out laughing, and she scrambles to pick Brielle up. She grabs her hands and begins to pull her out of the hedge. They’re laughing loudly as they fumble around, and everyone is looking our way.
“No more for you. We’re going home,” Julian says as he pulls Brielle to her feet. “You could have broken your neck.” He smooths down her dress and straightens her up.
“But we’re going dancing,” Brielle slurs. Her hair is wild, and she has the Devil in her eyes. Jeez, I think she’s even drunker than April.
Drunker. Is that a word?
“Yes. Dancing!” April gasps. “Let’s go.” She grabs Charlotte’s hands and pretends to slow waltz with her. “Bubba loves to dance.” She bends down to Charlotte’s stomach. “Don’t you, cutie pie?” she says in a baby voice.
“Oh God.” I roll my eyes. “That’s it. We’re out, too, April.”
Brielle sidesteps and stumbles again on her heels. Just as she’s about to fall back in the garden, Julian catches her. “Home,” he demands, putting his arm around her.
“Yes, good idea.” She looks lovingly up at him. “What have you got for me, big boy?”
Julian winces, and Spence and I burst out laughing.
I take April’s hand. “Come.”
“Noo.” She laughs. “Don’t be a party pooper, Seb. Me and the girls are out on the town. Aren’t we girls?”
“There is no town,” Julian replies.
“Yes!” Brielle calls from under Julian’s arm. “I’m going out, Jules.” She goes to pull away, and he takes her arm in a vice-like grip. “Home time, Bree.” He pulls her along. “You’ve had enough.”
Brielle puts her hand to her mouth, whispering while she’s being pulled along like a child. “He’s being boring.”
“What’s new?” Spencer mutters.
We walk through the gardens back to our apartments. The girls are on each arm of Charlotte, chatting and giggling, tottering along like drunken sailors.