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"If you don’t take into consideration that I’m waddling like a duck and my ankles are so swollen none of my shoes fit," I give him a bright smile, "I feel wonderful." I'm actually not exaggerating as much as he probably thinks I am.
Am I a little uncomfortable? Yes. But that's kind of to be expected when there's an entire additional human occupying your insides.
Fynn's brows pinch together in concern, the same way they do no fewer than ten times a day. "Do you want me to take you home? I'm sure we can reschedule—"
I start to laugh because there's no freaking way we can reschedule tonight. Not again. "If we try to bump this back one more time, your mother is going to be devastated. She’s been waiting so long and has worked so hard. There’s no way we're taking this away from her."
It took Helena a little while longer than expected to bounce back from her last round of chemotherapy. But finally, after a few months of fighting exhaustion and occasional nausea, she is cancer free and better than ever.
And beyond ready to announce not only my marriage to Fynn, but also the fact that she is about to be a grandmother.
"You know she would do anything for you, Val, so if this is going to be too much…" Fynn tries again. He’s had a hard time witnessing me struggle with all the discomforts pregnancy brings. I'm sure it's connected to how close he came to losing me that day on the boat, but I almost think he would have been just as concerned if that had never happened. That's just the way he is. He is entirely committed to caring for the people he loves and ensuring their comfort and happiness. That's part of why what Jessica did to him was so awful. At one point he genuinely cared about her, and seeing how easily she would ruin him was a tough pill for Fynn to swallow.
That's why I was a little upset to discover she was still walking around Sweet Side instead of hanging out with Warren at the bottom of the ocean.
Then I saw her.
It turns out, not only is Elaine dangerous to anyone who dares to cross her, she is also petty as hell, and I am one hundred percent here for it. It took everything I had to keep from laughing out loud when Helena and I bumped into Jessica at a fundraiser. I don’t know how much make-up she used trying to cover up the word BITCH tattooed across her forehead in thick black letters, but it wasn’t enough.
At least she’s labeled now, so everyone will know what’s coming.
We reach the steps leading down into the sunken portion of the space where all the tables are set up. Before I can angle my big belly to maneuver my way down, Arny is at my other side, gently holding my elbow and providing extra support and balance. He gives me a wide grin and a wink. "You look ravishing, my dear."
"Thank you." I wobble my way down the handful of steps, waiting until both feet are flat on the floor before smoothing down the front of my flowing dress. I turn to Arny and look him over, taking in the clean lines of his cream-colored suit. "You don't look so bad yourself."
He tugs the lapels cutting down the front of his chest, straightening them over the matching button-up spread open at his neck. "You think? Brian picked it out for me."
I reach out to adjust the pink pocket square that serves as the single pop of color in his ensemble. “Well, we already knew Brian has good taste, didn’t we?"
Arny beams. “We did.”
I hadn't been working in Fynn's office long when he decided I should also have flowers delivered there each week. Arny brought the first arrangement himself, and he and Brian hit it off almost immediately and they’ve been nearly inseparable since. Their coupling is one I’m immensely grateful for, because Arny's cool, calm presence has brought Brian's high-strung tendencies down a peg or two. Without that shift, it's likely I would have murdered him by now, because the man gets his panties in a bunch over just about everything.
I love him anyway, but I still probably would have killed him.
Arny double checks to make sure I'm steady on my feet, then leaves to finish checking over the arrangements his employees delivered. The man is a perfectionist so I’m sure he won’t relax until each and every one has been inspected.
It’s one of the reasons Fynn and I decided to help him expand his business. So far the investment has been a great one, especially since Arny now provides flowers to all the upscale salons and boutiques Elaine developed that cater to women of a certain age.
Which then resulted in all those women of a certain age hiring Arny for their own events. It's been pretty freaking amazing to watch things snowball for him. Especially since I’m guessing it won’t be long before he’s planning some events of his own.
Hopefully he waits until I push this kid out so I can help.
"Come on, Love. Let's go find you a place to sit down." Fynn’s steady palm presses against my spine, urging me across the beautifully decorated room.
I want to tell him I'm fine, but we both know I'm not. If I hope to spend even a portion of this party on my feet, then I’ll need to stay on my ass until the guests start to arrive. It's not at all how I first envisioned tonight going, but I can make it work.
When Helena and I began planning our marriage celebration six months ago, we both expected me to be a cute, five-month-pregnant ball of sunshine, with a little basketball belly and maternal glow oozing out my pores. But, as the date kept having to be pushed back more and more, I started to realize our initial plan wasn't going to happen. That's when this became a doubleheader, celebrating both our wedding, and the new addition to our family at once.
Luckily, I know someone who makes the world's most beautiful and comfortable caftans, so I have a custom-made gown to get me through the night.
As Fynn and I make our way across the large space, I double check all the table arrangements and centerpieces. Since we didn't find out what we’re having, everything is in beautiful shades of pale green and creamy off-white, making for a classy, but still appropriate, color scheme.
A color scheme Fynn and I chose to adhere to. Like Arny, Fynn is wearing a crisp, cream suit. But instead of a matching button up, his shirt is the same seafoam hue as my draping dress. Pumps are no longer an option for me, so instead I'm sporting strappy, gold braided flat sandals. They are pretty and comfortable, and give my feet plenty of room to grow, as I'm sure they will over the course of the evening.
I spot the table set up specifically for Fynn and I, and head for the bar-stool-height chair that will help keep me almost eye level as I greet our guests. It's also situated close to the refreshments and the bathroom. Both locations I will probably visit plenty of times over the course of the next few hours.
I'm just getting settled in my seat when Helena comes breezing in, looking stunning, as usual. Her hair is now long enough that she skips a wig most days. Tonight her cropped, silvery strands are styled into a sophisticated and sleek pixie that shows off the dropped diamonds gracing her earlobes.
