Page 51 of Book Club Confidential

“Hallie is currently engaged,” Tessa reminded. “I think she needs to deal with that before she starts sending other people pictures of her pie.”

Hallie tipped back her head and laughed.

Kate blinked rapidly, fighting tears of laughter. “Touché.”

“How are you doing with your newfound feelings for women?” Kate asked. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Okay,” Kate said. “But you’ve found a whole other part of yourself you didn’t know existed. That’s huge. I hope you’ll embrace it as something unique and beautiful just like every other part of you.”

“Ugh,” Hallie said. “It’s too much change, and I hate change. I need time to work through all of this, and I don’t have any.” Her jaw set, and she squared her shoulders. “I have to stop this one-sided craziness. The wedding invites are out. I have to grow a backbone and talk to Bryce. He would make a perfectly fine husband, by the way, and I’d make a badass wife. We could build a strong, productive life together, and I think we’d both find happiness in that.”

“But you aren’t in love with him,” Tessa said. “And I’m worried you’re going to get married just to avoid an uncomfortable, potentially heated conversation.”

“Me too,” Kate said. “You’re a triple gold medalist in avoidance, but this needs to be faced. Your entire future depends on it.”

Hallie turned the butter knife toward herself and grimaced until Kate removed it from her hand. “Maybe I just have cold feet,” Hallie said. “That’s incredibly common. Or maybe I’m just confused.”

“No doubt about that,” Kate said.

“Regardless. My feelings about Eloise are a concern for another day. Maybe. But it’s not very nice of me to keep this new information about me from Bryce, so I will find a way to tell him and see what he says.”

“Good idea,” Tessa said.

“I’m sure he’s feeling the same way,” Kate said. “Not about Eloise, but as far as the anxiety caused by such a major life change so close at hand. It’s completely normal to panic about this level of change.”

Hallie nodded, eyes blinking.

Tessa slid Hallie’s glass of water a little closer. “You okay?”

“I don’t want to tell him,” Hallie whined, arms falling limply at her sides as she melted into her chair. “Why am I such a weenie?”

“I’m the weenie here.” Kate said. Disappointment shone in her eyes. “I shouldn’t care if people stop following me, but I do. I can’t help thinking it would be better to go back to making people happy than being my authentic self and potentially losing everything I’ve built.”

“Do not quit,” Hallie said. “I want the world to know you. The real you.”

Kate finished her glass and refilled it. “If you say so.” She looked appraisingly at Tessa. “Any more confrontations with your boss?”

“No, but I should’ve taken a clearer stand with him. I think I might’ve let him believe I’d come around to helping Peyton when I absolutely won’t. I practically ran from his office when he took a phone call and dismissed me.”

Hallie wrinkled her nose. “Maybe we should start calling our book club Three Weenies in a Bar.”

Kate’s mouth fell open in mock enthusiasm. She shot to her feet, then moved to stand between her friends’ chairs and held out her phone for a selfie. “Weenies up!” She raised the index finger on her left hand, and the others laughed as they did the same.

“Cheers,” they sang, and Kate took the photo.

She eased back, a fresh look of resolve in her eyes. “I don’t want to be a bar weenie, so I won’t give up our cause just yet. Even if I have to change my name and move to Peoria.”

“Me too,” Tessa said. “Mostly because I don’t want either of you to give up on the lives you deserve. I want you to both be so incredibly happy.” Her throat tightened as she spoke, and her arms opened in need of a hug.

“I just don’t want to move to Peoria,” Kate said.

The trio embraced, laughing through mutual tears.

“Three more weeks,” Tessa said. “We can do this.”

“Three more weeks,” Hallie and Kate agreed.