Page 42 of The Wedding Favor

“Okay. Someone’s a drama queen.” After she’d refused to take the pacifier back, I’d had no choice but to pick her up. I had just set her little head on my shoulder where she’d kindly screamed in my ear when a Cadillac blasted through the front of the store, sending window glass and coffee mugs flying. Out of instinct, I turned away and covered the baby with my body. The car had come so close to our table, it had hit the stroller and sent it tearing across the room.

So, I guess I’d saved her by accident.

“You’re kidding,” Mae said. “I heard about it, but I had no idea about saving a baby. Iris, you didn’t say anything about that.”

“Again, not a big deal.” I squirmed in my chair, hating how I could feel all their eyes on me.

“Seems like a pretty big deal,” Theo, Ali’s husband, said. He was a quiet guy with patience in abundance and kind blue eyes. He and Abe had been best friends since they were kids. It was Theo who Abe kept in contact with for the years he was gone.

They were all staring at me like I was a performing monkey at a circus. Except Abe, who was sitting next to me and looking more thoughtful than wildly impressed.

“Can we please talk about something else?”

Theo took pity on me and turned to Chris. “Are you ready for the big move?”

“We’re getting there. I’m leaving in about a week to head up. While I’m gone, all of you need to make sure Mae isn’t falling apart.”

“I’m not going to fall apart,” Mae said, frowning. “I’m going to enjoy all the quiet around here. No video games. No sportsball on the television. No one calling me Sprinkles. I can’t wait.”

Smiling, he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “Sprinkles, I love you, too.”

“We’ll keep her busy,” Ali said quickly. “It’s going to be an epic summer.”

Everyone started talking at once, Ali and Mae making plans for get-togethers. Theo and Chris discussed the upcoming football season.

Abe shifted in his seat next to me. His shoulder brushed my arm. “A hero, huh?”

“Not even close. Right place, right time is more like it.”

“So humble.”

I jabbed him with my elbow under the guise of laying a napkin on my lap. He huffed a laugh. “You think you can hurt me? Did you forget Ali is my sister?”

“What are you two whispering about down there?” Ali asked.

Abe straightened. “Iris is watching Hallie in the afternoons now. Just had a question.”

“You didn’t tell me that,” Mae said while she was currently wrestling Lulu to keep her shirt on. She was losing.

I shrugged. “I just started on Wednesday. I haven’t seen you. Sorry.”

“I’m glad that worked out,” Ali said. “Iris is fun. Right, Lulu?”

Lulu, only one arm in her shirt, grinned as she felt the attention shift to her. “Eye-bis letted me have ice cream when she comes over.”

“That last time, you did let her eat her weight in ice cream,” Chris said.

“…and then she got sick at two in the morning,” Mae said.

“That’s the best part of being an aunt. I get to hang out with Lulu and then I get to give Lulu back to you. I regret nothing.”

“I can’t wait until you have kids,” Mae said.

“Oh, really?”

“Just wait.” She wagged a finger in my direction.

Ali cleared her throat and changed the subject. “You know, Iris is one of the most dependable people I know,” Ali said.