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“Juliet’s knocked up!” I announce.
Mara squeals so loudly, the people nearby turn to stare. “Mind your own business,” Avery tells them, then joins in the congratulations.
“You have to keep it between us,” Juliet hushes us. “It’s early. We aren’t announcing it yet.”
“Still, this is amazing news,” I tell her, feeling choked up. “We have to celebrate! And soda water just won’t cut it. What have you been craving?” I demand, and she grins.
“Well, it’s going to sound gross, but I’ve been going crazy for the pickled herring at Veselka.”
“First of all, ewww,” Avery says. “And second, also ewww.”
I laugh, raising my glass in a toast. “Pickled herring, here we come!”
We drink a couple of rounds at the bar, catching up on gossip, and all the scoop from Sterling Cross’ celebrity clients. Juliet is planning a big event for the company, a red carpet gala to launch their latest collection, and we all ooh and ahh over her pictures of the designs. Then we make our way to the East Village, and the old Ukrainian restaurant Juliet is loving. We order pierogis and goulash, crowding into a table by the window. Around midnight, Mara lets out a regretful yawn.
“Sorry, kids, I need to call it. We’re driving to Ashville tomorrow to visit his parents.”
“You mean, today?” I joke.
She groans. “I’ll sleep in the passenger seat.”
Mara says her goodbyes and heads out, leaving Juliet, Avery, and me alone. Avery flags down the scowling waitress. “Two vodka shots, thank you.”
“More?” I groan. “I don’t know about that. After this food, I’m ready for a nap.”
“You’ll learn, keeping up with Nero,” she gives a wry grin.
“The great, invincible Nero Barretti,” Juliet adds meaningfully. “I was going to say something. Even Caleb was shaken up, hearing the news.”
I wince. “Sorry about that.”
“It was quite the resurrection. Everything OK?” she asks.
It’s no coincidence she waited until Mara left before turning the conversation to the highly shady activities of our lives.
“It’s… As OK as things can get, living in his world,” I reply. The vodka arrives, so I take a shot, feeling tipsy and more loose-lipped than usual. “He didn’t tell me what was going on,” I confide. “I thought he was dead, too. Until I walked in and saw that smug, annoyingly sexy face staring back at me.”
“Oh wow.” Juliet’s eyes widen.
“Yup!”
Avery gives me a look. “Don’t take it personally. Nero’s used to calling all the shots.”
“Yes, yes he is.”
“Must run in the family,” Juliet adds with a smirk. “I thought I’d got a handle on Caleb being overprotective, but this pregnancy is bringing out the caveman in him.”
“They don’t make it easy to love them,” I muse.
“Yes, but it’s good even when it’s hard,” Juliet replies.
Avery smirks. “That’s what she said.”
We all laugh. It’s nice, knowing these women understand even a little of the world I’m in.
“What about you, Avery?” I ask curiously. “Are you dating?”
She snorts with laughter. “Yeah, no. You see any eligible bachelors hanging around the Barrettis, looking to sweep me off my feet?”
