Chapter Twenty-five
Meg stood in front of her front door, turned the lock to the left and listened to the bolt slide securely into place.
“No Sasha?” Lexi’s voice behind her came out of nowhere and it made her shriek in surprise. “You’re kidding me with that ridiculous scream, right?”
“Well, don’t sneak up on people. I could have a heart attack.”
“Sneak up on you? It’s the middle of the afternoon, broad daylight.” With both hands she made a grand gesture around her for effect before narrowing her scope and pointing directly at her big belly protruding through her open winter jacket. “And I’m the size of a house. So hardly tiptoeing around over here.”
“I just didn’t expect you to be right here.” Meg nodded toward her door. “Did you want to come in for a few minutes?”
“No,” she said with a laugh. “I want to get this over with.”
Meg’s voice shook a little. “Meeting the contractor, you mean?”
“Meg, you are a terrible liar.” Lexi hooked her arm through Meg’s. “I know we’re going to my baby shower.”
“Fuck.” She stomped her foot. “Who told you?”
Lexi’s dimples came out when she smiled. “No one told me. I put it together on my very own.”
“But we were all so careful not to slip.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. “My moms have been completely weird about today for weeks. First making sure I would be around. Then not allowing my brothers to commit to any sports activity the whole weekend.” She grinned. “Kam was all over me too. Making sure I was definitely available to meet with the nameless vendor.” She threw some air quotes around the word for emphasis. “On top of that, Lucy has been baking nonstop, Sam hasn’t made eye contact since Thursday, and Sasha froze when I asked her what she had going on this weekend.” She lifted her shoulders. “I’m no fool. I knew something was up.”
Meg hung her head in laughter and disappointment. “You have to act surprised.” She pointed at the Commons. “These people are really excited for this.”
“I know.” Lexi’s voice was full of enthusiasm. “Believe me, I’m excited too. I love a party, you know that.” She tapped Meg’s forearm. “I just want to get through the beginning. I know I have to look shocked. I don’t want to let anyone down. It makes me nervous.”
“We still have a few minutes to kill. They’ll have my head if I bring you there one minute early.”
“But weren’t you just leaving when I got here?”
“Yes. I was coming to your house to stall and make sure you didn’t pull a fast one. Like try to meet me over at the Commons or something.” Meg gestured at her front door, getting ready to reopen it. “Do you want to sit down?”
“Not really. I know it’s cold out but it’s still kind of nice.” She looked up at the clear blue sky. “Let’s walk for ten minutes.”
Meg nodded and they headed in the opposite direction from the Commons, taking up the whole sidewalk as they strolled.
“How’s living with Sasha?” Lexi asked.
“Amazing.”
Lexi smiled. “I do love you guys together.”
“I know. I do too.” She took a quick step ahead and moved a branch out of Lexi’s path.
“Look at you, so gallant.” Lexi paused to tilt her head and flutter her lashes playfully at Meg.
“Don’t be a dick. I don’t want you to fall.” Meg offered a hand at Lexi’s elbow for support. “Besides the fact that I care about you”—she thumbed behind them—“there’s a line of people that will kill me if I don’t deliver you to that party in one piece.”
Lexi huffed in disdain but hooked her arm through Meg’s as they continued walking, circling the block and coming up on the opening for the rental section. “I wonder if Lucy will move in with Sam,” she mused idly.
“I bet they do. My guess, spring.”
Lexi nodded in agreement or consideration, Meg wasn’t entirely sure. With still a few minutes to spare, they wandered over by the empty dog run and the gazebo, which was looking a little run-down in the bright afternoon sun.
“We should probably have this painted after the winter,” Meg said matter-of-factly.
“Look at you.” Lexi bumped her with her hip. “Spoken like a true board member.”
Meg laughed. “Except I’m not. Neither are you. We’re the Bay West lackeys.”
“Stop it.” Lexi shook her head. “You know that’s not true.”
“I know. I’m just playing around.” She tipped her head to the side. “You know me, anything to get a laugh.”
“Oh, before I forget.” Lexi rubbed one hand over her stomach. “There’s a new girl. She just passed her board interview. I think she’s moving into her unit next week.”
“Cool.”
“Riley is her name, I think. She’s like you were when you got here.”
“Meaning what, exactly? She’s awesome and sexy and single?”
“Well, yes.” Lexi let out a little laugh. “But what I meant was…she’s super shy and she doesn’t know anyone at all.” She pushed a wayward curl off her face. “Kam wants us to make sure we look out for her. Introduce her to people, include her when we can. She’s like a scared kitten right about now.”
“That does sound vaguely familiar.” Meg laughed at herself. “God, I remember that feeling.” She threw her arm over Lexi’s shoulders as she looked up at the bare trees. “You saved me that very first day.”
“Jesse too. We made sure you had people.” Lexi smiled, obviously proud of their joint kindness. She reached up and touched Meg’s hand at her shoulder, squeezing it a little.
“Only a few years ago, and it feels like a whole different life,” Meg mused.
“Crazy.”
“And just think, things are about to change again for you.” They were steps from the Commons door and Meg reached for the handle. “You ready?” she asked, covering a lot of ground with her simple question.
Lexi bounced her shoulders up and down seeming to psych herself up or brace herself for what came next. She smiled wide and both her dimples came out. “I guess so,” she said. “Hey, Meg.” She placed one hand on Meg’s forearm, the other on the center of her belly. “It’s a girl.”
“Isn’t it always?” Meg said with a sly smile.
“True that, sister,” Lexi responded, meeting Meg’s grin with her own before reaching out and pulling her into a hug.
They stayed there for a second, hugging each other tightly, before Meg broke them apart. She held Lexi at arm’s distance, one hand squarely on each shoulder.
“Here we go,” Meg said.
Meg opened the door, and boisterous cheers of surprise and excitement spilled out and carried her forward, almost as if on air. The room was full and Meg’s eyes met Sasha’s immediately, their deep affection for one another communicated wordlessly across the crowded space. Surrounded by her friends, her family, the love of her life, Meg felt her entire life falling perfectly into place. Whatever the future would bring was, as life is, a complete mystery. But Meg was more than ready. In fact, she could hardly wait.