Page 115 of Shots Fired

Collins: I won’t lie, when he first made the suggestion, I shut it straight down. But I’m warming to it a little, I guess.

Jenna: Well, I’m free around your birthday, and if partners are invited, I might bring a plus-one.

Kendra: Phil?

Jenna: Hell no! I stopped sleeping with him because he wanted more with me, and I’m not seeing it. He’s not my type in that way.

Me: She wants a hockey player.

Jenna: Show me a girl who says she doesn’t, and I’ll show you a liar.

Kendra: I cannot argue with that logic.

Jenna: I’m holding out for Tommy Schneider. He’s hot and a bad boy. Exactly my type.

Me: He’s also a complete douche and hated by pretty much every Blades player. His dad is an even bigger dick for what he did to Scorpions defenseman, Zach Evans, back when Jon played for them.

Kendra: Yeah, Jack has been in a bad mood since he found out about the trade. He isn’t looking forward to Tommy’s first practice session with them on Monday.

Jenna: So, sleeping with him and bringing him to Collins’s party is out of the question?

Collins: I mean, he’ll already be at the party since we’re inviting the team and can’t exactly leave him out, but you’ve heard of the movie Sleeping with the Enemy, right? Another classic from my queen, Julia Roberts.

Jenna: Sigh. Strike him off my list then. Why do the bad boys always have to be dicks? Like, can’t they act the part, but underneath, they’re all gooey and romantic?

Collins: What about a biker? They might fit your needs.

Jenna: At this point, I’ll take any viable option.

Collins: Okay, so I’m going with six places between the three of you.

Kendra: Who is Darcy bringing?

Collins: I guess I assumed everything with Archer would be out in the open by January …

I stand in the middle of our hotel suite on Miami Beach, staring down at my phone and the Vivienne Westwood ivory satin minidress Archer picked out especially for today.

It’s perfect. The second he unzipped the bag and showed it to me, I cried—big tears. If I’d chosen my own dress, I’d have gone for something completely different. Likely a long fishtail with a lace bodice.

This one is a peplum style that’s cinched at the waist, the skirt puffing out and stopping mid-thigh. Thick straps lead down to a V-shaped neckline, accentuating my petite figure.

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better than the dress fitting me perfectly, Archer showed me the pearl earrings he had bought to match.

I kept my hair in the long braid I know he loves and my makeup natural.

Everything about today feels natural. Like it was meant to happen. And as much as I want to scream to my friends aboutwhere I am and what I’m doing, I also don’t. After today, we’ll need to burst our own bubble and let the world in.

Me: Yes, it will. I can’t hide this baby bump forever, and it’s time to tell everyone. We plan to soon.

Kendra: Oh, thank the Lord. I, for one, am terrible at secrets, but I did it for you.

Collins: I enjoy a good secret.

Jenna: I’d enjoy anything other than the spin bike I’m on right now.

Collins: Exercise is gross. Ezra tried to get me to go on a run the other day. It was a hard pass from me. So, instead, we went for a ride.

The suite door cracks open, and Archer steps into the room. Dressed in dark blue suit trousers, tan loafers, and a white open-necked shirt, he looks delicious, especially with his chain on show.