Page 133 of Shots Fired

It’s like she’s met me a hundred times before when Emma pulls me into her arms. “Now that I’ve forgiven Archer for not inviting me to your wedding, I’m delighted to meet you, Darcy.”

Her eyes drop to my stomach, and she gasps. She’s already aware I’m pregnant, but I guess seeing it in the flesh hits differently.

“Can I?” she requests, her palm hovering over my bump.

“Sure.” I giggle as she wastes no time at all.

“Oh my God, have you felt her kick yet?” Emma asks as Archer steps away from us to order drinks.

Collins, Kendra, and Jenna all gather around me, each taking a turn to caress my bump.

“Not yet,” I reply. “But we’re hoping to soon. They say it can happen anytime after sixteen weeks.”

Emma nods softly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch sooner. I don’t really have an excuse other than I’m one of those crazy people who travels the world, and, yeah … I kind of needed to decompress from family stuff after my mom and dad divorced.”

“Ugh, parental divorce,” Jenna drawls. “I hear you, girl. No matter how old you are, that shit gets to you.”

I nod immediately, shrugging my jacket off and hooking it over my bag. “My parents divorced when I was a teenager. Then our family got separated across different continents.”

Emma tips her head to the side, studying me. “Other than your sexy British accent, I can see why my brother and mom love you so much. You’ve got that …” she clicks her fingers, reminding me so much of Archer with her confident actions.

“Je ne sais quoi?” Collins adds, making us all laugh.

“I think it’s your big eyes,” Emma muses. “You remind me of a?—”

“Doll?” Archer finishes for her, passing me the mocktail version of a cosmo.

I take a sip and close my eyes.

“Pretending it’s alcoholic?” Jenna asks.

I nod once, eyes still closed. “If I try hard enough, I swear I can taste the Cointreau.”

“Only six and a half months to go, and you’ll be able to taste it for real.” Kendra picks up her soda and takes a sip. “Maybe we can mourn the loss together until then.”

Every single head whips her way.

“Wait,” Jenna announces. “Are you …”

To my disappointment, Kendra shakes her head. “No. Although we’ve removed the goalie, if you catch my drift.” She winks, and Archer kisses me on top of the head, moving across the room to join the boys. “We figured now was as good of a time as any to start trying. If we have a baby, then I’ll still be young enough to get back into shape and pick up my career from there.”

I nod along with Collins but see the discomfort as it flashes, very briefly, in Jenna’s eyes. I can sense she feels like she’s being left behind, and that breaks my heart for her. I’ve always knownshe’s kind and caring and deserving of love, but that night she stayed in my apartment meant the world to me. She’s the type of girl who loves her friends fiercely but quietly, not looking for recognition.

“When do you head back home to Philadelphia?” I ask Emma.

She shrugs a shoulder. “I’m not sure, probably in the next couple of days. Right now, I’m between jobs and crashing at a friend’s place while in New York. I went to college with her, and she’s a big Blades fan.”

“All right, ladies.”

I force back an eye roll as Tommy Schneider approaches our group, setting his empty pint glass down on a table next to him before turning to us.

The last time I saw him was after a game in the players’ private bar, and I avoided talking to him. This is the first time I’ve met him face-to-face, and already, he’s every bit the asshole Archer and Jack described him as.

With his messy brown hair and even darker brown eyes, I can’t deny he’s hot. The smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose are a complete contrast to the tattoos that cover both arms and hands, all the way to the tips of his fingers.

I look around our silent group and catch sight of Jenna as she averts her eyes from him, taking a sip of her beer.

Tommy must notice her reaction as he smirks and studies her, running his tongue along his bottom lip.