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“Don’t you think it’ll be odd if I’m not there?”
I shrug. “I can tell everyone you’re studying.”
“Quinn . . .” She says my name softly and then wipes at her cheek. Great, I made her cry. “It’s my time of the month, and I’mjust emotional. I think I need a different birth control because I feel like this one is making me wacky.”
“Stop taking it.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. I didn’t want to say that, at least not now. Our relationship is rocky, and a baby isn’t going to fix it. We need to do the work.
“What are you saying?”
“If it’s making you sick, stop taking it.”
“Quinn, I don’t know if I’m ready to be a mother.”
“I’ll use condoms, Nola. It’s not that big of a deal. If the shit’s making you feel like crap, stop taking it.”
“Okay.”
I shrug. “See? Simple. All you had to do was tell me what was bothering you instead of all of . . . shit, I don’t even know what you call it.”
“I was being a bitch. You can say it.”
Shaking my head, I move past her and head into our bedroom. “I’m not saying that. So, are you coming with me to the gender reveal for Peyton?”
She nods. “Are we taking the bike?”
“Yeah, we are.” I don’t ask her if she’s okay with it. If not, she can drive. It’s too nice out to sit in a car. I tell her I’ll be in the garage when she’s ready.
Nola gets dressed and meets me downstairs. “Were we supposed to bring a gift?”
“No, it’s just a luncheon thing.” I hold her helmet out for her.
“You know where we need to go?”
“Not Mexico,” I say, laughing.
“I was craving tacos.”
I spread my arms out. “We live in California. Do you know how many authentic hole-in-the-wall places there are to get tacos? All you had to say was you wanted tacos, and we would’ve gone.”
“Sorry.”
I kiss her lightly and then climb onto my bike. Once I have it out of the garage, Nola puts our code into the panel to close the garage door and then climbs on the back. Within seconds, we’re cruising down the highway, with the ocean in our view, toward my parents.
We barely have a chance to speak with everyone when Noah and Peyton arrive. Noah pulls all the men into the kitchen and gives us all a white T-shirt, a balloon filled with water, and instructions.
Every one of us groans, except for me and Liam.
“Remind me not to have you plan any reveals for Elle and me,” Ben says as he shakes his head.
“What on earth?” Josie asks as Noah parades us out.
“As you can see, the men in your family look pregnant. Each of them has a balloon under their shirt, filled with either blue or pink water.”
“Ooh, a wet T-shirt contest. Sign me up,” Elle says.
“I’m with you,” Yvie adds.
“My first adult time fun,” Paige says.