Page 71 of The Bad Girl

Chapter 26

Nadine

“And this is going to be the nursery!” Allison enthuses, taking me into a cotton-candy pink room that looks sweet enough to cause a toothache.

“It’s perfect!”

And really, it’s exactly how we pictured it would be so many years ago. The walls are striped in dark and light shades of pink, and elaborate chair rail lines the room. A crystal chandelier hangs from the center of the ceiling, casting speckles of light when sunlight hit it through the window.

When I received the wedding invitation just weeks before the wedding, I had figured she was reluctant to invite me. Apparently, that was not the case. What had actually happened was that Allison found herself unexpectedly pregnant, and she and her fiancé decided to tie the knot before the baby arrived.

And of course, because she doesn’t want rumors of a shotgun wedding haunting her, she’s doing her best to hide her pregnancy.

“It’s so beautiful,” I say truthfully, and more than a little jealous. “I can’t believe you’re at the cusp of achieving everything you’ve ever wanted, and you’re only twenty-four.”

“Oh my gosh, you are being so dramatic. Am I happy? Yes, but ya know what, I kinda wish I would have developed my career a little first. I’m lucky to be doing well as a freelance photographer, but it’s a feast or famine kinda job. I’m fortunate Eric’s work is so stable.”

I walk around the decadent room full of blankets and pillows so soft it’s like touching clouds.

“Why don’t we go to the sitting room for some tea?” Allison suggests.

I ask for a cup of Earl Grey, and she pours herself something that smells of earth and cinnamon.

“God, look at us now, all grown up,” Allison says.

“I wish I had known how fast life would get. High school seemed to last forever, and when it was done—it vanished. My life was so full of college, and then work, I’ve barely had time to mourn its passing.”

“I know what you mean.”

The door opens, and Eric walks in.

Allison smiles and goes to greet him, but I notice her eyes divert from his gaze.

“So, you’re Nadine.” Eric approaches, and when I rise, he wraps me in a hug. “It’s so good to finally meet you after hearing so much about you.”

“Likewise!” I reply back, which is a total lie because I’ve barely heard anything about him.

“Well, I’m going to work in the office a bit.”

“Of course,” Allison replies.

Once the office door closes behind him, I say, “I wish I would have kept in touch. There are so many things I missed.”

“Yeah, but we were both off at college, meeting new people, juggling busy schedules—”

“And then there was the Tom situation…” I say, deciding to address the situation again so we can move on.

Thank you, Stacey!

Allison looks down at her teacup. “Yeah—that.”

“I was so embarrassed,” I confess.

She giggles lightly. “I had secondhand embarrassment for you.”

“God, what was I thinking?”

“Oh, come on, Naddy, you had liked him for like, ever.”