Page 63 of To the Chase

She smoothed her hands over her midsection. “I don’t know. Is my pooch too obvious?”

Clara and I exchanged a glance. Even three months postpartum, Shira was tiny and had a body many women dreamed of, but she didn’t always see herself the way others did. Roman had made a lot of inroads with her, convincing her how beautiful she was, but she was still working on it.

“I don’t see it,” Clara said. “But if you’re not comfortable in that cut, try another one. You’d look stunning in emerald.”

I raised Jonah’s hand. “Your son votes for Mommy to wear green. He thinks that’s a great idea.”

Shira laughed, all her self-doubt falling away. If she was confident about anything, it was being a mother. “If Jonah says so, I kind of have no choice.”

Clara sat beside me on the padded bench outside the dressing room, scrutinizing me.

“You’re in a better mood than usual.”

“Am I?”

“Yes.” She crossed her legs and gave me a sharp look that probably made men piss themselves in the boardroom. “You haven’t given an update on Tore lately. Shira and I were talking about it and—”

“You talk about me when I’m not around?”

“All good things,” she said breezily, running a finger along the curve of Jonah’s cheek. “Now I’m gathering there’s a reason you haven’t brought him up, and it just so happens you look shiny andnew today.Ithink something happened and you don’t want to talk about it.”

My friends had gotten the rundown of Tore’s explanation after our first meeting at his house, and they’d both been deeply sympathetic to what he’d gone through. But, after that, I hadn’t brought him up again. And, as they were both busy women with a lot going on in their lives, they hadn’t pried.

Normally, I was an open book, but my feelings for this man were so convoluted, I didn’t know where to begin.

“If you think I don’t want to talk about it, why are you asking?”

She grabbed Jonah’s foot, giving it a gentle shake. “Because I think youneedto talk about it.”

Shira rushed out of the dressing room, looking like a goddess in green. “Not without me. I want to hear everything.”

Clara stood, circled Shira, and nodded sharply. “This is the one, babe. If you don’t wear this dress to my wedding, I won’t get married.”

She giggled breathlessly and twisted side to side, looking at herself in the wall of mirrors. “It fits me well, doesn’t it? Of course, I’ll have to get it hemmed since it’s a foot too long, but otherwise…”

“Like it was made for you,” I agreed. “You’re stunning. I don’t think you’ll find a better dress, but I’m game to keep watching you try them on.”

“No, I hate trying on clothes. I think this is the one.” She pulled her gaze away from the mirror to look at me. “Now, let me get changed back into my clothes then tell me everything about Tore.”

We got sidetracked a few times—I tried on a few dresses too and found one I loved—but the four of us finally ended up tucked away at a small table in a nearby café. Jonah was fast asleep on Shira’s chest, so I felt comfortable letting the details of last night fly without worrying his little ears would overhear.

My friends were worldly women. Not much shocked them. Still, they both gaped at me as I came to the end of my story.

“Hechasedyou?” Shira asked.

I nodded. “And caught me.”

Clara leaned forward. “That sounds…”

“Hot?” I supplied.

“Uh…yes. Hot.” Then she added, “Crazy, fun, wild.”

“All those things.” I grinned, picking up my matcha. “Are you coming up with honeymoon ideas for you and Jake?”

Clara arched her brow. “I might be filing it away for later use.”

“But you didn’t have sex?” Shira coaxed.