Reunion With Benefits

“Found out today.” Jackson kept watching her, as if he were assessing if he should shut up or provide more details. “It’s for Ellie and Derrick’s engagement party. They postponed it when Ellie fainted and figured out she was pregnant. Derrick told his dad to stay away, but now the shindig is back on and father Jameson is flying in with the newest wife.”

“Ever met her?”

“No, but Derrick had her investigated, so I learned too much.” Jackson made a you-don’t-want-to-know face.

Abby rolled her eyes. “Of course he did.”

“The Jameson men are somewhat predictable.”

“It’s scary.”

“Eldrick Jameson is...” Jackson made a humming sound. “I can’t actually think of a decent thing to say about that man.”

“Me, either. But go back a second. Ellie is still on bed rest.” Abby didn’t want her friend confined, but she didn’t want a reason to see Eldrick, either.

“I don’t think that means we tie her to the bed and keep her there. She’s allowed to move.”

“But a party? Isn’t that stressful?” It would be for Abby.

“They’re being extra careful.” Jackson shrugged. “Getting the doctor’s okay and all that. Trust me, Derrick isn’t happy about it, either. I think after all the rumors in the paper about them, Ellie wants the party to stop any whispers.”

That meant this was happening. It sounded like Derrick was throwing up roadblocks but none of them showed any promise in stopping the party. “Ugh.”

Jackson laughed. “I can hear the excitement in your voice.”

He might as well have said funeral. “I hate parties. Derrick hates parties.”

“But he loves her.”

That made Abby smile. “They really are too cute. I mean it. Too cute.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, they were a mess at first. Derrick nearly blew it about a hundred times.” Jackson shook his head. “It was kind of pathetic.”

“Maybe there’s some relationship malfunction in the Jameson gene pool.”

Jackson drained his glass and poured another. “I’ve often thought that.”

“I’m supposed to go over and see Ellie at lunch tomorrow.” Abby wanted to cancel, or at least get some sort of promise that Spence would not show up. He seemed to be doing that a lot these days.

“Business?”

“Girl talk.”

Jackson made a face. “Do I want to know what that means?”

“I don’t know.” It wasn’t exactly Abby’s strength, either. She’d grown up with few friends and kept that streak going most of her life. That’s why when Ellie took her in and insisted they get to know each other, and then introduced her to her best friend, Vanessa, Abby didn’t balk. She took the risk this one time and it had paid off. Spending time with Ellie made Abby smile. “She texted. I’m going.”

“The things we do to make the pregnant woman happy.”

Abby lifted her near-empty glass. “I’ll toast to that.”

* * *

The next afternoon, Abby arrived at Ellie’s house, weighed down with bags of food. Derrick had to go into work for a few meetings, so Abby used the code and slipped through the layers of security to get inside. Then up the stairs. A few minutes later, she unloaded the salads and caprese-on-focaccia sandwiches onto the tray set up on the edge of Ellie’s bed with drinks and what looked like a bowl of pretzels.