Page 122 of Traded

My chewing slows to watch the show as Lauren shoves her toast into her mouth. It might be the most inelegant thing I’ve ever seen her do. He stares at her the whole time she’s chewing,and her cheeks are scarlet when she finally mumbles an answer. “Sure. I guess.”

My choked laugh draws Liam’s glare, and I wave a hand at my bowl while clearing my throat. “Stray Fruit Loop. Shall we go? Lauren, we’ve got that meeting with Dickface—sorry, Dick. He hates it when we’re late.”

“Rosie.” Liam pinches his nose. “Could younot?”

But he gets up, going to the bowl where we keep the keys. Lauren catches my eye and nods in what might be a true sister-wife bonding moment.

Maybe we’ll sit next to each other in the documentary and hold hands.

Jonas beats us to the elevator. He slips his hand into Lauren’s, and she fakes a sudden interest in the wall as Liam presses the button for the garage.

“Well,” I say pleasantly after fifteen floors of silence. “This is lovely.”

“What the hell is wrong with you today?” Jonas is the one who responds, much to my surprise. Kind of forgot he could talk. “Sleep on the wrong side of the bed?”

I mouth my response to the buttons. At least they light up when I’m around. “What, me? I’m great. Fantastic, actually. It’s a special day, you know.”

I tap my fingers against my leg.

“Yeah, Toss Night is always good.”

The silence stretches out. Lauren coughs delicately into her hand.

“Please don’t call it that,” I mutter as the doors open. “It sounds like a collective peen stroking session. This is a child-friendly event.”

Honestly. And somebody said he was old enough to vote. I’m having significant doubts.

Jonas’s ears flush as we head to Liam’s truck. “I like it.”

“Me too,” Lauren says, much to my surprise. I glance over my shoulder as she climbs into the back seat. Her lips are twitching. “You should keep using it.”

“Thank you.” Jonas’s glare on the back of my head iscold.“Glad somebody agrees with me.”

I rest my head against the window for the rest of the ride, listening to him rank his branding deals. In order of their social media follower size.

Liam doesn’t argue when I flip his radio station to eighties music.

In fact, he turns it up. So this day isn’t anentireshitshow.

Just a little bit.

***

Katie and Maddie collide with me at the same time. Both of them jump up and down and squish me against their boobs, babbling words I can’t hear over the muffled effect created by their outfits.

Not the worst position to be in, but I can’tbreathe.

“I think I need a life jacket,” I mumble against Maddie’s left breast. “Fuck me. Your kid must be the size of the hulk by now.”

“Happy birthday! This is from both of us.” Katie presents me with a small, glittery green bag, slightly squashed. She fusses with it before handing it over. “Oops.”

I don’t care. It might be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I seize it like the greedy little omega I am, peeking inside to see a NestFest box. “Thanking you very kindly.”

“Twenty-five.” Maddie links her arm through mine as we make our way to our seats. “That’s a big one, right?”

“Not really.” Or not at fucking all, apparently. “Twenty-one. Thirty. You know.”

“Eh. I bet the guys absolutely ruined you.”