Page 93 of Through the Storm

Ella blinks. “What?”

“I’m just saying.” I nod toward the three of them. “You’re sitting between your boyfriend and his emotional rival and somehow it’s giving friend goals.”

Rebecca lights up immediately. “Wait. Yes. That’s exactly what I think!” She points at me like she’s been waiting for backup. “I told you we’re besties for a reason.”

I hold up a hand. “Let’s be clear. Not besties. Aligned observers.Different thing.”

Rebecca gasps. “Rude.”

Wyatt snorts before he can stop himself.

Declan exhales a laugh, shaking his head. “We are not a threesome.”

“A throuple?” Leo offers helpfully.

“Stop.” Ella laughs, shoving at Declan’s knee. “You’re all insane.”

Declan tightens his arm around her anyway, smug. “We’re cool now. I’m good if she has an additional bodyguard when I’m not around.”

Wyatt lifts his marshmallow. “Exactly.”

Ben leans closer to me, voice low. “You’re brave for saying that out loud. It’s going to be a thing now.”

“I’m pregnant,” I whisper back. “I can say whatever I want.”

Ella rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling wide and easy, and when she leans back into Declan again, Wyatt doesn’t move away. There’s no tension between them. No weirdness at all. Somehow, against all logic, they work.

Maybe messy situations don’t always destroy people. Maybe sometimes they just force everyone to build something new.

Hopefully that can be true for me too.

I lean back against Ben’s chest, letting myself sink into the warmth of him while the fire crackles softly in front of us.

For the first time in my life, I understand that life doesn’t have to be perfect to be amazing.

“I think the baby is sitting on my bladder again,” I mumble to Ben after a while. He presses a distracted kiss to my temple. “Need me to carry you?”

“I can walk by myself. I’m pregnant, not useless.”

“That’s debatable,” Rebecca mutters.

I flip her off as I stand, wrapping Ella’s blanket tighter around my shoulders before heading toward the house.

The noise from the beach fades the closer I get to the back door. Inside, the kitchen lights glow warm against the dark windows.

I’m halfway down the hallway when I hear voices coming from the kitchen.

Male voices.

Tyler and Wyatt.

I slow automatically at the sound of my name.

“I’m just saying it’s messy,” Tyler says, low enough that it’s obvious he doesn’t think anyone else can hear him. “Ben’s a great guy. He’s too good, honestly. That’s what worries me.”

Wyatt’s response comes instantly, sharp enough to make me freeze.

“Careful.”