Page 20 of Falling Together

“She lives there too,” Rylee says. “No one is judging you for working too hard.”

“Sounds like it,” I mumble, grabbing a plastic menu from the holder and glancing over it.

I know the menu like the back of my hand. We always try to get together here as often as we can when our schedules allow it. If Rylee didn’t work at the Hash ’N Hop, we’d probably go there.

Pancakes it is.

My usual Nutella and banana ones don’t sound as appealing as they usually do, so when our server comes around, I order plain ones.

“Okay, are you really not feeling good?” Rylee asks. “You never get basic pancakes.”

“Maybe one of the kids got me sick,” I say, sipping on my water. “One of them was complaining about an upset stomach last week.”

“Are you sure?” Joey asks. “You weren’t feeling good last weekend either.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m not working today, so I’ll probably nap this afternoon and take it easy.”

“Will you?” Presley asks. “I don’t think I’ve seen you take a day off since you started your therapy program.”

“Ooh, maybe we could do a movie afternoon,” Rylee says. “Chase is working all night and I’m off today.”

I shrug a shoulder, messing with my straw wrapper. “I’d be game. Anyone else?”

Joey and Presley exchange a look. It’s one I’m all too familiar with at this point. They have things they want to be doing with their partners, but don’t know if they should say yes to me.

“It’s fine,” I answer for them. “Go home to your men folk and Rylee and I can hang out together.”

“As long as it’s only cheesy rom-coms,” she says.

“Like we’d watch anything else.” I laugh.

Our server comes around, placing heaping plates of pancakes in front of each of us, and a plate of home fries for the table in the middle. The sweet aroma of all of them goes straight to my head, making me nauseated.

“You’re straight-up green now,” Joey says. “Why’d you come out if you’re not feeling well?”

My fork clatters to the table before I dart to the bathroom and crash into a stall. I dry heave, but nothing comes up.

Ugh.

I guess I’m not feeling as well as I thought. I take a few minutes to myself to make sure I’m okay before heading back out to the booth.

Three pairs of eyes are staring at me when I sit back down.

“What?”

Rylee pushes a fresh glass in front of me. “Drink up. It’s ginger ale.”

I slurp a sip down and it helps with my stomach. At least there’s that.

“Can we ask you something?” Joey asks.

Glancing at all three of them, I can see them shifting in their seats.

“Umm, okay.”

“Are you pregnant?” Presley blurts out.

“Presley!” Joey hisses. “We were going to do it with a little more tact than that.”