Piper grinned. “Thanks, Audrey, I needed that.”

Audrey wrapped her arms around Piper for a tight hug, but as Piper hugged her best friend, something still bothered her.

Releasing her, Piper asked, “Who did you hear that from?”

Audrey paused. “My hairdresser. She has been sleeping with Phillip, and I guess she has been coming over a lot and Erik has been there.”

“Oh.”

“Can I ask why y’all split up?”

Carefully Piper responded, not wanting to elaborate on her troubles. “We’ve had problems since the beginning. They only escalated and then I told him to leave.”

“Really? I thought y’all were solid, perfect even. It is obvious y’all love each other,” Audrey said.

“Yeah. Well.” Piper just sighed.

“Do you want it to work out?”

Audrey’s question startled her. Piper wanted that more than she could breathe, but she felt like it wasn’t meant to be.

But that didn’t stop her saying, “Yeah, I do. I miss him a lot and I hate being apart.”

“I hope it works out.”

“Don’t worry about us. I’ll be fine. My relationship will work out the way God wants it to. All you need to do is get ready to marry the love of your life!”

Audrey started to bounce with excitement. “Eek! I’m so excited!”

“Me, too,” Piper whispered softly, and she was excited. Not only for her best friend, but also to find out if Erik had changed his mind and wanted to be a part of her future.

* * *

This was not the time to have a fake contraction.

Not when her best friend was about to get married. As the minister performed the ceremony, Piper rubbed her hand up and down her right side as she breathed deeply. Fallon glanced back at her, but Piper smiled, waving her off just as Audrey was about to start saying her vows. Looking up at the many lanterns that hung from the trees, Piper tried to concentrate on the beauty of the wedding and not the pain she was experiencing.

Grace Justice, Shea’s sister, knew how to plan a wedding. The altar had dazzling white lights framing it with large teal hydrangea arrangements set on top. Teal lace runners filled the aisles with monogrammed edges, using the letters of the bride’s and groom’s first names, A and T. Audrey was beautiful in her wedding dress and Tate super-good-looking in his tux, with only their baby bump separating them.

And Piper was not going to let these stupid Braxton Hicks contractions ruin this moment. Taking in another deep breath, she looked over at Tate and smiled. His eyes were glazed over as he held Audrey’s hands against his chest, listening to Audrey speak the last of her vows.

“I promise that I will make you any cupcake you want as long as you rub my feet after a long day. As long as you play any song I want, I promise I will not sing out loud. I will flirt with you every chance I get, and expect me to steal kisses at any moment.”

“You won’t have to steal, baby,” Tate said with a big smile, causing the crowd to laugh and cheer. Piper smiled as Audrey’s cheeks reddened, her eyes filling with tears as she looked deep into Tate’s eyes.

“I promise to be there for you any time of the day. To love you even when you don’t want to be loved. I’ll make sure to hold you when you are sad, care for you when you are sick, and kiss all your aches and pains away after each game.” She paused as the guys in attendance shouted their approval. Piper giggled at the same time her eyes started to fill with tears of joy for her best friend.

“I will never love anyone the way I love you and I promise that my heart will be your home for the rest of our lives. I love you, Tate Ooooder, and there is no getting rid of me.”

Tate moved closer, running his hands down Audrey’s cheeks. Piper stole a quick peek out at the small crowd as her eyes met Erik’s, causing her to lose her breath. He sat in the last row, wearing a fitted blue tux. He still hadn’t shaved and his hair was longer, brushed to the side out of his eyes. He was intensely watching her every move and when he smiled at her she almost melted on the spot. She was aching for him and wanted to drop her bouquet and run into the crowd to be in his arms.

But first she needed to know if he wanted forever with her.

She listened as Tate said his own vows.

“You were sent to complete me, Audrey. No words could ever express how much I love you, how much my life would be lost without you. I love your kooky style, your loud personality, and most of all, how you believe in us. I love that you love me more than anything in the world and that you are making me a father. I wouldn’t be the man I am now without you. Audrey, I love you. Always have, and always will. It’s me and you and chicken for the rest of our lives, babe, so get ready for one hell of a ride.”

Audrey wrapped her arms around Tate, kissing him lavishly on the lips. The minister laughed as he threw his arms up in the air. “I now pronounce you man and wife. You can kiss the bride.”

“I think they’re ahead of you on that,” Lucas said with a laugh as Tate bent Audrey back over his arm, kissing the stuffing out of her. Piper giggled through a sob, wiping her face as she took in a deep breath. When another tweak came to her side, she hissed in pain as she slowly followed Fallon down the aisle to the reception. They had decorated an old barn in a vintage style, which was right next door to where they had the ceremony. As soon as Piper walked in the door she found the nearest seat. Plopping down she let out another breath before pulling out her phone to time her contractions by its clock. She wasn’t sure if they were real, but it seemed like they were getting stronger.