Of course that’s the moment I burst into tears, because as much as I don’t want to admit it, those are exactly the words I need to hear. And that sets off a whole chain reaction in which Violet starts crying, too. So we hug some more and cry a bunch like sappy idiots.

“I’m probably going to cry a hundred times today because my hormones are insane,” Violet sniffles.

“At least you have an excuse.”

Violet and I spend the next two hours eating crap and half-watching TV. It’s good to have a little time with just her before the party.

My mom calls around noon to wish me a happy birthday, and she promises to visit soon. I’m a little disappointed, especially since she uses the reality show she auditioned for as the reason she’s so busy. But then, we never made a big deal out of birthdays at The Ranch, likely for reasons I didn’t understand at the time. Afterward, it sort of stayed that way, so the fact that I’ve agreed to a party at all is kind of a big thing.

Early in the afternoon, Lily and the rest of the girls come by to pick me and Violet up—apparently Alex dropped Vi off this morning. I don’t need an overnight bag because I’m staying the night at Darren’s, so all I bring is my beach bag with my bathing suit, sunscreen, and a hairbrush.

Lily is parked across the end of the driveway in Randy’s huge Ford F-150. This one is new, and though I’m not all that big into cars, or trucks for that matter, even I can appreciate how cool it is with its chrome everything and grill guard on the front.

Violet bounces down the front walk for a few steps before she grimaces and holds on to her boobs. “Sweet Jesus, you’d think my bra was made of sandpaper with how sensitive my damn nipples are these days.” She threads her arm through mine. “It’s party time! You better do some shots for me tonight to make up for the fact that I’m incubating Alex’s future hockey legacy.”

I give her a side hug. “Shots are never a good idea, Vi. We both know this.”

“Agreed. But there are Jell-O shooters, so you have to do at least one of those.”

Violet makes a move to get in the backseat. I offer to help her in, because it’s a long way up even with the running boards thanks to the huge tires on this truck, but she slaps my hand away. “I’m pregnant, not incompetent. I can do it myself.”

Violet is uncoordinated at the best of times, but add height, her center of gravity being thrown off, and an additional cup size to her already huge boobs, and she’s a walking disaster. Still, she somehow manages to get her ass in the backseat without damaging herself or anyone else.

“Happy birthday!” The girls call out as I drop into the passenger seat. They’re all wearing birthday hats with a set of champagne glasses, my name, and the number twenty-six on them. Lily blows one of those birthday horns, and the thing that rolls out hits me just above the eye. It’s followed by a burst of gold raining down on the front seat.

Lily’s eyes go wide. “Vi! Not in the truck!”

The dash and the front seat are littered with gold glitter and tiny sequins. I cover my mouth with my palm, trying to decide if I should laugh or not, based on how horrified she looks.

Violet makes her apologetic face. “Sorry. I got excited and forgot.”

“Randy’s going to kill me!”

“We can stop by a car wash and vacuum it out,” Poppy suggests.

“We don’t have time. Everyone’s supposed to arrive around two, and it’s already one thirty. The birthday girl can’t be late.” Lily runs her finger along the dash. “Glitter is the worst. It never comes out. I’m pretty sure I still have glitter stuck to my vag from the last time Randy wanted to play figure skater,” she says.

“Was that last night?” Violet asks.

“Last week.” Lily puts the truck in gear. “Roll down your windows, girls, let’s see how much gets sucked out the windows on the way to Vi’s. And you’re totally taking the heat for this. Randy can’t get mad at a pregnant woman.”

As Lily drives down the street, I spot an enormous RV parked not far down the road. I point and scream.

Lily puts on the brakes, maybe thinking she’s accidentally almost run over my neighbor’s cat, who has a terrible habit of playing chicken with cars. I swear he’s maxed out his nine lives.

I unbuckle my seatbelt and try to tuck myself under the dash.

“What’s wrong?” Lily asks.

“It’s the RV, just keep going,” Vi says.

Lily glances down at me uncertainly, but takes her foot off the brake and hits the gas. A cloud of glitter whirls in the air, and everyone sputters and waves their hands in front of their faces as they get pelted with it.

I cover my eyes with my palms as much to protect myself from the glitter as to hide from the RV. “Tell me when it’s safe, Vi!”

We slow as we round a corner and then speed up again.

“Okay. You’re good,” Vi calls out.

“Are you sure?” My God. My heart feels like it’s part of the backbeat to a techno track. It was bad enough when my mom parked her stupid mini Winnebago in my driveway for three days, but a full-sized RV is a whole different bag of no-fucking-way.

“I’m sure. We can’t see it anymore.”

I uncover my eyes and slowly pull myself back up, checking to make sure Violet isn’t lying. The girls are looking at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“Are you okay?” Lily asks.

“Fine. Good. Sorry about that.”

“Once when Lily and I were little, we went to the park and there was a guy in a white van with no windows and he offered us candy. Remember that, Lily?” Sunny asks.

Lily nods and shudders. “Sure do.”

“Thankfully Alex was there playing hockey with some of the boys in the neighborhood. They started shooting their pucks at the van and broke the windshield.” Sunny twirls her hair. “Ever since then, white windowless vans give me the willies.”

“That’s totally reasonable.” I nod my agreement. “I feel the same way about RVs.”

“Bad people are everywhere,” Sunny says softly, still rubbing her belly. “I’m glad this one will have an older brother to protect him or her.”

Violet and Sunny start talking about what it’s like to have an older brother. Violet’s experience is a lot different than Sunny’s. Skye and Sidney married when Violet was a teenager, and she and Miller only had to go to the same high school for a year. But Miller and Vi really do act like brother and sister, and always have, as far as I know.

We pull into Violet’s driveway a few minutes later. There are yellow balloons tied to the trees with Happy Birthday written on them.

I give Violet the eye. “I thought this was going to be more like a Memorial Day Weekend party.”

She shrugs. “We’re celebrating all the things, and as your best friend, I reserve the right to make a big deal out of your birthday even if you won’t. Plus, Darren can be pushy when he feels like talking and making demands.”

“He’s good at that, the making demands part,” I agree.

The guys are already in the backyard, playing Frisbee in the pool.

“The birthday girl has arrived!” Violet yells.

Darren turns as Lance lets the Frisbee go and ends up getting clocked in the back of the head. He nabs it before Randy can and hurls it back at Lance.

“Aye, fucker! It’s nae my fault yer no payin’ attention!” Lance’s usually mild Scottish accent grows thick, and he winks in my direction as Darren wades to the shallow end. He pulls himself out of the pool, wearing a sinister smile as he rushes me.

“Don’t you dare! I don’t even have my bathing suit on yet!”

“You should’ve been better prepared, firefly.” His smile widens as he hauls me against him. My yellow sundress soaks through and I push on his chest, trying to get free, but it’s impossible.

“You’re not supposed to run on the pool deck!” I shriek as his lips find my neck, and then we’re airborne. The water is warm, but still a shock when we go under.

Darren brushes my hair away from my face and bubbles burst out of his mouth as he laughs, possibly at my expression. He launches us skyward when our feet touch the bottom of the pool.

Before I can yell at him for ruining my hair and the only outfit I brought with me, he grips the back of my neck and locks our mouths together. Someone whistles, and I’m pretty sure Randy tells us to get a room.

“You’re a jerk,” I mumble around his tongue.

He laughs and swims me to the shallow end. “I’m your jerk.”

“You could’ve waited until I was wearing a bathing suit! I don’t even have a change of clothes.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you more than covered.” He grabs a towel from the edge of the pool. “Want some help changing out of your wet clothes?”

“From you? Nope.” I push on his chest, biting back a grin as I climb out and wrap myself in the towel.

“We’ll get him back for you later, Char,” Miller calls after me.

“Oh, don’t you worry. I’m more than capable of making him pay for his transgressions, and I’m sure my punishment will be far worse than anything any of you can dream up.” I arch a brow at Darren and grab my bag, smiling at the chorus of laughter that follows me into the pool house.