Save the Date (Modern Arrangements, #1)

"Probably Phoebe."

Yawning, I stretched and reached for my phone, knowing this call would have everything to do with Elora's baby shower.

"Phoebe, you do realize you're waking up a pregnant woman up way too early, don’t you?"

"Lilli, I’m sorry, but I just wanted to make sure you are ready for the decorators and caterers arriving in a few hours." Phoebe talked so fast, I wondered how much caffeine she'd already consumed. Or perhaps she'd graduated to crack.

"Phoebe, they aren’t coming until nine and it’s only six. I could be sleeping for at least two more hours." I growled.

"Okay, okay…sorry…I’ll see you at eight thirty." She hung up before I could argue.

I tossed my phone back on the stand and curled back up to my pillow. It didn’t take long for Aidan to wrap an arm over my waist, his hand resting on my bulging midsection.



~

I was in the bathroom when Phoebe came barging into the bedroom. Eight thirty on the dot. "Lilli?"

Aidan groaned and then mumbled something I couldn't hear, but he was definitely not happy.

"Oh." Phoebe exclaimed. "Sorry, Aidan."

Laughing as Phoebe burst into the bathroom, she glared at me.

"Shut up." She laughed. "I didn’t know he was still in bed."

I couldn't help but laugh more.

"Yeah, yeah, it’s hilarious." Aidan growled as he pushed open the bathroom door.

"I really am sorry." Phoebe dramatically batted her eye lashes. "Forgive me?"

"What time are the guys supposed to show up?" His question sounded strained as he stretched his arms over his head.

During Elora’s shower, the men would be gathering in the recreational room to watch boxing. That was the plan anyway, they would most likely end up in the bar playing pool and darts while drinking.

"Probably around eleven." Phoebe shrugged. "But Oscar is already here."

"Alright." Aidan yawned. "Out of the bathroom, I need a shower."

"I didn’t realize you were the shy type, Mr. Iverson." Phoebe winked, smacking him on the ass as she walked out of the bathroom.

Aidan’s face went from shock to amusement. I couldn’t help but laugh at him.

Once my hair and make-up were finished, I slipped into a silk maternity dress. The dress was white and faded into blue and black with large dark and light blue flowers. It was a V-neck with short sleeves and it came to just above the knee. It was comfortable and pretty. After slipping on my black ballet flats, I went to join in on the preparations.

The chaos could be heard before I got down there. Viola, Phoebe and Elora decided on a tea party shower. There were tons of flowers, round tables with tea sets, small finger sandwiches and, of course, a dessert table with small cakes and cookies.

Phoebe and Viola were pointing and shouting out orders to everyone as they rushed to finish up the room. The gift table was a large, antique crib which had been James’ when he was young. Aunt Anne was giving it to Elora and Viola thought it made a perfect place to put gifts. It was decorated with large silk bows.

Guests arrived on time and filed in quickly. It was still hard to believe people have baby showers of this magnitude. I’ve been to a few showers and it was typically a group of about twenty to thirty people. Not the Iverson's. The Iverson’s showers and parties were at least a hundred people. It was insane.

Elora sat with her mother and Anne at the center table while Viola, Phoebe, Maggie and I sat off to their right. Maggie had her head in my lap, pressing her ear up to my stomach and seemed intent on staying like that.

"Maggie, will you leave Lilli alone for five minutes?" Viola giggled while tossing back another mimosa. I could only imagine what would be happening if she continued to drink. The gleam in Phoebe's eye assured me Viola would be receiving refill after refill.

Maggie sat up. "I’ll give you five minutes!" She playfully scowled. Then she stood and walked to the buffet tables.

"She can’t wait to babysit for you." Viola smiled over the flute glass.

"I’m sure she will change her mind when she has to handle two screaming babies instead of just one. She may want to offer her services to James and Elora." Laughing, I took a drink of water.

"She’s already offered to babysit for them, too. She’ll have me fighting her for these two." Viola rubbed my stomach and winked.

Elora began going through the obscene amount of presents. I don’t exactly know what a newborn would do with a silver diamond encrusted spoon, but she got one of them. Then there was an obscene amount of designer baby clothes that I was sure would be pooped and puked all over. I shook my head.

"What’s going on in that head of yours?" Phoebe eyed my reactions.

Sadie Grubor's books