“The next day at school the principal asked what happened to us.”
We both started laughing. “And you told him it was a chemistry experiment gone wrong!”
“Yes!” I cried out as our laughter quickly grew. “I said it blew up and burned our faces!”
With a snort and laugh, Ellie added, “And he sent us to the nurse who told us we were both going to hell for lying because we were clearly sunburnt!”
Ellie and I were laughing so hard, I had tears streaming down my face.
“I take it you’re both feeling better?” Gunner asked while walking up to us.
Once we were able to get ourselves under control, Ellie nodded. “Thanks, Ari. I’m sorry I was acting like a child.
“You weren’t, so don’t even think twice about it.”
We hugged and both whispered we loved each other. Pushing back, I grinned. “So why don’t you and Gunner head to the store, then we’ll head out on that hike.”
Her face lit up. “Sounds good.”
Jeff and I walked hand in hand over to Gunner and Ellie’s campsite. When I saw Heather, Josh, Alison, and another guy walking up, I started to say something, but Jeff squeezed my hand.
“Play nice, Arianna.”
I groaned slightly.
“Ari, Jeff, you remember Alison.”
We both nodded as Heather pointed to the guy standing next to her. “This is Alison’s husband, Grant.”
Looking the guy over, I smiled slightly. He was tall, slightly built and wasn’t bad looking. The baseball cap he wore hid the color of his hair.
Jeff reached out and shook his hand and said, “Nice to meet you, Grant.”
“My pleasure,” Grant answered with a wide grin on his face. He turned and looked at me. The way his eyes raked over my body made my skin crawl. “And you must be Ari. Heather’s told us you’re expecting as well. We’ve never done this with pregnant women, but it should be fun.”
The fake ass smile on my face faded. Frowning, I asked, “What could be fun?”
Alison giggled and said, “Ignore him, Ari.”
Jeff and I looked at each other. He leaned down and whispered against my ear, “Are you getting a weird vibe, or is it just me?”
“Nope, I’ve got it too.”
Jeff glanced back over to Heather and the couple. “What brings y’all over here?” Jeff asked.
Heather frowned slightly. “Well, I mentioned that everyone was going on a hike.”
“You mean we were going on a hike and you were sitting it out?” I asked with a smirk.
“Yes, Ari,” Heather said with a smile.
“Alison and Grant thought it would be a fun to go and get a chance to meet y’all. She was um … eager for her husband to meet … ah … Gunner and Ellie.”
My eyes fixed in on Alison. Her smile was a little too big and a little too eager. “Huh. Well, we were heading over to get them now.”
“No need, we saw y’all making your way over,” Gunner said as he and Ellie walked up.
“Gunner. It’s so great seeing you again,” Alison said as she reached her hand out for him. And not a hand shake reach, but a kiss the back of my hand because I’m a fucking princess reach.