December. I was going to marry him in three months. My eyes flew open, and I looked over at Ellie.

Oh. My. God. I’m going to get married in three months, and I haven’t started to plan a damn thing. Nothing! I needed to call my mom. Where should we get married? Austin? At the ranch?

On a beach... far, far away from everyone and everything. That would be the perfect wedding. It was too bad my mother would say hell no and then throw a damn Katharine Hepburn quote at my ass.

I hit Ellie on the arm.

She looked over and pulled her head phones out. Britney Spear’s “Toxic” was playing from her earbuds.

“What? We’ve only been going for thirty minutes.”

“I’m freaking out!”

“I would think so. Do you know how much shit you ate in the last few hours?”

I rolled my eyes. “Not about what I ate. It’s about the wedding. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I’m getting married in three months, Ells. One. Two. Three. Three months and I’ve done nothing.”

Ellie threw her head back and laughed. “Don’t worry. We have a secret weapon called Jenny. Ari, it will be fine. We got this thing. I mean we can.”

Ellie stopped mid-sentence and stared past me. The look on her face was not good.

I was almost afraid to turn around to see who or what she was looking at.

“Um, how about we call it a day and go get those tattoos?” Ellie stopped the elliptical and jumped off.

Now, I knew it was bad. I hit stop, got off, and turned just in time to see Rebecca standing there, talking to...Jason?

“Ari, let’s just go.”

Oh fuck no. I’d been dreaming about what I was going to say to her when I saw her again. She had been the reason why I’d lost the baby. It’d been her and her alone. I wanted to pound my fist in her face.

“It’s okay, Ells. I got this under control. Honest.”

“The hell you do! I can practically see the steam coming from your ears, Ari.”

What is Rebecca talking to Jason about? They sure seemed deep in conversation.

When I started to walk toward her, Ellie grabbed my arm.

“Ari, I really think this is a bad idea. There’s something Jeff didn’t tell you, and I really think you need to just walk away.”

I turned and looked at her. “What? What didn’t he tell me?”

“Aw shit, Ari! You don’t really need to know. It doesn’t matter anymore, so please, let’s just go, please.”

“You can’t say that to me and then just expect me to walk away. Tell me now or I will vagina punch your ass right here in the middle of the gym.”

Ellie looked over my shoulder toward the bitch.

“Fuck me. Jason’s the father of Rebecca’s baby.”

“Wait…what? He can’t be. He was with me when...” Then, it hit me.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I pushed Ellie’s hand off my arm and turned around to head over to the devil’s spawn herself.

It didn’t take her long to notice me walking up to her. She straightened her body and stood a little closer to Jason. He’s not going to save you, bitch! After I take his ass down, I’m coming after you.

“Ari.”

“Ells, please. I need to do this.”

Ellie took a deep breath and gave me a knowing nod.

Right before I got there, Jason turned to see me coming.

“Oh, hey there, Ari and, Ellie. How have y’all been?”

“Fuck off, Jason.”

“Listen, Ari, I don’t want any trouble. I tried to call Jeff, but he won’t take my calls,” Rebecca said.

“And you should probably take that as a sign that he’s never going to take your calls...ever again.”

“Fine. You know what Ari, I don’t have time to stand here and listen to you.”

I reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Oh, I think you do, and you will make time for me, bitch.”

“Don’t call me a bitch!” Rebecca said. She looked at Jason as he wisely took a few steps away.

“Oh, I’m sorry I offended you when I called you a bitch, Rebecca, I honestly thought you knew you were one.”

“Fuck off, Ari.”

I tightened my grip on her arm and pulled her closer to me. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Because of you, I lost something very precious to me.”

She slowly let a smile play across her face.

The fact that she smiled was enough to make me want to hurt her even more.

“What’s wrong, Ari, you couldn’t keep Jeff around?”

“Oh, don’t you wish. Actually, we’re getting married in a few months. Don’t hold your breath for an invite.”

“Let go of my arm.”

“Listen to me, and listen very closely, Rebecca. If you so much as ever think of getting in contact with Jeff again, I’ll make sure you pay for everything you’ve ever done to me. You so much as look my way ever again, and I’ll kick your ass from here to kingdom come and not think twice about it.”

Rebecca looked at me and then over to Ellie.

“By the way, Bek, you look like shit. I thought motherhood made you more beautiful. Huh, it must not work for lying, scheming bitches.” I let go of her arm and gave her a small push.

I looked over at Jason and smiled. He took another step backward.

“Don’t worry, dickwad, you’re not even worth my time or energy.” I held up my middle finger and smiled at him as I started to walk away.

Smiling, Ellie came up next to me and bumped my shoulder.

“Really, I would’ve been okay if you kicked the shit out of her.”

I reached my arm around and pulled her closer. “Holy hell, girl, I’m so glad you’re my best friend.”

When we walked out of that gym, I’d never felt better.

***

By the time we walked out of the tattoo parlor, I was flying high. I ended up getting angel wings on my right shoulder in honor of our little girl. I couldn’t wait to show Jeff. The belly-button piercing was perfect. I looked over at Ellie and let out a giggle. She still looked like she was about to throw up.

She asked, “What the fuck did we just do?”

Ellie ended up getting a phoenix tattoo on the right side of her back, and I was damn happy she did. If anyone had been reborn, it was this girl.

Now, the nose piercing, yeah, I’m pretty sure that I was not going to Ells live that one down. I’d never heard Ellie say fuck so many times or use the names she’d called the poor guy who had pierced her nose. I let out another giggle.

“What the hell do you find so funny, Ari? You barely flinched when he pierced your stomach. I thought I was going to die when he put that damn needle through my nose. My nose, Ari. I just pierced my nose and got a tattoo on my back. Gunner is going to freak.”

“No, he’s not. Shit, he has two tattoos himself. He’s gonna think it’s sexy as hell, and you know it.”

Ellie shook her head as she got into her car. “I sure as hell hope this thing doesn’t get infected.” Ellie looked in the rearview mirror. “Oh. My. God.”

When she looked back at me with her smile, I grinned right back at her because I knew what was coming.

“It looks so damn cute!” she said.

I laughed and agreed. “Let’s head home. I want to get me some Jeff.”

“Oh god, Ari. Come on, I don’t need that visual. He’s my brother for shit’s sake.”

***

The drive back to Mason was filled with laughter and tears.

Ellie was starting to get down because she hadn’t gotten pregnant yet, and she was getting worried.

“What if I can’t have kids, Ari? What if I’m never meant to be a mother? I know how much Gunner wants kids. What if.”

“Just stop. First off, you have plenty of time to have a baby, and you will have a baby, Ells. Maybe you’re just so worried about trying that you’re too stressed to get pregnant. You know, my mom and dad didn’t think they were ever going to have kids. They ended up going on vacation, and nine months later, I made my grand entrance in the world.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve already talked to Gunner about maybe not trying so hard for now. I mean, if it’s meant to happen, it will happen. Right?”