J.C. and the Bijoux Jolis (Blueberry Lane 3 - The Rousseaus #3)(11)

Chapter 3


“I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since your wedding!” cried Libitz, jumping up to close the door of her office so that she could talk to KK without interruption. “How was the honeymoon?”

“Heaven,” said Kate, her voice gooey, and Libitz could perfectly picture her best friend’s dreamy expression.

“Mooréa. God, that’s so romantic. I followed your pics on Facebook, but you have to tell me everything!”

“I will. I promise,” she said. Kate paused, and when she spoke again, her voice had gotten very serious very quickly. “But, Lib…I have something else to tell you first.”

Libitz had been straightening the orders and invoices on her desk, but now she froze, worried by the grave tone of KK’s voice. “Wha—I mean…is everything okay?”

Kate sighed. “Are you sitting down?”

Libitz lowered her hands to the edge of her desk and sat down as a shot of adrenaline made her heart race into high gear. “Now I am. Kate, you’re scarin—”

“I’m having a baby!” shrieked Kate, all pretense gone as joy warmed her voice. “I’m sixteen weeks pregnant!”

Libitz’s eyes flew open as she slumped back into her chair and sighed loudly. “You scared the shit out of me!”

“Ha ha!” Kate giggled. “Sorry! I didn’t want you to guess, and you’re so freaky about always knowing exactly what I’m thinking, so I…oh, Lib, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

Libitz laughed, nodding her head and sitting up. “Yeah. I’m okay. And you’re…KK, you’re pregs? Wait a second! Sixteen weeks? You were pregnant at your wedding!”

“Pays to be fuller-figured once in a while,” said Kate. “No one knew. étienne and I decided to keep it a secret until after the honeymoon.”

“A baby,” sighed Libitz. “Oh, my God, Kate. You’re going to be a mom! Soon!”

“Uh-huh,” said Kate. “Christmastime.”

“Chanukah-time,” corrected Libitz.

“The best time,” said Kate. “And Lib, we just found out this morning…we’re having a girl.”

Libitz didn’t expect the sob that escaped from her throat, but her eyes swelled with tears as she pictured her best friend holding a beautiful baby girl. “KK. That’s amazing.” She sniffled softly, sitting up in her chair and wiping her tears away. “But promise me you won’t name her something seasonal like ‘Holly’ or ‘Merry,’ okay?”

“Too late!” Kate giggled, the sound so happy that Libitz chuckled too. “We already decided on Noelle.”

Libitz groaned. “I should have guessed.”

“We also decided something else…” Libitz took a deep breath, sensing the importance of whatever Kate was about to say. “We want you to be Noelle’s godmother, Lib.”

Her breath caught and she blinked back more tears. Though she would have insisted on being Noelle’s surrogate auntie, she hadn’t expected an honor this great.

“But Kate, I’m…Jewish.”

“Same God,” said Kate gently but firmly. “Besides, we checked. Since Jean-Christian is Catholic, you don’t have to be.”

The loud sound of tires screeching in her head made Libitz scowl.

“Wait. What? What does he have to do with it?”

“Oh,” said Kate, giggling softly, “I forgot to mention. We want him to be Noelle’s godfather. étienne’s talking to him tonight.”

“But why?” blurted out Libitz, horrified at the idea of Kate’s smarmy brother-in-law being allowed anywhere near her goddaughter. And God! She’d have to stand up next to him in a church again? Gah! No!

“Ummm”—Kate’s voice was a mix of amused and bemused—“because he’s her uncle? Who else would we choose?”

“Stratton?” demanded Libitz. “Barrett, Fitz, Alex, Wes?”

“I love them, but they’re not—”

“Literally, anyone else on the face of the planet!”

“Lib, are you serious?”

“Yes! He’s a…a reprobate. A letch. He’s disgusting! You can’t…I mean…” Libitz stopped talking, suddenly realizing what she was saying and to whom. “I just mean…”

“You don’t know everything about him,” said Kate with quiet conviction.

“I know all I need to know.”

“I wish you’d tell me what went down between you two at the wedding,” said Kate, some of the previous warmth missing from her voice.

Libitz bit her upper lip, considering Kate’s words, but then decided against saying any more about the relentless way he’d pursued her only to end their beautiful kiss with a scathing shower of verbal abuse.

“Nothing, KK. Seriously. It was nothing.”

“Did you two…?”

“No! Absolutely not.”

“Because I know that you both, you know…”

“We’re both a little slutty?” supplied Libitz. “Fair enough. But no. We didn’t f*ck, Kate. I promised you we wouldn’t.”