i d236ce2fd225c71c by Zamzar Page A

though. Then she’d ask why.
    Trying to cover up a pregnancy was not going to be easy.
    “That sounds…fun,” I said sarcastically.
    She laughed and looped her arm around mine. “They usually cut it out when someone else shows
    up. What have you been up to? I saw that your app is at number one. How excited are you right now?”
    “Super. Super excited! I should be working on it at the moment, but I just don’t want to.”
    “How do you do it all? You’re going to crash.”
    “I know. Hunter is making me choose.”
    She loudly sucked in a breath. “No! What did he say?”
    I went over our meeting, what I was doing, and what it would amount to.
    “And you’re worried it’ll be out of sight, out of mind, huh?” Kimberly surmised when I was done.
    “It’s crazy, I know.”
    “It is, but I totally get it. I’d think the same thing. Because, you know, you got the job because of the personal thing. He won’t, though. The man is head over heels. Everyone talks about the smart girl who reeled in Hunter Carlisle. You’re a legend.”
    “Smart girl, huh? Usually I’d be proud of that, but Hunter is so gorgeous. People should be talking
    about the pretty girl who reeled him in.”
    Kimberly scoffed and playfully hit my arm. “You’re beautiful. But beauty is a dime a dozen.
    Hunter has always had beautiful girls around him. He chose the genius girl.”
    “ Genius ?” I laughed.
    “Not like I’d set them straight.” Kimberly stuck her tongue out at me before pulling my arm
    toward the door. “This is it.”
    She entered before me and hesitated in the entryway.
    “Two?” a hostess asked, reaching for menus.
    “No. We’re here to meet—oh, there they are.” Kimberly pointed at a table in the back surrounded
    by four people. She turned to me with wide eyes.
    I groaned. Jonathan, my ex-boyfriend, was one of the four, along with Tera, who was a snob at the
    best of times.
    “It’s fine,” Kimberly said as she pulled me toward the table. “He knows you’ve moved in with
    Hunter. You’re out of his reach.”
    “It doesn’t prevent him from trying to be buddy-buddy with me to get closer to Hunter. He’d push
    over his mother to get a job in Hunter’s company.”
    “Hey! Olivia!” Rick stood up as we approached and brought me into a tight hug. “Long time no
    see.”
    “Hunter Carlisle works you too hard,” Jen said with a smile, standing up to hug me too. She then
    organized the chairs so we could fit at the table.
    Tera gave me a smug smile before firmly putting her hand high on Jonathan’s thigh. “Hi, Olivia.
    Hey, Kimmie.”
    Kimberly’s fingertips dug into my arm. She’d realized the same thing I just had. Tera was dating
    Jonathan. He’d dumped me because I wasn’t good enough and here he was, letting Tera rub his upper
    thigh while she sent me gloating glances.
    If she thought that I’d be jealous, she was delusional. “Hey, everyone.”
    “I heard you have a game out. How cool is that?” Jen beamed at me.
    “Kimmie was really pushy about getting us to download it,” Rick said. “Now I’m addicted.” He
    gave me a comic frown. “Not cool!”
    “What’s this now?” Tera asked. Her hand ran over the swell of Jonathan’s bulge. Her eyes
    twinkled as she looked at me.
    I barely prevented myself from rolling my eyes. “I helped design a game. It’s doing pretty good so
    far.”
    “Pretty good? That thing is rocking.” Rick tapped his phone and then pointed the screen at
    Jonathan. Tera leaned close to him so she could see better, and to smear her body against his.
    I didn’t have to refrain from rolling my eyes that time—I just joined Kimmie and Jen as they did
    it.
    The waitress stopped beside our table. She looked at Kimberly and then me. “Can I get you guys
    anything?”
    “We need to celebrate,” Kimberly said as she fingered the small menu. “Beer or shot?”
    I tried not to groan. Here we go.
    “I’ll just have a Sprite,” I said to the waitress. “My