Now and Forever by Brenda Rothert

dress with a sheer black wrap and had her hair styled in an elegant updo. Only an updo would do for her makeup prom.
    Layla saw them approaching and reached her arms out to hug Emma.
    “Congratulations – again,” Emma said, smiling. “You look beautiful.”
    “So do you.” Layla brushed a cookie crumb from Emma’s wrap. “How are you?”
    “Good,” Emma said. Layla’s question was laced with meaning they couldn’t discuss here and now.
    “Hey, Emma,” Ben said. She reached up and hugged him, too. Ben shook Cole’s hand quickly before Emma and Layla’s mom approached with a tray of champagne flutes.
    Emma took the glass her mom handed her, wishing she could down it and grab another one.
    “So where and when is this wedding?” she asked Layla and Ben.
    “We don’t know yet,” Layla said. “I don’t want a huge wedding, though. Just something small and intimate.”
    “Right, I know you don’t like drawing attention to yourself,” Emma said lightly.
    “Fuck off,” Layla murmured, grinning. Ben, who was looking at the front door, groaned and both women turned to see who’d walked in.
    “Lane,” Emma said.
    Layla slid an arm around Ben’s waist. “Don’t worry, baby, I won’t let her get too close.”
    Cole wrinkled his brow with amusement. “Lane? She’s like five foot nothing. You’re afraid of that, Ben?”
    Ben arched his brows and leveled a serious look at Cole. “She fucking eye rapes me every time she sees me. She grabbed my balls under the table the last time we had dinner with her.”
    Emma threw her head back with laugher and Layla smiled.
    “I still say that was just a misunderstanding,” Layla said.
    Ben scoffed. “Her entire hand wrapped around my sack and kneaded it for three full seconds until I squirmed away. That’s no misunderstanding.” He cleared his throat as Lane approached the group.
    “Hey, girl!” she cried, hugging Layla. “Congratulations!”
    “Thanks,” Layla said. “Hope you’re up for being a bridesmaid.”
    “Of course! I’d love it. We’ll have the most kickass bachelorette party ever!” Her gaze flicked to Ben and she threw herself his way for a hug. Ben glared at Layla as Lane shimmied against him.
    Cole reached for Emma’s glass and took it from her while everyone’s attention was on Ben and Lane, swapping it for his empty one. His wink and grin made her heart flutter. God, was he sexy. Between his blue gray eyes, tall, athletic build and warm smile, he was hotter than any man she’d ever imagined herself with. And sweet enough to remember she couldn’t drink because she was pregnant – and cover for her.
    “I love you,” she said softly. When he leaned down and kissed her, she forgot there was anyone else in the room. His warm lips and clean smell often had that effect on her.
    “That’s right! You guys are dating!” Lane’s shrill tone brought Emma back to reality. “How cute!”
    “And who are you seeing these days, Lane?” Cole asked, sliding am arm around Emma’s waist and drawing her against him.
    Lane shrugged. “No one special. I like to keep my options open.”
    Her sister’s childhood friend grated on Emma’s nerves like no one else. She’d always been a bitch. Layla had been surrounded by girlfriends in high school, but they were all girls like Lane. Emma preferred her one good friend -- Dani – to all of Layla’s.
    Another of Layla’s friends, Melanie, approached to greet her next. Emma found the middle-aged black woman with short braids to be Lane’s polar opposite. She was warm and genuine. The kind of person Emma would’ve liked to hang out with.
    Cole led Emma into the living room by the hand, where they both hugged his parents. They were talking about the bakery when Emma saw several people looking at her and Cole. She recognized Jude Courson and Sam Hackney, who he’d played football with in high school. She didn’t know the women.
    “I can’t help hoping this isn’t the only engagement we’ll