Love in the Balance
Copyright© 2025 by WittyUserName
Chapter 19
Romance Sex Story: Chapter 19 - Eight friends navigate love, friendship, and finance as they find their places in the world.
Caution: This Romance Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Fa/Fa Consensual Romantic BiSexual Heterosexual Fiction Light Bond Rough Spanking Group Sex Hispanic Female Anal Sex Cream Pie Facial Masturbation Oral Sex Petting Pregnancy Tit-Fucking Big Breasts
~Friday September 05, 2025~
“How do I look?” Sienna asked her parents as she stepped into the living room.
“Oh, honey!” Gwen smiled affectionately. “You’re breathtaking.”
“You’re a beautiful, young woman,” Rhys added, looking like he was about to cry. “We’re so proud of you.”
Sienna was wearing a forest green floor length dress that matched her eyes. The dress was sleeveless and was held up with a single shoulder strap. Matching heels gave her a couple of inches in height, and her clutch purse matched the dress. Her auburn hair was in an elegant knot at the back of her head, dangling earrings hung from her ears and she a silver bracelet on her wrist.
“Thanks, Dad,” Sienna smiled.
“Are you sure you have everything?” Gwen questioned kindly.
“Yeah, I’m all packed,” Sienna nodded.
“Is the entire group staying over?” Gwen adjusted herself on the couch, snuggling closer to her husband.
“Yup,” Sienna confirmed. “Even Leslie and Conner got a room. Jane and Camilla got a room with two beds, and Noah got his own room since he’s probably hoping to get lucky. Steven? Well, he says he got a room, but we all know he’s staying with Megan. The worst kept secret in the group now is that those two are doing the nasty.”
“How does Jane feel about Steven and the billionaire’s daughter?” Gwen wondered.
“She’s being Jane and refusing to talk about it,” Sienna sighed. “That’s not gonna end well.”
“Ouch,” Rhys winced. “Well, hopefully she can move on. And, ah, speaking of moving on, has Randall reached out again?”
“No, just the ranting posts I told you about,” Sienna answered, wincing.
“Just, please be safe out there, okay?” Rhys said awkwardly. “We’re one call away if you need anything.”
“I’ll be okay. Randall’s upset, but he would never do anything too crazy,” Sienna insisted. “And Theo is picking me up and escorting me to the party. Then back home tomorrow.”
“He’s a good guy,” Gwen nodded.
“He’d be a great guy if he got you two separate bedrooms,” Rhys added hopefully.
“Do you really wanna know?” Sienna asked her father, her brow raised and one hand on her hip.
“No,” Rhys pouted while Gwen squeezed his knee reassuringly. “I know you’re all grown up, but no father wants to think about that. I’ll always remember the cute little toddler in pigtails.”
“Remember how she always asked you to make her a sandwich, but she couldn’t pronounce ‘peanut butter?’” Gwen sighed. “That was so stinking cute.”
“In that squeaky voice,” Rhys ginned.
“Oh, and she always wanted to cuddle with Daddy on Sunday mornings,” Gwen continued happily. “She was definitely Daddy’s little girl.”
“I miss those days,” Rhys nodded sadly.
“Don’t you remember what I promised you before Prom, Dad?” Sienna asked.
“That you’d be home by midnight?” Rhys perked up. “Are we bringing that back?”
“No,” Sienna giggled. “I promised I’d always be your little girl, even when I’m sixty.”
“We’ll see if I’m still around then,” Rhys chuckled. “I’d be ninety.”
“You’d better be. Both of you,” Sienna said. “I love you.”
“We love you, too,” her parents said as they held hands and smiled at their daughter.
“Okay,” Gwen stated, sitting up, “I think it’s time for some girl-talk. Rhys, you might not want to hear this.”
“I will go, ah, pretend I have something else to do,” Rhys stood and hugged Sienna before walking away.
You could finally get around to fixing the shelf in the linen closet,” Gwen called out after him. “I’ve been asking since last week!”
“I can’t hear you!” Rhys yelled back before heading upstairs.
Sienna looked at her mother, remembering her childhood. A small smile crossed her face as she placed her purse on the coffee table and removed her heels. Sienna surprised her mother by sitting on the couch and snuggling up to her. Gwen smiled and wrapped an arm around her daughter, holding her close.
“Do I also get to sing to you?” Gwen asked with a laugh. “You used to love that.”
“Nah, just hold me,” Sienna requested. “What did you wanna talk about?”
“First off, I want you to remember that I respect your right to make your own choices and live your own life,” Gwen said carefully. “That said, if things keep happening, you might have to consider getting the law involved with Randall.”
Sienna stiffened against her mother. “You mean like a restraining order?”
“That’s one option,” Gwen replied, caressing Sienna’s cheek. “I hope you’re right and he just drops it. I’m only asking you to keep it in mind. He wouldn’t have a criminal record, but you showing him he needs to stop or he might end up in jail will be a lot more forceful than just blocking him.”
“I’ll think about it,” Sienna mumbled softly.
“Thank you,” Gwen leaned down and kissed the top of her head before smirking. “On a lighter note, are you ready to face Noah after last night?”
“Oh my God, Mom!” Sienna exclaimed, burying her face in Gwen’s shoulder. “I’m so embarrassed!”
“Maybe lock the door next time you’re planning on getting naked?” Gwen suggested in a teasing voice.
“Ugh! I’m so glad we all worked from home today,” Sienna grumbled, lifting her head to look at her mother. “Randall, Theo, and now Noah. They’re the only ones to see my girls. Things worked out with Theo, Randall turned out to be a cheating ass, and Noah’s, well, Noah.”
“Theo’s a good guy, and Noah’s your friend,” Gwen pointed out. “Randall isn’t a bad person, but he does have a lot of problems. You didn’t show yourself to any bad people.”
“I hope not,” Sienna sighed, biting her lower lip.
“And look at it this way,” Gwen grinned evilly, “now Noah has some nice mental images to work with.”
“Mom!” Sienna whined, acting adorably childlike.
“I’m just saying,” Gwen continued, “Noah needs to stop sleeping around and look for a real relationship.”
“So, you’re suggesting he jack off thinking about me until then?” Sienna made a disgusted face.
“Sure,” Gwen laughed.
“Whatever,” Sienna rolled her eyes, laying her head back on her mother’s shoulder. “I’m glad we’re close enough to talk about this, even if you suggest guys do the five-finger shuffle thinking about me.”
Gwen erupted into a fit of giggles, hugging Sienna. “I’m glad, too.”
“The girls in the gang are great, but sometimes, I just...” Sienna trailed off to gather her thoughts. “Sometimes I just need my mom.”
“I understand, sweetie,” Gwen said. “I’ve always wanted you to feel safe with me. You can talk to me about anything, no matter how big or small. I won’t judge you.”
“Thank you,” Sienna sighed, curling up beside her mother as best she could in the long dress.
“Are you looking forward to the party?” Gwen questioned.
“Yeah, and I’m glad I’m going with Theo,” Sienna answered.
“Any chance tonight might be the night?” Gwen hugged the tiny redhead. “It’s gonna be a romantic evening.”
“No, I’m not ready,” Sienna shook her head.
“Hm, well you should still be prepared,” Gwen mused. “Did you shave your legs?”
“Yes, and my pits!” Sienna snorted. “I’m wearing a dress, I shaved. Yeah, it’s floor-length, but I still always shave. Shaving my legs doesn’t mean I’m planning on spreading ‘em.”
Gwen had a follow-up question ready to go. “Did you shave your lady area?”
“Shut up,” Sienna muttered as Gwen laughed. “I keep it trim in general.”
“Your father prefers the fully natural look,” Gwen responded.
“Ew, Mom!” Sienna grimaced. “I don’t wanna know that.”
“So, I shouldn’t tell you we’re planning a special night?” Gwen smirked. “We’ll have the house all to ourselves.”
“No, you shouldn’t tell me!” Sienna groaned.
“Romance, lit candles, soft music, mm!” Gwen sighed happily. “I even bought new undies for the occasion.”
“Blech!” Sienna opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue, pretending to vomit.
“Hey! You only exist because of our sex life,” Gwen pointed out, squeezing her daughter’s shoulder.
“Ah, no,” Sienna shook her head. “The stork dropped me off.”
“Sure, honey. Sure,” Gwen laughed as Sienna’s phone went off in her purse.
“Way to ruin our cuddle time,” Sienna giggled, sitting up and taking out her phone. “Oh! Theo’s here!”
“Do you think Theo would like to hear my plans for the evening?” Gwen inquired as Sienna stood up and put her heels back on.
“I think he’d be horrified and completely unable to figure out how to respond,” Sienna replied, smoothing out her dress. “But, seriously, Mom. I love that we can talk. Thank you for being here for me, and I hope you get a good dicking tonight.”
“That’s the plan, baby girl,” Gwen laughed.
“DAD!” Sienna shouted up the stairs. “Theo’s here.”
Rhys Griffith came down the stairs, looking confused when both women started giggling. Sienna led her parents to the front door and opened it to reveal Theo standing in a suit, his overnight bag over his shoulder and a bouquet of daffodils in one hand. Theo froze when he saw Sienna, his eyes widening as he seemed to lose the ability to speak. The redhead blushed and posed prettily while her parents watched.
Theo needed a few seconds to find his voice, and everyone was shocked when he did. “Rydych chi’n brydferth.”
“Impressive!” Gwen laughed.
“I can’t believe he pronounced that right,” Rhys added while Sienna beamed at Theo.
“I looked up how to say that on my phone. The internet pronounced it for me. I played it a few times before knocking,” Theo explained, holding out the flowers. “I got you these.”
“Diolch,” Sienna purred in response, accepting the flowers. “That one is ‘thank you.’ I only know a few words in Welsh. I’m not even really sure what you just said.”
“I said ‘you are beautiful,’” Theo said nervously, glancing at Sienna’s parents.
“Don’t worry, my dad isn’t going to threaten you with a gun for thinking I’m pretty,” Sienna giggled cutely.
“Of course, because anyone with eyes can tell you’re pretty,” Rhys said to his daughter before turning to Theo. “C’mon in, Theo.”
Rhys and Theo sat at the kitchen table with sodas while Gwen and Sienna placed the daffodils into a nice vase. When it was time to leave, Rhys and Gwen hugged Sienna before Rhys and Theo shook hands. Sienna teasingly told her father to have a great night, making her mother laugh. Before Rhys could ask for an explanation, Sienna grabbed Theo’s hand and took him outside so they could go to the Sphinx company party.
Megan had rented out the function hall of the Winslow Hotel in Manhatten, along with an entire floor of rooms. It was an expression of gratitude for their hard work, for sticking around with all the turmoil of the change in ownership. A skilled leader, Megan knew she alone wasn’t responsible for meeting Theodore’s expectations; no one person could compare to a great team.
Sphinx employees made their way into the lobby, dressed in suits and dresses, some were alone while others had brought dates or significant others. Alyssa Johnston had brought her husband, James Collier was with his wife, and Danny Chu arrived with a date.
Most people had brought overnight bags, which Megan had prepared for as well. All Sphinx employees had to check-in at the front desk before receiving an envelope. The envelope contained the key card for their room and a handwritten letter from Megan thanking them personally. Finally, one final piece of paper that had their room number and a note in Megan’s handwriting.
“Enjoy the night. No commutes. No consequences.”
It was a simple note, but all the more effective because of it. Everyone knew Megan Bauer didn’t act emotional at the office; she was as distant as professional as her father taught her. The personalized letter and the small note was a reminder to the employees that they were noticed, that their effort and hard work was noticed. The gesture showed that Megan didn’t just see them as a number on a screen she could use to make more money.
The Winslow was a modern hotel remodeled with luxury in mind. It’s function hall reflected that level of elegance, with soft lighting, a stage for live music or a DJ, and large round tables covered with white linens. A fully-stocked bar was off to the side, and Megan had paid to cover everyone’s alcohol and soda. Servers weaved through the tables, offering drinks and various appetizers while soft music played throughout the room.
Camilla arrived in a short black cocktail dress that was both sexy and professional. The sexy Latina immediately posed with Hannah for a picture, both of them smiling at the camera and holding up peace signs. The petite receptionist looked pretty in a flowing pink dress. With Hannah’s permission, Camilla posted the image to her influencer account.
After dropping off their bags in the room, Theo and Sienna ran into Priya, who was wearing a royal purple dress that looked amazing against her caramel skin. Priya’s sculpted features, her accent, and her perfect figure made the Indian-American a young woman who could turn heads. Like Camilla, Priya came to the party solo, and was quick to snag a glass of wine and drink with Theo, Sienna, and Camilla. Hannah wasn’t twenty-one yet, but Camilla still slipped the young brunette a drink.
Sphinx employees continued to mingle while snacking on expensive appetizers. Vanessa Lake and Sophie Tran were chatting, while Howard Marks and Marcus Duran introduced their wives to each other. Brenda Ortiz was talking to everyone, making sure to catch up on and share the latest office gossip.
The women all wanted to talk about the baby as soon as Leslie walked in with Conner. It was a subject often discussed, but the ladies could not get enough, especially with the baby shower approaching. Leslie was excited, but tired. She wasn’t used to carrying around so much weight, and even her maternity dress wasn’t really comfortable.
Steven was wearing a very nice suit and tie, approaching his friends with a charming smile on his face. He didn’t go over to speak with Megan, but Camilla and Sienna teased Steven when they saw him lock eyes with the heiress and smile. His efforts to change the subject failed, and Steven was glad Jane had yet to arrive.
Noah announced himself with his usual charisma and charm, a huge grin on his face. He grabbed a drink and joined the group at their table. Sienna and Theo were holding hands, and as he looked around, Noah noticed other happy couples smiling and enjoying each other’s company. Noah quickly finished his drink and got up for a refill.
Jane was the last of The Gang of Eight to arrive, having spent a bit of time with her sister and one of her brothers. She was wearing a cream-colored sleeveless dress that showed off her curves. The wrap dress was fairly modest, but the size of her very impressive bust was still obvious.
The two former lovers, Steven and Jane, made eye contact and smiled softly at each other as Jane sat down. They greeted each other as friends, Steven trying to hide the awkwardness while Jane concealed her longing. Jane had barely sat down when Leslie returned from her second trip to the bathroom.
“Sup, waddles?” Jane nodded toward Leslie as she sat.
“Bite me, Silver,” Leslie grunted, joining the other seven, along with Priya and Hannah.
“No thanks,” Jane retorted. “That’s Conner’s job.”
“I don’t bite, I’m a gentleman,” Conner replied smoothly.
“Hey, nothing wrong with some fun nibbling,” Camilla interjected, clacking her teeth together suggestively.
“We call them love bites for a reason,” Noah nodded sagely.
“Mm, sounds fun to me,” Hannah purred, looking at Noah.
“Don’t flirt with him,” Priya scoffed. “There are better options if you’re horny.”
“That was mean,” Hannah pouted.
“Hey, Priya?” Noah asked, leaning forward. “If there are so many amazing options, why are you here alone tonight?”
“That was meaner,” Sienna interjected.
“And pretty clever,” Camilla giggled.
“I don’t need a date, I am perfectly comfortable to just spend the evening with my friends. And Noah, I guess,” Priya countered. “Plus, I have standards.”
“Or guys just scream and run away from you in horror,” Noah shrugged. “One or the other.”
“So, do they really hate each other or is this just teasing?” Hannah asked. “I honestly can’t tell anymore.”
“It’s a love-hate thing,” Jane explained. “They love to give each other shit.”
“Sometimes it does feel more like a hate-hate thing,” Leslie winced.
“The teasing isn’t really cruel though, it’s just joking,” Sienna added. “Uh, mostly.”
“I guess he does have some use,” Priya deadpanned. “If I’m having a bad day, I can look at Noah and be thankful I’m not stuck with him.”
“Your loss, I assure you,” Noah raised his glass.
“I think I might have to agree with Noah,” Hannah blushed slightly.
“I don’t hate him as much as I imply, but he is not boyfriend material, I promise,” Priya looked at Hannah. “He never grew out of the phase where guys want notches for their bedpost. Keep your panties on, girl.”
“Or don’t,” Noah waggled his eyebrows.
The group of ten continued talking, drinking, and eating as various people came over to chat. Jane looked tense when Megan came over and personally thanked each of them for their hard work. Noah and Hannah continued lightly flirting, although Noah was just keeping up appearances. Hannah’s interest did seem genuine, though. She was quite happy when Noah agreed to get a glass of wine for her.
Several Sphinx employees congratulated Theo on making manager, a few of them were even the bookkeepers he managed. Marcus, Sienna and Camilla’s boss, stopped by to congratulate Conner. The two of them spent a few minutes debating the best dad jokes. Marcus was very clear that knowing good dad jokes was one of the most important parts of being a father.
Logan Barrett arrived late, but still drew female attention in his suit. Tall, muscular, cleft chin and dimples, not to mention his English accent; Camilla was still smitten. He spent a few minutes talking with the gang, explaining he was late because he had been out with his parents. Logan’s thirtieth birthday was September thirteenth, and his parents weren’t going to be around.
Camilla was using her best flirting techniques, twirling her dark hair on her finger, giggling cutely at Logan’s words, and leaning forward to show off her cleavage. The others didn’t think Camilla had much of a chance; Logan was much more interested in talking to Jane. The handsome guy respected Jane’s desire to just be friends, but the others could see the way his gaze lingered on the pretty brunette.
The cocktails and mingling phase of the party lasted a while, with people talking, laughing, and drinking. Megan eventually stopped circulating and approached the small raised platform near the front where a microphone was placed. Eyes were drawn to the beautiful heiress, dressed in a red satin long-sleeve dress with a high neckline. Artful ruffles highlighted the wrap style of the dress and a front slit let her easily stride to the microphone. Matching red heels clacked on the floor as she reached the microphone and smiled at the crowd. The braid of the evening was an elegant loop braid; a thick center braid framed by a thin outer braid.
“Good evening, everyone,” Megan said, holding a wine glass in one hand as the conversations died down.
“Serious time; everybody quiet!” Camilla declared, raising her wine glass as people laughed.
“Wow, that worked. Thanks,” Megan said lightly, her blue-gray eyes sparkling. “You’re all quiet; Sphinx really is capable of miracles.”
Soft laughter traveled throughout the room for several seconds.
“I’m sure you would all rather eat dinner than listen to me, so I’ll make this quick,” Megan began smoothly. “First off, I hope you are enjoying the location for this party. If not, well, we’re probably having our holiday party here, so I’m sorry in advance.
“Second, while most of you wanted a room, a few did say they were going to head home at the end of the evening. That’s fine, but if things change, please let us know. We want everyone to be safe, so you can talk to me or the front desk. I reserved an entire floor and we can find a room for you if you had more to drink than you intended, or if you just want some rest. According to HR, I can’t suggest any other reasons you might want a hotel room, so I’ll just leave it at that.”
There were quite a few more laughs at that, especially from Jane and her boss, James.
“Anyway, on to the speech,” Megan smiled. “When Sphinx was first acquired by Bauer International Holdings, there were a lot of understandable concerns. Everyone has read stories of a change in ownership resulting in layoffs, reduced benefits, or, more recently, some ridiculous return to office mandate. All in the name of profits. So many of you wondered what this change in leadership would mean for your jobs, your futures.”
Megan’s gaze moved deliberately from table to table, locking eyes with everyone she could. “I have to confess something; I was scared, too. My dream since I was a little girl was always to be called ‘Megan Bauer, CEO.’ I had earned my MBA and been appointed the position, so why was I still scared?
“It wasn’t about living up to my father’s expectations, it was a fear of letting you down. I was scared I’d make bad choices and you would be the ones to suffer for my mistakes.
“I did stumble a bit, but Leslie Pearson caught a few errors. Logan Barrett came in and made sure everyone in New York knew the name Sphinx. James advocated for the employees, he ensured each and every decision was made with the well-being of all of us in mind.
Let’s not forget that every single person here contributes in ways that make us a success. It’s not just the executives. In fact, in my experience, the people responsible for prosperity are the ones cleaning up after the messes executives make.
“I’ve seen it at Sphinx in hundreds of small ways. Daniel Chu recovered my financial analysis after my computer crashed, despite me forgetting to back it up to the server like I was supposed to. Priya Kapoor works hard to make sure that you all get paid on time, and she taught me that you can color-code literally anything. Miles Ferguson even let me borrow his stress pineapple when I was nervous about meeting a potential client. Brenda Ortiz made sure to clean up the food I left on my desk because I was too scatterbrained to remember to toss it. I’m still sorry about that, by the way.”
A third round of laughs.
“I wish I could name each of you individually, but I can hear Howie’s stomach grumbling,” Howie gave Megan a thumbs-up while his wife rolled her eyes. “My point is that, while I did wonder if I would succeed, what I did NOT wonder was whether the employees of Sphinx would rise to the occasion. You didn’t just rise. You exceeded every expectation anyone could put in front of you, even my father. The man who used to make me write a financial report on why I deserved a higher allowance.
“You worked. You solved problems you didn’t create. You supported instead of competing. You proved Sphinx isn’t just a company with good numbers; it’s a company with good people. And that’s what good business is all about.”
Megan paused for a moment to let her words sink in.
“Our future is bright, thanks to you. Tonight is not about profit margins,” Megan said passionately. “It’s about you. I know it’s a small gesture, but your rooms are paid for, your drinks are covered, and your jobs are secure. It’s not enough. You deserve better than just the stereotypical pizza party. I do promise the food will be better than that, but in the spirit of making sure you all receive what you are owed and are given time to enjoy life; everyone will be given two more personal days per year.”
The cheers took almost a minute to die down.
“You’ll all get a bonus and raise at the end of the year, but that’s good news for the holiday party,” Megan laughed. “That’s all the work talk we need. I just want to thank you all. Thank you all for trusting me and each other. And thank you for showing me the real joy of leading a company. It’s not about making money, I assure you.”
Megan raised her wine glass. “To Sphinx! And to what comes next!”
Everyone took a sip of their wine, or cider in Leslie’s case, then applauded politely. Megan gave one final wave and a smile before returning to her table. She was sitting with James, Angela, Marcus, Alyssa, and their spouses. Logan Barrett was also at that table, and he hadn’t brought a date, which Camilla was still thankful for.
The lights dimmed slightly as well-dressed servers moved through the room, refilling glasses of water and taking drink orders. Chatter started up again as people happily discussed the speech and the two additional paid days off. Others turned to the printed menus that had been placed neatly on each person’s folded napkin.
Hannah was the first at The Gang of Eight’s table to pick up a menu. “Wow, this is super fancy.”
Everyone else lifted their menus to read the elegant script.
Sphinx Appreciation Dinner
Hosted by Megan E. Bauer, CEO
Menu
Starters -Winter Greens Salad: baby kale, candied walnuts, roasted pears, chevre, maple vinaigrette -Butternut Bisque: crème fraiche, spiced pumpkin seeds
Entrees -Filet Mignon au Poivre: garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus -Seared Atlantic Salmon: herb risotto, lemon veloute -Wild Mushroom Ravioli: white truffle cream, Parmesan crisps
Desserts -Chocolate Torte: raspberry coulis -Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee: fresh berries.
Beverages -Sparkling water, red and white wines, champagne
“Girl went all out,” Camilla whistled. “I feel like I should have gone more fancy, and I spent an hour picking out earrings.”
“You always spend an hour picking out earrings,” Jane grunted.
“That’s not true,” Camilla argued. “Sometimes I spend two.”
“Megan E. Bauer,” Leslie commented. “Hm, I wonder what her middle name is.”
Steven responded without hesitation. “Esther.”
Jane’s hand stopped mid-motion, her fingers tightening around the stem of her wine glass. Sienna watched Jane with concern, not saying anything. Camilla raised her eyebrows as she looked at Steven. Steven winced, glancing nervously around the table at the bemused expressions on the faces of all his friends.
“So, do they have placements and crayons for Noah?” Priya asked in a transparent attempt to reduce the tension. “Something to keep him busy so he doesn’t whine.”
“Ah Priya,” Noah sighed theatrically, “You have got to get over this crush.”
“I’d sooner go to a strip club and grab the first guy I saw,” Priya retorted.
“This is supposed to be a nice dinner, we don’t want to hear about the plans you canceled to be here,” Noah smoothly replied.
There was some laughter, but they soon fell back into an awkward silence as they perused their menus.
Theo broke the silence by getting Sienna’s attention and pointing to his menu. “What the heck is chevre?”
“Goat cheese,” Jane quickly answered. “The word is French.”
“Oh, thanks,” Theo said as he looked at the menu. “Maybe I should be the one with the crayons since I don’t know what half these words mean.”
“Remember to sound out the big words,” Conner teased, earning a few laughs.
“Don’t overthink it,” Sienna giggled cutely.
“I’m not overthinking,” Theo muttered, clearly overthinking.
“It is a great menu,” Leslie smiled happily. “I can have everything.”
“Uh, I thought pregnant women shouldn’t eat much fish?” Camilla asked.
“Oh, right,” Leslie sighed. “I can have most things.”
Servers started taking orders while skillfully moving around the table. The awkwardness died down as they spoke about the party, all agreeing that the music was great. Another round of drinks was brought out, and the laughter increased as the alcohol flowed. Camilla was in a great mood, while Noah still looked a little down.
Freshly-baked bread was brought out, followed by salads and bisque. Conner was fussing over Leslie, cutting her roll, sliding her water closer, and frequently checking if she was comfortable. The other ladies thought it was really sweet, but Leslie’s frown grew deeper with every passing moment.
“I’m pregnant, Conner,” Leslie growled, swatting his hand away. “I’m not a toddler.”
“Better safe than sorry,” Conner reasoned.
“He’s so sweet,” Hannah gushed. “Your guy dotes on you, you should be happy!”
“Agreed,” Jane nodded.
“Thanks for the backup, ladies,” Conner smiled, reaching for the butter.
“If you attempt to butter my bread for me, I swear this roll is going straight up your ass,” Leslie teased, a loving smile on her face despite her words.
“Kinky,” Camilla commented, making everyone laugh.