Christmas in Pine Island: A small town holiday romance

mud, but my life is pretty great. I like things the way they are. I firmly prescribe to the old adage, ‘If something’s not broke, why fix it?’
I remain comfortably in my seat, nodding my head in greeting when everyone finally drifts closer.
“The royal king on his throne!” Eric teases with a dramatic bow.
He playfully punches my arm before flopping down on his side of the booth. Eric’s the only one who ever gets away with such antics. But I like that he hasn’t outgrown our childhood ways.
I shake my head as he kicks up his legs, resting them on the table until Morgan swats them down. Eric’s tattooed arms circle his fiancée, pulling Morgan against his chest. Lost in their own world, the two lovebirds kiss like they’re the only people in the club.
“I would’ve stood up to greet you all if you’d bothered to show up on time,” I snipe roguishly to the rest of the group. “We’ve been waiting forever to get this party started.” I wave over one of the nearest waitresses, who saunters toward us, swaying her hips and jingling the bell at the end of her Santa hat. “I’m buying. What’s everybody drinking?” I ask, instinctively glancing back at Eric.
I half-expect him to annoy the waitress with one of his famous cheesy pickup lines. But I forget that Eric isn’t Easy E anymore. My old pal hung up his lady-chasing ways shortly after I did. Truthfully, I’m glad those days are behind us. I bet the waitresses of the world are, too.
I chuckle to myself. It’s good news for all of us. I’m with Chloe and Eric is happily wrapped around Morgan’s finger now. I guess some changes are for the best.
“Since I'm buying,” I add, “I'm getting the good stuff. That means scotch! We’ll have one for everyone. Oh, except Eric, of course.”
“Why do you gotta single me out like that?” the sober rockstar teases.
He’s surfaced from kissing Morgan long enough to pay attention to what’s going on around him now. Despite his tone, I know he’s only playing. Getting sober equaled getting his life together and I couldn’t be prouder of him.
All of us are.
Everyone at the table laughs, exchanging encouraging smiles with Eric.
“So that’ll be five glasses of scotch?” the waitress asks as she scribbles something on a notepad.
Eric flashes a wily grin. “I’ll have a gin and tonic, minus the gin.”
Stacy suddenly clears her throat. “Actually, I’ll be having what Eric’s having.”
Chloe sits up a little straighter beside me. “Are you sick?” she asks, sounding concerned.
It wouldn’t be the first time Stacy picked up a bug from the first-graders she surrounds herself with every day. Or maybe it’s from Ryan, Jake’s nephew. Kids are always coming down with something this time of year.
It should have been a pretty simple question, but Stacy’s face completely drains of color. She just stares at us like a deer in headlights instead of speaking. Everyone at the table goes quiet, blinking at her worriedly.
“We’re pregnant!” Jake cries suddenly, the excitement of the announcement bursting out of him like a geyser. “I'm going to be a dad!”

Chloe Martin
“You’re pregnant?” I choke out, glad that I wasn’t in the middle of sipping my drink or I would’ve spit it halfway across the booth.
The entire table erupts with chatter all at once. Morgan joyfully claps her hands together while Eric laughs. Donovan is the only one still quiet, simply sipping his drink while everyone else celebrates, though he does at least raise his glass toward Jake and Stacy.
Stacy beams shyly, her sweet dimples brightening her whole face. She’s definitely glowing. And Jake . . . I’ve never seen anyone more excited than that daddy-to-be. For a man who had such a reputation as an NFL playboy, the famed Hartbreak Kid certainly seems thrilled to have settled down with Stacy.
Jake cuddles her against him now, placing one gentle hand on Stacy’s belly.
“It’s all pretty new,” Jake explains. Between every few words, he steals a glance down at his lovely fiancée as though he can hardly believe this is real life and not a dream. “We were trying to figure out the perfect time to tell you guys.”
“And Club Thorn seemed the best venue?” Donovan asks, bemused.
Jake shrugs. “We figured the news might spice up our holiday tradition a little bit.”
My heart races as I watch them gaze lovingly at one another. I know I should be filled with nothing but joy at my best friend’s announcement, but my emotions are way more complicated than that. Guilt over not being purely delighted roots itself deep in my core, though somehow I force the bright smile Stacy deserves to my face.
“The Hartbreak Kid is trading it all in for dad-bod, huh?” Eric howls, clearly, finding his joke hilarious. He takes a quick swig of his gin-less tonic. “Imagine that! I bet your fangirls everywhere will have a total meltdown over this. First, you get engaged, now you’ve got a kid on the way!”
“Let’s bring it down a notch,” Jake mutters. He’s smiling, though his expression has turned firm. “Like I said, it’s new. We don’t need someone overhearing us and blabbing to the tabloids.”
Eric winks and pretends to zip his lips.
“Seriously though, we are so happy for you guys!” Morgan gushes.
Realizing I hadn't said anything in a while, I force myself to nod quickly. “So happy!” I add, hoping I sound convincing enough.
After all, I am happy for them. Their announcement has just caused some of my own insecurities to simmer up to the surface unexpectedly. My stomach is clenching so hard that I nearly lose my breath. I need to get it together.
I hastily set my drink down and almost spill it. Ice clinks against the edge of the glass, amber liquid sloshing down onto the VIP table as I reach over to gently grab one of Stacy’s hands. “You and Jake already do such a wonderful job with Ryan. You’re going to be fabulous parents to