Me: btw…I miss u a whole heck of a lot…more.

Hey Jude: :)

Me: <3 See you soon.

Pushing off the pole, I head to my bag and toss my phone in it. Standing up, I glance out at where ten dance poles are set up for the new class Reese and I are trying out. We already have tons of moms signing up for it, but I want to practice on my family first. The training for pole dancing was amazing, and I’ve been using a lot of what I learned from it, but mostly I use stuff from the club. My main goal is to make them feel sexy, and since that comes easily to me, this is fun. The great thing is that it encourages fitness too, and my aunt Elli has already lost ten pounds this month from doing it each week!

Holding on to the pole, I spin myself around as I wait, but I don’t get all the way around before the door opens and in piles my adopted family. Rushing to Harper, I hug her tightly as she kisses my cheek. She helped raise me when Phillip would travel for hockey and I love her for it. She’s Reese’s older sister and treats me like I’m hers. When Elli Adler grabs me, I just relax against her. Her arms have always been home to me. Even being the owner of the Nashville Assassins doesn’t keep her from coming to all my events and sending me loving texts. She has been a constant presence in my life, and it’s refreshing having her in it. I hug Fallon Brooks and Audrey Odder next. They are sisters, and while I love them, I’m not as close to them as I am to Harper, Elli, and Piper. They trust me enough to watch their kids when they need me to, so that has to mean something. When Piper snags me, I grin as I hug her tightly before bending down to kiss her belly.

“So, tell me what it is,” I demand, but she shakes her head. Unlike her twin sister, she’s the light version to Reese’s dark. They have the same face, but she’s more petite, with blue eyes and light brown hair, while Reese is tall with brown eyes and hair. She’s so beautiful pregnant, and I wish she wouldn’t have waited as long as she has to have another one. Dimitri, her son, is probably my favorite kid in the whole wide world. I am beyond excited for this little baby. Sometimes I wish Reese and Phillip would have kids, but I know that won’t happen. Reese doesn’t want kids and has repeatedly said I’m enough.

“No, not telling. It’s a surprise.” Piper grins, rubbing her belly affectionately.

“Tease.” I glare playfully, a grin pulling at my lips as I hold her little belly in my hands. She isn’t showing much, but I know it’s in there.

She smiles, but then her brows come together and she eyes me slowly. “Something is different about you.”

“You losing weight?” Harper asks and then Elli nods.

“I was gonna ask the same. You look thin, Claire. Make sure you eat. I know it’s stressful with school, but you have to eat.”

I roll my eyes, dropping my hands from Piper’s belly. “I’m eating guys, I promise.”

“It’s her glow that’s throwing you guys off,” Reese says, wrapping her arm around my waist. “She’s dating.”

All of them grin and make little noises of delight as I glare up at Reese. “Thanks.”

“Anytime,” she says with a wink.

“Who is he?” Harper asks.

“How old is he?” Audrey asks next.

“Is he hot?” Fallon asks with a wag of her eyebrows.

“Does he treat you right?” Piper asks.

“Does he play hockey?” Elli asks and I shake my head, even though I knew this was going to happen.

“His name is Jude, he’s twenty, he’s hot, he treats me like a princess, and, yes, he plays hockey,” I answer, and they all seem pleased.

“As long as he plays hockey, he’s good for ya,” Elli says with a wink before standing by her pole and kicking off her shoes.

“You know there is more to life than hockey? Right?” Audrey asks her, but Elli shakes her head.

“No, hockey is life, and a guy who plays hockey is the best kind of guy. Hockey players are the best, in my opinion, and all of you agree ’cause y’all are all with one,” she says with a grin and I laugh.

“She’s right. Hockey players are hot,” Reese says and then takes her shirt off.

I agree completely, especially after seeing Jude kill the ice, but I don’t say that because I notice my aunt has a gut. Something she doesn’t have unless she stress eats, which happens a lot when Phillip is gone. Poking her in the stomach, I ask, “Stress eating before the wedding?”

Glaring at me, she pulls back and smacks my arm, hard. “Shut up, I am not.”

“Ow!” I complain, holding my arm where it stings.

“You are looking pudgy, Reese, but I mean that with all the love in the world,” Elli says when Reese sends her a dark look.

“I don’t. You’re getting fat. What’s wrong with you? It’s a wedding that you wanted, remember?” Harper says, always the blunt one out of the bunch.

“You did,” Piper says. “I was there when you told Phillip that y’all are getting married as soon as possible.”

Reese reaches for her shirt and throws it back on. “Screw you guys,” she mumbles as she goes by her pole.

“I mean, you’re still so hot,” I say, feeling bad, but then she looks at me, fighting a grin, and I know she isn’t mad.

“Don’t suck up to me now.”

I laugh along with everyone else and then walk to the stereo. I’m not a fan of the sound quality in this room, but Reese guarantees me that she’s getting that fixed before we start real classes. The room used to be Reese’s old apartment, but we turned it into a studio. I used to do solos up here, but now we’ve turned it into the “Get Sexy” room.

Turning around, I look at everyone and smile. All of them so different but the same. They are all extremely successful women and are all so beautiful, but each one of them is her own person. I love these women. They are my people – my family, my foundation – and I am thankful for that. As I stand here, I can’t help but think what Reese said is true. I want to believe her, know that I don’t need the security of money when I have all this love, but it’s so hard to do. It’s like I’m programmed to make sure I have a security blanket, and maybe it’s smart but dumb at the same time because at any second, I could lose two people I care for. Phillip could turn his back on me like he did my mother and his sister and so could Jude.