Delicate

Chapter 54

HAVEN MCQUEEN

I never had a housewarming party like I originally planned when I moved into my home last summer and I guess that's because it took me forever to get the place in the state I would want it to be in before having guests over. By then, I felt like I missed the mark and I was okay just having people come over whenever it was convenient for us. Besides, Harry was the only person I was looking forward to showing it off to. I guess I just thought it would make me feel more put together if he saw me in a house rather than a studio apartment.

So I suppose I'm a little nervous to have everyone over today for the first time, including a couple of guys from the studio that I don't know all that well yet. Gemma and Anne will be here, as will my parents, so that should be an incredibly interesting interaction that I think both Harry and I are somewhat nervous about.

But rather than working myself up into a fit of anxiety over what's supposed to be a fun day, I'm reminding myself that this party is really for me and the babies. It's not like I'm having everyone over just to mingle for the hell of it, so we'll eat the great food that my mother insisted on preparing for the party, I'll open the gifts for the babies, and that's it. We'll all have a good time.

"Haven?" My mom knocks on my bedroom door before letting herself in. "The party lady in charge of the decorations is finished and she wants you to see it."

"Oh, okay," I set my hair straightener down and follow her out to the living room to see the pretty pastel balloons floating in clusters from the flat surfaces they're being weighed down on, and she shows me the arches and the two sets of big block letters that read, BABY, near the treats table out in the decorated back yard.

"Does it look alright?" Alyssa asks.

"It's so adorable and exactly what I wanted," I nod, smiling down at the individually wrapped cake pops that are shaped like teddy bears. "Thank you so much."

"Of course," she beams at her work. "Your husband told me to charge the card on file, is that right?"

My eyes widen slightly. "No–I mean yes, but he's not my husband. But yes, you can charge that card. Thank you."

"Alright, well then we will get out of your hair before your guests arrive," she smiles down at my belly in my white sundress. "Congratulations again. You're absolutely glowing."

"Oh, thank you," I chuckle and show her out through the back gate so she can walk around to the front of the house. The paparazzi are outside like they've been for days and I don't want to be photographed by them today at all.

"My God, it smells amazing in here," I walk through the kitchen to see all the porcelain serving dishes that my mom filled with all her southern classics, per usual. Despite all the cute decorations, I wanted the menu to feel like a backyard barbecue rather than for all of us to sit down and have a pretentious meal.

"Haven Savannah," she scolds me as she catches me spraying canned whipped cream in my mouth. I have an obsession. "Enough of that."

"No," I give myself more, knowing I have three more unopened cans in the fridge.

"Yes!" She giggles and reaches out to snatch it away from me, but I only threaten to spray her until she starts laughing and gives up. "That is so terrible for you."

"Listen, lady," I speak with my mouth full of cream before I swallow it. "I've been drinking green juice and smoothies with every meal for months now. My muscles have all been replaced with spinach and kale, and if you cut me open, I'm sure it's just vegetables in there. Let me have this."

She rolls her eyes at me. "You're such a drama queen."

"I'm pregnant with two humans," I correct her and fill my mouth once more before I place the canister back into the refrigerator with the neat row of others.