Unraveled (Holding On Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

and—
    “Carly?” Luke asked, cutting into her thoughts. “Are you okay?”
    “What? Oh! Sorry. I was just…lost in thought. Admiring my new nieces,” she said. She hazarded a glance at Quinn. She could tell that her sister didn’t believe her excuse. She shook her head, as if just remembering the question. “Right, Nolan. Well, you know, it was so last minute…He just couldn’t make it.” She hoped Quinn didn’t press for more. This was supposed to be a wonderful day for Quinn. She was not going to ruin it for her sister. Not the way that Nolan had ruined it for her. “Enough about him!” Carly scoffed. “I want to hear about you! I called a few hours ago but Luke’s phone went to voicemail.”
    “Oh, sorry about that. That must’ve been while Quinn was trying to nap,” he explained. 
    “So tell me, how did it go?” Carly asked. Her gaze bounced from Quinn to Luke and then back to Quinn again.
    “Exhausting but as good as could be expected.” Quinn grinned at Carly. “I bet you want a play by play?”
    Carly grinned back and nodded.
    “Well, I’ll give you the condensed version. I started having contractions around eight last night. We brought Carter to Nora and Tom’s around ten. Adela was born at six twenty-two and Lydia at six thirty-four. You can fill in your own blanks for the rest of it,” Quinn said with a laugh.
    “How did Luke’s parents end up with Carter?” Carly was sure that her mom hadn’t been happy about that.
    H e grinned at her. “Well, the grandmas had an agreement. Since Mom’s retired, she volunteered to take Carter if Quinn went into labor on a work night. Margo would get him if it was a weekend.”
    “Ah,” Carly said. “So the odds were clearly in your mom’s favor.”
    “ Sure were,” Luke agreed.
    “Have Jemma and Lily been here today?” Carly wondered. They were Quinn’s best friends from high school. They remained in close contact even though Lily had moved to a town about an hour away. Jemma and Carly had gotten to be close friends over the past few years because they had similar dating habits. While everyone else seemed to be settling down, Jemma and Carly had been out having fun. At least, until the past year or so. Then Carly had met Nolan and Jemma had met Bart. Now, Carly realized, she might be all alone in the Single Girl Club…yet again. She ignored the pang in her heart and glanced at Quinn.
    “Jemma was here right after she got off work. She wasn’t sure if she’d be back again tonight or not. Lily called and will drive over before dinner.” Quinn glanced at the clock. “In fact, she could be here anytime now.”
    “How long are you in town for?” Luke asked.
    That was a good question. Carly wasn’t sure of the answer. She cocked her head to the side, thinking it over. Initially, she’d planned on heading back to spend time with Nolan’s family. Obviously, that was not an issue now. “You know, I might just stay all through break. I’m not sure yet.”
    “What will Nolan think of that? Or will he be joining us for the holidays?” Quinn asked.
    Carly gave her sister her best smile. She tried to keep her tone light. “I have no idea what he’ll think of it. But he’ll have to just deal with it, won’t he?”
    Quinn didn’t get a chance to respond to Carly’s blasé attitude . They were interrupted by the last person Carly thought she would see visiting a pair of newborns.
    “Hey.” The single word, coming from Jesse Nyland as he entered the room, sent her already chaotic emotions into a tailspin.
    He was carrying a small wicker basket, covered in clear pink plastic. Inside, Carly could make out a stash of baby items. Attached to the arrangement were two identical balloons. Both proclaiming, It’s a GIRL ! in bright pink.
    “Oh, hey Jesse,” Luke said, giving a nod to his former roommate…and Carly’s ex.
    Not her ex-boyfriend, exactly. He was more like her ex…She wasn’t even sure. The relationship they’d had