“Stop worrying. I’ll just stay at your place.” She squared her shoulders. “I’ll be an awesome babysitter. He won’t even know the difference.”

She frowned. “He’d better know.”

“You know what I mean,” Sara said.

It wasn’t like she had a lot of options. Her parents were busy with the cafe, and she couldn’t drop a pig off at the local dog kennel for ten days. Not even a smallish pig.

That whole teacup pig thing had seemed like such a good idea at the time. She’d been so upset after she and Andrew had broken off their engagement that finally after three months of feeling lost and hibernating, her girlfriends had dragged her out for a day of pampering to get her out of her funk.

Over too many mimosas at the Pamper Me Perfectly Day Spa, Kelly’s friend Patty had said, “I’m glad you didn’t marry Andrew. We might not be here having a girl’s day. You don’t need him anyway. Good riddance.”

Those words had stung. She knew she had to get over it, but hearing it made it so real. Trying to play it off, she’d lightheartedly shared, “That’s exactly what my mom said.” She threw a hand in the air dramatically, imitating her mother’s more southern drawl. “He doesn’t know what he just gave up. That boy can be easily replaced.”

“Get a puppy,” Sara had suggested.

“I’m allergic.” Kelly couldn’t imagine a house full of dog hair anyway. Not when she did so much baking at home too.

Lulu raised her glass in the air. “My momma always had me gather all the pictures of the heartbreaking rat, and we did a burn-off.” She clicked her long fingers above her head. “Just made him disappear.”

“I can’t do that. I’d have to burn half of what I own.”

“Voodoo doll? My second cousin knows how to do that stuff. Once gave my cheating ex a leg ache he could never explain.” She nodded. “I bet he didn’t take anyone dancing so soon after that.”

Patty shook her head. “I like where we were going with the pet thing. Get a stand-in. A hairless one.”

“A fish?” Kelly mocked the idea.

“Not the same,” Patty said. “I’ve got it. Men are pigs anyway. Just get one of those cute little micro pigs.”

“Those are so cute!” all of her friends had enthused. And Sara had one up on her phone in less than ten seconds. “Look! So cute.”

“Not all men are pigs,” their newlywed friend, Vicki, had defended.

“Says the newlywed,” Kelly teased. “How is Mr. Perfect anyway?”