“He really is, especially after he’s gone to such lengths to make it possible for us to live in Ohio during the school year. So we’ll be looking for a bigger place on the island ASAP since we don’t have room for the baby at my house.”

“Talk to Ned,” Maddie said. “He’s got the inside line on real estate around here.”

“Joe was going to check with him about it at poker night.”

“What’ll you do with your place?” Abby asked.

“Rent it, I suppose.”

“Sold,” Abby said.

Janey’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yep. I need a place, and yours is absolutely perfect.”

“Yay,” Janey said, clapping her hands. “I love it when everything falls into place.”

“My turn?” Sydney asked.

“I was wondering if you were going to spill your beans,” Maddie said with a warm, encouraging smile for her friend.

“Blame the champagne,” Syd said. “It’s loosening our lips.”

“Tell them,” Maddie said. “It’s very exciting news.”

Sydney took a deep breath. “I wasn’t going to say anything because it’s such a long shot, but Luke and I are going to the mainland next week so I can have surgery to reverse the tubal ligation I had after my daughter was born.”

“Oh, Syd,” Jenny said. “That’s wonderful.”

“It’s no guarantee that I’ll be able to conceive again. I’m trying to keep my expectations realistic, but I’m a tiny bit excited to be taking the first step, except for the part about having surgery.”

“We’re excited for you,” Grace said, reaching across the table to rest her hand on top of Syd’s. “We all know what a big step it is for you.”

The others nodded in agreement. Abby recalled hearing about the terrible accident that had taken the lives of Syd’s husband and young children and admired her courage in trying to have another baby with her new husband.

“It seems we all have much to celebrate,” Maddie said. “I propose a toast to good friends, good times and new beginnings.”

Abby was more than happy to drink to that.

Two hours later, the women were finishing their fourth bottle of champagne and the wide variety of appetizers they’d decided to share when the guys came ambling into the restaurant.

“Oh my God!” Maddie said when she caught sight of her husband and the other men. “They do this every time!”

“They crash girls’ night out,” Janey said to Abby. “Every, single time. We can almost set our watches by them.”

Abby smiled at Janey’s obvious pleasure in her husband’s arrival, but all she could see was Adam, grinning as he came toward her with Mac, Evan, Joe, Owen, Blaine and Luke in tow.

“What happened to poker night?” Maddie asked Mac.