There's Snow Escape(2)

Gerri sighed. “It’s probably best if you talk to her yourself.”

Oh great. She’d get a chance to speak to Bella on another world.

What. The. Fuck.

She felt like she’d woken up in some kind of prank, and the joke was on her.

Gerri pressed on the ridged glass on the tablet, and a voice sounded.

“Communication ready.”

“Please connect,” Gerri spoke to the tablet.

Charlotte stopped her cup mid-way to her mouth and gawked at a hologram of Bella and two other men in her living room.

“Is this thing on?” Bella asked, glancing at one tall, hunky guy.

“Yes, it’s on,” he said, cupping her cheek and gazing at her adoringly. “Karel, she wants to see her friend.”

“Bella?” Charlotte squeaked. She gripped the sides of her seat. Her heart pounded like she’d run a million miles, though the most Charlotte ever did was walk or hike. Running had a big-fat HELL NO attached to it.

Bella glanced straight into what Charlotte assumed must be a communication device and smiled. “Charlotte!”

“Bella!” Charlotte gasped. She saw her friend but could also see her furniture through Bella. “Are you okay?”

Bella nodded, smiling widely and hugging the tall guy with the sand-colored hair almost twice her size. “I’m wonderful.” She cleared her throat and bit her lip. “I’m glad you’re sitting, because there’s something I need to tell you.”

Charlotte slowly slid to the edge of her seat. “Okay?”

“I’m getting married!”

Charlotte gaped at her best friend. The happiness in Bella’s face came through, even though she was see-through. “Oh my gosh! This is…” She almost choked on her own words trying to talk so fast. Her heart tripped with joy for Bella. “How? What the heck did I miss?” She hopped to her feet and rushed forward wanting to hug her friend over the wonderful news and then remembered it was a hologram image of Bella. “I’ve got to see you!”

Bella laughed and wiped at her cheeks. “Oh my god. Stupid hormones got me crying already.”

“Hormones?” Charlotte frowned, the smile leaving her face and fear clutching her gut. “You sure you’re okay?”

Bella’s radiant grin only grew wider. “Yes. I’m going to have a baby.”

Charlotte stumbled back, her knees giving way as she fell onto the sofa with a thump. “You’re what?”

Bella nodded, excitedly. “I’m going to have a baby!” She made a frustrated motion with her hands and pouted. “Dammit, Char. I need you here. I can’t do this without my best friend.”

“You don’t have to.” Charlotte instantly warmed to Bella’s words. Screw the fact that she was hit with serious news before her third cup of coffee. “I’m sure we can find a way to get me there with you. There’s no way in hell you’re getting married without me.”

Bella bounced on the balls of her feet. “I’m so happy to hear you say that. Gerri can arrange for you to come. Make sure Becca takes care of your house and belongings. You might want to close up the house and put stuff in storage.”

Holy hell. How long would she be gone? She’d been in such a funk missing Bella. After almost a month without her best friend to talk to, she started getting depressed. Her sister, Rebecca, busied herself with writing articles for the women’s magazine she worked at, leaving Charlotte feeling alone without Bella.

“Okay. I can handle all that. I’m sure we can get that taken care of within a week or two.”

Bella sighed. “Oh, Char. I can’t wait to show you how beautiful it is here.” She opened her eyes wide. “There’s one more favor I need from you.”

Charlotte didn’t hesitate. “Anything, chica. You know I’ll do it.”

Bella leaned into the big guy holding her and bit her lip. “I need a wedding dress.”

She sucked in a hard breath. “Bella…”

“I know, I know. You hate shopping. But this is for me. All you have to do is find a dress that’s my style, and we’re about the same big-girl size. If it fits you, it’ll fit me. Just give enough space for him or her,” she said, pointing down to her belly.

Like Bella, Charlotte was a big girl with big curves. Also like Bella, Charlotte had learned to love her curves and send society’s views on beauty to hell. Her latest project, thanks to the prodding of Bella and Becca, was a self-published book that became an instant bestseller. She’d done it mainly to let other women, who were treated like crap because of their size, know they were not alone.